GP : 5 Top Tips for Keeping Your Car Mean and Green
Cars and driving in general is one of modern life’s greatest conundrums. On the one hand it is one of mankind’s greatest technological feats that transformed travel unrecognizable in a relatively short time. Yet on the other, it poses a threat to the earth’s natural resources and the environment. Cars have become an integral part of our lives with the vast majority of us relying on our vehicles for day-to-day transportation and general living convenience.
The average Australian car travels 15,000 km per year, emitting 4 tonnes of CO2 into the atmosphere. In fact, almost 20% of all greenhouse gas emissions come from cars and trucks, all of which contribute to air pollution, climate change and disease.
However, with just a few minor adjustments to your vehicle you could be making very positive changes to its overall performance, which will also help to minimize the impact it has on the environment. Positive changes you could make to your vehicle include shopping around for the best deal using Australian car insurance compare sites. This way you can make sure you are not only protecting the environment but your pocket as well.
1. Become a green driver
Driving techniques can hugely impact your fuel economy and you can improve your performance by doing the following:
- Avoid making “jerky”, regular starts and stops. Try to ‘read the road’ and make adjustments to your speed accordingly. Driving closely behind someone in queues of slow moving traffic won’t help you reach your destination any more quickly. Instead keep a safe distance away and apply your brakes or accelerator gently.
- As a general rule aim to keep your engine speeds at between 2,000 and 2,500 RPM’s.
2. Get a tune-up
It’s obvious that proper care and maintenance can keep anything in good working order and this is particularly true for your car. A thorough engine service and tune up can improve your mileage by about 4%, which will really extend the life of your vehicle.
3. Travel Light
Did you know that carrying an extra 45 kilos of weight in your car increases fuel consumption by around 2%? Avoid using your motor as a moving storage container and remove anything you don’t really need or use on a daily basis. This includes: bikes, dog crates, car seats, sporting equipment and any other heavy stuff.
4. Cut down on the air conditioning
Cranking the air conditioning on full may feel great but in fact increases fuel costs by a massive 13%! Whilst rolling down the windows on a very hot day is a fantastic and preferable alternative, this can also decrease your car’s aerodynamic efficiency. If bearable, try to just use the in-built flow through ventilation instead.
5. Use environmentally friendly car-care products
Most standard synthetic car cleaning products are made from harsh chemicals, meaning that when you wash the car at home the water will run into storm drains where chemicals just don’t belong.
There are hundreds of natural car care products now available to the discerning motorist, including auto-shampoo and tire cleaning products. The best news is that they are just as efficient (if not more so) than the harmful alternatives.
Similar Posts:
- Consider Safety When Buying A Car
- Be Prepared To Survive Winter Storm
- Peanut Butter Doesn’t Get Any Better!! #MC #Sponsored
- Special Moments Made Possible By Proper Car Maintenance
- How To Sell A Car
