Saving money and CO2.

maggieb · Rank attained: Hazel Tree Joined: 23 Jan 2014 Posts: 1

Did you know that cars are responsible for more CO2 emissions than any other form of transport in the Ireland? Personal car travel is the single biggest contributor to personal CO2 emissions. So question is can we do anything about it? Yes, everyone can! Only by following this simple tips you can cut emissions by 8 per cent!
1.Make sure your tyres are pumped up.
2.Reduc any unnecessary weight being carried by the car.
3. Service your car regularly.
4.Drive at an appropriate speed - staying within the 70mph limit can bring savings of 10 per cent for your fuel bill compared to driving at 80mph.
5. Speed up and slow down smoothly.
6.Change gears at lower revs.
7.Avoid leaving your engine running.
8.Don't use air conditioning unless you need it - however, at speeds above 50-60mph it the drag created by an open window means it more efficient to keep them closed and use aircon.
How great is that? This few simple steps will not only help you to save few bob, but also will help the environment . Not enough? You can do more! You can also use websites like http://www.logideals.ie/ when you need transportation service. They do help customers to save fortune on deliveries, but what’s more important they help Irish Transport Companies to avoid empty runs, which are the most common reason for high CO2 emissions. You save on haulage, they save on petrol and emissions. Let’s do it together!

My Potatoes · Posted: Mon Apr 07, 2014 8:38 am Post subject: Re: Saving money and CO2.

tagwex · Posted: Mon Apr 07, 2014 9:16 am Post subject:

And that we are in km since '07, i think. UK rules methinks.

tippben · Posted: Mon Apr 07, 2014 9:37 am Post subject:

I did hear a car engineer on a BBC science programme recommending to only fill the fuel tank to half full. Apparently, especially for bigger cars, a fuller tank gives diminishing returns: you're essentially carrying up to another person's weight in the car, so you burn the excess fuel faster. Seemed to make sense.

tagwex · Posted: Mon Apr 07, 2014 10:09 am Post subject:

Also, fill your tanks when the air is colder, i.e. morning or late at night, as cool fuel is more dense than warm or hot fuel, so you get more for your money. Now I know this is a minimal saving for the size of your average car fuel tank but airlines make use of this little known fact, but then again the savings on their quantities are substantial.

My Potatoes · Posted: Mon Apr 07, 2014 10:19 am Post subject:

My Potatoes · Posted: Mon Apr 07, 2014 10:21 am Post subject:

medieval knievel · Posted: Mon Apr 07, 2014 2:13 pm Post subject:

also, warm air is easier for the car to pass through; wind resistance is the biggest cause of fuel consumption at higher speeds.

i don't have the article to hand, but i have read that car fuel consumption figures are calculated in the summer in spain - it's warm, and since spain is basically a plateau, the air is thinner as the tests are performed at higher altitudes.

one thing the original post doesn't mention is anticipation. if your car has fuel injection, you're consuming zero fuel if you take your foot off the accelerator. so if the lights up ahead are red, and you've enough speed to carry you there with your foot off the pedal, why burn petrol getting to a stop light more quickly?
it's surprising the number of people who don't realise this.

My Potatoes · Posted: Mon Apr 07, 2014 7:10 pm Post subject:

medieval knievel · Posted: Mon Apr 07, 2014 8:16 pm Post subject:

there's a substantial difference between driving at 5mph (vs. 30) and 20mph vs 30.
comparing the situation i described with a once in a generation weather event is pushing the concept past breaking (braking?) point!

Blowin · Posted: Wed Apr 09, 2014 7:24 am Post subject:

I was just wondering whether Maggieb knows that this is a gardening forum?