There’s a lot to think about when it comes to your car. You have to make sure it’s safe for the road, and you have to make sure you drive it safely, but safety shouldn’t be your only concern.

In a world where climate change is a looming threat, we’re all looking for ways to be more environmentally friendly. That means doing things like reducing the amount of waste your family creates and turning off the tap when you’re brushing your teeth, but one of the biggest ways you can greatly reduce your carbon footprint is to think about how you use your vehicle.

Here are five tips that will make your vehicle more environmentally friendly, without you having to go out and buy a new car.

Carpool to Work and School

One of the best ways to be more environmentally friendly is to reduce the number of vehicles on the road. The easiest way to do that is to carpool to work and school.

Offer to create a carpool schedule with a few of your coworkers so you’re only taking one vehicle to and from work instead of two, three, or four vehicles.

Carpooling to school is also an option. Not only can you get together with other moms to send the kids to school together, after teens have taken a practice permit test online and graduated from drivers ed, they can drive to and from school together with their friends.

Take Fewer Single Destination Trips

Driving to work or school together with others isn’t always an option. If it isn’t, you can still make your car more environmentally friendly by turning your attention to the time you spend in your vehicle in the evenings and on weekends.

Strive to take fewer single destination tips and run multiple errands at a time. For example, instead of going to the grocery store one day and stopping by the pet store the next, make a pit stop at the pet store right before going grocery shopping.

Want to get a little exercise while being more eco-friendly? Literally run your errands! Instead of driving to the gas station or the local dollar store, walk or jog there and leave your car at home.  In fact, you can go a step further and consider getting an electric car which is far more environmentally friendly than gas powered ones.

GPS tracking devices for cars are useful to monitor your vehicle and protect your vehicle from theft or unauthorized use. You can also get help from the tracking devices when you find yourself stuck in an unknown road.

Be a Smarter Driver

No matter when you find yourself behind the wheel, or how many people are in your car, you should always be looking for ways to be a smarter driver. Being a smarter driver means learning skills that will make you safer on the road, but it also means driving with the goal of being more eco-friendly too.

Fuel efficient driving techniques include:

♦  Accelerate slowly. Slamming on the accelerator wastes more fuel.

♦  Use cruise control on the interstate.

♦  Coast your car down hills.

♦  Avoid slamming on the brakes whenever possible.

♦  Slow down on the interstate. Fuel efficiency tops out at around 50mph.

Keep a Close Eye on Your Tires

Some of these eco-friendly tips can be difficult to do. That’s not the case with this tip. Everyone can make sure they have the right amount of air in their tires!

Know how to put air in your tires the right way, and check your tire pressure often. Tires that could use a little more air make the engine work harder to move the vehicle.

It also means knowing when to replace your tires. Not only can worn tires be less safe when you’re on the road, they can also affect fuel efficiency.

Maintain Your Vehicle

Maintaining your vehicle can make a difference too. Change your oil regularly to make your vehicle last longer, but it also ensures your engine is well lubed to provide better fuel efficiency.

Maintaining your vehicle also means having it checked and repaired regularly. Staying on top of repairs is a great way to reduce the costs of repairs in the future, but it also ensures your car isn’t working harder than it should. Regular maintenance and repairs will keep your vehicle functioning like it did when you first drove it off the lot, making is safer, more energy efficient, and it ensures you enjoy a comfortable ride when you hit the road!

Don’t feel discouraged in your eco-friendly efforts because you feel like you’re just one person. Lessening the effect of climate change starts with you! Follow these tips and you can feel good about being as green as possible when you’re on the road. Plus, being environmentally friendly has another benefit—you will save money!

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