When you were learning to drive, were you taught anything about ways to save gas? Probably not. Yet transportation contributes 14% to total global greenhouse gas emissions. Fumes and air pollutants coming out of vehicle tail pipes are one of the biggest sources of smog and dirty air, too.  I’d love to see driver’s ed programs include information on driving efficiently and cleanly for new drivers. Until then, we’ve teamed up with DrivingOffice.com, which helps new drivers in my home state of Michigan pass their driver’s test by taking the Michigan permit practice test. Here are 10 ways to save gas this summer you need to know, whether you’re new to the wheel or have a lot of miles under your tires.

1-Follow the 10-second rule before you idle your car.

It’s easy to think you’re only stopping for a short time when you idle in park, and not worth turning the engine off.

The truth is that, any time the engine is on and you’re not moving, you’re wasting gas and money.

In fact, idling a car for as little as ten seconds actually uses more fuel than turning off the engine and restarting it. If you spend five minutes idling, you’ll waste a perfectly good gallon of gas!

When Should You Turn Off Your Car?

⇒Turn the car off when you’re stuck at a railroad crossing, or waiting to pick someone up at school or their house, and skip the drive-throughs when the lines are long.

⇒Turn off your car when you’re waiting for a pick-up if it’s going to take longer than 10 seconds to get your goods.

⇒Never idle at a school, especially when you’re waiting to pick up little kids. You’ll just be filling the air with toxic fumes they shouldn’t have to breathe.

Don’t Miss: Ways to Save $20 – $50 Every Month on Gasoline

2-Drive at a constant speed.

The more you accelerate quickly and brake suddenly, the more fuel you use.

How should you start and stop?

⇒Don’t be a “jack rabbit.” Ease up to a stop sign or stop light then ease away at a moderate speed.

3-Drive the speed limit.

Obviously, you want to drive the speed limit to avoid getting a ticket.

Driving the speed limit will keep you alive, too, since speeding leads to so many accidents.

But driving faster than 65mph gobbles up gas, too. In fact, driving at a speed of 85 mph uses 40% more fuel than if you drove at 70 mph.

How fast should you drive?

⇒Stick to the posted speed limit.

⇒Drive 65 on the highway to use a lot less fuel.

4-Keep your car tires properly pumped up.

Not having enough air in your car tires can reduce the number of miles you get per gallon of gasoline by 3%. That may not sound like a lot, but it could amount to as much oil as is in the pristine Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. Instead of destroy that wilderness, we can all simply keep our tires pumped up to the proper psi, or pounds per square inch.

When should you pump up your tires?

⇒ A good rule of thumb is to check the tire pressure every time the seasons change, so maybe four times a year. If you don’t know the psi, it’s easily found on a little sticker right inside the door jamb of the front driver’s-side door.

Keep a tire pressure gauge in the glove compartment of the car so it’s easy to check the tire pressure.

5-Change the oil regularly and get an annual tune up.

Maintaining your vehicle is important for lots of reasons. Cars tend to have a longer life if they are well maintained. They also run more efficiently, which means you do not have to buy as much fuel.

How often should you get an oil change?

⇒Read your vehicle manual, but most manufacturers recommend an oil change every 3,000 – 5,000 miles. You can find lots of coupons online for discounts that will bring oil change costs down to only around $20 bucks a pop.

⇒Tune ups are recommended annually.

6-Use air conditioning instead of opening windows.

You may think that opening the windows in your car, instead of using air conditioning, is a good idea. But it turns out that the opposite is true. Open windows increase the amount of drag, which means that open windows in a fast-moving car actually slow the car down, so you end up using more gas than you would if the air conditioning was switched on.

When to use AC?

⇒Use the AC when you’re traveling at speeds above 40 mph on the highway. You can use the lowest fan setting and keep cool air circulating to make it comfortable.

⇒Roll the windows down when you’re just driving around town at lower speeds.

⇒Use a windshield shade to reflect sunlight away from your car and keep internal temperatures cooler.

7-Carpool and share the gas – and the cost.

Carpools are a great idea. Not only do you save on the cost of gas, because you use your vehicle less frequently; you also get to chat with a group of friends during the journey.

8-Combine trips and use apps to shorten distances traveled.

If you do not plan your week effectively, you can end up driving a greater distance than required. If you need to go to the doctor and the mall, and they are both in the same direction, go to both on the same journey where possible. As a result, you drive a shorter distance and you save on the cost of extra fuel.

What apps are the best for creating gas-saving travel routs?

⇒Waze is popular, but Google Maps is great, too!

9-Park where you are

How many times have you driven around for a while, looking for a parking space that is closer to your destination? If you are able, it’s a much better idea to park in the first spot you can, and simply walk a little further. You end up saving money and time.

What apps make parking quick and easy?

Parking Panda

Park Whiz

Best Parking

10-Put your car on a diet.

Many people keep too much stuff in their car. Extra weight makes the vehicle heavier, increasing fuel consumption.

⇒De-clutter your vehicle and save money on gas. If you’re not going to use it, don’t keep it in the trunk or on the roof rack.

NOTE: Sponsors and partnerships like these allow us to bring you expert content at no cost to you. All editorial opinions expressed are our own. Thanks!

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Most people wouldn’t put a pile of money on their driveway and set it on fire. But when you drive, you’re essentially burning money. Regardless of whether gas prices are high or low, because we’re traveling more, we’re all burning more money via our gas tanks than ever before. It doesn’t have to be that way. You can save $20 – $50 every month on gasoline by following these six steps.

1) Drive LESS. How? Walk, especially if you’re traveling distances less than a mile and don’t need to carry heavy loads. Bike. More than half of all commuting trips are 5 miles or less in length, a distance easily covered by two wheels rather than four. Scoot, with an electric scooter that costs far less to charge than it does to fuel up a car with gas. Get organized, so you can combine trips and chores rather than going back and forth to do them. Pay your bills and shop online. That includes using grocery delivery services if they’re available in your area. Carpool. Share the drive and share the bill. Avoid rush hour. Telecommute, go to work early and leave early, or look for other ways to avoid the worst times of the day to be in a car. Because when you’re just sitting in traffic, you’re just burning money.

2) Drive SMART. What does “smart” mean? More or less, it’s what you learned when you took driving lessons all those years ago before you even got your driver’s license. Start with the speed limit. Stick to it. The U.S. Department of Energy says that every 5 mph you drive above 50 mph can lower gas mileage by 7% or more. That could amount to as much as $.52 a gallon! Slow down a little and put the money in the bank. Plus, turn the car off rather than idle. Idling gets zero miles per gallon; if that’s not a waste of gas and money, I don’t know what is! Don’t be a “jackrabbit” and speed up only to have to slow down in between stop signs and traffic signals. As for tailgating, it can cost you 1-2 percent in fuel efficiency. What a waste.

3) Drive CHEAP. In most cases, your engine can tolerate the cheapest gas you can find. Get to know where gas costs less and buy yours there. The GasBuddy mobile app makes it easy to find the cheapest gas on your driving route every day. Don’t top off your tank. Not only will you waste money, but that “extra” evaporates pretty quickly, contributing to air pollution. Pay cash. It can be ten or twenty cents a gallon cheaper than paying by credit card. Use gas rewards programs. I earn gas points at my grocery store that I can use to lower the price I pay at the pump by ten, twenty and even thirty cents a gallon.

4) Drive IN TUNE. You’ll improve your gas mileage by an average of 4.1 percent when you get a tune up. Most cars need an oil change every 3,000 – 5,000 miles, too. If that’s too frequent for you, join Groupon, Living Social, or another social shopping site. You’ll find many affordable tune-up and oil change promotions that cut the service costs significantly.  While you’re at it, replace air filters regularly to get another 10 percent gain in fuel efficiency. Checking the oxygen sensor is smart, too. That’s the engine’s fuel control feedback loop. Repairing one that’s faulty could benefit your gas mileage as much as 40 percent.

5) Drive PUMPED UP. Gas mileage will improve by around 3.3 percent if you keep your tires properly inflated. Check your owner’s manual for appropriate inflation levels. You can buy a tire pressure gauge at your local hardware store and check your tires each time the seasons change. Then fill up your tires when you get gas.

6) Drive a GAS STRETCHER. Drive the most fuel-efficient vehicle that meets your transportation needs as well as your budget. If you’re in a family with two cars, use the one that gets the most mpg for the majority of your trips. If you’re in the market for a new car, check the rebates and tax incentives available to encourage people to purchase hybrids and electric cars, rather than those that depend exclusively on fossil fuels.

All of these actions can add up to big savings. An added benefit? Using less gas is a lot better for the environment, since burning gasoline contributes to air pollution, climate change and smog.

So drive less, get smart, be cheap, tune in, pump up and stretch.

Unless of course you have money to burn.

MORE GREAT INFORMATION:

Save Energy, Stop Climate Change, Save Money

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One drawback of some electric hybrid vehicles is what is called “range anxiety.” It’s the worry drivers feel that their car won’t go far enough on its electric battery. The Toyota Prius Plug-In can travel only 10-15 miles on a fully charged battery; the Ford Fusion Hybrid Plug-In, only 19 miles; and Ford’s C-Max Energi Plug-In, 21 miles. The 2015 Chevy Volt has turned those numbers on their head by creating an electric car that offers 50 miles of EV (electric) range per fully-charged battery.

The 2015 Volt was unveiled last week in Detroit at the North American International Auto Show (full disclosure: I was a guest of General Motors, but under no obligation to give any of their vehicles a favorable review). I haven’t had a chance to test drive it yet, so I can’t speak to how it performs on the road. But I did take a look at the specs and get behind the wheel, and I liked a lot of what I saw.

My first priority is fuel efficiency. I want to use the least amount of gasoline possible, given the impact burning gas has on climate change and air pollution. In that regard, the Volt offers the distinct possibility of never having to buy gasoline unless you’re taking it on a long trip. “Volt owners complete more than 80 percent of their trips without using a drop of gasoline,” said Andrew Farah, vehicle chief engineer. Even when gas is used to extend the vehicle’s range (which is how a plug-in hybrid works), drivers are expected to be able to travel more than 1,000 miles on average between gas fill-ups, for an average fuel efficiency of 41 mpg.

After fuel efficiency, I want a car with uncomplicated technology and enough performance to make highway driving uncomplicated. The Volt seems to deliver. It is easy to recharge the battery using a standard 120 Volt outlet; the battery can be recharged any time it’s needed, but most drivers recharge it overnight and on the weekends when their electricity rates are particularly low. A 120V portable cord conveniently stores on the left side of the Volt’s rear cargo area for easy accessibility. It’s also easy to keep track of how much charge is left in the battery, so the driver knows in advance when the car will switch over to gasoline mode. As for performance, the car can go from zero to 60 mph in 8.4 seconds, which seems plenty fast to me.

Safety is also on my priorities chart. A standard rear-vision camera now comes with the Volt to help drivers avoid backing into hard-to-see objects. The vehicle also comes with ten standard airbags, including driver and front-passenger knee air bags. Additional active safety features offer lane keep assist with lane departure warning, side blind zone alert with lane change alert, front automatic braking, and advanced park assist, among several other benefits.

What about design? If you’re looking for something with a sleek, sporty design, the Volt looks the part. It seems to have an easy-to-read display panel on the dashboard, and there’s a small third seat in the back to make it possible to carry a total of 5 people in the car. I’ll have a better sense of the design features once I give it a test drive later this year.

Cost and Availability

The Volt goes on sale in the second half of 2015. It is expected to retail for around $30,000. Check state and federal rebate options to help reduce the price by a few thousand dollars.

 RELATED ELECTRIC CAR POSTS

My Test Drive of the 2011 Chevy Volt

Ford Fusion Hybrid Review 

My Test Drive of the Nissan Leaf

The post New Chevy Volt Electric Car Can Go 50 Miles on a Single Battery Charge appeared first on Big Green Purse.

Yet there are many other reasons why a car’s mileage could vary. Fuel economy can fluctuate not only according to the car you drive, but also to how you drive it.

You might be driving a car that is supposed to achieve 50 mpg, but if you gun the accelerator and leave the engine idling, you won’t get anywhere near such mileage in real life.

Here are a few tips to keep in mind to help you maximize your car’s fuel economy. Don’t forget that fuel efficiency leads to big money savings at the gas pump. 

1. Stick to the speed limit.

It’s a surprisingly common misconception that if you can reduce the length of your trip by driving faster, you’ll burn less fuel. In reality, you burn fuel at a more rapid pace when you exceed speeds of 65mph. Wind resistance increases at higher speeds, meaning your car has to work harder to keep up the pace. The most efficient speed you can travel is between 55 – 65mph, after which efficiency will rapidly decrease. Driving at a speed of 85mph would use 40% more fuel than if you drove at 70mph. When on the motorway, try using cruise control to maintain a safe and consistent speed. 

2. Reduce your car’s weight.

Another way to boost efficiency is by reducing your car’s weight and drag. Remove extra roof racks if you’re not using them, because these increase wind resistance. Try to eliminate extra weight from inside the car, as well. If you’ve been carrying around spare luggage or packages in the backseat or trunk, it’s time to clear them out. You can save 1% on fuel for every 45kg/99lbs that you remove from the vehicle. 

3. Avoid letting the engine run. 

In the past, cars needed some time to warm up. However, modern cars no longer need to idle before you drive them. They are ready to drive as soon as the engine is started. As we recently wrote here, letting your car idle wastes energy, so avoid any unnecessary revving or idling. Another factor to consider is that it takes up to 8km/5miles before the engine will be running at the height of its efficiency, which is why short trips use more fuel per mile or kilometre than longer distances.

4. Limit use of air conditioning.

Using your heater won’t burn too much energy, but the air conditioning is a different story. If possible, try to keep windows open at lower speeds to keep your car cool and well-ventilated. However, at speeds over 40mph, it’s better to switch on the air conditioning because the drag from the windows will cause your car to use more fuel.

5. Anticipate the road ahead.

Boosting your efficiency as a driver is all about careful, slow movements. Drive as smoothly as you can, without sudden accelerating or braking. To do this, you’ll need to keep ample space in front of you and anticipate the road ahead. It’s helpful to use GPS, sat-nav or other electronic tools to monitor roads.

By taking the time to plan your journey and drive more mindfully, you can make a world of difference in how many miles per gallon you get. No matter what type of car you drive, you can improve its mileage, use less gas, and save money at the pump by making simple changes to the way you drive.  

PHOTO CREDIT – Courtesy of a driver who uses many of the tips above to achieve incredible fuel efficiency with his vehicle, even though it is not a hybrid or plug-in!

NOTE: Underwriters of articles like these allow us to bring you expert content at no cost to you. All editorial opinions expressed are our own. Thanks!

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Your demand for more eco-friendly cars is inspiring Ford Motor Company to manufacture vehicles that get better gas mileage, use more recycled materials, tap alternative (and less polluting) fuels, and maybe even help you save energy when you’re not driving (think: washing your clothes).

I recently spent two days at the Go Further With Ford Trends Conference at Ford’s headquarters in Dearborn, Michigan, where I had a chance to see first-hand what the company is doing to reduce its environmental impact. Full disclosure: Ford paid all expenses for the trip, though did not pay me a fee, is not paying for this post, and in fact required no post at all. I saw the visit as an opportunity to see “up close and personal” what the company is doing to make good on its sustainability claims. Here’s what I found out.

Bill Ford (aka William Clay Ford, Jr., the great-grandson of company founder Henry Ford) opened the first morning briefing by calling automobile manufacturing “the ultimate disruptive industry.” That was probably the truest statement I heard over the two days I was in Dearborn. Creating vehicles that allowed people to travel long distances in relative ease changed the nature of our cities and towns, enabled other new industries to develop, even encouraged us to socialize and date in ways we couldn’t (or didn’t) in the horse and buggy era. But those same vehicles also led to a dependence on fossil fuels that has threatened our national security, polluted our air and water, and changed the climate to such a degree that the whole world is being impacted by global warming. For years, Ford has acknowledged these impacts as he’s pushed his company to manufacture cleaner combustion engines, electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids, cleaner propulsion systems, and even the use of recycled fibers and soybean-based fabrics.

These  are all steps in the right direction, but much more must be done, as the Ford scion acknowledged, starting with electric vehicles. “We need to get ubiquity of plug-in stations to overcome range anxiety,” he noted. Infrastructure devoted to cleaner, greener transportation options “is the key to changing the future.”

On a side note, Ford declared that “it would be great to have a female CEO” when Alan Mullaly, the company’s current chief executive, steps down. I completely agree!

Speaking of Alan Mullaly, at a dinner the evening before our briefings began, I had a chance to ask him what Ford was doing to teach people to drive more fuel efficiently. Mulally acknowledged that,
while Ford’s vehicles achieve high MPG under ideal driving conditions, drivers in “the real world” often sacrifice fuel efficiency for speed. A feedback feature in many Ford vehicles will now tell you exactly how much fuel you’re using when you drive, making it clear that when you speed up and slow down, tail gate, and drive erratically you’re burning fuel. Ford has also issued a Personalized Fuel Efficiency App Challenge, inviting consumers and mobile app developers to come up with technology to help drivers use less gas. You can enter up until July 24, and maybe take home a portion of the $50,000 in prize money that will be awarded to makers of the winning designs.

At a session called Sculpting the Future, J Mays, Ford’s group vice president of design and the company’s chief creative officer, noted, “The idea that cars should go vroom is an old guys story.” Today, he says, Ford is looking for a car that not just looks snazzy but gets great mileage, too. He pointed to the Fusion as a “great looking car that also gets 47 mpg.” (You can read about my Fusion test drive here.)

All this sounds well and good. But at the end of the day, as I frequently pointed out during the Trends event, Ford still makes cars – polluting vehicles that, even at 47 mpg, take too great a toll on our health, and the health of the planet.

To my surprise, John Viera, Ford’s global director for sustainability and vehicle environmental matters, pretty much agreed. The challenge, he said, is to “do more good, not just less bad.”

For starters, he said, “We need to think about how to make lifestyles more sustainable, not just
vehicles.” Viera referred to partnerships the company has developed with Whirlpool, Georgia Tech and Sunpower to get consumers like you and me thinking about saving energy everywhere we use it, including when we’re doing the laundry or heating and cooling our homes. Viera envisions a world where your cell phone connects to a smart meter in your home to help regulate your thermostat, to your car to suggest fuel-saving driving tips, and to your appliances so you can maximize their performance using the minimum amount of energy. In fact, Ford calls this the “My Energi” lifestyle. You can read an impartial analysis of the program here.

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Shopping for a New Car? There are Plenty of Gas Sippers to Choose From.

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That’s the good news at the North American International Auto Show, currently under way in Detroit and soon to be visiting a city perhaps near you. Almost every car manufacturer seems to have gotten energy-saving religion. Big or small, snazzy or sedate, if you’re buying a new car, you will have lots of gas-sippers to choose from.

I went to the show as a guest of the Ford Motor Company, but I spent as much time looking at everyone else’s cars as I did at Ford’s. Overall, I came away encouraged. If people are going to drive (and they are, an average of 14,000 miles per year), they may as well get as many miles to a gallon of gasoline as they can. I’ve written here, here and here about the impact burning gas has on the environment and human health. The less fuel we use to get where we’re going, the better.

Plus, increasing your miles-per-gallon average can save you a ton of money. In the ten years I’ve owned my Prius, a car that on a bad day averages 37 or 38 mpg and more frequently gets in the mid to high 40s, I calculated recently that I’ve saved over $6,000 on gasoline. Even after replacing the car’s tires and batteries, I came out several thousand dollars ahead.

Here are a few gas-sippers I saw at NAIAS that I particularly liked:

Ford Fusion – In my book, the best vehicles achieve at least 40 mpg on average and are made with some percentage of recycled materials. I test drove the Fusion hybrid when it first entered the market; I updated the story recently with a report on the strides being made to maximize the use recycled materials in the car’s body and replace the plastic stuffing in seat cusions with biodegradable soy material. The 2013 model keeps pushing the limits further, averaging 47 mpg in the city or on the highway. The car’s Auto Start-Stop feature automatically powers down the car when you come to a stop, then gently starts it up again when you press on the gas. Regenerative braking means that every time you tap on the brakes, you’re sending energy back to the battery to recharge it. On the plug-in model, you can travel up to 62 miles on the power of the electric battery alone, more than enough for most commutes. Not for nothing was this car named 2013 Green Car of the Year by Green Car Journal.

Ford C-MAX Hybrids – There are actually three models of the new C-Max to choose from. The standard C-MAX Hybrid, pictured above, is projected to operate electrically up to 62 mph, with the gasoline engine kicking in when extra power is needed. At maximum fuel efficiency, the car could attain an average of 47 mpg in the city or the highway, or over 570 miles per tank. The C-MAX  Energi is a plug-in hybrid, or what Ford calls a “hybrid plus.”  The plug-in capability allows drivers to charge fully in less than three hours using a 240-volt charging station, or overnight using a standard 120-volt oulet. The driver can choose to drive electric only, gasoline only, or a combination of gas and electric. Both the Hybrid and the Energi come with a “Smart Gauge with EcoGuide” (pictured at right) to help drivers maximize fuel efficiency. Third C-MAX, the SE, is also for sale. You can compare features of all three here. Note that prices range from $25,200 for the SE to $32,950 for the Energi, though that doesn’t include the $7,500 federal tax credit available when you purchase a hybrid or any related state tax credits.

 Prius Hatchback -The Prius Hatchback, left, is a roomy hybrid option that is comparably priced to the Fusion or C-MAX. Like the Ford hybrid models it seats five; the hatchback gives it some nice storage space that could accommodate a family vacation, camping trip, or even the dog. Toyota claims the car will get as much as 53 mpg in the city and 46 mpg on the highway, for a combined average fuel efficiency rating of 50 mpg. Toyota also offers a Prius Plug-in with an estimated 95 miles on a charge, plus hybrids in its other popular models, including Camrys, Avalons, the RAV4, and the Highlander SUV.

 Tesla Electric Vehicle – I have to say, I suffered a bit of car envy over the beautiful Tesla S (right), an all electric vehicle that is this year’s MotorTrend Car of the Year. The car can travel anywhere from 160 miles to 300 miles on electricity only, depending on the size of the battery that’s been installed in the car.  I loved the big, clear computer screen sitting right next to the steering wheel on the front dashboard, which would be great for looking at a map. And it seems particularly clean, given that the battery pack is under the floor and there’s absolutely no engine front or back.

At $50k+, the car is waaaayyy out of my price range. But a girl can dream, right?

BOTTOM LINE: Almost any type of vehicle you’d need is now available in a hybrid, plug-in hybrid, or electric option. Have fun the next time you go car shopping!

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If the battery does run down, the 1.0-liter, three-cylinder gas engine acts as a generator to charge the battery and provides enough power for up to an additional 600 miles. Says Chevy, the Volt will get 50 mpg with the generator running in what’s called “extended range” mode. If you drive 60 miles, with the last 20 miles in this mode, you’ll enjoy a 150 mpg equivalent for the trip.

Does the car’s high fuel efficiency rating mean it’s “good” for the environment? That begs the question, is ANY car good for the environment?

After all, manufacturing a car is still a polluting, resource-intensive process. Fom an environmental perspective, driving a car is still inferior to using mass transit, biking, walking, and telecommuting,  Americans need better transportation options, not necessarily better cars.

However, I think it’s fair to say that the Volt is “better” for the environment, in several ways:

It shows that any company – even one like General Motors, maker of one of the world’s most polluting, least efficient vehicles, the Hummer – can make great strides in creating new products to protect the planet and human health.

It demonstrates to consumers that their demands for more environmentally-responsible products create a powerful incentive to businesses to clean up their act.

It fuels competition. General Motors may be the first to market with its electric car, but it won’t be the last. It has set a standard other manufacturers will now be in a race to emulate.  Remember the history of hybrids in the U.S.? In 1998, there were virtually no hybrids being sold. In 1999 Honda introduced its first hybrid model, followed by the Tyotoa Prius hybrid in 2000. The wild popularity of these cars, especially the Prius, inspired a frenzy of re-design among all car companies. These days, every automobile manufacturer has at least one hybrid in its showroom – and over a million hybrids are being sold every year.

Should we all get out of our cars more?

Absolutely.

But when we drive, should we drive cars like the Volt (especially when their price comes down) that generate the least amount of pollution possible?  You bet.

For more commentary, take a look at my recent conversation with Neil Cavuto on Fox News.

Don’t have a Volt but still want to get great gas mileage?  Look here.

The post Is the Chevy Volt Good for the Environment? appeared first on Big Green Purse.

Apart from keeping your car in park, pumping up your tires to their proper “PSI” – pounds per square inch – is the fastest, cheapest way to reduce the amount of gasoline you use. Tires have a tendency to lose pressure over time or when the weather changes substantially; a car driving on underinflated tires needs more gas to move. You can gain 3.3% in fuel efficiency by inflating your tires. And with gasoline costing over $4/per gallon, every 3.3% gain means money in your pocket.

That gain also affords an immediate way to increase our supply of oil. As Barack Obama has noted in his vision for an energy independent America, if we all pumped up our tires to their proper PSI, the U.S. could easily gain from conservation  (i.e., using less fuel) three times as much oil as we could reap from far more costly and environmentally dangerous off-shore oil drilling. And that oil is available TODAY, not ten or twenty years hence – the time it takes to develop oil fields and convert petroleum into gasoline.

“Efforts to improve conservation and efficiency happen to be the best approaches to dealing with the energy crisis — the cheapest, cleanest, quickest and easiest ways to ease our addiction to oil, reduce our pain at the pump and address global warming. It’s a pretty simple concept: if our use of fossil fuels is increasing our reliance on Middle Eastern dictators while destroying the planet, maybe we ought to use less,” writes Michael Grunwald in Time.

Tire gauges are cheap. You can buy one for $10-$15 at your local auto supply store; or look here.

If you don’t know how to check your tire pressure, this video offers a good explanation.

You can easily save $20-$50 a month on gasoline if you pump up your tires and take other simple steps. Here are the top ten ways to beat high gas prices and increase America’s oil supply.

The post Cheapest, Fastest Oil Fix? Pump Up Your Tires! appeared first on Big Green Purse.

President Bush had his chance at the G8 summit, where he could have embraced the Europeans’ ambitious proposals to stop climate change. Instead, he refused to commit the United States to German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s goal of cutting greenhouse-gas emissions 50 percent by 2050. His “compromise”? He said he’d “consider seriously” adopting such a goal. Consider seriously for how long, and until when, and then to do what? Sounds to me like the President has figured out a way to “talk the talk” but not “walk the walk.” But what do you expect from a Texan who’s all swagger and no substance?

Meanwhile, at exactly the same time President Bush was dancing the Texas two-step over in Germany, the heads of Ford, General Motors, and Chrysler were on Capitol Hill trying hard to persuade Congress not to improve fuel economy standards. The Senate is considering a proposal to raise average fleet-wide mileage to 35 miles per gallon by 2020 from the current 25, a switch that would help slow global warming, improve air quality, protect kids from asthma, and relieve our dependence on petroleum. Several alternative bills set far less meaningful goals. At least two, including one cosponsored by industry go-to boy Rep. John Dingell (D-Mich.), let car companies off the hook if the new standards prove too difficult to achieve.

Clearly, neither the Administration nor Congress have the courage nor the conviction to stop climate change. I suggest we use our clout in the marketplace to give them some backbone. By buying highly fuel-efficient vehicles, compact fluorescent lightbulbs, energy-saving appliances and home energy from wind power and other renewable sources, we can show our “leaders” what leadership is all about.

The post The circus leaves town appeared first on Big Green Purse.

What’s driving the price spike?

You’ve heard it before: supply, and demand.

Supply has been shrinking for years – ever since the first oil well was tapped decades ago. But this year, supply is tighter than usual. An unprecedented number of refinery accidents, refinery outages due to maintenance, and drivers’ increasing gasoline demand are draining fuel tanks all over the country.
In fact, the amount of available gasoline fell by more than half this month, according to government figures. That’s not good news, even to people who drive gas-sipping hybrids.

What can you do?

I offer about 90 suggestions in my book, Beat High Gas Prices Now! The Fastest, Easiest Ways to Save $20-$50 Every Month on Gasoline. Some highlights:

* Get a tune-up if you haven’t had one in a while. You’ll improve fuel economy by at least 4.1%.
* Pumping up your tires will get you another 3%.
* Use cruise control if you do a lot of highway driving for as much as a 14% fuel economy gain.
* Skip the drive throughs. “Idling” is another way of saying “wasting gas.”
* If you’re in the market for a new car, buy the most fuel-efficient vehicle in your price range. You can compare mileage at www.fueleconomy.gov.

Keep this in mind: after Hurricane Katrina in September 2005 pushed gas prices above $3/gallon for the first time, consumers conserved so much gasoline that demand dropped as much as 6.5 percent. You can save money, stabilize gas supply, and help bring prices back under control by using less gas – and still get where you want to go.

QUESTION: What works for you? Leave a comment with your best gas-saving suggestion.

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