Everyone knows that driving has a substantial negative impact on the environment. The average passenger car emits a number of pollutants including carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons, nitrogen oxides, and particulate matter. All of these negatively impact our environment and our health.
Unfortunately, for many of us, there are not many reasonable alternatives to driving daily to get to work or pick up groceries. This is especially true in rural and suburban areas, where urban sprawl and open fields maximize the distance between destinations. In these situations, no matter how much we’d like to not have to drive, it feels as if there is no other choice.
Luckily, there are a number of ways that you can reduce your environmental impact, even if you do have to drive to meet your needs. Taking advantage of these tips and tricks can greatly improve your gas mileage, which in turn limits your environmental impact and can ultimately save a fair amount of money. Below are a few ways to get started.
Reduce Idle Time
It may come as somewhat of a surprise to many drivers, but idling has a profound impact both on the environment and on the condition of your vehicle. This is especially true with those that are driving significant distances, such as long-haul truckers. Experts estimate that the average long-haul truck idles for approximately 1,900 hours during the year, releasing roughly 22 pounds of carbon dioxide per hour.
Additional research indicates that one hour of idling can be the equivalent of almost 75 miles of driving on the road when it comes to wear and tear on the vehicle. This translates into a huge waste of money and a profound drain on the environment. Many drivers believe that idling is preferable to turning the vehicle on and off multiple times, but thanks to advancements in technology this is no longer the case.
If your car will be idling for longer than 1 minute, experts recommend that you turn it off to avoid the negative impacts. Even in the winter, they suggest that it is only necessary for the car’s engine to warm up by idling for roughly 30 seconds before driving. Since idling can use up to half a gallon of fuel per hour, even a small savings can add up quickly.
Keep Up on Maintenance
Taking the time to complete the number of small vehicle maintenance measures can also make a big difference in your car’s impact on the environment. Not only can doing things like regular tune-ups help reduce the negative environmental impact, but they can also save you a lot of money on potential mechanical issues further on down the road. For many people, this means getting an oil change every 5,000 miles, but there are even more ways to improve.
Changing out dirty filters is one such way, as they can reduce your car’s fuel efficiency by up to 20 percent. Dirty spark plugs can reduce the power of your engine, so be sure to check and change them out every 30,000 miles. Also, take the time to evaluate if all of your vehicle’s sensors are working properly as fault components can also have a negative impact.
Additionally, take the time to make sure your tires are properly inflated. Underinflated tires do not roll as efficiently as fully inflated ones do, which can substantially reduce your fuel mileage. Properly inflated tires will also last a lot longer than underinflated ones, meaning you will spend less money replacing tires every few years.
Opt for Efficiency
Outside of maintaining the car you currently have, when it comes time to purchasing a new car, be sure to look for an eco-friendly model. There are a number of newer vehicles that are rapidly breaking down boundaries when it comes to fuel efficiency standards and environmental impact. For instance, the U.S. Department of Energy estimates that hybrids reduce emissions by over 50 percent.
Likewise, electric cars are making significant waves in the marketplace — a wave that is only expected to grow larger in the coming years. Some experts estimate that over 50 percent of new cars will be electric within the next 20 years. This is because of the many benefits including reducing fuel requirements, introducing environmental benefits, and lowering maintenance needs.
Finally, we all know that there are many benefits to recycling our waste products such as plastics, aluminum, and tin, but we rarely think about recycling our old car for parts. There are numerous parts of the car that can be recycled for cash and kept out of our landfills such as tires, scrap metal, catalytic converters, batteries, and filters. Helping to recycle these parts reduces environmental impact by limiting the number of new materials that need to be created and reducing the amount of waste in landfills.
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Although driving has a lot of known negative impacts on the environment, there are plenty of ways to help limit this. Reducing your car’s idling time and working to maintain your vehicle in optimum condition is a great start. When it comes time to purchase a new vehicle, look for more eco-friendly models and work to recycle your old one. Every small step makes a difference.
