By Alison • 2 Comments
Reducing your car's impact on the environment is a responsible thing to do. Ideally, we would travel around using public transport instead of a gas-guzzling car, but that isn't always a practical option. If you live outside the city, or work unsociable hours, then it would be extremely difficult to do without your own vehicle. So if you need to run a car, here are some potential ways of reducing your car's impact on the environment …
An excellent way of reducing your car's impact on the environment is to share it with other people. Do you and your partner really need to have a car each, or could you manage with one between you? You can also share your journey to work with co-workers. Another possibility is to join a car club, so that you only pick up a car when you need one.
Short journeys use a higher proportion of fuel, so try to avoid them. Those quick hops to the store are a waste of fuel. It's much better for the environment if you walk or cycle instead. If you really need the car for a short trip, such as picking up heavy items, try to schedule them for when you are passing along that route.
Electric cars are ideal for drivers who mostly travel in cities and need a small car for easy parking. However, there are now quite a few models of electric cars commercially available and you can also buy larger cars. Electric cars can be capable of driving some distance before needing a recharge.
Larger models of cars tend not to be terribly environmentally friendly, so when you're buying a car look for the smallest model that will suit your needs. You don't need a Hummer for one person motoring around town! Smaller cars give you a better mileage per gallon, which is what we need in these times of high gas prices
If you have to take your car out, make the most of the trip by using the opportunity to carry out other errands. Think ahead, and you can often get two or three chores done on the same journey. This kind of planning means that you don't have to make the same journey several times (and use three times the gas).
In the heat of summer, or when stuck in a traffic jam, air conditioning may be the best option for keeping cool. However it does use a lot of gas to run. So wherever possible, open the car windows rather than switching on the aircon.
Nobody likes sitting in rush hour traffic. If you can avoid it, you'll save yourself stress as well as gas. You can waste quite a lot of gas sitting in a queue with the engine idling, and even if you're moving at low speeds you won't be getting the best mileage to the gallon.
Running a car is an expensive business, so it's good for your pocket to save money wherever you can. But a car also has an environmental cost, so if you need or want to have a car you should use it as responsibly as possible. Some simple changes will help reduce its impact on the environment. What do you do to try to help the environment?