One of the most important aspects of going green is to think about your transport and there are many ways to achieve this. Generally it is considered that one of the best ways to achieve going green is to forego using your car wherever possible and to instead use public transport, walk, or do whatever else it takes to avoid going by car.
However sometimes you have to use a car, and if you live a long way from your work or from your children’s school then often public transport is not a very realistic solution (particularly if you are worried about your children traveling on their own).
Thus it is import to find methods of making your car greener too and here there are several options. The first step of course is to think long and hard about the car you are going to use and here there are a range of different options to look at – most importantly how many miles it does to the gallon, and if your car is a fuel ‘guzzler’ then you will being more harm than necessary to the environment. Look for a car that is fuel efficient and you will save both your wallet and the atmosphere. Large engines and sports cars might look cool, but ultimately if you want to go green they are not the answer.
If you want to go further and you have the finances available then you can also choose other types of cars that go beyond ‘normal’ fuel efficiency – for instance electric cars or hybrid cars. Hybrid cars are a great option because they have the benefits of both electric cars and ‘normal’ cars, using petrol as a backup should the charge run down or if you can’t find somewhere to charge. In some areas you will even get tax advantages for using eco-friendly cars and this can make the initial expense less painful.
Lastly the way you drive will also have a big impact on how eco friendly your car is. Some quick tips to make sure you use less fuel are to avoid stopping by hanging back from the car in front (this is called ‘defensive driving’ and is also much safer) and slowing down as you approach lights, not to fill the car up with unnecessary weight in the boot, and not to open the windows or have the lights on unnecessarily.
I walk whenever it is possible. Or I carpool with a friend. We pick another lady up in the next town so we have 3 in the same car. Makes sense to us to share the cost of gas and save the wear and tear on everyones cars. Plus it helps so much with the envirnoment.
I have to congratulate Jillian. I haven’t thought before to carpool with a friend. This is a great way to make your car greener. I will ask my neighbor if he wants to go together at work. I’m sure he will agree. He likes to go green whenever he can, so explaining to him that this way we can make my car more green he will be excited to come with me.
My friend just bought a hybrid a couple of weeks ago. I love it so much that I am considering asking for a loan for one. I think that if we all had hybrids we could help this earth so much. Hope to find out if I can get one in a week or so!
Tori, I hope you bought your hybrid car. We all should think to buy eco-friendly cars. If we do not afford one, getting a loan is a good idea. But if we can’t pay the loan either, at least we should try to make our car more green. Fallowing these advices is not so hard. So, I hope every people who read this article on how to make your car more green, now they are fallowing these tips.
With gas prices going up and up, everyone could benefit from having a more green car. It is just too bad that they cost so much. In the long run they will pay off though. It is just having the cash upfront that is the hard part.
I do think that in years to come they will come down in price. It is just a new fad and they know that there are many out there who hate the high fuel costs or the idea of harming the earth. So that is partly why the prices are so jacked up. I too hope they come down in price as I would love to have one.
I bought a little car a few years back because my Suburban was such a gas hog. I am so glad I traded it in. I think that the big vehicles are such gas hogs anyway and they really are not good for this Earth. They need to do something to make them more efficient.
There are many things that you can do to make the most of your car. Have it inspected once a year to make sure there are no huge problems with it. Have the oil changed on a frequent basis and drive the speed limit so you do not waste your gas. These will help make your car somewhat greener.
I have a energy efficient car and it is great. I fill up way less than when I used to. I do not miss having to fill up two or more times a week. Now I can fill up once a week and still have gas left at the end of the week. That is a great feeling. And great on the pocketbook.
Allen what type of car do you own? I want badly to buy a car, but I’m not very sure what to choose. I’m looking for a car which consumes less fuel. I’m thinking about going green, but I’m thinking at my pocket too. What can you advice me?
I have a small car so it is much greener than my neighbors big SUV. We only go places when we have to. And if it is in walking distance we walk or ride our bikes. I refuse to get the car out just to go and pick up my son from his friends house that is 4 blocks away.
I guess the greatest idea of making you car more green is to use it just when you need it very much. I agree with you that the best way to achieve going green is to avoid using you car. If it is possible, try to walk or go with a bicycle wherever you need, but stop using the car. Or at least try public transportation. There are so many people ‘addicted’ to the car so they have forgotten even how to walk.
I would love to have an eco-friendly car. I’ve been thinking for so long to buy one. Till I have the money I have to drive my ‘normal’ car. But, now, after reading this article I will try to fallow your advices and make my car more green. Thank you!
5months ago I didn’t afford to buy an eco-friendly car. So, at first, I tried to fallow your tips to make my own car more green. Sometimes, when was possible, I even tried to walk so I do not use the car. This way I saved a lot of money. You can’t even imagine how much money I saved just fallowing these tips of making your car more green. Anyway, with the money I saved, now I will be able to get that loan and buy my dreamed hybrid car.
You wrote a nice article. I think that everybody should read it. These tips for going green with your car must be followed by all of us. Like these people above me said, these tips are not only for those people interested in going green. They are great for saving money too.
Nowadays, we cannot afford anymore to drive cars. Even with these tips on how to go green with your car…I personally try, as much as I can, to drive my car only when I really need it. I do not think about going green, I rather think to save some money. And this is the only way…