Eco Friendly Driver

Theme Day: Green Auto Accessories

by Hilary on May 14th, 2008

Kermit the Frog sang a sad, sad song when I was a kid. “It’s not easy being green,” he said, and unfortunately those words ring true with a lot of people when they think about making environmentally-friendly life changes. The thing is … today, being green can be a very easy thing to do.

The question is, how easy? For every beneficial product on the market, it seems there are ten or more trying to take your money and offering nothing but a chance to add more to the landfills.

Let’s take a look at some of the latest, greatest auto gadgets that help keep pollution down (that really work)…

1) Solar Auto Coolers - STINKERS!

With summer coming, I know people are going to be focused on keeping their cars cool during the day. Not everyone has the benefit of a parking lot with plenty of shade. This “As Seen on TV” special, the Solar Auto Cool, G-Tech Solar Auto Fan, and other similar devices don’t work. If in direct sunlight, they move the air around in your car but they do not create any sort of breeze, they do not cool your car (and they do not work on cloudy days or on cars with tinted windows). Plus, well, you’re in direct sunlight. Some people will have to park there regardless, but what sense does it make to do it on purpose??

Instead?

* Use a sun shade. Heatshields, for instance, can reduce your car’s temperature by 40 degrees F (25 degrees C) and can be ordered for the front, side or rear windows on a number of vehicles.

* Crack windows that are diagonal from one another.

* Have your windows professionally tinted to block UV rays, like Llumar UVShield, the only window film to have the Skin Cancer Foundation’s Seal of Recommendation. It’ll lower temps in your car AND protect your skin from harmful rays.

* Try to park in the shade, when possible. (Or, if you have a small car, near an SUV. :p )

* Don’t drive to work! If your car is just going to be sitting in the sun getting sticky and hot, leave it at home in the garage and carpool, use public transportation, or try walking or biking to work.

2) Waterless Car Wash - SWEET!

There are a number of waterless car wash supplies available that are also fun, and easy to use. Oh, how I (barely) remember the days before the electric car wash, when we’d go outside and scrub my cousin’s Jeep wheels to removable top. You can experience those fun, summer days all over again (or talk some kid into doing it on your behalf) while using as little as two gallons of water. In comparison, an automatic carwash wastes hundreds per wash!

You can read reviews of the top waterless car washes here, but if you decide to go this route, you can make an even bigger difference using “green” supplies like recycled water buckets (with a variety of uses) and microfiber cloths. (Read “Are Microfiber Cltohes Eco-Friendly?”)

3) Fuel Additives - STINKERS!

I’ve seen pills, solutions and powders people can add to their fuel tank to increase the miles they get per gallon (or to decrease their emissions ratings) but I’ve yet to see one with convincing evidence that they work. Some have been proven to damage cars, enough to have the government step in and do something about them.

I know people use these and feel they get good enough results to recommend them to someone else, too. I apologize in advance if this irks any readers, but personally, I don’t feel comfortable enough with them yet to put them in my tank. I’m open to convincing. :)

Part of me wonders if there is a placebo effect happening, where by putting the additives in their tanks, they expect to see better mileage and either drive in a way to conserve gas or notice what they’re really using more. Regardless, anything drawing your attention to your usage could make you more conscientious about conserving.

Instead?

* Practice routine maintenance on your car. Clogged filters and worn parts can affect both fuel efficiency and emissions.

* Tweak your driving techniques. If you want to really save, look into hypermiling, but if that’s too extreme, start slow by starting slow when you take off. Punching the accelerator is the number one way we waste gas while we drive.

* Try using a program that monitors your gas mileage, like Gas v1.1.5 (Mac), GasDandy/GasDandyMETRIC (PC), pFuel (Palm), GasGauge (iPhone) etc.

In addition, some websites offer gas mileage tickers you can add to your signature. Check out this one over at GreenHybrid.com (you don’t really need a hybrid to take part in the site).

4) GPS Systems - SWEET!

I have to admit, the kids joke that it’s not a roadtrip unless mom gets lost at least once. Why don’t I have a GPS?? They’re helpful in more ways then one. Along with keeping you pointed in the right direction, they help you save gas by not having to backtrack.

I posted on the best aftermarket navigation systems awhile back, and I’m sure more options have popped up since then. You don’t need OnStar, and you don’t need to spend an extra $3000 on your new car to get quality GPS software. In fact, here are a few models that are both cheaper and more user friendly.

5) Nitrogen-filled Tires - YMMV!

There’s been a lot of hype lately about filling your tires with Nitrogen vs. regular air. Tons of products on the market, too, and just as many crazy scientific spoofs to back them up.

What’s true about Nitrogen?

Nitrogen is used in aircraft and race car tires. It is more stable than regular air, leaks more slowly through rubber, is less sensitive to changes in temperature, and less corrosive to rubber. All that said, for the average driver, none of these things really matter.

Drivers of large trucks, RVs, those kinds of vehicles … they benefit from the corrosion protection and pressure stability. They should probably go through the trouble of going to a station that offers Nitrogen fill (the kind that purges your tire of regular air first, or its no use at all). Other drivers probably won’t see the extra expense pay off … though it won’t hurt your car either.

Instead?

* If you drive an older car, use LED tire pressure alert caps or regularly check the pressure on your tires. Newer cars come with this feature. Under-inflation not only wastes gas (up to 5 cents per gallon), it’s also the number one cause of failure.

* Follow proper tire maintenance. Rotate your tires at least every 8000 miles (or at every other oil change). If you buy your tires from a local shop, you might be eligible for free rotations throughout the life of the tires. It pays to ask. ;)

* Repair what needs fixing. Blowing a tire can be a frightening, frustrating experience. And it will happen at the worst possible time. For me? I was running something to my grandma’s “real quick” in my PJ’s .. with slippers and no - you know - brassiere. Ladies, this is not the state you want to be in while you’re changing a flat! (Though you will get plenty of offers for “help”.)

If you can’t afford a new set of tires, or even one new tire, you might be surprised by the cost of patching or buying another used one. There’s a shop here that will patch a flat for $5.

There are many ways we can lessen our impact on the planet that are easy, inexpensive … and sometimes? Fun. Those air cap alerts are so cute! GPS units help you explore on the go, and new technologies like tinting can save gas, protect your skin AND look hella cool. Don’t be afraid to go “green” because you’re not sure you can follow through. There are tons of new eco-gadgets out there for the taking!

For more ways technology is advancing our fight to preserve Planet Earth, check out this month’s Tech Channel Theme Day posts.

[Image sources: Garmin.com, G-techworld, and PDPhotos.com]

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