Oil, Gasoline, Petrol-Bad for the Environment, Bad for your Bank Account
Alternative fuel
transportation is not only good for the earth it is great for saving you money at the gas
station.
We have recently seen the highest prices on record for petrol
in Australia and the US is very close behind.
But you can beat them and you can save yourself money even if you can't afford a hybrid right now.
Oh you've heard all of this before but here it is again:
1. Walk, our grandparents did and they were fitter and thinner than us
2. Public Transport, catch a train, a bus, a car pool
3. Cycle, you will see the views, on the downside though you also truly discover how polluting cars are
4. Spend more time at home
5. Share a taxi with friends when you do head off at night
How You Can Improve Your Fuel Economy
- Accelerate evenly: Start evenly from a standstill. Avoid rapid acceleration, over-revving your engine and transmission downshifting. Rapid acceleration can cost up to 12 mpg.
- Drive smoothly: Overdrive gears improve the fuel economy of your car during highway driving. When you use overdrive gearing, your vehicle's engine speed decreases. This reduces both fuel consumption and engine wear. Using cruise control on highway trips can help you maintain a constant speed and, in most cases, will reduce your fuel consumption.
- Observe speed limits: By driving 65 mph instead of
70 mph, you'll save gas. It may take a little longer to get to your
destination, but each extra hour you spend driving because of a reduction
in speed can save you $5. Owners of larger trucks and sport utility
vehicles may save as much as $10 for each extra hour they drive because of
reduced speed.
In highway driving, more than 50 percent of the energy required to move your car down the road goes to overcoming aerodynamic drag (pushing air out of the way). As you drive faster, aerodynamic drag and rolling resistance increase. As a result, at speeds above 55 mph, fuel economy decreases rapidly. This is especially true if you carry items on the top of your vehicle (such as ski or snowboard racks or cargo carriers); or even a bicycle rack on the front or rear of the vehicle. - Don't carry more than you need: Avoid carrying unneeded items, especially heavy ones. An extra 100 pounds in the trunk reduces a typical vehicle's fuel economy by 1 percent to 2 percent.
- Limit the use of accessories: On a sunny but cool day, the fan alone may sufficiently cool the vehicle, eliminating the need to run the air conditioner. When parking a vehicle in warm weather, use a sun shade to keep the interior of the vehicle cooler. In vehicles with separate rear climate controls, don't use them if all of your passengers are sitting at the front of the vehicle.
- Make sure your vehicle is properly maintained: Change the oil according as recommended in the GM owner's manual, make sure the air filter and spark plugs are clean, and fuel injectors unclogged. Keep tires properly inflated and frequently inspect them to make sure they are in good condition.
Other factors that affect fuel economy:
- Passenger load: Each extra passenger in the vehicle can reduce fuel economy by 1/4 of a mile per gallon.
- Terrain: Living in a mountainous or hilly area will greatly reduce your fuel efficiency. In fact, consistent hilly driving is equivalent to driving fast all the time.
- Outside temperature: The climate in which you live has a big impact on your vehicle's fuel economy. Vehicles driven in warm climates can experience a 1-2 mpg fuel economy benefit, while cold climates with near-freezing temperatures can cost as much as 3 mpg.