Drive green this month with the EcoDriving campaign

    It can be frustrating to watch your hard-earned pennies ticking away on the gas pump every week. It’s even more frustrating to think about the carbon dioxide and other pollutants puffing out the exhaust pipe and changing the climate. This month is a good time to think about saving money at the pump and cutting back on air pollutants going into the air. May has been declared EcoDriving Month by EcoDrivingUSA, a nationwide effort by the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers to “increase overall vehicle fuel economy and preserve the environment in which we live.”     The EcoDriving campaign offers several tips for both driving and maintaining your car to help increase your gas mileage, no matter what kind of car you drive, including:
• Avoid Rapid Starts and Stops. Gentle acceleration and braking can improve fuel economy by up to 33%, saving you up to $1 per gallon.
• Maintain an Optimum Highway Speed. Observing the speed limit and not exceeding 60 mph (where legally allowed) can improve mileage by 7-23 percent. During highway driving, cruise control helps maintain a steady speed and can provide a 7 percent average fuel savings.
• Avoid Idling. An automobile may burn more than half a gallon of fuel for every hour spent idling. Make it a habit to turn your engine off when waiting at the curb even if it’s just for a short period. Today’s automobile does not need a warm-up period before driving it. Even on the coldest morning, running your engine for 30 seconds is all you need before your vehicle is ready to drive, according to J.D. Power.
• Schedule Periodic Engine Tune-ups. A tune up can improve gas mileage by an average of 4 percent, but bigger gains could be seen. Most owners manuals provide a recommended service schedule to keep your vehicle operating efficiently.
• Replace Air Filters Regularly. Replacing a clogged air filter can increase your mileage by 10 percent.
• Check Your Tire Pressure Monthly. The U.S. EPA estimates that gas mileage can improve by about 3 percent by keeping tires properly inflated. Tire pressure increases when driving, so to get an accurate reading, check your pressure when you haven’t driven for three or more hours.
• Tighten Your Gas Cap. As much as 30 gallons of gasoline could be lost annually to evaporation when the fuel cap is not fully tightened. Loose, damaged or missing gas caps cause 147 million gallons of gas to evaporate each year, according to the Car Care Council.
    Of course the best way to improve your gas mileage is to not drive. Consider establishing one or more “No Drive Days” each week — walk or bike where you need to go on that day, or just stay home. You might find that saving fuel is relaxing, enjoyable and healthy too!
    For more EcoDriving tips, go to www.ecodrivingusa.com.
    This column was submitted by Andrea Lani, an environmental specialist with the Maine DEP’s Bureau of Air Quality. In Our Back Yard is a weekly column of the Maine Department of Environmental Protection. E-mail your environmental questions to infodep@maine.gov or send them to In Our Back Yard, Maine DEP, 17 State House Station, Augusta, ME 04333.