Making a difference
It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out that the more fuel you burn, the more you pollute. While exhaust gases such as nitrogen oxides and carbon monoxide are pretty nasty in their own right it’s the CO2 emitted by cars that contributes towards global warming. Roughly, for every litre of petrol you burn, your car emits 2.4kg of CO2! The average motorist who drives 20 000km a year will therefore emit anything between 2000kg and 7000kg of CO2 a year.
Here’s how you, the ordinary South African motorist, can make a difference in the fight against global warming (and save a bunch of money in the process):
1) Drive the most fuel efficient car you can
If you’re in the market for a new car, prioritise fuel economy. A Prius driver emits about 5 tons a year less carbon than a Nissan Pathfinder 4.0 driver.
You don’t have to go out and buy an expensive hybrid, either - you can pick up one of these little greenies for R89k. Also, with ever-increasing fuel prices, efficient cars are less of a liability to your bank balance.
2) Walk or cycle as much as possible
If you’re going somewhere nearby, why drive? Walking or cycling a few blocks to your local store, your kid’s school or a friend’s house not only saves you money and makes no emissions, it’s healthy too.
3) Use public transport
This one’s not very attractive to many South Africans due to our sub-standard public transport system, but if you’re not averse to riding in a minibus taxi, a Metrorail train or a bus, then do it!
Carpools are a great way to reduce our daily per-capita fuel consumption. Widespread carpoolingin SA would reduce the congestion on our roads, too.
5) Use fuel-efficient driving techniques
You can boost the overall fuel-efficiency of your car as much as 30% by simple vehicle maintenance and attention to your style of driving. Here’s how:
- Don’t be aggressive - fast take offs and hard braking can increase your fuel consumption by up to 40%. Accelerate slowly and smoothly. Brake slowly and smoothly. Easy huh? It’s safer too.
- Stick to the speed limit - driving at 120km/h uses up to 20% more fuel than driving at 90km/h.
- Don’t idle - if you’re going to be stopped for more than 30 seconds (unless you’re in traffic), switch off your car.
- Inflate your tyres properly - this prevents unnecessary increased rolling resistance. If your car has just one tyre under-inflated by 40 kPa, it can reduce the life of the tyre by 10,000 km and increase the vehicle’s fuel consumption by three per cent. Check your tyre pressures at least once a month.
- Avoid the air conditioner whenever possible - using your a/c can increase fuel consumption by up to 10%.
- Choose the octane fuel which best suits your car - high-octane fuels aren’t necessarily the best choice for your car; higher price doesn’t guarantee better performance. In fact, such fuels don’t provide any greater fuel efficiency. Many cars are designed to use regular low-octane fuel. Check your owner’s manual to see what your car requires.
- Service your vehicle regularly - a poorly tuned engine can use up to 50% more fuel and produces up to 50% more emissions than one that is running properly.
- Optimise your aerodynamics and weight - on the open highway, keep windows rolled up to reduce drag. Remove bicycle and ski racks when not in use. Excess weight also uses more fuel. Remove unnecessary items from inside the vehicle. An extra 50kg of weight can increase your fuel bill by 2%. Note - opening your windows on the highway increases your fuel consumption, but not as much as using your air conditioner.
Obviously, greening your motoring is just one step in minimising your environmental impact. For a lot more tips on how you can make a difference, check out this article.
