vehicle on road

How to Effectively Lower Vehicle Emissions

Photo by Devon Janse van Rensburg on Unsplash

In this Biofriendly Planet DIY series, we’re going to go over some driving tips to help you effectively lower vehicle emissions. Now that summer is here, and people are anxious to get outdoors to enjoy the warmer weather, travel plans will be on the rise. Whether you’re planning to head out for a short road trip, go on a little family vacation, spend some time camping in nature or you just want to go see friends you haven’t seen in awhile, you’ll benefit from these tips geared towards helping you lower your vehicle’s harmful emissions.

The majority of these are actions you can take on your own, and the good thing about them is you don’t have to spend a lot of time or money, but the environmental benefits are high.

Drive Your Vehicle Less

Driving your vehicle less is the most obvious way to lower vehicle emissions. You can:

  • Ride-share
  • Carpool
  • Use public transportation
  • Walk/bike



The options really are limitless. The key is simply driving less. (Also, when traveling with those outside your immediate household, be sure to social distance and wear a face mask as needed to help protect yourself and keep those around you safe.)

Maintain the Correct Tire Pressure

While you might not think about it often, it’s important to make sure your vehicle’s tire pressure is at recommended levels. Underinflated tires can actually cause your car to emit a significantly greater amount of carbon dioxide. Maintain the correct tire pressure to save yourself money and to reduce the CO2 emissions coming from your vehicle.

Lighten the Load

It’s not hard to understand, but a heavily weighed down vehicle takes more energy to get it moving. If your vehicle has a lot of “stuff” in the truck or in the backseat, now is the time to lighten the load. Unload your car of all unneeded items and your travels will be more eco-friendly.

Travel at a Steady Pace

Although you, or a loved one, might sometimes have a lead foot when it comes to driving, rapid acceleration can lead to increased fuel consumption. Driving at a steady pace helps you save money on gas and it helps reduce CO2 emissions by up to 25%. You’ll also want to stick to posted speed limits. Just think of the old saying, “Slow and steady wins the race.”

One last tip: If you’re finding the need to constantly speed up to get where you are going, try checking out traffic ahead of time and leaving a little early if the situation warrants.

Minimize Idle Time

When your vehicle is idling, it’s using gas and eliminating harmful emissions, while not going anywhere. Minimizing idle time can help reduce CO2 emissions. It can also make the air cleaner and less polluted. This is extremely beneficial for the environment and for your wallet.

Keep Your Vehicle In Proper Working Order

There’s no question you should keep your vehicle properly maintained. If you expect it to run well, then you have to take care of it. Just like you need to keep your appliances maintained at home and office equipment serviced at work, you need to keep your vehicle running in top order too. This can help minimize the negative impact your vehicle is having on the environment, while at the same time helping you save money on avoidable repairs.



Opt for Fuel-Efficient

Whether it’s for work or pleasure, choose a fuel-efficient vehicle for your travels. Ideally you can use an electric vehicle or hybrid. At the very least, use Biofriendly Corporation’s Green PlusĀ® Smog Reducer which has been proven to reduce emissions, improve performance and enhance fuel economy.

Let Nature Keep You Cool

When you’re driving around town, let nature keep you cool. In other words, roll your windows down and use your vehicle’s air conditioner less. Once you get up to higher speeds, like on the freeway, then you can roll your windows up and turn the A/C on (as needed) in order to prevent drag.

Go on a Staycation Instead of a Vacation

Last, but not least, instead of loading up the car and heading out for some far off destination, why not schedule a staycation? Staycations can be quite enjoyable. Besides, if you get creative with your staycation activities then you, the kids and your entire household are bound to have a good time.

Some of the main benefits of a staycation include it essentially eliminates harmful vehicle emissions, it’s far less expensive than a vacation, you get to have your entire family there (four-legged family members included) and if your area has stay-at-home orders still in place, it keeps you and your loved ones safe.

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