Better fuel efficiency in 13 practical steps

What's the best way to not loss money at the pump? Increasing your fuel efficiency helps to save the Earth and money too.

Here is our list of 13 tips to help you reduce your fuel consumption.

Spend less at the gas station and use your money on more fun stuff, all while being more eco friendly.

1. Carpool and car-share

http://theecoguide.org/many-benefits-car-sharing-and-carpooling

By carpooling just twice a week, you can save $187 dollars and 1,600 pounds of CO2 each year. That's just on gas alone, not counting savings from reduced wear and tear on your car. Furthermore, let’s say 100 people from your local community were to take advantage of the carpool every day for one year, 1,320 pounds of carbon monoxide and 2,376,000 pounds of carbon dioxide could be removed from the air!

Benefits:

• Car sharing, alternatively known as carpooling, reduces carbon-emissions, traffic congestion and air pollution. It also rekindles our connection with other human beings, a link which is slowly becoming extinct.
• Instead of chatting with the person sat next to us on public transport, we more often than not prefer to be alone on our phones. Car-sharing enables us to communicate with others again, to meet people we possibly would never have met, and possibly will never meet again.

2. Obey the Engine Light to Save Fuel

http://theecoguide.org/save-fuel-7-tips-save-money-and-save-earth#engine-light

When it is time for a tune-up, take your car in as soon as possible. Modern vehicles are designed to run for around 120,000 miles without care, so when it is time for care it’s worth investing in since you'll save fuel.

According to the EPA (2011b), ‘‘fixing a car that is noticeably out of tune or has failed an emission test can improve its gas mileage by an average of 4%, and if it is a serious problem, like a faulty oxygen sensor, efficiency can be improved by 40%! Following our same estimations of price and mpg, that comes out to a savings of up to $215/year, and 2400 pounds of CO2!

3. Is public transport convenient for you?

http://theecoguide.org/benefits-public-transportation-calling-all-montreal-commuters

In switching from commuting alone by car to using existing public transportation (for a 32 km round trip), a single person can reduce their annual CO2 emissions by 4,800 pounds per year, equal to a 10% reduction in all greenhouse gases produced by a typical two-adult, two-car household.

On top of that you would save $560 on gas, not counting the savings from reduced wear and tear on your car.

Canada has in total around 20 million cars, which perhaps not surprisingly are the largest source of greenhouse gases and other air pollutants. A single car produces an average of three to six tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions per year. The percentage of commuters who used public transit for the longest part of their journey was just 12%. Montréal commuters can be congratulated for almost doubling this figure, with 22% using public transport./p>

In Montréal, the number of cars is growing more than twice as fast as the population. Although these vehicles might seem like a convenient way in which to traverse the city, they congest our streets and generate pollution and greenhouse gases that impact the health of our population and planet.

Alternatives:

• Commuter trains
• Subway
• Bus

4. Use a Block Heater for Better Gas Mileage

http://theecoguide.org/save-fuel-7-tips-save-money-and-save-earth#block-heater

There is no need to hurl your engine from zero to action. Preheating the engine with a block heater allows you to increase fuel efficiency by 15% on trips of less than 20 km, according to study conducted in the winter of 2008 by CAA-Québec, saving you around $100/year, and keeping 900 pounds of CO2 in the ground.

There are several varieties of block engines, circulating and non, and each comes with its own pros and cons for efficiency. Ask your local mechanic which variety would be best for your particular car.

5. Telecommuting for better fuel efficiency

http://theecoguide.org/green-your-workplace-sustainable-business-starts-you

Not only does 20% of Canada's greenhouse gas emissions come from commuting and business travel, but also these types of transportation are the source of a huge expense to a company's budget. This is why we encourage implementing telecommuting and working from home.

By telecommuting just once a week, you can save $93.5 dollars and 800 pounds of CO2 each year.

In fact, an office of 50 employees is responsible for the 125,000kg of CO2. In order to arrive to work, many of these people use their cars. What does this mean? Well, burning 1 Litre of gasoline produces 2.3kg of CO2. So the average Canadian vehicle releases about 4.600kg of CO2 in the atmosphere per year.

6. Fuel Efficiency = Filter the Air

http://theecoguide.org/save-fuel-7-tips-save-money-and-save-earth#air-filter

Though we don’t hear much about air filters, replacing one when needed can improve your fuel economy by 10%, which is pretty significant. With the same estimates of 40 mpg and gas at $2.50, that’s a savings of about $70/year, and 600 lbs of CO2. Air flows through filters to mix with gasoline, from which a spark ignites and the wheels move forward. Poor filtration can result in debris and additional matter mixing with the air and gasoline, creating more work for the engine, and thus a higher expenditure of gasoline and lower MPG.

It is recommended to change your air filter every 12,000 to 15,000 miles, and certain driving conditions like dusty roads can make even more frequent changes necessary. An easy rule of thumb for knowing whether or not it’s time to replace a filter is to check whether you can see light when looking through it. If so, you’re in the clear. You can also consult your manual for recommended mileage between replacements.

7. Replace your car with a bike

http://theecoguide.org/biking-suburbs-green-alternative-pedestrian-and-automotive-travel

In auto dominated neighbourhoods, the natural spread of suburban infrastructure yields the pedestrian nearly useless as a form of transportation. Bikes, however, may be a different case. Where crossing a strip mall or large parking lot on foot may take upwards of 5 minutes, it takes only a fraction of that time on a bicycle with much better fuel efficiency than with a car.

By biking twice a week for 6 months of the year, you can save $93.5 dollars and 800 pounds of CO2 per year.

So, to what scale can bicycles benefit suburbs? Well, the benefits include the categories but are not limited to:

• Social: reduces anxiety, makes people more optimistic, helps support local businesses;
• Health-related: the average commuter cyclist in the US loses around 10lbs in their first year;
• Environmental: for every kilometer on a bike instead of a car, you can save 0.2kg of CO2.

8. Save Fuel by Taking a Load Off

http://theecoguide.org/save-fuel-7-tips-save-money-and-save-earth#reducing-load

Storage is super useful when you’re actually using it. When you’re not, take that thing off your roof!

You’ll be saving about 2% to 8% in city driving, 6% to 17% on the highway, and 10% to 25% at interstate speeds (65 mph to 75 mph). That means saving between $68 to $150/year, and 60-150 lbs of CO2! Not too shabby.

Logically, anything that creates drag is inefficient, and while other factors like wind affect the amount of drag created, rear-mount cargo boxes or trays reduce fuel economy by much less—only 1% or 2% in city driving and 1% to 5% on the highway.

Even storing extra stuff inside your vehicle is not a great idea, with an average of 2% reduction in efficiency for every 100lb of weight, and an even greater reduction in small vehicles.

9. Choose to walk instead of driving

http://theecoguide.org/why-city-dwellers-do-have-time-exercise

http://theecoguide.org/walking-makes-both-environment-and-you-healthier

Using your car is one of the largest sources emissions of personal emissions. We can reduce them by driving efficiently, carpooling, biking, using public transportation or simply walking. So how would walking precisely benefit us?

First of all, walking is good for our steadily warming planet. On average a car emits 411 grams of CO2 per mile driven; that’s almost 1 pound of CO2 per mile (United States Environmental Protection Agency). Walking instead of driving 1 mile each day for a year can lower your carbon footprint by nearly 365 lbs.

Secondly, this is what you are going to observe it is happening to you as soon as you start walking:

• Walking strengthens your heart.
• Walking is good for your brain.
• You can reduce the risk of diabetes and fight breast cancer.
• You get a better bone density.
• Your self-esteem improves.

10. Better Car Mileage with Low Rolling Resistance Tires

http://theecoguide.org/save-fuel-7-tips-save-money-and-save-earth#low-rolling-resistance-tires

The percentage of fuel efficiency that is specifically attributable to rolling resistance changes depending on your driving context. Overcoming total resistance to movement is a product of several factors, all of which play a role in fuel economy. In city driving with frequent stops and starts, rolling resistance comprises 15% of overall resistance. In steady-state highway driving, though, rolling resistance comprises a much larger 25% of total resistance.

How much does this save you? By decreasing roll resistance 10% with low resistance tires, you can increase fuel efficiency by about 2%, which can save about $15 a year driving an average of 12,000 miles at 40 mpg. At about 20 pounds of CO2 per gallon of gasoline, that is a savings of about 117 lbs of CO2 per year! Check out this article for more information on the calculations of savings.

Go to your local mechanic today, or your car dealership, and see which brand of low resistance tires suits your car best. If you are interested in reading further, check out this series of articles by the company Tire Rack, as well as the studies they ran comparing how different brands’ helped with fuel efficiency.

11. Do you really need to idle?

http://theecoguide.org/myth-busting-winter-vehicle-idling

http://theecoguide.org/how-can-i-save-money-and-reduce-co2-emission-best-practices-gas-saving

NRCAN recommends that if you are idling for any more than 60 seconds, fuel efficiency would be lower and emissions would be greater left idling than by turning off and restarting your vehicle. What's more, by burning 1 litre of gasoline, 2.3kg of CO2 are produced. Idling for 10 minutes will produce 1.15kg of CO2. If we assume that a driver in January drives to work 5 days a week and chooses to warm-up/idle their vehicle each of those days during the month (20 days), 10 minutes of idling will produce 23kg of CO2 and 5 minutes of idling will produce 11.5kg of CO2 - all in one month!

For someone driving in to work everyday, 10 minutes of idling will produce 92kg of CO2 emissions during the winter months and 276kg of CO2 emissions for a whole year. Not to mention the savings of about $70/year on gas.

Although vehicle idling is a common practice in winter months, it is actually unnecessary and results in reduced fuel efficiency and increased GHG emissions. Precisely, vehicle idling warms only the engine and not other parts of the car. The best way to warm up the rest is by driving it. Today, multigrade oils are able to work at very cold and warm temperatures. This is why idling your car might not benefit you in any way.

For example, if Canadians avoided idling for 3 minutes every day, CO2 could be reduced by 1.4 million tones annually. This would be saving about 630 million litres of fuel.

All in all, poor driving habits can lead to as much as a 45% drop in your vehicle's fuel efficiency, so make sure you are always driving safe. Here is how to do it:

• Keep your vehicle mass low: Heaviness requires more fuel to keep in motion;
• Keep all maintenance up to date: The overall vehicle maintenance has a major effect on fuel efficiency;
• Avoid traffic congestion: A significant source of decreased mpg average;
• Idling vehicles, unrecommended: An idle vehicle is still running, therefore it is using fuel. Turn off the vehicles whenever possible;
• A/C unrecommended: Running the A/C takes a lot of energy, so open the window whenever possible;
• Speed: Braking hard and stomping on gas pedals decreases fuel efficiency, therefore the speeds at which you drive effects your fuel economy.

12. Lower Fuel Consumption by Checking Your Air Pressure

http://theecoguide.org/save-fuel-7-tips-save-money-and-save-earth#check-air-pressure

Just as important as the kinds of tires you use is the amount of pressure inside of them. Tires naturally lose pressure on a regular basis, and as a result, experts estimate that about 25% of cars on the road are driving on under-inflated tires. The price of under-inflation is a %1 fuel reduction for every 3 PSI (pounds per square inch) of pressure under the recommended level, saving you a cent on every gallon.

For example, if a vehicle requires inflation of 35 PSI, a drop of inflation to 28 PSI will result in a 2.5% reduction in fuel efficiency. A 2.5% increase in fuel economy for a car with an estimated 40 mpg, achieves a savings of about $20/ year. In terms of global warming, you are keeping 150 lbs of CO2 out of the atmosphere.

https://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/maintain.jsp

At least once a month, make sure your tires are as full as they need to be to so you can save fuel. To know what your car’s recommended PSI is, check on the tire itself, or else on the edge of the car door or doorframe.

http://www.ntb.com/tires/Check-Tire-Pressure-Education.j

13. Oil Up that Eco Friendly Car

http://theecoguide.org/save-fuel-7-tips-save-money-and-save-earth#low-viscosity-engine-oil

When aiming for fuel efficiency, low viscosity engine oils are considered to be significant contributors to achieving that goal. Viscosity is a fluid’s resistance to flow. Lower viscosity oil reduces friction, improves efficiency, and thus increases fuel economy. By purchasing the right kind of motor oil, you can improve gas mileage by 1-2%, which is a pretty sweet deal for something you have to buy anyways! To give some real world examples, a 1% increase in fuel economy for a car with an estimated 40 mpg, low viscosity oil achieves a savings of about $8/ year. In terms of global warming, you are keeping 60 lbs of CO2 out of the atmosphere.

To make the best purchase you can, check for the phrase “Energy Conserving” on the label, which is your guarantee of friction-reducing additives that keep things running smoothly.

Your car’s engine prefers a certain kind of oil to run at its best, so get it what it wants.

Check your owner’s manual to see what quality and viscosity are best for your vehicle, and be sure to change your oil at the regularly recommended intervals to preserve optimal fuel economy. Newer engines have better finishes that prevent engine wear from occurring as a result of lower viscosity oils. However, an older engine without as tight a tolerance or as high a surface finish is more susceptible to wear, and therefore is best used with the recommended conventional oil. Engines that will be exposed to extreme temperatures are also better off with standard oil viscosity.

Anything We Missed?

Any tricks for fuel efficiency that we missed?

Or maybe you have a question about one of our tips.

Either way, let us know by leaving a comment on facebook or twitter right now.