Green Tips
Bad news: your car is probably the single-biggest contributor to your environmental footprint. Good news: choosing a hybrid, diesel, or flex-fuel car as well as adjusting your driving habits can have a profound impact on the earth and on your wallet. In an age of astronomical fuel prices, it's helpful to remember that the little things—keeping tires properly inflated, rethinking your commute, greening rented wheels—can quickly add up.
9 things you can do to Green Your Car
Choose a hybrid car
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Not just driven by virtuous celebrities high up in the Hollywood Hills, these increasingly accepted autos sip (rather than guzzle) 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 wincing at the gas pump and polluting the atmosphere? Fill 'er up with soybean, corn, and other vegetable oils used in cooking—all are renewable, biodegradable, and nontoxic alternatives to petroleum-based fuel.
Carpool instead of driving solo
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Carpooling offers more than just a shared ride—it reduces carbon dioxide emissions, saves you money, and lightens the traffic load on roads.
Slow down on the road
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Save fuel, reduce emissions, and lower your stress level. On the highway, cutting your speed by just five mph can make a big difference in fuel economy; in town, “going with the flow” can reduce emissions and save on wear and tear.
Maintain your car
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Ensure your car operates at peak gas efficiency when logging those business miles by getting regular tune-ups, etc.
Drive a green rental car
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Think green and fuel-efficient the next time you're at the rental counter.
Choose remolded or retreaded tires
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Remolded or retreaded tires require less raw material—especially truck tires, which can be safely retreaded multiple times.
Keep your tires properly inflated
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Keeping your tires properly inflated will ensure maximum fuel economy and reduce wear. Tires lose air pressure at the rate of about 1 psi per month, and underinflation of just 6 psi can reduce fuel efficiency by 3 percent.
Avoid car idling
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Gratuitous idling is a waste of gas and a grimy culprit that contributes to global-warming causing carbon emissions—although it may be torturous for some, avoid fast food drive-through windows.
