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Car
care is definitely a win-win situation. Besides helping the environment,
a properly maintained and operated vehicle will run more efficiently,
will be safer, and will last longer--up to 50% longer, according
to a survey of ASE-certified Auto Technicians.
The following tips should put you on the road to environmentally
conscious car care.
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Keep your engine tuned up. A misfiring
spark plug can reduce fuel efficiency as much as 30%. Follow the
service schedules listed in your owner's manual. Replace filters
and fluids as recommended.
- Check
your tires for proper inflation. Under inflation wastes fuel,
your engine has to work harder to push the vehicle. Wheels that
are out-of-line (as evidenced by uneven tread wear or vehicle
pulling) make the engine work harder, too. Properly maintained
tires will last longer, meaning fewer scrap tires have to be disposed.
Every
ten days, motorists who drive with under-inflated tires and poorly
maintained engines waste 70 million gallons of gasoline.
Car
Care Council says:
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Keep your air conditioner in top condition and have it serviced
only by a technician certified competent to handle/recycle refrigerants.
Air conditioners contain CFC's, gases that have been implicated
in the depletion of the ozone layer. According to the Environmental
Protection Agency, almost one third of the CFCs released into
the atmosphere come from mobile air conditioners; some simply
leaks out, but the majority escapes during service and repair,
so it's important to choose a qualified technician.
Do-it-yourselfers: dispose of used motor oil, anti-freeze/coolant,
tires, and old batteries properly. Many repair facilities accept
these items. Or call your local municipal or county government
for recycling sites. Never dump used oil or anti-freeze on the
ground or in open streams.
Each
year twenty times the amount of oil spilled by the tanker Exxon
Valdez in Alaska is improperly dumped into America's environment
by do-it-yourselfers.
Automotive
Information Council says:
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Observe speed limits. Mileage decreases sharply above 55 mph.
- Drive
gently. Avoid sudden accelerations and jerky stop-and-go's. Use
cruise-control on open highways to keep your speed as steady as
possible.
- Avoid
excessive idling. Shut off the engine while waiting for friends
and family. Today's vehicles are designed to "warm up"
fast, so forget about those five-minute warm ups on cold winter
mornings.
- Remove
excess items from the vehicle. Less weight means better mileage.
Store luggage/ cargo in the trunk rather than on the roof to reduce
air drag.
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Plan trips. Consolidate your daily errands to eliminate unnecessary
driving. Try to travel when traffic is light to avoid stop-and-go
conditions. Join a car pool.
Remember,
how your car runs, how you drive it, and how its fluids, old parts,
and tires are disposed of all have serious consequences on the environment.
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