We went on vacation this week and wound up driving to Mt. Rushmore. On the way there, we enjoyed pretty good gas mileage, but I drove on the way home and saved a LOT of gas. I don’t mess with my husband’s car too much, so unfortunately I can’t give you exact stats, but a little over $100 worth.

Here are three things anyone can do on a long trip to save gas without going to great inconvenience or expense:

1) Only use cruise control on flat, reasonably straight roads. I don’t know if you’ve driven through the Black Hills, but they don’t qualify. It’s up, down, up, down and snaking curves for most of the drive. Not only is using cruise control in that situation bad on gas mileage (and on your car) but it can be a safety hazard.

2) Slow down (when it’s convenient and safe for yourself and other drivers). It’s too bad that last part has to be thrown in there, but humans can be incredibly self-centered, and thoughtless. We had a few times on our trip home where for 50+ miles, we were the only ones on our lane of the road. It’s okay to slow down in those situations. It’s less okay to go 40 mph in a 75 mph zone when you’re surrounded by other people. On the trip home, I am guessing I averaged 58 – 62 mph. No, we didn’t make the best time possible, and it wasn’t that exciting of a drive, but it padded our budget.

3) Take care of your car. Keep the tires inflated. Change the oil. Clean it out once in awhile. This is old hat, common sense stuff many of us are doing anyway. Now you have another reason to feel good about it.

Post from: EveryJoe

Saving Gas on Long Trips

This author kicked butt at describing good ways of improving fuel efficiency without being a danger. Sometimes I think people make too much out of the “trick” aspect though … many hypermiling techniques are plain old common sense tips for saving gas.

Post from: EveryJoe

Balanced article on hypermiling

Drafting – The bane of big rig drivers, drafting involves pulling up behind a larger vehicle to improve your Fuel Efficiency but puts you in a dangerous position.

Coasting – Turning off your engine, or switching to neutral, while going down the highway.

Rolling stops – Hypermilers may be tempted to slow down vs. stop at signs and lights, putting them at risk for tickets as well as accidents.

Unsafe Speeds – Less is more as far as fuel efficiency is concerned, that goes for speed as well as the demand placed on your engine. Hypermilers may pay more attention to maintaining the pressure they put on the gas pedal than the flow of traffic.

Overinflation of tires – There are people who swear by this technique for boosting MPG, but the Rubber Manufacturers Association says it damages tires and puts drivers at risk.

Using the Wrong Oil for Your Car – Using a lighter weight oil than is needed can damage your engine.

So many ways exist to boost fuel efficiency without putting yourself, others on the road, or your car in danger. Obviously, an insurance company is going to err on the side of caution when it comes to modified driving techniques or maintenance, but it doesn’t hurt to check them out. How do you feel about hypermiling safety?

Source: PRNewswire-USNewswire

Need another way to stay safe on the road? Enter to win an environmentally friendly atlas before July 4th!

Post from: EveryJoe

AAA Identifies Dangerous Hypermiling Techniques

Bringing together a number of factors – gas consumption, estimated miles per year, air quality, vehicle efficiency and stats on mass transit, the magazine names the following cities as eco-friendly:

Burlington, VT
Portland, OR
Madison, WI
Fargo, ND
Rochester, NY
Minneapolis, MN
Spokane, WA
San Francisco, CA

and “gas-guzzling”:

Arlington, TX
Yonkers, NY
El Paso, TX
Riverside, CA
Birmingham, AL
Fort Worth, TX
San Antonio, TX

All 100 cities receive a grade. (Des Moines got a B-.) How is your area faring on “the green list”?

From “Greenest” drivers to Fossil “fools

1. Seattle, WA A+
2. Burlington, VT A+
3. Portland, OR A+
4. Madison, WI A
5. Fargo, ND A
6. Rochester, NY A
7. Minneapolis, MN A-
8. Spokane, WA A-
9. San Francisco, CA A-
10. Norfolk, VA A-
11. Boston, MA A-
12. Oakland, CA A-
13. Buffalo, NY A-
14. Miami, FL B+
15. Tucson, AZ B+
16. Orlando, FL B
17. Bangor, ME B
18. Anchorage, AK B
19. Newark, NJ B
20. Lexington, KY B
21. Jersey City, NJ B
22. Hartford, CT B
23. Fremont, CA B
24. Denver, CO B
25. Pittsburgh, PA B
26. Cleveland, OH B
27. Honolulu, HI B
28. Lincoln, NE B-
29. Richmond, VA B-
30. Aurora, CO B-
31. Durham, NC B-
32. Lubbock, TX B-
33. Des Moines, IA B-
34. Corpus Christi, TX B-
35. Salt Lake City, UT B-
36. Boise, ID B-
37. Sioux Falls, SD C+
38. Greensboro, NC C+
39. Providence, RI C+
40. Washington, DC C+
41. Tampa, FL C+
42. Baltimore, MD C+
43. Austin, TX C+
44. Wichita, KS C+
45. New York, NY C+
46. St. Louis, MO C+
47. Kansas City, MO C+
48. Philadelphia, PA C+
49. Milwaukee, WI C
50. Jacksonville, FL C
51. Chicago, IL C
52. Baton Rouge, LA C
53. St. Paul, MN C
54. Columbia, SC C
55. Las Vegas, NV C
56. Raleigh, NC C
57. San Jose, CA C
58. Jackson, MS C-
59. St. Petersburg, FL C-
60. Phoenix, AZ C-
61. San Diego, CA C-
62. Atlanta, GA C-
63. Colorado Springs, CO C-
64. Cincinnati, OH C-
65. Sacramento, CA C-
66. Little Rock, AR C-
67. Dallas, TX C-
68. Albuquerque, NM C-
69. Fort Wayne, IN C-
70. Oklahoma City, OK C-
71. Omaha, NE C-
72. Billings, MT C-
73. Cheyenne, WY C-
74. Grand Rapids, MI C-
75. Bakersfield, CA D+
76. Modesto, CA D+
77. Wilmington, DE D+
78. Nashville, TN D+
79. Montgomery, AL D+
80. Memphis, MN D+
81. Columbus, OH D+
82. Detroit, MI D+
83. Anaheim, CA D+
84. Los Angeles, CA D+
85. Louisville, KY D+
86. Houston, TX D+
87. Manchester, NH D+
88. Toledo, OH D+
89. Charleston, WV D
90. Charlotte, SC D
91. Fresno, CA D
92. Tulsa, OK D
93. Indianapolis, IN D-
94. San Antonio, TX F
95. Fort Worth, TX F
96. Birmingham, AL F
97. Riverside, CA F
98. El Paso, TX F
99. Yonkers, NY F
100. Arlington, TX F

Source: PRNewswire

* Comment to Win Before July 4th *

Post from: EveryJoe

Men’s Health: Greenest drivers in USA

Hybridfest 2008
Saturday, July 19 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Sunday, July 20 from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m.
Located at Alliant Energy Center, Madison, Wisconsin

You’ll be able to catch plug-ins, electrics, biodiesel, hydrogen and other alternative autos, as well as listen to the experts speak on how to save gas with everyday vehicles. Then there’s the Hybridfest MPG Challenge where drivers do their best to stretch their mileage.

Speakers include:
Felix Kramer, Cal-Cars
Mike Granoff, Project Better Place
Jo-Ann Yantzis, Clean Energy
Francis Vogel, Wisconsin Clean Cities
Wayne Gerdes, CleanMPG
Peter Kozan, MPG Challenge Winner
Michael Sefton, Diesels 101

Hybridfest 2008 is presented as part of Dane County Fair. Admission is $6 for adults, $3 for children 6 to 11, parking and admission for younger children is free. Visit the Hybridfest website for more information.

* Don’t forget to comment to win a free Rand McNally road atlas … now Earth-Friendlier!*

Post from: EveryJoe

Hybridfest 2008 – Madison, Wisc.

If thousands of people begin leaving surrounding areas and heading into metro areas, high rent costs in the cities will get even higher. You’ll be forced to pay higher costs for food, and living supplies. I would be very surprised if the costs didn’t even out. In the meantime, you could be looking at your other alternatives to lower your transportation expenses.

Top ways to save:

* Rideshare, carpooling, carsharing and public transportation.

* Tweak your driving route, and keep an eye on traffic.

* Using common sense driving techniques, and conduct regular maintenance, to burn less gas.

* Consider purchasing an electric auto or hybrid.

[Image: Newscom]

Don’t forget to check out the contest for a 2009 Rand McNally atlas, made with greener materials.

Post from: EveryJoe

Conserve or Move … the fight against change

You’ll also be able to search metro areas to get traffic newsflashes, like flood warnings and road closings, as well as see their traffic hotspts – rated from clear (0) to jammed (10).

Don’t forget … comment to win a 2009 “green” road atlas from Rand McNally

Post from: EveryJoe

Save Gas with Traffic.com

\r\nKermit the Frog sang a sad, sad song when I was a kid. \”It\’s not easy being green,\” he said, and unfortunately those words ring true with a lot of people when they think about making environmentally-friendly life changes. The thing is … today, being green can be a very easy thing to do.\r\n\r\nThe question is, how easy? For every beneficial product on the market, it seems there are ten or more trying to take your money and offering nothing but a chance to add more to the landfills.\r\n\r\nLet\’s take a look at some of the latest, greatest auto gadgets that help keep pollution down (that really work)…\r\n\r\n1) Solar Auto Coolers – STINKERS!\r\n\r\nWith summer coming, I know people are going to be focused on keeping their cars cool during the day. Not everyone has the benefit of a parking lot with plenty of shade. This \”As Seen on TV\” special, the Solar Auto Cool, G-Tech Solar Auto Fan, and other similar devices don\’t work. If in direct sunlight, they move the air around in your car but they do not create any sort of breeze, they do not cool your car (and they do not work on cloudy days or on cars with tinted windows). Plus, well, you\’re in direct sunlight. Some people will have to park there regardless, but what sense does it make to do it on purpose??\r\n\r\nInstead?\r\n\r\n* Use a sun shade. Heatshields, for instance, can reduce your car\’s temperature by 40 degrees F (25 degrees C) and can be ordered for the front, side or rear windows on a number of vehicles.\r\n\r\n* Crack windows that are diagonal from one another.\r\n\r\n* Have your windows professionally tinted to block UV rays, like Llumar UVShield, the only window film to have the Skin Cancer Foundation\’s Seal of Recommendation. It\’ll lower temps in your car AND protect your skin from harmful rays.\r\n\r\n* Try to park in the shade, when possible. (Or, if you have a small car, near an SUV. :p )\r\n\r\n* Don\’t drive to work! If your car is just going to be sitting in the sun getting sticky and hot, leave it at home in the garage and carpool, use public transportation, or try walking or biking to work.\r\n\r\n2) Waterless Car Wash – SWEET!\r\n\r\nThere are a number of waterless car wash supplies available that are also fun, and easy to use. Oh, how I (barely) remember the days before the electric car wash, when we\’d go outside and scrub my cousin\’s Jeep wheels to removable top. You can experience those fun, summer days all over again (or talk some kid into doing it on your behalf) while using as little as two gallons of water. In comparison, an automatic carwash wastes hundreds per wash!\r\n\r\nYou can read reviews of the top waterless car washes here, but if you decide to go this route, you can make an even bigger difference using \”green\” supplies like recycled water buckets (with a variety of uses) and microfiber cloths. (Read \”Are Microfiber Cltohes Eco-Friendly?\”)\r\n\r\n 3) Fuel Additives – STINKERS!\r\n\r\nI\’ve seen pills, solutions and powders people can add to their fuel tank to increase the miles they get per gallon (or to decrease their emissions ratings) but I\’ve yet to see one with convincing evidence that they work. Some have been proven to damage cars, enough to have the government step in and do something about them.\r\n\r\nI know people use these and feel they get good enough results to recommend them to someone else, too. I apologize in advance if this irks any readers, but personally, I don\’t feel comfortable enough with them yet to put them in my tank. I\’m open to convincing. :)\r\n\r\nPart of me wonders if there is a placebo effect happening, where by putting the additives in their tanks, they expect to see better mileage and either drive in a way to conserve gas or notice what they\’re really using more. Regardless, anything drawing your attention to your usage could make you more conscientious about conserving.\r\n\r\nInstead?\r\n\r\n* Practice routine maintenance on your car. Clogged filters and worn parts can affect both fuel efficiency and emissions.\r\n\r\n* Tweak your driving techniques. If you want to really save, look into hypermiling, but if that\’s too extreme, start slow by starting slow when you take off. Punching the accelerator is the number one way we waste gas while we drive.\r\n\r\n* Try using a program that monitors your gas mileage, like Gas v1.1.5 (Mac), GasDandy/GasDandyMETRIC (PC), pFuel (Palm), GasGauge (iPhone) etc.\r\n\r\nIn addition, some websites offer gas mileage tickers you can add to your signature. Check out this one over at GreenHybrid.com (you don\’t really need a hybrid to take part in the site).\r\n\r\n\r\n 4) GPS Systems – SWEET!\r\n\r\nI have to admit, the kids joke that it\’s not a roadtrip unless mom gets lost at least once. Why don\’t I have a GPS?? They\’re helpful in more ways then one. Along with keeping you pointed in the right direction, they help you save gas by not having to backtrack.\r\n\r\nI posted on the best aftermarket navigation systems awhile back, and I\’m sure more options have popped up since then. You don\’t need OnStar, and you don\’t need to spend an extra $3000 on your new car to get quality GPS software. In fact, here are a few models that are both cheaper and more user friendly.\r\n\r\n5) Nitrogen-filled Tires – YMMV!\r\n\r\nThere\’s been a lot of hype lately about filling your tires with Nitrogen vs. regular air. Tons of products on the market, too, and just as many crazy scientific spoofs to back them up.\r\n\r\nWhat\’s true about Nitrogen?\r\n\r\nNitrogen is used in aircraft and race car tires. It is more stable than regular air, leaks more slowly through rubber, is less sensitive to changes in temperature, and less corrosive to rubber. All that said, for the average driver, none of these things really matter.\r\n\r\nDrivers of large trucks, RVs, those kinds of vehicles … they benefit from the corrosion protection and pressure stability. They should probably go through the trouble of going to a station that offers Nitrogen fill (the kind that purges your tire of regular air first, or its no use at all). Other drivers probably won\’t see the extra expense pay off … though it won\’t hurt your car either.\r\n\r\nInstead?\r\n\r\n* If you drive an older car, use LED tire pressure alert caps or regularly check the pressure on your tires. Newer cars come with this feature. Under-inflation not only wastes gas (up to 5 cents per gallon), it\’s also the number one cause of failure.\r\n\r\n* Follow proper tire maintenance. Rotate your tires at least every 8000 miles (or at every other oil change). If you buy your tires from a local shop, you might be eligible for free rotations throughout the life of the tires. It pays to ask. ;)\r\n\r\n* Repair what needs fixing. Blowing a tire can be a frightening, frustrating experience. And it will happen at the worst possible time. For me? I was running something to my grandma\’s \”real quick\” in my PJ\’s .. with slippers and no – you know – brassiere. Ladies, this is not the state you want to be in while you\’re changing a flat! (Though you will get plenty of offers for \”help\”.)\r\n\r\nIf you can\’t afford a new set of tires, or even one new tire, you might be surprised by the cost of patching or buying another used one. There\’s a shop here that will patch a flat for $5.\r\n\r\nThere are many ways we can lessen our impact on the planet that are easy, inexpensive … and sometimes? Fun. Those air cap alerts are so cute! GPS units help you explore on the go, and new technologies like tinting can save gas, protect your skin AND look hella cool. Don\’t be afraid to go \”green\” because you\’re not sure you can follow through. There are tons of new eco-gadgets out there for the taking!\r\n\r\nFor more ways technology is advancing our fight to preserve Planet Earth, check out this month\’s Tech Channel Theme Day posts.\r\n\r\n[Image sources: Garmin.com, G-techworld, and PDPhotos.com]

Post from: EveryJoe

Theme Day: Green Auto Accessories

1. 2008 Ford Focus
24 mpg city/33 mpg highway
Carbon Footprint: 6.6
EPA Air Pollution Score: 7 (10 is best)

2. 2008 Honda Fit
27 city/34 highway
Carbon Footprint: 6.1
EPA Air Pollution Score: 6

3. Jeep Patriot
Numbers for 2WD
23 city/27 highway
Carbon Footprint: 7.7
EPA Air Pollution Score: 6

4. Mazda3
23 city/31 highway
Carbon Footprint: 7.1
EPA Air Pollution Score: 6

5. Misubishi Lancer
21 city/29 highway
Carbon Footprint: 7.7
EPA Air Pollution Score: 6

6. Pontiac Vibe
25 city/31 highway
Carbon Footprint: 6.8
EPA Air Pollution Score: 6

7. Scion xB
22 city/ 28 highway
Carbon Footprint: 7.7
EPA Air Pollution Score: 6

8. Subaru Impreza
20 city/27 highway
Carbon Footprint: 8.3
EPA Air Pollution Score: 6

9. Suzuki SX4
22 city/ 30 highway
Carbon Footprint: 7.3
EPA Air Pollution Score: 6

10. Volkswagen Rabbit
21 city/29 highway
Carbon Footprint: 7.7
EPA Air Pollution Score: 6
It’s not all that impressive, in my opinion. The Honda Fit has the best gas mileage and it doesn’t top 30 mpg in the city. The Fit also has the best carbon footprint score .. with a 6.1. Maybe this is why the Geo’s making a comeback?

Source: Kelly Blue Book, FuelEconomy.gov

Images: FuelEconomy.gov

Post from: EveryJoe

Taking a Green Look at a Blue List of the Coolest Cars UNDER $18K

Sometimes these things can be kind of – you know it has to be said – B O R I N G. Not this one. Friday night kicks off with a series of videos sent in by indie filmmakers. The night ends with a presentation on bugs … and how to Eat them.  Saturday and Sunday start with a free bike tour of Boston, with children’s story times and cooking and product demonstrations throughout the day.  Diet for a Small Planet author, and activist, Frances Moore Lappe is Sunday night’s guest speaker.

While there aren’t any presentations specifically on car models, or even driving tips, Zipcar is a sponsor and should have information set up on the Boston car sharing program. There will also be a drawing for an eco-friendly travel adventure sponsored by Perfect Earth Tours.

Tickets can be purchased at the center for $12 for adult, $10 for students and seniors, or $20 for a weekend pass. Kids under 12 get in free.

Post from: EveryJoe

Down:2:Earth BOSTON, March 28-30