The following items have been compiled from the list 100 Ways to Reduce your Impact related to cars, in particular towards improving performance and gas mileage. Every gallon of gasoline saved keeps 20 pounds of carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere.
- Make sure your tires are inflated. Driving with deflated tires reduces gas mileage by 3%.
- Get rid of excess weight in the car.
- Get regular tune-ups.
- Smooth driving.
- Combine errands and trips
- Limit the cars that you own. Tips from a previous post.
An AAA alternative
Years ago, a Harper’s Magazine article opened my eyes to AAA’s environmentally irresponsible lobbying practices. Luckily, Better World Club offers an alterative with the same services such as emergency services, insurance, and travel maps and advice. I encourage my car-owning family and friends to change their memberships and you to do the same.
Running on Cooking Oil
Another option for diesel car owners is to convert their engine to run on vegetable oil. SVO (straight vegetable oil) conversion kits can be self-installed or by a certified mechanic. A relationship with a local restaurant can be established to collect their leftover vegetable oil, which they normally pay a company to dispose of. The oil must then be filtered before using or some people purchase large cubies of fresh oil.
GreaseCar (two tank) and the German-based Elsbett (single tank) were the only options in the US market for some time; however, there are now a number of conversion kits available including Frybrid and Golden Fuel System.
(I personally know Skip Wrightson, a friend of Justin Craven, Greasecar’s founder and remember when they took their trip cross country in a grease engine powered VW van to test and promote the engine.)
