How Can Your Driving Habits Help the Environment?
According to many surveys and studies, driving is actually one of the things that pollute the environment the most. Yet, millions of people are practicing this activity on a daily basis. Of course, many of them know that driving is not something that brings positive effects to nature, but they don’t have other means to get from point A to point B. Burning gasoline and other kinds of fossil fuels create pollutants that are released into the atmosphere leading to global warming, smog, and pollution of water and soil.
In addition, it’s worth mentioning that refining, extracting and transporting these fuels is also bad for the environment. In other words, the less gasoline is used the better. In the last few years, several scientific studies have shown that transportation contributes to 50% of air pollution, 35% of greenhouse gas emissions and about 20% of toxic water pollution. Taking care of your driving habits can significantly change these numbers. Keep in mind that the condition in which we leave our environment has a direct impact on our health. You can expect to stay healthy in an unhealthy environment. So, what can we do?
First of all, keep in mind that you don’t have to use your car all the time. The latest statistics have shown that there is an increased interest in using delivery services. So, it is no surprise why the interest in express truck driving jobs is growing every year.
Next, if you have to use your car, don’t idle. Idling that is not really necessary spends fuel and damages your car. In case you are staying in one place for more than 15 seconds (unless you are in traffic), don’t hesitate to turn off the vehicle’s engine. It turns out that 15 seconds of idle time spends more fuel than simple restarting. So, by turning the key you will save money and protect the environment.
It doesn’t really matter whether you are driving to some holiday destination or driving to work, you should never haul loads that are not necessary. Additional weight increases the number of pollutants and lowers fuel economy. If you have to carry large items, try to put them inside not on the roof.
Furthermore, quick starts can consume up to 50% more fuel compared to “normal” starts. Don’t forget that fast and aggressive accelerations will wear out the engine, brakes and tires. It’s also good to mention that minimizing air conditioning is important too. If you want to remain fresh and cool on the road, you can use your vehicle’s flow via vents. If you are not on an open road, you can open the window. In case you need to use the air conditioning. Don’t use extreme temperature and don’t forget to turn it off when you reach a suitable temperature.
During the winter period, you should use a block heater to warm up the engine before you turn it on. The fact is that cold engines burn additional fuel and produces more exhaust. This is where block heaters come into play. They have proven to be an excellent option for those who want to enhance winter fuel economy.
Finally, plan ahead and lower the driving time by avoiding traffic jams and making combinations of errands.