Transportation accounts for nearly 30% of Boston’s greenhouse gas emissions. Through a few easy tips, you can do your part to stop releasing emissions.
Don’t drive if you don’t have to
- Walk, bike, carpool, and ride the T: You can give it a try by hosting a car-free Friday at your workplace. The State of Massachusetts also hosts a Car-Free Week in 2013.
Drive more efficiently
- Do not idle: It’s the law, and it saves gas. Restarting the engine uses about the same amount of gas as idling for 30 seconds.
- Stick to the speed limit: Driving 55 instead of 50 raises your gas mileage by about 5 percent. Also avoid very rapid acceleration, which will waste gas.
- Try a driving app: The U.S. Department of Energy held a challenge for developers to create apps that would lead to more efficient driving. One winner, Fuel Economy Coach, uses your smartphone to measure how you’re driving and gives you tips to increase fuel economy.
Keep your car in shape
- Check your air filter: Replacing a clogged air filter can improve your car’s gas mileage by as much as 10 percent.
- Maintain your engine regularly: An improperly tuned engine wastes gas.
- Keep your tires properly inflated: Keep all tires at an inflation of over 1 psi.
- Lighten your load by emptying your trunk of unnecessary items: An extra 100 pounds in the trunk reduces your gas mileage by 1-2 percent. Consider taking your spare tire out, for example, if you can rely on the AAA to provide one.
- Optimize your routes by combining errands and taking shortest routes
- Remove roof racks to reduce aerodynamic drag
Recent Comments