Green Driving Tips

by Jim Motavalli     The Daily Green         Full Article

Wouldn’t it be great if you could buy a device on the Internet for, I don’t know, $200, bolt it onto your car and enjoy an instant reduction in emissions and an increase in fuel economy?

Claims like that are as old as the hills. We’ve all heard about the 100-miles-per-gallon carburetor that “they” don’t want you to have, and the scientist whose invention was mysteriously suppressed just as he was about to bring incredibly cheap people’s power to the world (think Nikola Tesla).

It’s inevitable that when fuel prices zoomed up, these devices would see a revival. (Yes, I know gas has come down, but is anyone really happy with $3 a gallon?)

Free lunches are hard to come by, however. Popular Mechanics tested a bunch of “fuel savers” back in 2005 and concluded that absolutely none of them worked. One even started a fire. These devices use miracle magnets, vortex generators, ionizers and water injection. But the only thing they reduced, PM said, was the cash in your wallet.

And this brings us to the latest device, The Blade, which bolts on to the exhaust pipe. It’s kind of cool looking in a retro way. Remember those chrome exhaust tips people put on their cars to create a fake hot rod? I’ve only seen pictures on the website, and I have no idea if the Brazil-sourced Blade actually works. But, given the history, I think caution might be in order.

Don’t worry, though, because actress Laura Dern says it works. “Having a Blade on my hybrid car allows me to continue driving with the satisfaction that I am lowering my carbon footprint and burning less fuel,” she says.    Full Article