EcoMinutes
February 2009 – Saving Gas

020209
Do something good today, save gasoline, save money, save the earth.  Americans use more than 20 million barrels of oil every day.  By changing your driving habits you can improve fuel economy up to 37 percent right away, without having to buy that hybrid.  The wonderful part is that improving your car's mileage is just a matter of changing your habits.  Combine several of this month’s tips and perform routine maintenance and you will save real dollars, not just pennies - without the need for a new car. 

020309
You don’t have to drive alone, in fact you shouldn’t.  Car pools reduce gas use, most vehicle expenses and travel monotony.  In a carpool all riders share in the costs and driving.  Carpooling reduces traffic congestion, decreases emissions, and reduces energy consumption.  Conversation can help keep the driver alert, and passengers can relax, reducing their stress levels and promoting more productivity.  For best mileage, distribute passenger weight evenly throughout car.   If every car carried one more passenger during its daily commute, it would save an estimated 32 million gallons of gasoline each day, for an annual savings of more than 8 billion gallons. 

020409
Buy gasoline during coolest time of day - early morning or late evening is best. During these times gasoline is densest. Keep in mind - gas pumps measure volumes of gasoline, not densities of fuel concentration. You are charged according to "volume of measurement" and you’ll get more volume when gas is at its densest.  Avoid filling gas tank to top. Overfilling results in sloshing over and out of tank. Never fill gas tank past the first "click" of fuel nozzle, if nozzle is automatic. 

020509
Don’t keep your car running if you’re not moving.  First, avoid prolonged warming up of the engine, even on cold mornings - 30 to 45 seconds is plenty of time.  Don’t know if whether it’s more cost effective to keep the car running or turn it off – if you’ll be idling for more than a minute, it’s better just to turn it off since one minute of idling consumes the same amount of gas as starting the engine.  Routinely shutting the car off rather than allowing extended idling could improve your gas mileage by 19%.  Remember that the next time you’re backed up in the drive-through lane. 

020609
Drive the speed limit - You get better gas efficiency.  Traveling at 55 mph will give you up to 21% better mileage than when you drive 65 mph or 70 mph.  For every 5 mph you drive over 60, it’s like paying an extra 24 cents a gallon.  Also, drive steadily.  Slowing down or speeding up wastes fuel. Think ahead when approaching hills. If you accelerate, do it before you reach the hill, not while you're on it.  Avoid tailgating - the driver in front of you is unpredictable. Not only is it unsafe, but if can affect your fuel economy, if he slows down unexpectedly, you will need to too.  

020909
Make small changes in your driving habits to save gas.  If you drive a manual shift car, you need to be careful of when you shift.  Traveling at high speed in low gears can consume up to 45% more fuel than is needed.  Manual shift driven cars allow you to change to highest gear as soon as possible, thereby letting you save gas.  However, if you shift too soon, and cause the engine to "bog down", premature wearing of engine parts occurs.  When you use overdrive gearing, whether you have a manual or automatic transmission your car's engine speed goes down. This saves gas and reduces engine wear. 

021009
Making small changes in your car maintenance can save gas.  Inflate all tires to maximum limit. Each tire should be periodically spun, balanced and checked for out-of-round.  Radial designs are the recognized fuel-savers; check manufacturer's specifications for maximum tire pressures.  It is estimated that if all the cars on US roads had properly inflated tires, it would save 2 billion gallons of gasoline a year and improve individual fuel economy up to 7%. 

021109
Plan your route to use the straightest roads.  Compare traveling distance differences – remember that corners, curves, and land changes require extra gas.  Avoid rough roads whenever possible, because dirt or gravel can decrease your gas mileage rob you of up to 30% of your gas mileage.  When UPS adjusted routes to eliminate as many left turns as possible, it says its 95,000 vehicles shaved nearly 30 million miles off its deliveries in 2007, saving the cost of 3 million gallons of gasoline and reducing truck emissions by 32,000 metric tons  of CO2 - the equivalent of removing 5,300 passenger cars off the road for an entire year. 

021209
Regular tune-ups ensure best fuel economy; check owner's manual for recommended maintenance intervals.  Special attention should be given to maintaining clean air filters... as diminished air flow increases gas waste, replacing a clogged air filter can improve your car's gas mileage by as much as 10 percent.  Fixing a serious maintenance problem, such as a faulty oxygen sensor, can improve your mileage by as much as 40 percent.  Of course, it's not a bad idea to make sure there are no gas leaks, gas spilling out on the road is an environmental hazard and sure doesn't help your mileage. 

021309
Before you drive, ask yourself if the trip is necessary.  If it is, plan your trips to combine as many errands as possible. Several short trips taken from a cold start can use twice as much fuel as a longer multipurpose trip covering the same distance when the engine is warm. Trip planning ensures that traveling is done when the engine is warmed-up and efficient.  With a little planning, you can avoid retracing your route and reduce the distance you travel as well. You'll not only save fuel, but also reduce wear and tear on your car. 

021609
Proper maintenance can save fuel.  Change your oil regularly.  According to the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), you can improve your gas mileage by 1-2% by using the manufacturer’s recommended grade of motor oil. Motor oil that says “Energy Conserving” on the performance symbol of the American Petroleum Institute contains friction-reducing additives that can improve fuel economy. 

021709
Be skeptical of claims for devices that will “boost your fuel mileage” “improve your fuel economy,” or the like. EPA has tested over 100 supposed gas-saving devices — including mixture “enhancers” and fuel line magnets — and found that very few provide any fuel economy benefits. The devices that work provide only marginal improvements. Some “gas-saving” devices may damage a car’s engine or increase exhaust emissions. For more information and a full list of tested products, check out the epa website which links from WUWF.org.  www.epa.gov/otaq/consumer.htm.

021809
If you change your own oil, be sure you recycle it.  A single quart of motor oil, if disposed of improperly, can contaminate up to 2 million gallons of fresh water.  Motor oil never wears out, it just gets dirty.  Oil can be recycled, re-refined, and used again and again, reducing the need to drill for oil and reducing our dependence on imported oil.  You can recycle used motor oil at the Citizens’ Convenience Center at the Perdido landfill for free up to 5 gallons per residence and at many local service stations.

021909
When you’re getting ready to buy a new car, take fuel efficiency into account, and don’t buy a bigger car than you need.  Consider a hybrid - depending on which hybrid you choose, the price of gas and tax breaks available, the added cost of a hybrid can be paid off in a matter of month.  Additionally consider an alternative fuel vehicle.  They operate on fuels, such as methanol, ethanol, compressed natural gas, liquefied petroleum gas, electricity, and others. Using these alternative fuels in vehicles may reduce harmful pollutants and exhaust emissions. 

022009
When you buy a car, how it’s equipped makes a difference in your gas mileage.  As a general rule, a manual transmission will get better fuel economy than an automatic.  The weight and friction of additional drive train parts of four-wheel and all-wheel drive can increase fuel consumption by 5 to 10 % compared with two-wheel drive vehicles.  Even power windows, seats and mirrors, and other options increase fuel consumption by adding weight, increasing aerodynamic drag, or drawing extra power from the engine.  Think how often you’ll use them and if it’s worth the extra fuel cost for as long as you own the vehicle.

022309
Should you use air conditioning or open your windows?  Keeping windows open when traveling at highway speeds causes air drag, reducing your mileage by 10%. According to the Florida Department of Environmental Protection although auto air conditioners also reduce fuel economy, when driving over 40 mph, using the air conditioner uses less fuel than having open windows.  Keeping your sunroof open will also increase drag and decrease mileage.  If the weather permits, the best option is to use your vents.  Around town and at low driving speeds reduce air conditioner use.  Additionally, park in the shade and leave your windows slightly open to reduce the need to cool your car. 

022409
In order to improve your mileage you need to keep the ride steady.  A car consumes the most gas as it accelerates - a moving car doesn't require much gasoline to keep moving.  When you’re in traffic, don’t just look at the car directly in front of you, but also the cars way down the road and keep a little distance between you.  That way you can anticipate delays and avoid panic braking.  Additionally eliminate jack-rabbit starts. Accelerate slowly when starting from dead stop. Don't push pedal down more than 1/4 of the total foot travel.  Aggressive driving such as speeding, rapid acceleration and braking wastes gas. In fact, it can lower your gas mileage by 33 percent at highway speeds and 5 percent around town.  Last, avoid "revving" the engine, especially just before you switch it off; this wastes fuel needlessly.

022509
Reduce drag to increase fuel economy.  Remove things on your car that will cause air drag.  Rough surfaces disturb smooth air flow around a car's body and decrease mileage.  A loaded roof rack or carrier can decrease your fuel efficiency by 5 percent, so you can reduce aerodynamic drag and improve your fuel economy by placing needed items inside the trunk whenever possible.  An open sun roof will also decrease mileage.  Air drag isn’t the only drag to worry about.  Don’t rest your left foot on floor board pedals while driving. This slight pressure puts "mechanical drag" on components, wearing them down prematurely.  Bent wheels, axles, bad shocks, and broken springs create engine drag.  This "dragging" also uses additional fuel.

022609
Use alternatives to the daily commute.  If you can use public transportation, ride sharing, or even biking, or walking, do so.   Also, if your employer allows it - work from home several days a week.  If you have to drive to work every day, see if you can stagger your work hours to avoid peak travel times. If you do, you’ll spend less time sitting in traffic, use less fuel, and reduce your emissions.  When you do drive, if you have multiple cars, use the one that get the best gas mileage most often if possible.  While you’re at it, remove excess weight from trunk or inside of car - extra tires, back seats, unnecessary heavy objects. Extra weight reduces mileage, for every extra 100 pounds in your vehicle you could reduce your MPG by up to 2%.  The reduction is based on the percentage of extra weight relative to the vehicle's weight and affects smaller vehicles more than larger ones. 

022709
How you park your car can influence your fuel economy.  Did you know that gasoline evaporates from your tank?  Over time this can mean a substantial decrease in the mileage you get from each tank of gas, especially during the long Florida summer. To improve your gas mileage, whenever possible, park in the shade.  No shade?  Park so your gas tank is not facing towards the sun.  Parking with your tank away from the sun will help to cut down a little on the evaporation.  In addition, a new cap on your gas tank can help slow down the evaporation.  Then, park your car so that you can later begin to travel in forward gear; avoid reverse gear maneuvers to save gas.