Eco-Friendly Driving Habits

Although most drivers like to save money and can be motivated to change their driving habits in order to do so, others want to work to lower their fuel consumption for more altruistic motives. Using less fuel means that fewer poisonous toxins are released into the air surrounding our planet, and fewer people will have illnesses associated with breathing this polluted air. Being conscientious about your fuel use is another way of being a good neighbor to those that inhabit this planet with you.

People may not even realize that they are using more fuel than necessary, but eco-friendly driving habits do not always come naturally. Some are learned skills and take a bit of practice; others are just a matter of properly maintaining a vehicle or wisely planning ahead. In any case, the following suggestions can help with gas conservation and air quality, and can help keep the household budget in the black:

Maintenance Matters

No matter whether you have a car or truck that seems to drink gas the way an elephant drinks water or a tiny, economical smart car, some upkeep issues will make a difference in gas mileage. The following should always give you a few more miles to the gallon in the long term:

• Tires inflated to the recommended standards and rotated at frequent intervals

• Oil that is the appropriate weight for the engine

• Points, plugs and condenser checked and cleaned

• Clogged air filter replaced with a new one

• Keep the trunk free of heavy equipment

A tune-up can actually make a 4% difference in fuel consumption in some vehicles so keep those cars and trucks in good shape.

Driving Habits Count

Although most people consider themselves pretty good drivers, some driving habits are more eco-friendly than others and must be practiced consistently to save fuel. The following advice can help you get the best mileage by adjusting your current driving habits:

• Ease into every start and stop.

• To keep the pace as smooth as possible, leave plenty of space between your car and the one in front of you.

• Do not run the air conditioner unless you really need it to be comfortable.

• Plan all routes before leaving home, including the short ones around town.

• Make every trip count by getting in as many errands as possible along the same route.

• Be willing to share rides with friends and neighbors whenever you can.

• Do not use a car when your bike or feet will work just as well.

If everybody works toward saving just a small amount of fossil fuel, it will have a wonderful impact on the environment. As each generation becomes aware of the need to conserve, all of our children will be able to breathe easier.

This is a guest post from Jane Simpson, who writes for a car finance calculator website. She follows the advice in this post to reduce the impact of her driving, and believes it’s easy to be a more eco-friendly driver just by adopting some simple new habits.