Smart Green Driving Tips that Save Money
Everyone seems to be in a hurry to get somewhere these days. What could possibly motivate us to develop greener driving habits? To start with, if you follow some of these tips and make them habits for yourself and your family, you can save a good deal of money. In tough economic times, you can’t afford not to. If everyone decided to do even one of these tips, the whole planet would reap immense benefits. Do your part by challenging yourself to implement at least one of these ideas right away.
1. The best and easiest thing you could possibly do to contribute to a greener environment is to stop driving altogether. Get fit and active. Walk or ride your bike to work and on small errands if it is an option where you live. If not, you can carpool with someone else or use public transportation to save energy, costs, and fuel emissions.
2. If you have to drive, moderate your speed. Driving no faster than 60 mph and no slower than 50 mph for highway driving is optimal for your car and limits environmental impact. Any kind of sudden acceleration or hard braking requires extra gas and causes more wear and tear for your car. Smooth driving is the best way to avoid unwanted costs and protect the environment.
3. Shopping online is a great way to save energy and costs. Most of your favorite stores probably have websites to shop from online, and many offer coupons for free shipping. Even groceries can be purchased from home and delivered to you.
4. If you’re idling in traffic, in line at the drive-thru, or waiting for someone or something and think you might have to wait longer than a minute, turn the engine off. It burns roughly the same amount of fuel to restart your engine as it does to idle for one minute. It stands to reason that long waits with the engine cut off will save money and emissions.
5. You might want to take inventory of your trunk and not use it as a place of storage. By eliminating extra weight and removing anything that doesn’t really have to be there, you can get better fuel efficiency. Store those extra things in the garage unless you absolutely need them for the trip and you will save money and wear on your vehicle.
6. Did you know that 20% of a car’s fuel consumption gets eaten up just to overcome tire roll resistance? The good news is there is a way to counteract this, by investing in quality tires. It is worth it to do research to find tires with the best reviews. Tires that perform better are worth a little extra, as tires that are under inflated will cause you to pay more in gas.
Green driving isn’t difficult with some planning and common sense. The privilege of driving should be worth using it sensibly and responsibly. Any of these tips can be put to practice right away with immediate rewards, both to the environment and your pocketbook. Drive green, and save some green today.
