Car buying
8 things you can do to Green Your Car buying
While walking and cycling may be the most eco-logical ways to get around, driving a car is often unavoidable. And since the car you drive has such a significant impact on your overall carbon footprint, it's important to choose one that sips rather than guzzles fuel.
Even small changes make a big difference over the life of your car: If the fuel efficiency of every American passenger car improved by just 5 mpg, over 13 billion gallons of gas would be saved annually—equivalent to the CO2 emissions of over 11 million homes in a year. So next time you're in the market for a new vehicle, do some research to ensure you're lowering your fuel consumption with a hybrid, diesel, flex-fuel, or even a fuel-efficient used two-door sedan.
Choose a hybrid car
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Not just driven by virtuous celebrities high up in the Hollywood Hills, these increasingly accepted autos conserve gas with the aid of an electric motor that emits less greenhouse gases and saves you money as you go.
Choose a biodiesel-compatible car
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Tired of high prices at the gas pump? Fill 'er up with soybean, corn, and other vegetable oils used in cooking—all are renewable, biodegradable, and non-toxic alternatives to petroleum-based fuel.
Choose a diesel car
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The stinky exhaust put out by diesels have given them a bad reputation, but they've cleaned up their acts with high fuel efficiency and improved technologies.
Choose a flex-fuel car
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Flexible-fuel vehicles run on either gasoline or a more eco-friendly gasoline/ethanol blend (E85) and have been in production since the 1980s—check your owner's manual ... you might just be driving one.
Choose a used car
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Spread your love of vintage to autos by investing in a previously-owned car— you’ll circumvent the polluting, energy-and-resource-intensive process of automobile production and maybe even end up with agreeable fuel economy.
Choose a smaller car
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Is bigger really better? When it comes to cars and the environment, the answer is a resolute no. With consumer concern about rising fuel costs and global warming, many are looking to smaller-size.
Choose green car insurance
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Some auto insurance companies are becoming more green-minded by offering paperless billing, carbon offsets, and mileage-based insurance that rewards buyers for driving less.
Join a car sharing program
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For drivers who share well and are concerned about car ownership's plus-sized carbon footprint, car sharing is just right—a vehicle at one’s disposal for an hourly rate when the open road beckons.
Comments
12:37pm
used is the way to go. especially in the US with great road conditions and quick price-decline in vehicles right out of the dealers. you get a great deal, get a fuel efficient vehicle, keep cars out of landfills, and decrease the demand for brand new vehicles.
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