Whether you drive alone or in a carpool, minimize the impact of your travel by doing these simple things.

Basic Eco-Driving Tips

• Watch your acceleration. By accelerating slowly from a stop, and braking slowly to a stop, you allow your engine to be far more efficient.
• Keep your car in excellent shape. Just like the human body, cars need to stay well-tuned, and if they aren’t, they will be more polluting, have more problems, and be more expensive to maintain. Regular tune ups and filter changes have a huge impact on efficiency.
• Keep your tires properly inflated. Proper tire pressure can save over 5% of your mileage, so know what your recommended tire pressure is and check it every time you fill your tank.
• Remove the junk from the trunk. Reducing weight increases gas mileage and improves both stopping distance and acceleration.
• Chain, chain, chain. Combine your trips whenever possible.
• Consider your travel options before you go on autopilot and drive.
• Don’t idle to warm up your car in the winter. If your car doesn’t have a carburetor, it’s better to start driving without waiting for the engine to heat up.

Advanced Eco-Driving

• Hypermiling: Advanced driving techniques to conserve fuel. Driving at lower speeds and timing traffic lights can all save significant miles per gallon.
• Fuel Conversion: Some people elect to run their cars on alternative fuels, such as biodiesel, recycled vegetable oil, or ethanol. This reduces use of fossil fuels, and enables the use of waste resources for energy.
• The Future is Now: Consider buying a hybrid, plug in electric or a new cargo bike for your next vehicle purchase.