It starts with you.
If the number one way to reduce your impact on global warming was to drive less, how many excuses could you supply why you cannot drive less? How about some practical tips to help you not only drive less, but reduce your emissions when you have to drive?
Even if you cannot afford to trade your car for a more efficient, electric or hybrid model, you can do a lot to reduce the impact your vehicle has on the environment.
Shopping
1. Shop for frozen and dry groceries and household supplies once per month. Limit shopping for perishables to once per week, and then only on your way home from somewhere else. Save gas and money by planning ahead.
2. Shop for clothing, shoes, items for children, gifts and other items quarterly or bimonthly. These non-essentials should be planned to avoid prolonged or frequent driving.
3. Shop locally. This is more than going to the neighborhood market. Buy items produced locally as well. You have direct control over pollution caused by transporting goods over very long distances to get to you.
Errands
1. Go to the bank, post office, doctor's office and pharmacy on the same day. By plotting your itinerary to include at least three stops, you save gasoline, money and time while reducing your carbon emissions by as much as 70%.
2. Go with a friend. While not as efficient as carpooling, you can choose who has the most efficient vehicle and completely eliminate the emissions from the other. Best practice is to go everywhere with at least two other people.
3. Go on time. Schedule your errands so you will not rush. This leads to more considerate driving, better braking and less stress.
Work
1. Telecommute. Many companies offer choices in telecommuting. More offices are closing an additional day each week to save on overhead. Work from home one day, or more, per week.
2. Carpool. It is cool to carpool. Schedule meetings during your commute. Again, choose the most efficient car to get you and your colleagues to work on time.
3. Transfer. If you are commuting more than fifteen miles to work, consider a position closer to your home. When possible, work within walking distance of your home.
4. Move. If you are commuting more than fifty miles to work, you are losing money, time and breathable air. If you cannot move, transfer to a position closer to home.
5. Detour. If your commute is spent sitting in traffic, find a new route to work. If there is only one way, change your work hours to avoid standstills.
Maintenance
1. Use the proper gasoline. Engines are designed to run on specific grades of octane. Use the correct grade of gasoline to reduce global warming emissions.
2. Clean the filters. The week before your oil change (every 3,000 miles), treat your gasoline to remove debris from your tank. Change the fuel and air filters when you change your oil. Make your car run more efficiently.
3. Check the tires. Poor tire inflation make vehicles burn more gasoline and produce more exhaust. Check the tire pressure and tread wear.
4. Turn off the air. Whenever possible, turn off air conditioning to make your car run more efficiently.
5. Regular checkups. Schedule a tune up every six months. Maintaining your vehicle regularly actually reduces maintenance costs and prevents major system failures, like transmission death. Keep your car in shape.
Driving
1. Drive courteously. Racing to be first at the traffic light wastes gasoline and makes your car produce more exhaust. Sudden braking strains your motor.
2. Drive slowly. Lower revolutions per minute (RPM) help your car perform at its peak, use less gasoline and stay more efficient. Modern cars are designed to be most fuel efficient at 45 miles per hour (MPH).
3. Drive safely. Motor vehicle accidents (MVA) pollute the air with exhaust, gasoline fumes and poisonous gases (such as freon), on top of being a danger to your life.
4. Drive the appropriate vehicle. Unless you are driving a garbage truck, remove all items from your vehicle which add unnecessary weight. Straining the engine to carry excess weight produces more exhaust.
5. Drive the appropriate vehicle. (Not a typo.) If you must go somewhere alone, drive the smallest vehicle possible. Rather than an eight-cylinder four-by-four, drive your compact sedan or ride your motorcycle.
While you are on the road, you can directly reduce your impact on global warming.