Being a road trip enthusiast, doesn’t mean you need to stop caring about the environment the minute you sit in your car. Here is a list of things you can do to minimise your environmental impact while behind the wheel.
- Good maintenance of your car: dirty filters, old oil in the engine… can affect fuel consumption. Get your car serviced before any major road trip.
- Check your tires: Underinflated tires increase fuel consumption so make sure your tires are well inflated before and during your trip. Note that air expands as it gets warmer, so the pressure will be higher if you have already driven a lot. Also check your tires for any signs of wear and tears as worn out tires can lead to unsafe driving conditions.
- Don’t idle: Seriously who still does that? Turn off your engine! Period. Maybe if your car is 30 years old and it’s freezing outside, you have a good reason to idle but other than that, it’s a no, no.
- Slow down & Enjoy the scenery: The time you spend in your car is part of the journey. Slowing down enables you to maximise your fuel consumption, enjoy the ride, avoid getting a ticket… It’s a win-win.
- Limit the use of air-conditioning: Air-con increases fuel consumption significantly. Use sparingly.
- Relax and anticipate: Speedding and than slamming the break is totally unnecessary and inefficient. Instead go steady and anticipate.
- Plan ahead: Planning your trip is easier nowadays than ever before. Your GPS will probably provides you with the best possible route. You can always cross check the itinerary with Google, you know… just in case! Try to avoid traffic jams or at least the obvious ones linked to rush hours in major cities.
- Use eco friendly products: Use eco friendly products to clean your car, including your windshield. In summer, use every stop as an opportunity to clean your windshield and remove as many dead bugs as possible to limit the use of windshield wiper fluid.
- Pack light: Reducing weight reduces your fuel consumption and nasty emissions. Additional bonus: it means you’ll have less stuff to carry around when stopping for the night, less to worry about when you park your car and you’ll probably even spend less time looking for things!
- But do pack reusables: Bring your own bottle and refill it. Bring a few utensils like cutlery that you can wash and reuse instead of disposable.
- Bring eco friendly snacks: Organic, fresh products with little to no wrapping, that you can buy at local markets, are a delicious way to stay healthy while on the road!
Enjoy your next road trip and keep it green!
Anything I forgot?
Want to share additional tips on how to ride green?!
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Very interesting topic , thanks for putting up. “Remember when life’s path is steep to keep your mind even.” by Horace.
Merely a smiling visitor here to share the love (:, btw great style and design .
Thank you for your really excellent info !