step #2 - on the road again

roadside susans
Originally uploaded by zenbecca

Your car is packed up, gassed up, and you're finally on the road…now what? Is it possible to get to your destination without making a huge impact on the environment and your wallet? Getting better gas mileage is the key to cutting greenhouse gas emissions and saving money.

It should go without saying that you should keep your cool behind the wheel, but did you know that aggressive driving causes you to use extra gas? Your gas mileage can be increased by as much as 30% for highway driving (and by 5% in the city) simply by accelerating and decelerating smoothly and slowly. And, as a bonus, you won’t annoy everyone around you!

You've heard the expression “speed kills”. Well, it should come as no surprise that it wastes gas, too. Driving over the speed limit is not only unsafe; it is a huge drain on the fuel tank. Consider taking secondary highways to help keep your lead-foot in check. Not only are posted limits lower, the temptation to speed is reduced when others aren’t whizzing past you like Kimi Raikkonen Optimal fuel economy will vary from vehicle to vehicle, but gas mileage usually decreases rapidly at speeds above 100 km/h. Tip: if you have cruise control, use it to help maintain a constant speed.

Many urban centres are cracking down on idling and for good reason – idling vehicles contribute to pollution (both air and noise) and get zero kms /litre. It’s a myth that restarting your car uses more fuel than leaving it running, so turn off your engine when packing or unloading your car and while waiting in line-ups for ferries, highway work, accidents, etc.

And, finally, pack light. Before you add the weight of passengers and luggage, remove unnecessary heavy items from your vehicle. An extra 50 kilograms of cargo in your vehicle could reduce your gas mileage by up to 2%. This, of course, affects smaller vehicles more than large, but any little bit helps. Plus, you’ve gotta leave room for souvenirs!