How to Drive Green

Fill up smart., Don't make special trips just to gas up., Avoid idling!, Don't be a lead foot., ...then get your friends and neighbours to turn off their engines when parked to make for a greener and safer community!, Buy a green machine., Bring...

15 Steps 3 min read Advanced

Step-by-Step Guide

  1. Step 1: Fill up smart.

    What you put in your tank, and how you do so matters.

    It takes more fossil fuels for oil companies to make higher octane fuels.

    And since most fuels today have an ethanol blend, you can stick with the lower grade fuels to keep the environment – and your car – happy.
  2. Step 2: Don't make special trips just to gas up.

    Do it on your way home! One less Saturday errand and less gas consumed. , Don't just sit there with the engine running; you're choking the planet! Idling a car for only 20 seconds burns more gas and emits more CO2 than simply turning it off and starting it up again when you are actually ready to drive! If you are stuck at a light, a RR crossing or in that lovely traffic, shift to neutral – over the course of a year you would be amazed at how much less CO2 will be emitted on your watch! , When you are hitting the gas and on the move, ease up lead foot! When you are at a light don't gun your engine.

    You may think you're looking cool but really you're just wasting gas and poisoning the air.

    Save your drag racing fantasies for another day! Don't jack rabbit start or jump off the line when you get the green.

    Head out nice and easy and reduce your gas consumption.

    Your RPM's are a good indication of how smart you are driving.

    Red-lining your car is anything but “green” for the environment. , Slow down.

    Driving more than 55 mph (89 km/h) reduces your fuel efficiency by almost 15%. , Maybe it's time to buy a green car.

    These days, more and more car makers sell hybrid vehicles, using gas and electricity
    - and now they even make ones that run on ethanol and natural gas! These cars could save you up to USD$300 every year! However, give it some thought
    -- junking a vehicle produces an incredible amount of waste and making new cars takes a lot of materials and energy.

    You should weigh these factors against the benefits of upgrading to a more efficient vehicle. , You can drive to a centralized location and bike to a number of errands close by.

    You'll not only save fuel, but get some free exercise while reducing wasted time stuck in traffic looking for a place to park! , Europeans use 40% less fuel per mile than North Americans do.

    It's not that they are smarter than us, but they drive smarter and are less wasteful! ,). , Gas is much more expensive in Europe so they are more motivated to save fuel thanks to carbon taxes
    - which taxes fuel to force folks to conserve while investing in wind turbines and better healthcare and schools for the people.

    So get motivated...conserve fuel! , What's greener than a hybrid? A car not driven! , Carpool; take transit; bike to work; combine trips; walk kids to school for exercise and fresh air.
  3. Step 3: Avoid idling!

  4. Step 4: Don't be a lead foot.

  5. Step 5: ...then get your friends and neighbours to turn off their engines when parked to make for a greener and safer community!

  6. Step 6: Buy a green machine.

  7. Step 7: Bring your bike When you have a number of connected errands to do

  8. Step 8: a bike can help.

  9. Step 9: Drive like Europeans do.

  10. Step 10: They drive smaller vehicles

  11. Step 11: they drive efficiently ( non jack-rabbit starts) and they don't idle ( It's like farting...if they idle

  12. Step 12: they get told 'off' from by-standers!

  13. Step 13: Gas is cheap in the US so we have bad habits driving big cars and idling endlessly.

  14. Step 14: Drive less!

  15. Step 15: The greenest thing to do is not drive at all.

Detailed Guide

What you put in your tank, and how you do so matters.

It takes more fossil fuels for oil companies to make higher octane fuels.

And since most fuels today have an ethanol blend, you can stick with the lower grade fuels to keep the environment – and your car – happy.

Do it on your way home! One less Saturday errand and less gas consumed. , Don't just sit there with the engine running; you're choking the planet! Idling a car for only 20 seconds burns more gas and emits more CO2 than simply turning it off and starting it up again when you are actually ready to drive! If you are stuck at a light, a RR crossing or in that lovely traffic, shift to neutral – over the course of a year you would be amazed at how much less CO2 will be emitted on your watch! , When you are hitting the gas and on the move, ease up lead foot! When you are at a light don't gun your engine.

You may think you're looking cool but really you're just wasting gas and poisoning the air.

Save your drag racing fantasies for another day! Don't jack rabbit start or jump off the line when you get the green.

Head out nice and easy and reduce your gas consumption.

Your RPM's are a good indication of how smart you are driving.

Red-lining your car is anything but “green” for the environment. , Slow down.

Driving more than 55 mph (89 km/h) reduces your fuel efficiency by almost 15%. , Maybe it's time to buy a green car.

These days, more and more car makers sell hybrid vehicles, using gas and electricity
- and now they even make ones that run on ethanol and natural gas! These cars could save you up to USD$300 every year! However, give it some thought
-- junking a vehicle produces an incredible amount of waste and making new cars takes a lot of materials and energy.

You should weigh these factors against the benefits of upgrading to a more efficient vehicle. , You can drive to a centralized location and bike to a number of errands close by.

You'll not only save fuel, but get some free exercise while reducing wasted time stuck in traffic looking for a place to park! , Europeans use 40% less fuel per mile than North Americans do.

It's not that they are smarter than us, but they drive smarter and are less wasteful! ,). , Gas is much more expensive in Europe so they are more motivated to save fuel thanks to carbon taxes
- which taxes fuel to force folks to conserve while investing in wind turbines and better healthcare and schools for the people.

So get motivated...conserve fuel! , What's greener than a hybrid? A car not driven! , Carpool; take transit; bike to work; combine trips; walk kids to school for exercise and fresh air.

About the Author

H

Heather Martin

Dedicated to helping readers learn new skills in creative arts and beyond.

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