Driving Tips: Seven lessons for eco-friendly driving
Photo courtesy of Ecodriving Solutions
Thinking about doing your part to save the world? Here are seven Eco-friendly driving tips for you to consider and put to practice.
Our daily life is full of errands, and in some circumstances, you need to use your vehicle extensively. Throughout its daily use, your car will eventually burn more, and more fuel, and subsequently increase the amount of carbon dioxide emissions into the air. What it means to the environment is that the more amount of emissions released, the thinner our ozone layer gets. So, before the world becomes an impossible place to live in, it’s probably best that you start preserving it by driving in an eco-friendly way.
Avoid Jackrabbit (Stop-and-Start) Driving
If you happen to drive aggressively every day, you need to start being more considerate, and use steadier approach. By pressing the gas and pressing the brake pedal too much results in wasted fuel, and ruined brake pads. Instead, try driving at a steadier and slower pace along the road. Anticipate things ahead, so that you have the time to let go of the gas and wait for the right time to brake.
Leave It to the Gravity
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Where you can, coast. If you’re coming down from a hill, lift off the pedal, and use the brakes lightly and let gravity do its work. Free your transmission and coast wherever possible. When climbing up the hill, try keeping your rpm at a constant so that less fuel is burned.
Pump Up Your Tyres
Before you take to the road, be sure that your tyres are properly inflated. Always remember to check them regularly and keep them properly inflated to aid acceleration and ease your engine’s burden. Technically, if your tyre pressures are too low, your engine will have to exhaust itself more, wasting fuel, and releasing more CO2 into the air.
Filters Matter
Photo courtesy of Kuwait Filters
It is important to replace your filters every now and then. For example, if an air filter is blocked by dirt or debris, the shortage of air forces more petrol to be burnt to create ignition. Replacing your car filter can increase your mileage too. So, how often do you need to change the filters? It is best to consult the car owner’s manual for the replacement schedule so that your vehicle can produce optimum results.
Lessen Your Short Trips
Instead of taking short trips such popping by the store around the corner for some sugar, plan to limit your car’s use for longer distances. You don’t have to burn unnecessary fuel just to drive to the nearest shop that is less than 1km away. Keep your car for longer distances such as for when you really need it. If you need to shop, why not go online? Or, why not take a walk to the shops for a little bit of exercise?
Photo courtesy of Red Oxx
Shed the weight
Try not to drive around with unnecessary heavy objects in your car. If there’s no need for you to carry the extra weight, leave them behind. With added weight, the engine will have to work harder to drive the car, thus more fuel is needed. Ensure that you carry less baggage so that your car is lighter, burns less fuel and ultimately decreases its carbon emissions.
Have You Considered A Manual Vehicle?
You can conserve more energy if you have a manual car. By using a manual transmission, you can choose for yourself, when is the right time to change gears without wasting fuel by letting the revs run too high. On straights, try using higher gears that will keep the RPM low. You can also learn how to short-shift; the act of skipping a gear, and jumping to the next one to avoid wasting fuel, and provides a more relaxed acceleration. If your revs are too high in 2nd gear, you can always jump to 4th immediately, rather than stop over at 3rd to waste more fuel.
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