Green Driving Tips

Having a lighter foot can lead to a heavier wallet

Cameron Naish Issue date: 8/27/08 Full Article

Paying for gas can be a hassle. Students have enough bills to pay without needing to pay anymore for fuel or a new hybrid. However, no matter how high prices may reach there are a few easy ways to increase gas mileage out of any vehicle that will ultimately help one’s wallet and the environment.

Don’t step on it
According to fueleconomy.gov, driving sensibly is a great way to save gas. Aggressive driving can lower gas mileage by 33 percent on the highway and by five percent in the city.

Driving smoothly with light acceleration and deceleration is also important. According to opentravelinfo.com, trying to keep a constant speed instead can increase gas mileage by 10 to 20 percent.

“I try to drive as smoothly as possible,” said Amber Rose, 19, a sophomore sociology major. “I just don’t rev my engine when I take off from stop signs or stoplights.”

Turn it off
This encompasses two ideas. First, turning off a vehicle and leaving it that way is a great way to save gas- simply do not drive.

“I hardly drive my car- there really is no need to,” said Haley Kaiser, 20, a sophomore environmental studies major.

Boulder offers plenty of bus service and all CU students have a free RTD pass. To learn more about RTD, visit their Web site. Local stores such as Target also have bikes for cheap, some are less than $80.

For those who still opt to drive, it is important to keep a car turned off during long idles. When a car is sitting and running, it is getting zero miles to the gallon.

Use cruise control
For those who have it, use it. Just about every gas saving tip list includes this one. Cruise control can improve mileage by 14 percent, according to Edmunds.com, a popular vehicle web site.

By keeping the setting under 55 mph, mileage soars. Going over 55 mph rapidly decreases mileage, and combining lower speeds with smoother cruise controlled driving, cruising past gas stations will become common.

Rumors aside
There have always been rumors about what saves gas. One common myth is air conditioning robs vehicles of mileage. However, according to Edmunds.com, this is simply not true. Modern vehicles do not lose more gas mileage when the A/C is on than what is lost when the windows are down. It is probably best just to enjoy the drive and have some cool air.

While there are plenty of different ways to save gas on any vehicle it is still a good idea to try to not drive at all or drive something efficient.

“My car gets about 32 miles to the gallon,” said Aimee Anderson, 19, a sophomore psychology major. “I don’t worry about it.” Full Article