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Home My WebLink AboutThe Citizen, 2008-04-10, Page 14PAGE 14. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, APRIL 10, 2008. You can’t read a newspaper or watch the news without hearing about global warming, greenhouse gas emissions, and health problems caused by smog in our cities. Environmental issues are a hot topic with Canadians today. Many Canadians are concerned about the environmental affects of driving – yet vehicles have become a necessity for most. Many wonder how can we teach our children to value the environment and still depend on our vehicle. One of the answers is through regular vehicle maintenance, or Car Care, says Car Care Canada. Properly maintaining your vehicle is a win-win situation. Besides helping the environment, a properly maintained and operated vehicle runs more efficiently and economically, is safer, and should last up to 50 per cent longer. The following tips can put you on the road to environmentally conscious car care: • Keep your engine tuned-up – a misfiring spark plug can reduce fuel efficiency by as much as 30 per cent. Follow the service schedules listed in the owner’s manual. • Replace filters and fluids as recommended. You’ll help cut down on air pollution too. • Check tires for proper inflation. Under-inflated tires waste fuel because the engine has to work harder. Similarly, wheels that are not properly aligned (as evidenced by uneven tire tread) also rob energy. Properly maintained tires last longer, meaning fewer scrap tires have to be disposed of. • Do-it-yourselfers should dispose of used motor oil, anti- freeze/coolant, tires, and old batteries properly. Many repair facilities accept these items, and many of these items are now recycled. Call your local government for recycling sites. Never dump used oil or anti-freeze on the ground, in your local sewage system, or in streams. • Keep your air conditioner in top condition and have it serviced only by an automotive service technician certified competent to handle/recycle refrigerants. Air conditioners contain CFCs and other gases that have been implicated in the depletion of the ozone layer. These gases can escape during improper service and repair, so it is important to choose a qualified technician. Good driving habits are also important. You can get the most out of your vehicle while minimizing environmental damage. Here are some fuel saving tips: • Observe speed limits. Fuel consumption rises sharply with high speed. • Drive gently. Avoid sudden accelerations and jerky stop-and-go actions. Use cruise control on open highways to keep speed as steady as possible. • Avoid excessive idling. Shut off the engine while waiting for friends or family. Today’s vehicles are designed to “warm-up” fast, so forget about those five-minute warm-ups on chilly mornings. • Remove excess items from the vehicle. Less weight means better mileage. • Plan trips. Consolidate daily errands to eliminate unnecessary driving. Try to travel when traffic is light to avoid stop-and-go conditions. Join a car pool. Remember, how your car runs, how you drive it, and how its fluids, old parts, and tires are disposed of affects your vehicle, your maintenance costs, and the environment. To learn how you can Be Car Care Aware visit www.carcarecanada.ca. How to help your car be environmentally friendly Exhaust a leading culprit in climate change There are approximately 18 million passenger vehicles on Canadian roads used for personal transportation, consisting of cars, pick-up trucks, minivans and sport utility vehicles (SUVs). Therefore it is no wonder they are a major contributor to air pollution, particularly in urban areas, emitting approximately five tonnes of air pollutants and gases annually. With the automobile purchase trend towards SUVs and minivans, which can emit up to 40 per cent more pollutants than the average car, air pollution has major adverse impacts on the environment and the health of Canadians, particularly children, the elderly, people with allergies, asthma, or other respiratory diseases, and even healthy individuals who exercise outdoors. In the past two decades, keeping our air pollution-free continues to be one of Canada’s highest environmental priorities and challenges. One of the leading culprits of climate change, urban smog and acid rain come from exhaust emissions of vehicles. Despite the fact that manufacturers have made significant strides in improving automobile emissions and reducing some of the pollutants from passenger vehicles, emissions are still growing, since there has also been an increase in the number of vehicles on the road. MAINTAIN YOUR CAR PROPERLY One of the most important things you can do to help the environment and ensure our next generation can thrive in a smog-free environment is proper car maintenance. Following your vehicle’s recommended maintenance guidelines can reduce car emissions and enhance its performance. Proper car care will extend your vehicle’s life, optimize its gas mileage or fuel economy, and help reduce emissions by up to 0.3 tonnes annually – not to mention, increase its resale value. The following list of helpful tips will help you to reduce your long- term car maintenance costs and minimize harmful exhaust emissions that pollute the air: 1. Service your vehicle regularly, making sure to get an oil change and a tune-up. Familiarize yourself with your owner’s manual so that you are aware of your car’s specific maintenance requirements. 2. Check your vehicle’s emission control system regularly. 3. For older vehicles, check that your gas cap is tightly fastened to prevent evaporation of gaseous vapours into the environment. 4. Check tire pressure regularly and ensure they are correctly inflated to the manufacturer recommended pressure. 5. Make sure your vital fluids, including oil, radiator, coolant, transmission, brake, and power steering fluids are not leaking and are at the proper levels. Check that your battery terminals and air filters are clean and the drive belts are tight. 6. Check your brakes and wheel alignment to see if they need adjusting. You can do this by resting your hands slightly on the steering wheel on a flat stretch of road and watching to see whether the vehicle pulls to one side. Make adjustments if necessary to improve the smoothness of your car’s ride and save fuel. 7. Monitor your car’s fuel efficiency. If you are going to the gas station more frequently, something might be wrong with your car. 8. Purchase motor oil rated as “energy conserving.” Using the lowest multigrade of oil recommended in your owner’s manual could improve the fuel efficiency of your car, particularly when starting it when it is cold. 9. Ask your mechanic to inspect your air conditioning system in the spring to fix any refrigerant leaks that might be contributing to the depletion of the ozone layer. Visit the Car Care Canada website for valuable information as well as to locate a shop near you. OOnn tthhee RRooaadd John Cullen Chevrolet Ltd. “We sell and service cars and trucks but our business is pleasing people.” 115 Josephine St., Wingham 519-357-2323 Sales Hours Mon. - Fri. 9 a.m. - 6 p.m. Sat. 9 a.m. - 1p.m. Service Dept. Hours Mon. - Fri. 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. Sat. 9 a.m. - 1 p.m. STOPPING POWER. Front Brake Pad and Rotor Replacement Starting from $22995 COMPAREOUR PRICES R & S ALIGNMENT SERVICE ALIGNMENT - SUSPENSION SERVICE & TIRES 519-357-1230 Hwy.86 West,R.R.3 Wingham,Ont.N0G 2W0 SouthgateAutoCollision 14 Orchard Lane, Brussels 519-887-6833 Andrew Southgate, Licensed Technician/Owner Quality Auto Body repairs and restorations From the Ground Up! Southgate Auto Collision All insurance claims welcome. We specialize in collision refinishing and classic and antique car appraisals and repairs