Toxic gases escape from your car's tailpipe in alarming quantities. Multiply that by the millions of cars on the road daily and you can understand why global warming is such a hot topic. However, if you're one of the many looking to extend the life of your car and decrease air pollutants, follow these tips to reduce exhaust emissions.
Keep your automobile well maintained. Vehicles running poorly can release as much as ten times the emissions as one that runs well.
Check tire pressure and engine lubricant for better gas mileage. Driving with under-inflated tires requires more work for your car's engine, thus causing increased pollution. Consult your owner's manual to determine how often the engine oil needs to be changed because cleaner engine oil optimizes your vehicle's performance.
Drive at moderate speeds, ideally between 35 to 45 miles per hour, and reduce idling time. Higher speeds create greater emissions, and idling for longer than half a minute burns more gas than if you restarted the car.
Carpool or use public transportation when traveling to reduce vehicle miles and exhaust emissions. A full bus means 58 fewer cars on the road.
Purchase a newer, lower-emissions or alternate fuel vehicle. Check out the fuel-efficiency rating when looking at new cars. Older cars, as well as large SUVs and higher-performance cars, produce higher emissions.
Refuel with clean, reformulated gasoline. The EPA estimates that reformulated fuel reduces air pollutants and ozone-forming emissions by 15 to 17 percent.
