What steps are you taking to decrease your gasoline use?

Question

No, I can't afford (or can't fit in) a brand new or used fuel efficient car. I've eliminated most driving (luckily most of my business is internet based) and changed my grass mowing to every 10 days.

But what else can be done to decrease gas use? Any tricks or methods you uses?

Answer 1

When driving anticipate stops and coast as much as possible.  Remember whenever your foot is on the gas OR the brake, you're using more gas.  55 may be a little slow for safety on some highways, but definitely keep it at or below the posted speed limit.  Your fuel economy actually decreases exponentially with speed at highway speeds.

Answer 2

Get a mineature goat for the lawn.   I got a 2 month job on a ship and parked my vehicle for that long.   When we came back to port last week and I saw how the price of gas has risen, I extended my contract another 6 months.   My neighbors probably don't like the hay field I have for a lawn now, but it should be covered in snow when I finally return home.

Answer 3

Walk in Deals on real estate a certain percentage off or special sales for those who walk in when near enough.

Unless there are alternate currencies for funding to restructure cities and make cities more freindly to bicycles and such nothing. Designs of cities the problem. If it is all right to create an alternate legal monetary resource to move fast on issue with laser printer and computer imaging then a suggestion there is. Emphasise Legal to make sure understood.

Answer 4

lots of stuff

buy a reel mower if you have a lawn

when you do drive-- run all the errands at once

make right hand turns as much as possible



use mass transit

make sure your tires are inflated to the correct pressure

don't drive faster than 55

look around the place and quit using machines that use gas that have a manual method-- like edge trimmers- use garden scissors instead

nix the snowblower, use a shovel

tune up your car

use charcoal instead of propane

walk

it's good for both you, the enviroment, and your wallet

Answer 5

1.  I don't use a car when I don't have distances greater than 2 miles to cover on a commute (Use a bicycle or walk) Or carry a load isn't heavy for a great distance.

2.  I try to avoid revving my car's engine higher than 2 to 2.5 on the meter of RPMs.  When the RPMs get very high, your car's gas mileage is LOW compared to what it can normally be.  Avoiding high RPMs means not accelerating the car drastically or going high above the posted speed limit.

3.  I keep my foot off the gas when I know I'm coming up on a stop or an intersection some distance ahead.  Coasting saves gas as you are not accelerating or braking hard.

4.  When I know the car will be stopped for more than two minutes, I don't let it idle,or keep running while parked.  Precious gas is being spent while the engine idles.

5.  I use cruise control on level highways, the car's systems often more delicately control the car's acceleration, and therefore lower RPMs.

6.  Maintain the aerodynamics of your car, because good aerodynamics decreases the effort that your engine must make to push the car along, and therefore reduces the rate at which it guzzles gas.  Air Conditioning and Stickers are to be preferred above Open Windows and Waving streamers, flags, and other decorations for this reason.

Answer 6

I ride a bike to work, to the store, everywhere i need to go, it is not only good for your body and wallet, but also for the enviroment.

Answer 7

i try to run errands on the way home from work instead of making special trips, and I've discontinued going those extra few miles for that jamba juice/starbucks/coffee bean/pinkberry that I crave every so often.

Answer 8

Gary, sell the gas mower!  They're noisy and they smell and who needs 'em?

I had some time to kill after work the other day.  I didn't have time to come home and get back, and every place I could have driven would have taken up time and gas, so I walked.  About 4 miles, actually.  Good cardio exercise, which I don't get when I walk the dog,  and it was along a natural area, so it was relaxing, too.  Walking saves a lot of gas and is good for you, too.

Don't forget to check into the electric mowers. We've had one for 9 years now and we love it.

Answer 9

Not being lazy, gluttonous, selfcentered, and so insecure that I need to drive an SUV because it makes me feel safer. Not driving at all in fact, riding a bike, walking, and getting rides, for over 2 years. It is not easy when there are no bike lanes, drivers on the road are totally self absorbed, on the phone, speeding, doing their makeup, as well, no public transportation and things are spread out around here. Though I live in the wonderfully, expensive land of the tax me to death state.

People complain about gas, yet they speed by my house all day, everyday. Speed limit is posted at 25MPH, but most people are going 40mph.