Green Living Tip Tuesday: Greening Your Ride

We all know that the best way to green your ride is not to drive at all – you can walk, bike, use public transportation, carpool, share a car or use a zip car for certain trips when a car is necessary.  But even car owners can benefit from these easy tips on how to green your ride, save money and lessen your impact on the environment.

First of all if you considering buying a car, think carefully if you really need one, if the answer is “yes”, take into account smaller, fuel efficient cars and hybrids as your options.  If you already have a car, make sure it is well maintained.  To maximize your gasoline mileage, follow these easy tips:

• Keep your tires properly inflated;
• Do not carry extra cargo – extra weight decreases mileage;
• Replace dirty and clogged air filters
• Get regular engine tune-ups and car maintenance;
• Use the proper grade of motor oil for your particular car type
• Reduce air-conditioning

Keep your car clean, but make sure to use car wash to wash it. Washing your car in your driveway is one of the most environmentally un-friendly chores you can do – all the dirty water, loaded with gasoline, oil and residues from exhaust fumes, as well as the harsh detergents run off from your car and go right into storm drains.  Commercial car washes treat their water.  However, if you insist on washing your car yourself, use biodegradable detergent and wash it on a grassy area instead of driveway, the water will sink in into the ground and go through layers of soil and sand instead of going straight into the storm drains and  into rivers, streams, creeks and wetlands, etc.

Photo Credit: Flickr CC User wetwebwork