Okay, so we all know that driving a car contributes to the environmental problem. Better solutions are walking, riding a bike, sharing a commute and staying home more often. But, there are times when it is just tough not to drive, such as when you have to take a family of five to church that is a few miles away or go grocery shopping for the month. And of course there is driving a hybrid car to cut down on gas consumption.
There are ways to reduce that impact when you do drive, such as driving slower, making sure that your tires are properly inflated and reducing drag or weight in your car. That will reduce gas usage.
There is one little thing that you might not know about reducing gasoline consumption. And that has to do with the fact that there is a lot of gas that gets lost along the way, spilling to the ground or evaporating right out of your tank. This is a resource lost that by some estimates can be as high as 147 gallons a year, according to Josh Peterson at Planet Green.
Mr. Peterson’s suggestion is to avoid gas evaporating from the tank by keeping the gas cap closed as long as possible, avoiding filling up until you are running on empty. I am inclined to disagree. Most modern cars have built in valve systems that prevent excess vapors from escaping the tank. Instead, I think much of the gas wasted occurs because of human error or faulty gas pumps.
How many times a day does excess gas spill out at a typical gas station, due to pumps that don’t shut off? It is important to monitor the pump when you fill up to avoid this as much as possible. Also, many people do not fit their gas caps on properly or even leave them behind (although most modern cars are equipped with a leash for the cap). A lose or missing gas cap can create gas spillage and gas evaporation.
You can read more blog posts by Mary Ann Romans here!
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