We Canadians love to drive. Unfortunately, personal vehicles cause about 18% of greenhouse gas emissions. Want to minimize your impact? Here are 6 small changes that will make a big difference both on your wallet and on the environment.
- Check your tire pressure monthly. Under-inflated tires use more fuel. They also make your vehicle less safe.
- Change your oil regularly. Changing oil keeps your vehicle in top condition, and promotes better fuel efficiency and reduced emissions. Use the lowest multigrade of oil recommended in your owner's manual, particularly in the winter.
- Look at the label. “Energy Conserving" engine oils use up to 2.7% less fuel than other oils. Also, recycled oil certified with the “EcoLogo” mark will perform as well as newly refined oil.
- Don’t idle. If you’re stopped longer than 10 seconds (except in traffic), turn off your engine. Idling uses more fuel than turning the engine off and restarting it. Even in winter, today’s computer-controlled, fuel-injected engines require no more than 30 seconds of warm up before driving.
- Use a block heater with an automatic timer. In temperatures below 0°C, block heaters can improve fuel economy by 10% or more. Plug it in and set the timer for no more than 2 hours before you plan to depart.
- Car-pool to school or start a Walking School Bus. A Walking School Bus is two or more families walking to school together. Check out the Green Communities website (www.saferoutestoschool.ca) for tips on how to set this up.
