Think owning a car means you have to give up your commitment to lighten your carbon footprint? Think again. There are actually dozens of ways that you can ensure your car isn’t needlessly contributing to pollution levels and rising greenhouse effects in major metro areas. Here are just a few tips to turn your car into a green car.
Take your car in for maintenance on a regular schedule
Driving a car that’s spewing black smoke or burning too much fuel can have severe negative consequences for the environment. By having your oil changed on a regular basis and replacing air filters as recommended, you can improve your car’s efficiency so that you’re not burning through gallons of gas.
Drive eco-consciously
Yes, there are actually certain methods of driving that you can employ while you’re behind the wheel which will burn less fuel and thus decrease the amount of pollutants your car is spewing out. Driving the speed limit is helps with fuel economy, as well as helping you to avoid speeding tickets. Sudden starts also burn up a lot of fuel, so do your best to tame that lead foot of yours. Also, look ahead for light changes. If you see a red or yellow light ahead, take your foot off the pedal and begin your coast. When you’re out and about, make use of GPS apps to help you map out the shortest distances from one point to another.
Keep your tires pumped to the right air pressure
This isn’t just a safety thing that’ll prevent your tires from blowing out and it’s not just a cost-saving method of ensuring your tires last longer before having to be replaced. Paying attention to your tire pressure can also greatly increase your vehicle’s fuel efficiency. When a tire is underinflated, your engine has to work harder to move you from one place to another. Check your air pressure at least once per month and refer to your owner’s manual (or the little stick on the inside of your driver’s side door) for the proper air pressure for your make and model. Double check this against the maximum air pressure limit printed on the sidewall of your tire.
Stop living out of your car
When your car is packed with junk, it not only makes people less apt to want to carpool with you – it also weighs your car down and boosts your fuel consumption. Just don’t get rid of necessities like your spare tire and you’ll be rolling smoothly.
Don’t “top off” when you fill up
A lot of people do this because they think it’ll cut back on the number of times they have to swing by the local gas station to gas up. But what you don’t know is that by topping off and by not tightening your gas cap completely, you’re throwing away money and allowing that extra gas to evaporate, which isn’t exactly what Mother Nature ordered.
Not everyone can afford to buy the latest, greatest hybrid or electric car technology. But by embracing some – or all – of the methods outlined above, you can make a positive impact to your environment and save a few bucks in the process. What could be better than that?
When it’s time to maintain or repair your vehicle, do it through Openbay – it’s car repair for today’s world. Use the Openbay web app to compare, book and pay for auto repair and maintenance with a shop in your neighborhood.