Green Tips for Your Vehicle - Ask Patty - Automotive Advice for Women

Green Tips for Your Vehicle - Ask Patty - Automotive Advice for Women: "The following tips from ASE can put you on the road to environmentally conscious car care:

* --Keep the engine running at peak performance—a misfiring spark plug can reduce fuel efficiency as much as 30 percent. Replace filters and fluids as recommended in the manual.
* --Today’s vehicles have much cleaner tailpipe emissions that they did thirty years ago. But a poorly running engine or faulty exhaust system will cause your vehicle to pollute much more than it would otherwise. Don’t ignore that ‘Service Engine’ light.
* Tire_Check_by_Alvimann_at_morguefile --Keep tires properly inflated and aligned to reduce the engine’s effort and, thus, gasoline consumption. What’s more, your tires will last longer too, saving you money and easing the burden at recycling centers.
* --Have your vehicle’s air conditioner serviced only by a technician certified to handle and recycle refrigerants. Older air conditioners contain ozone-depleting chemicals, which could be released into the atmosphere through improper service.
* --Avoid speeding and sudden accelerations; both habits guzzle gas. When waiting for friends or family, shut off the engine. Consolidate daily errands to eliminate unnecessary driving.
* --Walk more. (Talk about helping yourself and the environment simultaneously!)
* --Remove excess items from the vehicle, since less weight means better mileage. Remove that roof-top luggage carrier after vacations to reduce air drag."