Many of our customers have asked us to write about ways they can be more environmentally conscious despite not having a green car.
The following are a few methods to help you lead consciously while still driving your vehicle.
1. Washing Your Car
The amount of water used when washing your car from home is estimates to be about 160 liters of water (per wash). If you need a visual on how much water that is- imagine a standard bathtub completely filled with water, for just one wash. Professional car washes have been proven to use far less water, and take up less of your time.
If that isn't enough, according to a recent study conducted by the University of Texas, washing your car from home can leave scratches as deep as 1/10th of the paints actual thickness. Depending on how frequently you wash your car, this can amount to significant amount of damage to your paint.
2. Regular Check Ups
You might be tempted to do your own oil change after every 5,000 miles, but this no longer stands true for all vehicles. Read your owners manual to confirm you are changing your oil adequately, in addition to this there are many components that require attention such as your radiator fluid, air filter, tire pressure, and much more.
Regular check ups results in less pollutants exposed to the environment that can otherwise be properly disposed of and allow your vehicle its longest potential longevity. Failing to tend to your vehicle accordingly will allow room for leaks, excess exhaust matter to be released and will force your car to work harder due to build up; lets not forget that it will consume more fuel, and prologue the possibilities of discovering matters that require your attention, or that of a professionals.
3. Don't Ride Your Clutch
It is very common to make great use of your clutch if you are idling on a steep hill while driving through places like the city of San Francisco. Its important to limit, or abolish this action completely. This alone will allow you to accelerate quicker when conquering the steep hills, decrease the amount of emissions when avoiding balancing the clutch and gas, and will save you money on keeping your original clutch that create less landfill and not to mention gas!
4. Cool Your Vehicle Efficiently
It might make a lot of sense to roll your windows down to cool your car during hot days. A recent study found that this only holds true when driving through streets. When driving with the windows down on freeways, the excess air coming in creates additional pressure causing your vehicle to drag additional weight. Save yourself the hassle, and utilize the AC on the re-circulation feature while driving on freeways, this will recycle the cool air inside your car, save your car the additional energy and release less emissions into the atmosphere. But remember, rolling your windows down when cruising through the streets is a-okay.
5. When Idle, Set Your Vehicle on Neutral
Shifting your car into neutral when sitting idle will reduce the amount of heat carried by the cooling system, this will increase your gas mileage and decrease your visits to the pump. Just be sure to safely maintain your foot on the break.
6. Lose The Extra Weight
It can be easy to store away personal belongings that you don't want in sight into the trunk of your car, however this extra weight will cause your car to work harder and consume more gas. Take a moment to go through the important items such as your first aid kid, spare tire and necessary tools. While you're at it, make sure to check your spares' PSI and only keep the essentials.
7. Drive Safely
When working on our clients cars, we often find their seats propped up high. Though this may be necessary to see passed the dashboard, the height creates an illusion that your vehicle is driving slower than its actual speed. Adjusting your seat in a low position will allow you to have a better understanding of how fast you're going. This alone can help avoid accidents especially for bigger vehicles like SUVs' or trucks that tend to flip during sharp turns (when driven too fast), these forms of accidents leave debris such as metals, plastic and liquids that manage their way into large bodies of water.
Did you know that driving with your head lights on during the day decreases the likelihood of accidents by 11% per a Canadian study from 1994.
8. Ask Your Body Shop About Their Products
When taking your vehicle to a body shop for repairs, ask your collision repair shop what products they use. EC Professional Auto Body uses environmentally friendly products such as PPG Envirobase water based paint. Give us a call to get an estimate on any of your vehicles, we would be delighted to work with you to get you back on the road.
The following are a few methods to help you lead consciously while still driving your vehicle.
1. Washing Your Car
The amount of water used when washing your car from home is estimates to be about 160 liters of water (per wash). If you need a visual on how much water that is- imagine a standard bathtub completely filled with water, for just one wash. Professional car washes have been proven to use far less water, and take up less of your time.
If that isn't enough, according to a recent study conducted by the University of Texas, washing your car from home can leave scratches as deep as 1/10th of the paints actual thickness. Depending on how frequently you wash your car, this can amount to significant amount of damage to your paint.
2. Regular Check Ups
You might be tempted to do your own oil change after every 5,000 miles, but this no longer stands true for all vehicles. Read your owners manual to confirm you are changing your oil adequately, in addition to this there are many components that require attention such as your radiator fluid, air filter, tire pressure, and much more.
Regular check ups results in less pollutants exposed to the environment that can otherwise be properly disposed of and allow your vehicle its longest potential longevity. Failing to tend to your vehicle accordingly will allow room for leaks, excess exhaust matter to be released and will force your car to work harder due to build up; lets not forget that it will consume more fuel, and prologue the possibilities of discovering matters that require your attention, or that of a professionals.
3. Don't Ride Your Clutch
It is very common to make great use of your clutch if you are idling on a steep hill while driving through places like the city of San Francisco. Its important to limit, or abolish this action completely. This alone will allow you to accelerate quicker when conquering the steep hills, decrease the amount of emissions when avoiding balancing the clutch and gas, and will save you money on keeping your original clutch that create less landfill and not to mention gas!
4. Cool Your Vehicle Efficiently
It might make a lot of sense to roll your windows down to cool your car during hot days. A recent study found that this only holds true when driving through streets. When driving with the windows down on freeways, the excess air coming in creates additional pressure causing your vehicle to drag additional weight. Save yourself the hassle, and utilize the AC on the re-circulation feature while driving on freeways, this will recycle the cool air inside your car, save your car the additional energy and release less emissions into the atmosphere. But remember, rolling your windows down when cruising through the streets is a-okay.
5. When Idle, Set Your Vehicle on Neutral
Shifting your car into neutral when sitting idle will reduce the amount of heat carried by the cooling system, this will increase your gas mileage and decrease your visits to the pump. Just be sure to safely maintain your foot on the break.
6. Lose The Extra Weight
It can be easy to store away personal belongings that you don't want in sight into the trunk of your car, however this extra weight will cause your car to work harder and consume more gas. Take a moment to go through the important items such as your first aid kid, spare tire and necessary tools. While you're at it, make sure to check your spares' PSI and only keep the essentials.
7. Drive Safely
When working on our clients cars, we often find their seats propped up high. Though this may be necessary to see passed the dashboard, the height creates an illusion that your vehicle is driving slower than its actual speed. Adjusting your seat in a low position will allow you to have a better understanding of how fast you're going. This alone can help avoid accidents especially for bigger vehicles like SUVs' or trucks that tend to flip during sharp turns (when driven too fast), these forms of accidents leave debris such as metals, plastic and liquids that manage their way into large bodies of water.
Did you know that driving with your head lights on during the day decreases the likelihood of accidents by 11% per a Canadian study from 1994.
8. Ask Your Body Shop About Their Products
When taking your vehicle to a body shop for repairs, ask your collision repair shop what products they use. EC Professional Auto Body uses environmentally friendly products such as PPG Envirobase water based paint. Give us a call to get an estimate on any of your vehicles, we would be delighted to work with you to get you back on the road.
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