The most obvious savings in the first place can come from driving a fuel-efficient automobile, such as a sedan, or, if you are willing to spend more, a hybrid. There are some simple tips to save money, however, like more often than not keeping your speed down and not picking up speed quickly, that will apply to all automobiles, and particularly to older, thirstier ones. More gasoline is consumed the harder you press on the accelerator pedal, so whenever you can, take your foot off of the pedal, and let momentum keep your car running. There are several small ways that can keep gas in your gas tank for longer.  

Be sure use the grade of fuel determined for your auto. If your vehicle is designed to benefit from utilizing premium oil, then that’s what you have to fill up with, but other than that you’re throwing money away. Removing excess weight from a vehicle and keeping to slower speeds saves a surprising amount of gas. Most people are not aware that driving too fast lessens fuel efficiency by having more air to push out, of the way, leading to more resistence, increasing the drag, and pulling the car backwards. Aside from being safer, driving more slowly can save you money.

Unless you are going somewhere and are in need of a roof rack to haul something, take it out to save on gas. Along with adding weight to your vehicle, roof racks increase the drag, both pulling down your fuel efficiency. It may not save you a huge amount, but there is no reason to lug around extra weight in your trunk without it being a necessity.

As fuel prices are not likely to come down much, your only options seem to be are to find alternative sources, cutting down how much you use, or simply live with the price increases without doing anything. Virtually all people appear to be content with doing everything the way they always have, pay the higher gas prices, and maybe complain once in a while.

Lots of people are starting to buy more fuel-efficient cars, but that’s the extent of it. Others who can’t afford the other two alternatives, are the ones most likely to do whatever they can to conserve fuel. It will probably take an education campaign to get more individuals to realize that conserving gas is something worth doing. If every person would simply slow down when driving, the streets would be safer, cleaner, and money would be saved.

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Eco Friendly Vacation

You’ve been trying to be green – and you’re doing pretty good. But, now it’s time to go on vacation. Vacation means travel, hotels, eating out, waste, etc. So, what’s a green family to do?

Go on an eco friendly vacation, that’s what! It is entirely possible to have an eco friendly vacation – and they can be fun!

Here are some tips to help you make your next vacation a little more green.

~ Planes are the worst for the environment, and cars come in second place. Trains and buses have the least impact on the environment, so consider getting out of your comfort zone and taking a different meansof transportation than what you are used to.

~ Consider staying close to home. There are probably lots of cool places right in your own backyard that you’ve never taken the time to explore. The less you travel, the more eco friendly your vacation will become.

~ If you are planning to stay in a hotel, check to see what eco friendly hotels are available. More and more hotels are making the choice to be green and you can find some really cool places to stay that are also green. You can visit The Green Hotel Assocation to find eco friendly hotels.

~ Speaking of eco friendly hotels, while you are staying in a hotel, use you towels for more than one day and ask housekeeping to make your beds without changing the sheets. You don’t wash your sheets at home every day, there’s really no need to wash them every day when you are in a hotel.

~ Look for restaurants that serve local or organic foods while you are on vacation.

~ Choose low-impact entertainment while on vacation. Go hiking instead of taking a Hummer tour.

~ If you are traveling by car, consider stopping at Farmer’s Markets to get fresh fruits and vegetables to eat on the way instead of frequenting fast food restaurants.

~ Don’t waste your money on items that will only end up in the trash as soon as you get home. If you want to buy souvenirs, make sure you buy things that you’ll use.

~ Make sure that you aren’t wasting energy at home while you are gone. Turn off all of your lights and turn your air conditioning off if you are vacationing during the summer months. If you’re vacationing in the winter, turn your heat as far down as you can.

~ If you want to get really wild – consider camping in a tent. I’m not a camper, but a few years ago I gave into my children, bought a tent, and headed out to a local campground. It was actually a lot of fun…consider trying it sometime. (Just stay close to home so that you can go home to take a shower if the facilities are poor!)

Let us know what you did to make your vacation more eco friendly! We’d love to hear about it.

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Eco Friendly Resort

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