The other day when I read the book of True Green - 100 everyday ways you can contribute to a healthier planet, I realized the way I drive the car - accelerating slowly, driving at moderate speed, and avoiding the need for hard braking, is also the green way of driving: lower carbon emission, less air pollution, and energy saving.
I drive this way in particular to show someone that you don't need to suffer being a passenger, let alone saving the fuel and money. I really appreciate those drivers who drive smoothly with the passengers' feeling in mind. Even though I am not a perfect driver, at least I have been trying. When we have kids in car, we would like to compete who is the first one to buckle up the seat belt. The kids are now pretty used to the seat belt without reminding. Thank goodness!
When I stop for a long traffic light, I switch to the neutral gear, and I try to plan my weekly shopping trips to combine multiple errands: return and pickup the library books, shop groceries, go banking, etc. I avoid short trips, such as dropping kids to school when it is very late. A car engine produces about 40 percent emissions when cold. I would rather see them to be tardy for school and get a lesson to speed up next day. Luckily, the school is very close, and it takes less than five minutes for the kids to ride bikes to school when it is not raining.
Other green ideas for driving: turn off the engine if you are stopping your car for more than ten seconds, as an idling engine consumes more fuel and produces more CO2 emissions than just restarting your car. Keep your car well maintained and your tires inflated to the correct pressure level which helps improve fuel efficiency. Avoid high speeds and use cruise when driving the highways. At 75 mph, your car uses 15 percent more fuel than it does cruising at 65 mph. This is something worth rethinking!
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