How You Can Secure a Better Future

• Drive less, consolidate trips, carpool, bicycle, utilize public transit, make conservation a household word!

• Purchase biodiesel, ethanol and other alternative fuels as appropriate for your vehicle;

• Consider a hybrid vehicle (HEV) when shopping for a new/different automobile; Purchase a Flexible Fuel Vehicle (FFV) that can burn E85 (ethanol)

• Ask your fuel retailer to make ethanol and biodiesel available for purchase;

• Urge your school district and public transit fleet managers to switch to biodiesel and ethanol fuel blends to reduce exhaust emissions; ask them to investigate natural gas and hybrid technology for their fleets; inquire about their policies and plans for reducing engine idling, especially diesel vehicles.

Many fuel options exist today; biodiesel and ethanol blends are available in most states.

1. Slow down and watch speed - Drive 55 miles per hour instead of 65 to save fuel. EPA estimates a 10-15% improvement in fuel economy by following this tip. Also, aim for a constant speed. Pumping the accelerator sends more fuel into the engine. Using cruise control whenever possible on the highway (when the route is not too hilly) helps maintain speeds and conserve fuel.

2. Accelerate and brake slowly - Accelerating smoothly from a stop and braking softly conserves fuel. Fast starts, weaving in and out of traffic and hard braking wastes fuel and wears out some of the car components, such as brakes and tires, more quickly. Maintain a safe distance between vehicles and anticipate traffic conditions to allow for more time to brake and accelerate gradually.

   Try out the Toyota Glass of Water Challenge - Drive as though you have a full glass of water on your dashboard, and don't let it spill!

3. No idling - Today's engines don't need a warm up. Start the car immediately and gently drive away. Don't leave your car idling. Prolonged idling increases emissions and wastes fuel. Turn the engine off in non-traffic situations, such as at the bank and fast food drive-up windows, when idling for more than 30 seconds.

4. Check your tires - Keep tires properly inflated to the recommended tire pressure. This alone can reduce the average amount of fuel use by 3-4 percent. Under-inflated tires increase rolling resistance and reduce fuel economy. They also wear more rapidly.

5. Be kind to your vehicle - Maintain proper engine tune-up to keep vehicles running efficiently. Keep the wheels aligned. Wheels that are fighting each other waste fuel. Replace air filters as recommended. Use a fuel with good detergent additives to keep the vehicle engine clean and performing efficiently. Always consult the owner's manuel for proper maintenance.

6. Travel light - Avoid piling a lot of baggage on the roof rack. . The added frontal area reduces aerodynamics and will hurt fuel economy; at 60mph, a ski box adds 21-23% to fuel consumption, and a loaded bike rack can add 26-29%. Remove excess weight from the vehicle. Unnecessary weight, such as unneeded items in the trunk, makes the engine work harded and consumes more fuel.

7. Minimize use of heater and air conditioner - Use heating and air conditioning selectively to reduce the load on the engine. Decreasing your usage of the air conditioner can help you save 10-15 percent of fuel. Use the vent setting as much as possible. Park in the shade to keep car cool and reduce the need for air conditioning.

8. Close windows at high speeds - Don't drive with the windows open unless you keep your speed under 50mph. Driving with the windows open at highway speeds increases aerodynamic drag on the vehicle and reduces fuel economy. At high speeds, it may be more fuel efficient to use short bursts of air conditioning instead of opening windows.

9. Choose the right oil - Use good quality oils with the viscosity grade recommended in the owner guide. Ford recommends SAE 5W-20 oil for most cars and trucks to provide the best fuel economy. Only oils "certified for gasoline engines" by the American Petroleum Institute (API) with the starburst symbol should be used.

10. Consolidate trips - Plan ahead to consolidate your trips. Carpool, take the most efficient routes, use public transit, or ride a bike instead.

Virtually all major automobile manufacturers are now building Flexible Fuel Vehicles (FFVs) such as this Dodge Caravan. FFVs can burn gasoline or ethanol (E85) or any combination of the two fuels. Check the website afdc.doe.gov for an up-to-date list of available FFVs.

Many school districts and counties throughout the national have adopted no-idling ordinances to help reduce air pollution and save money on fuel. To learn more about what we are doing locally with this issue, see Current Projects.

Interior of the Toyota Prius, a very popular Hybrid Electric Vehicle (HEV) and capable of nearly 60 miles per gallon! Other manufacturers are working hard to catch up with Toyota. Are you shopping for a new vehicle? Consider a hybrid!

Is your public transit and/or school transportation system experimenting with alternative fuel technology? They should be. Get involved in community efforts to introduce alternative fuels and technologies to your area’s buses, such as Clean School Bus USA

Check out our Eco Driving Resources or Eco Driving USA for more tips and to see what you can do to help our country reduce CO2 emissions while saving fuel!

• Eco-Driving can easily improve fuel economy by 10%, and up to 30%

• Reducing fuel use = Reducing CO2 emissions = Reducing dependence on petroleum!

• Eco-driving is safer and results in fewer accidents, because drivers avoid excessive speeds and anticipate when they will have to slow down and stop

• The financial savings from eco-driving are twofold – reduced wear and tear on the car’s parts along with using less gas

• Contrary to what some think, eco-driving does not result in longer journey times; several studies show that people using these techniques actually ended up at the destination more quickly, because they drove much more smoothly

• Final tip: For those who won’t remember all of these instructions, just drive like you are riding a bike – inflate your tires, don’t waste energy with quick braking and accelerations, and take it easy going uphill