Green Driving

Each gallon of gasoline burned produces 20 pounds of carbon dioxide - and the average car emits about six tons of carbon dioxide per year. Bottom line: Don't get behind the wheel if you can take public transportation, bike, or walk instead. But when you do need a car, simple steps can increase fuel economy (not to mention your own economy: Saving gas saves money).

• Don't drive aggressively. Rapid acceleration and braking can lower fuel economy by up to 33 percent. Going the speed limit helps, too - driving 65 mph instead of 74 increases fuel economy by nearly 15 percent.
• Warming up the car is unnecessary and wasteful. So is idling - contrary to popular belief, running the engine while stopped uses more gas than restarting the car.
• Consult your owner's manual for your car's recommended maintenance schedule. Taking care of your care takes care of the earth (A broken oxygen sensor can decrease fuel efficiency by up to 40 percent; clogged air filers lower it by another 10 percent.)
• Instead of using the AC, which drain's fuel economy by approximately 15 percent, open windows or on the highway, run the fan.
• When the time comes to buy a new vehicle, go to fueleconomy.gov to compare gas mileage on models dating back to 1985. (And of course go hybrid if possible.)

Louisa Thomas
O Magazine 10/07 pg 92