Opportunities to Reduce Car Emissions

• Walk, ride a bicycle, use public transportation, or carpool whenever possible. Driving less is, not susrpisingly, the best way to reduce automobile pollution.
  
  
• If you are buying a car, consider purchasing the most fuel-efficient model in its size/category.
  
  
• Slow down. One of the best ways to save gas is to simply reduce your speed. As speed increases, fuel economy decreases exponentially.
  
  
• While changing lubricant make sure you use the recommended brand and more important the grade of oil e.g. 40SW 10. Never use the wrong grade of oil.
  
  
• Maintain your car in good, efficient working condition to decrease air and water pollution. More than 80% of auto emissions come from less than 30% of the cars.
  
  
• Change your oil only when necessary. Independent tests by Consumer Reports® magazine indicate that changing modern motor oils every 7,500 miles (synthetics at 12,000 miles) or at the automakers suggested intervals, is more than adequate under most driving conditions. Also consider using 100% Synthetic motor oils to extend drain intervals on your vehicle. You can improve your gas mileage by 1–2 percent by using the manufacturer's recommended grade of motor oil.
  
  
• Recycle used motor oil. Each year over 140 million gallons of used motor oil end up in our landfills. When you take your oil to a recycling location, be sure to use a proper reusable container with a tight fitting cap.
  
  
• Clean out that trunk! You get four percent less gas mileage for every 100 pounds of excess cargo in your automobile, and that means increased air emissions.
  
  
• New cars are cleaner than ever. Vehicle maintenance is essential for low emissions. A singe recent model year car that is badly out of tune can produce as much of certain smog causing pollutants as several hundred brand new cars! Find out about Ontario's Drive Clean program.
  
  
• Establishing public transportation reduces pollution, and energy consumption, and that ultimately means less pollution, more energy and lower prices for everyone. Public transportation also conserves resources. Less cars mean less pollution, less streets and parking lots.
  
  
• Check tire pressure regularly because low tyre pressure causes drag which increases fuel consumption. You can improve your gas mileage by up to 3.3 percent by keeping your tires inflated to the proper pressure. Buy a reliable tire gauge and check your tires at least once a month. Be sure to check them when they are cold, since driving the car warms up the tires along with the air inside them, which increases pressure and gives a falsely high reading. Use the inflation pressures shown in the owner's manual or on the data plate in the driver's door jamb.
  
  
• Accelerate with care. Jack-rabbit starts are an obvious fuel-waster -- but that doesn't mean you should crawl away from every light. If you drive an automatic, accelerate moderately so the transmission can shift up into the higher gears. Stick-shifters should shift early to keep the revs down, but don't lug the engine -- downshift if you need to accelerate. Keep an eye well down the road for potential slowdowns. If you accelerate to speed then have to brake right away, that's wasted fuel.
  
  
• If the vehicle has been parked unused for a long time, have the engine tuned and engine oil replaced.
  
  
• Hang with the trucks. Ever notice how, in bad traffic jams, cars seem to constantly speed up and slow down, while trucks tend to roll along at the same leisurely pace? A constant speed keeps shifting to a minimum -- important to those who have to wrangle with those ten-speed truck transmissions -- but it also aids economy, as it takes much more fuel to get a vehicle moving than it does to keep it moving. Rolling with the big rigs saves fuel (and aggravation).
  
  
• Inspect spark plug clearance, clean and adjust gap. Replace plugs, if necessary.
  
  
• Do not use leaded or low leaded fuel in vehicle fitted with Catalytic Convertor. Always use unleaded fuel.
  
  
• Consider shutting off the air conditioner, opening the windows and enjoying the breeze. It may be a tad warmer, but at lower speeds you'll save fuel.
  
  
• New wheels and tires may look cool, and they can certainly improve handling. But if they are wider than the stock tires, chances are they'll create more rolling resistance and decrease fuel economy. For long road trips, the stock wheels give a smoother ride and better economy.