Resource Library/Transport/Green Tips

From Green Needham

This sections corresponds to Actions 3 and 4 of the 10% Challenge MyPlan.

Vehicle Energy Saving Strategies

• Drive less! Walk or use your bike for short trips. Take public transit (Check out Bus 59 on the MBTA website. It connects with the Green Line at Newton Highlands.) Walk to school with your kids. (The Newman School has a "walking school bus" program; check and see if your school has joined the Massachusetts "Safe Routes to School" Program.) Organize a carpool. Join the One Mile Solution by replacing one car trip a week to a destination within a mile of your home.

• Keep tires properly inflated. A 10% under-inflated tire causes a 5% loss in mpg, a 20% under inflated tire causes 16% loss in mpg.
• Radial tires save up to 5% in town and 10% on high way compered to conventional tires
• Remove extra weight. Every 100 lbs of unnecessary weight decreases fuel economy about 1%
• Improperly aligned wheels can cost about 1/2 mile per gallon of gas.
• Watch your speed. Aerodynamic drag causes mileage degradation above about 60 mph. Most light vehicles get about 20% better gas mileage at 50 mph than 70 mph.
• Chill out. Aggressive driving with quick acceleration costs about 2 miles per gallon, depending upon your vehicle.
• Don't idle. Turn the motor off while loading, unloading or waiting. In the winter, driving is the best way to warm up a car. You do not need to warm up the car for more than 30 seconds. (See below for information about common idling myths.)
• Next car purchase, buy most efficient vehicle so match your needs.

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Idling: What is the law in Massachusetts? What are the myths about idling?

Is there a law about idling?

From the Town of Lexington website.

Yes, Massachusetts General Laws, Chapter 90, Section 16A states that: "No Person shall cause, suffer, allow, or permit the unnecessary operation of the engine of a motor vehicle while said vehicle is stopped for a foreseeable period in excess of five minutes." The law list exemptions and allowable fines for offenses.

Emissions are toxic

From the American Lung Association of Massachusetts Idle-Free web page

• "Vehicle emissions contain carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, sulfur dioxide, acetaldehyde, benzene, 1,3-butadiene, formaldehyde, and particulate matter. These chemicals impair our lungs and hearts, irritate our eyes, and reduce our capacity to work and learn. Prolonged exposure can lead to death. Children, the elderly, and individuals with asthma are especially at high risk."

WHEN SHOULD I SHUT OFF THE MOTOR?

From the State of California Consumer Energy Center

"HERE'S THE RULE OF THUMB: If you're in a drive-through restaurant/business line or waiting for someone and you'll be parked and sitting for 10 seconds or longer... turn off your car's engine.

Why?? For every two minutes a car is idling, it uses about the same amount of fuel it takes to go about one mile. Research indicates that the average person idles their car five to 10 minutes a day. People usually idle their cars more in the winter than in the summer. But even in winter, you don't need to let your car sit and idle for five minutes to "warm it up" when 30 seconds will do just fine. But you're not going anywhere. Idling gets ZERO miles per gallon. The recommendation is: If you are going to be parked for more than 30 seconds, turn off the engine. Ten seconds of idling can use more fuel than turning off the engine and restarting it. And when you start your engine, don't step down on the accelerator, just simply turn the key to start.

Here are some other Myths associated with idling.

• Myth #1: The engine should be warmed up before driving. Reality: Idling is not an effective way to warm up your vehicle, even in cold weather. The best way to do this is to drive the vehicle. With today's modern engines, you need no more than 30 seconds of idling on winter days before driving away.

• Myth #2: Idling is good for your engine. Reality: Excessive idling can actually damage your engine components, including cylinders, spark plugs, and exhaust systems. Fuel is only partially combusted when idling because an engine does not operate at its peak temperature. This leads to the build up of fuel residues on cylinder walls that can damage engine components and increase fuel consumption.

• Myth #3: Shutting off and restarting your vehicle is hard on the engine and uses more gas than if you leave it running. Reality: Frequent restarting has little impact on engine components like the battery and the starter motor. Component wear caused by restarting the engine is estimated to add $10 per year to the cost of driving, money that will likely be recovered several times over in fuel savings from reduced idling. The bottom line is that more than ten seconds of idling uses more fuel than restarting the engine."