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Simple Solutions: Getting Around
Transportation is responsible for more than 27 per cent of Canada’s total greenhouse gas emissions. Canadians drive twice as many kilometres today as they did in the 1960s.
Fast and Free
- Be idle-free because idling gets you nowhere. Turn off the car if you are stopped for more than 10 seconds. After ten seconds, idling can burn more fuel than turning off the engine and restarting it.
- Check your tire pressure to save money on fuel. Tires underinflated by two pounds per square inch can cause a 4 per cent increase in fuel consumption. Taking care of your tires can extend their life by about one-third and save you money on gas and tires.
- Drive the speed limit. You can reduce fuel consumption, fuel costs and greenhouse gas emissions by about 1 per cent if you decrease highway cruising speed by 1 kilometre per hour–not to mention fewer speeding tickets.
- Switch off the air conditioner to save 5 to 15 per cent of the energy your car uses.
- Remove bike, luggage or ski racks from the top of your SUV or truck for less wind resistance.
- Lighten the load: 1 per cent of fuel efficiency is lost for every 50 pounds of extra weight in your trunk.
- Avoid hard, fast accelerations when driving as it guzzles gas and wears out your engines and tires quicker. Gentle acceleration also cuts down on fuel usage.
- Avoid unnecessary sudden braking. By coasting to a stop you will save gas.
Simple and Low Cost
- Walk, bike, take public transit or commute with a colleague to work or school. By sharing your ride regularly with someone else, you can cut fuel costs by half. Not to mention all that time to rest, read, exercise or eat breakfast.
- Surf the web instead of flying the sky. Consider other meeting alternatives like conference calls or web meetings.
- Tuning your car saves 10 times the pollution as one that is poorly tunedÉ.so when that dashboard light comes on, pay attention.
Spend to Save
- Conduct an emissions test. Perform regular maintenance checks and emissions tests on your vehicle to ensure that it runs smoothly. By properly maintaining your vehicle, you can decrease fuel consumption by 15 to 50 per cent.
- Use a block heater to warm your vehicle's engine in the winter. Buying a timer for that block heater and setting it for 2 to 3 hours before your car needs to start will save you time and money.
- Buying a home? Think about purchasing a home located close to work or school. Less driving, more exercise = a healthier you.
- Think hybrid, compact, or biodiesel for your next vehicle. If you drive 20,000 kilometres a year, you could save 200 litres of fuel and cut carbon dioxide emissions by 45 kilograms by choosing a fuel-efficient car.
