Earth Day arrives Saturday. Celebrated around the world every April 22, it’s been an unofficial holiday for generations and an official one for more than a decade. The United Nations explains, “the General Assembly designated 22 April as International Mother Earth Day through a resolution adopted in 2009. The original roots go back to the 1970s when environmental protection was not yet a priority of the national political agendas.”
It’s a day that gives people an opportunity to show their support for environmental awareness by making conscientious choices that help the planet.
Few things you do may impact the planet as much as your driving.
According to the EPA, Americans make more pollution through driving than through any other source. Transportation overtook even electric power production as a source of greenhouse gas emissions early this decade.
With that in mind, here are six steps you can take – some big life decisions, other tiny momentary adjustments – to help minimize your environmental impact this Earth Day.
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Get That Overdue Car Maintenance Done
Even an engine functioning well has often slipped slightly out of proper timing. AAA estimates say that a simple tune-up makes an engine 4% more efficient, on average. And that’s an average. If you haven’t had a professional look over your engine in a long time, you’ll probably save more with a few tweaks.
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Clean the Car
Many of us are carrying things in the trunk or the back seat that we just haven’t gotten around to removing. But your car works harder for every additional pound of weight inside. Take an hour and clean it out – you’ll spend less on gas as a result.
Related: How to Get Better Fuel Economy in Your Vehicle
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Learn to Drive Like a Hypermiler
Did you know there’s a group of hobbyists who compete to get the best possible gas mileage from their cars? Hypermilers have all kinds of efficient tricks. Some are extreme and unlikely to suit your everyday needs – like removing seats that often go unused. Others, however, take just a quick mental shift to master – like coasting down hills and turning on your car’s start/stop function so you don’t waste gas at stoplights.
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Make Your Coffee At Home and Use a Travel Mug
According to Clean Water Action, Americans “use 130 billion paper cups per year for coffee.” That’s a jaw-dropping figure, particularly when you consider that it’s cheaper to make coffee at home. Making your own instead of stopping on the way to work can save you money and reduce waste.
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Plan Your Trips to Maximize Efficiency
We waste fuel and time when we go out multiple times per day and don’t plan our routes. Combining errands can help you squeeze more into the day, save you money on gas, and help you reduce your personal emissions.
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Car Shopping? Consider Going Electric, Even Part of the Time
Americans are on pace to buy more than 1 million electric cars for the first time in 2023. An electric vehicle (EV) can save you money day-to-day and reduce the biggest factor in your carbon footprint. They’re not right for everyone. You should carefully consider how you’ll use the car and the EV infrastructure in your area before committing. But an EV might be right for you.
If, not, a part-time EV might be right for you. Plug-in Hybrids (PHEVs) use electric power for around-town errands and gasoline for longer trips. Buying a PHEV means you can enjoy many of the benefits of EV ownership without the drawbacks of limited range and sparse public charging stations.
Related: The Best PHEVs of 2023
