The trucking industry strongly contributes to the world pollution problem. We all rely on the earth and the resources that it provides us, therefore, everyone needs to be more aware of their actions and take steps to lessen their impact. With small changes and a different mindset, truckers can make a big difference. Read on to learn how YOU can be more environmentally conscious while on the road.
“You cannot get through a single day without having an impact on the world around you.
What you do makes a difference, and you have to decide what kind of difference you want to make.”
Lower Your Impact: Fuel Consumption:
Try to avoid sitting idle whenever possible. This action not only releases dangerous pollutants into the atmosphere, but it also wastes fuel. Think about all of the resources that were used just to extract the fuel and transport it to a location where you could fill your tank. Never take waste lightly. Turn your engine off if you will be sitting longer than the length of a traffic light. Ignore the justification for idling that states that restarting your engine multiple times burns more fuel than sitting, that is just a myth.
Plan your Route:
Take the time to plan the fastest and most direct route possible. Doing so will reduce the amount of fuel needed for the trip and will save you a lot of time later on. Stay in touch with traffic updates and avoid traffic jams.
Don’t speed! Even though it may make sense in your head to hit 75-80 MPH, it wastes a lot of fuel. Typically, most vehicles get the best MPG between 55 and 65 mph. Also, don’t speed up quickly just to slam on your breaks. This never makes sense, and it can be especially dangerous in a truck. Rather, leave enough space so that you can naturally come to a slow stop and accelerate gradually as well to use less fuel. Speeding up quickly and slamming your brakes makes you seem impatient and will require you to fill up more often.
Turn you’re A/C down. Running you’re A/C at full blast can increase your fuel consumption by 0.2-0.4 MPG. Instead, think about putting your windows down and dressing appropriately for the weather. Keep in mind that there was once a time before the development of air conditioning and people got on just fine. Your body will naturally adjust to deal with high and low temperatures if you give it the chance to do so.
Keeping up on repairs and regular maintenance requirements can keep your truck running longer and more efficiently. Not only will your wallet benefit, but so will the environment. Check out our blog post which focuses on proper truck maintenance by clicking HERE.
Reuse and Recycle:
Most truckers use a lot of resources on a daily basis. Try to cut the impact of this by recycling everything that you can. Although recycling is great, there are a lot of things that cannot be recycled. Focus on buying products that come in 100% recyclable packaging, or better yet, no packaging at all. Click HERE to read more about what can and cannot be recycled. Make it a goal to be a more conscious consumer. You vote with your money, so don’t buy products from companies that negatively impact our environment.
Consider recycling your truck’s tires when you are through with them. Tires can be repurposed into so many things, including tire-derived fuel, mulch, and nylon. Each year, 300 million tires get thrown away. Click HERE to read about what you need to do in order to recycle your truck’s old tires.
Avoid using single-use packaging at all costs. Pack your snacks and meals in reusable metal or glass containers and invest in a quality reusable water bottle. It is usually pretty easy to find a water fountain to refill your bottle at for free. More than 60 million plastic water bottles end up in landfills each day. These plastic bottles leech chemicals into the surrounding waterways and soil and harm ocean ecosystems.
Don’t just turn your brain off and go through your daily life on auto-pilot. If everyone altered their mindset slightly, big changes would occur that would positively impact the world for future generations to come. The trucking industry contributes to a lot of waste and pollution annually, so be the change. Be a trucker that cares for the earth and takes a less selfish approach.
“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.”-Margaret Mead
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