I’ve spent a lot of time writing numerous blogs on how you can save money at the gas pump. With the holidays fast appraoching, many families are planning to drive to grandma’s house with prices for a gallon of gas far exceeding $2 in most states. So, why not look for one more way to save some cash during the busy holiday traveling period? Here’s a new one—lay off the pumpkin pie. Sound strange? It’s not, really.
In fact, Univeristy of Illinois researchers spent months completing a new study that they say proves Americans are burning nearly 1 billion more gallons of gasoline each year than they did in 1960 because of their expanding waistlines. Using recent gas prices of $2.20 a gallon, that translates to about $2.2 billion more spent on gas each year. Simply put, more weight in the car means lower gas mileage.
“The bottom line is that our hunger for food and our hunger for oil are not independent. There is a relationship between the two,” said University of Illinois researchers.
“If a person reduces the weight in their car, either by removing excess baggage, carrying around less weight in their trunk, or yes, even losing weight, they will indeed see a drop in their fuel consumption,” the study’s author said.
Still not convinced? Believe it or not, outside experts said that even if the University of Illinios researchers’ calculations aren’t exact, the study makes sense.
The estimates “are probably pretty reliable,” said Larry Chavis, an economist at the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill. “I don’t know if it’s going to encourage anybody to go out and lose weight to save gasoline, but even for individual families, it could have an effect on their budget.”
It doesn’t take a genius to figure out that the more weight you put in your car, the fewer miles per gallon you’ll get, but what I found interesting (why didn’t I think about this earlier) is that the theory proves true with air travel as well. Research from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that heavy fliers have contributed to higher fuel costs for airlines.
After reading the new study one doctor made the comment that the wrong fuel is being focused on. A doctor at Emory University said, “If you’re heavier, the most important fuel you use more of is food.”
Food for thought as you travel this holiday season.
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