Every day people are becoming more attuned to being 'green'. From the Serene, Green Auto Repair Team stand-point there are many pro-active things to do to keep you driving green.
What can I do to make my car be on the Green side of things? One well known thing is to check your tire pressures regularly and make sure they're not lower than factory specs. Some folks say set tires higher than normal. This is OK if you monitor your tire wear, making sure the center of the tire treads are not worn. It is not too green to get merely half the life out of tires because the pressures are set too high. (Do not go more than 2-4psi [pounds per square inch] over factory specifications.)
Maintenance: A properly maintained vehicle gets better fuel mileage and puts out less smog producing fumes than a poorly running car. A clean air filter and fresh spark plugs can make a world of difference in how efficient your engine runs. Changing the oil and filter regularly also affects fuel mileage as well as the life of the engine. Oil, as it ages, thickens and the oil filter gets clogged. Also using the wrong weight oil, (to heavy) will affect fuel mileage.
Bodily Fluids! It is not green to have a car that constantly leaves fluid deposits on an already contaminated planet. Most leaks leave a spot under the car. Other fluids leak primarily when the car is running. In this case there may be a spot when parked, but a large leak while driving down the road. There is no good reason, financial or otherwise, to let a car leak any of its highly toxic fluids on our planet earth. Get those leaks fixed!
On occasion, tightening up the 'loose nut behind the wheel', will help with fuel mileage. In other words, slow down a little. Don't make jack rabbit starts, and accelerate smoothly to cruising speed. 'Drive like there is an egg between your foot and the accelerator pedal.' Smooth controlled stops also help prolong the life of brake pads and rotors.
New car vs. old car? It takes a tremendous amount of energy to produce a new car. One way to recycle is to fix up that old car and give it a new lease on life. (It's better to start with a mid 1990's or newer due to emissions technology. Also, they generally are more reliable.) Cars can be immortal.
To be green is good! Check out Water Star Motors, a certified green Import Auto Repair shop in Santa Cruz. http://www.waterstarmotors.com/
Thanks, The Sage Mechanic
