If you’re reading this website it is likely that you are trying to be as Eco-friendly as possible and, as such, it can be hard to justify having a car with your desire to reduce your carbon footprint.
So what’s the solution? The reality is that driving will never be completely Eco-friendly, however, unless you can realistically live day-to-day without a vehicle, the next best thing is to make sure your car is as fuel efficient as possible.
Fortunately, there are many simple ways of making your car is more Eco-friendly, some of which will save you money at the same time too.
Maintenance
One of the best ways of making your car more Eco-friendly is to ensure it is properly maintained. This means ensuring it has its annual service and MOT (Ministry of Transport test). Although this is an added expense in the short-term, in the long-term it will save you money as any mechanical problems will be picked-up and fixed earlier. It will also ensure that the car runs to the best of its ability – meaning that your engine will be finely tuned and your catalytic converter working properly.
Tyres
Making sure your tyres are inflated to their correct level will mean your car uses less fuel, and therefore emitting less CO2 into the atmosphere (an saving you money on fuel too). Many petrol stations will let you inflate your tyres for free, just remember it is something that needs to be done regularly.
Empty your boot (trunk)
We all do it – throw things into the boot and forget about it. But if your car is constantly carrying extra weight it is using more fuel. Make sure that you are only storing essential items in your car, anything else should be removed.
Drive slower
Do you speed on the motorway? If so, then simply slowing down will make your driving more Eco-friendly. Going at constant high speeds again uses more fuel, so sticking to the speed limit is safer, better for the environment and good on your wallet.
Walk more
Are there times when you drive but could actually walk or cycle instead? Not every journey requires a car, so next time the sun is shining and you need to pick up a pint of milk consider walking to your local shops – it is a great way to increase your exercise too.
Hybrid cars
Next time you need to buy a new car spend some time researching what hybrid cars are available. Many car manufacturers make hybrid models now and although they are often more expensive to buy, they normally save you money on fuel. Also because they have been around for several years now, second-hand hybrid cars are starting to become available.
Written by Derin Clark, a writer, editor and blogger