Driving for the Environment - Happy 4th of July!

This is a special July 4 contribution from the fine folks at ALLDATA.

Preamble from Dann Trujillo Public Relations Mgr.

"As gas prices and pollution levels continue their upward climb, we thought
we would put our ASE-certified heads together and brainstorm some gas-saving
tips that help reduce pollution and conserve fuel."  

Driving for the Environment's Sake

What's your reason to conserve gasoline? Is it because scientists speculate
global warming is partially due to the burning of fossil fuels? The
ever-increasing presence of smog motivates you to operate your vehicle less?
Or, is it because gas prices have escalated to all-time highs?
Whatever the reason, most of us want to do our part to reduce pollution and
conserve fuel. Here is a 20-point checklist of environmentally sound,
fuel-efficient practices that really work:

	1.	Use the right gasoline and oil. Follow the manufacturer's
octane and viscosity recommendations. 

	2.	Have all manufacturers' maintenance recommendations
performed correctly. Find a shop with an electronic automotive information
system to verify accuracy.

	3.	Have the vehicle aligned regularly. Periodic wheel
alignments can help improve fuel economy up to 10 percent, and scuffed off
rubber is considered an airborne pollutant.

	4.	Repair oil leaks as soon as possible. Oil leaking on the
ground may be washed into creeks and rivers by rainwater, contaminating the
water system.

	5.	Have your emission control devises checked regularly.

	6.	Inspect hoses, belts and wiring. 

	7.	Service your engine promptly when warning lights appear.

	8.	Keep tires inflated to the maximum recommended pressure to
improve gas mileage by as much as 6 percent. Low tire pressure prematurely
wears tires and burns excessive fuel.

	9.	Clean out that trunk and back cargo area. Extra weight
decreases gas mileage. Removing 200 pounds of unnecessary weight shaves one
mile per gallon off your fuel mileage.

	10.	Limit warm-ups to 60 seconds. 

	11.	Minimize idling when possible. Idling for long periods uses
more fuel than turning the engine off and then restarting.

	12.	Car-pool whenever possible or practical.

	13.	Obey posted speed limits.

	14.	Use cruise control to maintain a steady speed when possible.

	15.	Keep windows shut at high speeds.

	16.	Avoid drive-through lines when possible.

	17.	Minimize air conditioning use. 

	18.	Don't speed up only to have to brake quickly. Accelerating
gently and steadily could net you as much as a 20 percent gain in fuel
economy compared with what you'd get with an aggressive driving style.

	19.	Plan and combine your trips.

	20.	And the obvious; use other means of transportation.

Thanks for the good advice, Bob Gordon TACH