If It Is Thursday It's Going Green - Cars

Reduce,Reuse,Recycle & Repair

This photo shows a new electric car - most of us will not be able to purchase such a vehicle but there are a few things we can do to economize.

We may not have much influence about the rise in gas costs but we can do a few things to lower the amount that we purchase.

Check Prices - Before you actually buy gas, check on the lowest prices in your neighborhood. Go tohttp://autos.msn.com and look for gas prices. Type in your zip code and you might be surprised at the difference in prices at local stations.

Drive Sensibly - Aggressive driving, speeding, rapid acceleration and braking, wastes gas. It can lower your gas mileage by 33 percent at highway speeds and by 5 percent around town. Sensible driving is also safer for you and others, so you may save more than gas money. Observe the speed limit.

Use Cruise Control - Using cruise control on the highway helps you maintain a constant speed and, in most cases, will save gas. Cruise in the Slow Lane. Gas mileage drops considerably when you go over 60 mph. According to the Department of Energy, you pay about 20 cents more per gallon for each 5 mph you go over 60. Over time, that's a lot of extra fuel, and cash!

Remove Excess Weight - Avoid keeping unnecessary items in your vehicle, especially heavy ones. An extra 100 pounds in your vehicle could reduce your MPG by up to 2% the equivalent of 8 cents per gallon. In other words, you can save up to $50 per year simply by cleaning out your trunk. If you have a removable roof rack and you are not using it, take it off to improve your fuel economy by as much as 5 percent.

Avoid Excessive Idling - Idling gets 0 miles per gallon. Cars with larger engines typically waste more gas at idle than do cars with smaller engines. Pausing somewhere? Shut down your engine: Idling for any length of time burns more gas than it takes to restart the car. Note: It only takes 30 seconds to warm up your car.

Keep Your Engine Properly Tuned - Tune up your car according to your owner’s-manual schedule (usually every 30,000 miles) and raise your car’s fuel efficiency anywhere from 4 to 40 percent. Use the right motor oil. If the oil is too thick, your engine will have to work harder—burning more fuel. If it’s too thin, you won’t get the needed protection. Stick with the type recommended by your owner’s manual for maximum fuel efficiency.

Check & Replace Air Filters Regularly - Replacing a clogged air filter can improve your car's gas mileage by as much as 10 percent. Your car's air filter keeps impurities from damaging the inside of your engine. Not only will replacing a dirty air filter save gas, it will protect your engine.

Think about how your fuel conservation efforts benefit the Earth and future generations. Look for more on this topic in next week's blog posting.