Summer is just around the corner, and in the land of the free and the home of the car, that means it’s time to gas up the jalopy and hit the open road in search of the season’s hottest vacation destinations. Of course, if you’ve put any tigers in your tank lately, you know that gasoline prices are soaring through the smoggy stratosphere, forcing motorists to empty their pockets with every fill-up. That’s why we were glad to find some automotive tips that can help you pollute less and save more on your summer siestas.

Our list comes to us courtesy of the good people at the Alliance to Save Energy. It’s full of smart yet simple things that you can do in this or any other season to get the best possible mileage out of your vehicle. You’ll save money and prevent pollution with these tips:

• Keep your tires properly inflated. Properly inflated tires can improve gas mileage by more than 3%.

• Consult your car’s manual and use the grade of motor oil it recommends to improve your gas mileage by 1–2%. Select motor oil with “Energy Conserving” on the API performance symbol. It contains friction-reducing additives that enhance engine performance.

• Keep your engine properly tuned up to maximize your mileage. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, for example, replacing a faulty oxygen sensor can improve gas mileage by up to 40%.

• Check and replace air filters regularly. Replacing a dirty air filter can improve gas mileage by as much as 10%.

• Plan ahead for the shortest, most gas-saving itinerary. Avoid retracing your route to reduce the distance you travel. Combine errands into one trip. Several short trips taken from a cold start can use twice as much fuel as a longer, multi-stop trip of the same distance with a warm engine.

• If you own more than one vehicle, drive the one that gets better gas mileage whenever possible.

• Don’t hurry! Gas mileage declines rapidly above 60 mph. Each 5 mph increase above 60 is equal to paying an additional 10 cents a gallon for gasoline.

• Be mellow. Aggressive driving wastes gas and can lower your mileage by 33% at highway speeds and 5% in town. Replace jack-rabbit starts with slow acceleration from a dead stop.

• Avoid excessive idling, which gets 0 miles per gallon.

• If you have it, take advantage of cruise control. On the highway, cruise control helps maintain a constant speed, which saves gas. On manual transmission models, use your overdrive gears to lower engine speed and save even more.

• Stagger your work hours, if possible, to avoid peak rush hours. You’ll spend less time sitting in traffic consuming fuel to go nowhere. (And you’ll avoid no small amount of stress, too!)

• Avoid carrying items on your vehicle’s roof. A loaded roof rack or carrier increases aerodynamic drag, which can cut mileage by up to 5%. Place items inside the trunk whenever possible.

• Travel light. Avoid carrying unnecessary items, especially heavy ones. An extra 100 pounds in the trunk cuts a typical car’s fuel economy 1-2%.

• If you’ll be renting a car, ask for a model that gets better fuel economy.

• If you’re buying a new vehicle, think high gas mileage. Check out the DOE website (http://www.fueleconomy.gov) and the ACEEE website (http://www.greenercars.com) for information on fuel-efficient vehicles. Learn about current electric drive vehicles on the Electric Drive Transportation Association website (http://www.electricdrive.org).

Consider purchasing a hybrid, which can provide a $1,500 tax deduction this year. In recent independent consumer reporting tests, the redesigned Toyota Prius hybrid, which gets 44 mpg with near-zero emissions, outscored four mid-sized family sedans and finished sixth out of 15 similarly priced models.



This article originally appeared in "The Non-Toxic Times," an e-newsletter published by Seventh Generation. Each month, Seventh Generation researches their extensive library and network of experts to bring you important tips, resources and news about the issues that affect the health of your home, family and the environment.

Seventh Generation offers a full selection of non-toxic household products for a clean home, a healthy family, and a safer world. They are committed to providing products that perform as well as conventional products, and are also safe and environmentally responsible. For valuable coupons and to subscribe to their e-newsletter, "The Non-Toxic Times," visit www.seventhgeneration.com