Tips on how to use your car in a green society

On-road vehicles contribute up to 35 percent of the emissions that are involved in smog formation and up to18.5 percent of Canada’s total greenhouse gas emissions. Between 10 and 15 percent of Canada’s fleet are older, pre-1988, or poorly maintained vehicles that generate

1. Reduce warm-up idling – start driving after no more than 30 seconds of idling because excessive idling is not good for your engine.
2. Turn it off after 10 seconds – turn your engine off if you are going to be stopped for more than 10 seconds, except in traffic.
3. Minimize the use of remote car starters – these devices encourage you to start your vehicle before you are ready to leave, which means wasteful idling.
4. Use a block heater – in temperatures below 0^°C, use this device to warm up the engine before starting your vehicle. This will improve fuel efficiency and reduce exhaust emissions.
5. Spread the word!

Turn it Off

• Turn your vehicle off when parked or waiting to pick someone up.
• In winter, avoid using a remote car starter – these devices encourage you to start your vehicle before you’re ready to leave, which increases wasteful idling.

Restarting the engine uses less fuel than 10 seconds of idling and produces less air pollution.

Idling gets you nowhere!

Did you know that…

An idling vehicle emits nearly 20 times more pollution than one traveling at 50 km/h.

Ten seconds of idling uses more gas than restarting an engine.

$1.3 million of fuel is idled away by Canadians annually.

• Fast starts and hard braking only reduce travel time by 2.5 minutes for the average hour-long trip. You also use 39% more fuel and produce as much as 5 times more exhaust emissions.
• Limit the use of your vehicle’s air conditioner. In stop-and-go traffic, air conditioning can increase fuel consumption by as much as 20%.
• Use gasoline with 10% ethanol and don’t overfill. When the pump stops the first time, don’t restart it. Spillage is a major source of ozone pollution.
• Drive your vehicle less. Walk, cycle, carpool or take public transit more often, and reduce your fuel consumption by 10 liters a month. Plan ahead and “chain” your errands so you get everything done in one trip.
• Drive at the posted speed limit. With most vehicles, increasing your cruising speed from 100 kilometers per hour to 120 kilometers per hour will increase fuel consumption by about 20%. Speeding also reduces the life of your tires. On the highway, use the cruise control to maintain a steady speed and reduce fuel consumption.

The number of tonnes of CO2 produced by driving 20,000 km a year: Mid-sized SUV = 6 tonnes Mid-sized sedan = 4 tonnes Gasoline-electric hybrid vehicle = 2 tonnes

• A poorly maintained vehicle uses up to 50% more fuel and produces up to 50% more GHG emissions than a vehicle that is serviced regularly.
• Check your tire pressure at least once a month. With under-inflated tires, your vehicle can use up to 3% more fuel.
• Block heaters reduce air pollution by reducing the amount of fuel required to warm the engine. When it’s below freezing, use a timer to turn on your block heater for one to two hours before the start-up.

Every liter of gasoline that your car burns produce 2.4 kilograms of CO2

• A vehicle that’s 25% more fuel-efficient will reduce your GHG emissions and save $360 on an average annual gasoline bill of $1440.
• If you’re shopping for a new vehicle, check the EnerGuide label for its estimated fuel consumption and annual fuel cost.
• If you are buying a used vehicle, check the on-line Fuel Consumption Guide for your country.

On-road vehicles contribute up to 35 percent of the emissions that are involved in smog formation and up to18.5 percent of Canada’s total greenhouse gas emissions. Between 10 and 15 percent of Canada’s fleet are older, pre-1988, or poorly maintained vehicles that generate up to 50 percent of these total emissions.