Georgia's Clean Air Force Offers Six Simple Tips for Cleaner Air and a Greener Wallet

"Clean Air Month is the perfect time to assess how adjusting your driving habits can help improve air quality in Georgia. Not only will you contribute to cleaner air, implementing these tips can also save you money and prolong the life of your vehicle," said Pamela Earl, Mobile & Area Sources Program Manager, Georgia Environmental Protection Division.

In honor of Clean Air Month, following are six tips to help improve air quality and save money.

• Get Pumped About Clean Air. It may seem like a minor issue, yet underinflated tires can adversely affect your vehicle's efficiency and gas mileage. Properly inflated tires can improve gas mileage up to 3.3% annually and extend the life of your tires, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. Conversely, underinflated tires produce more drag, which requires your vehicle's engine to work harder than it should.

• Cut Out Idling. Each year, four million gallons of gas is wasted by unnecessarily idling. Not only is it bad for air quality, idling can allow harmful deposits to form inside of an engine, which can damage vital engine components and contaminate motor oil. The rule of thumb is to turn your engine off if you will be idling for 30 seconds or more.

• Car Pool to Work and School. The average vehicle releases 10,000 pounds of carbon dioxide annually, according to The Rideshare Company. If you team up with some of your colleagues and carpool to work, you can cut down on harmful carbon dioxide emissions. If you have a shorter commute, pledge to walk or ride your bike to work once or twice a week.

• Fuel in the Cool. Experts recommend that motorists should refuel in the evening, when temperatures are cooler, and gasoline evaporates at a less rapid rate. Hot temperatures combined with gasoline fumes create harmful ground-level ozone. Also, don't forget to tighten your gas cap. Each year, 147 million gallons of gasoline vaporize due to loose, damaged or missing gas caps.

• Get the Junk out of the Trunk. According to the U.S. EPA, for every 100 pounds removed from the trunk of a vehicle, fuel economy can be increased by 1 - 2 percent. With gas prices increasing for the summer season, this can translate into significant fuel savings over time.

• Put It on Cruise. On the highway, make sure you're going a constant rate of speed by using your cruise control. By not accelerating, a motorist can reduce the amount of work the engine does, using less fuel. 55 mph is the most viable speed for fuel efficiency.

For additional information, visit Georgia's Clean Air Force at www.cleanairforce.com.

About Georgia's Clean Air Force
Georgia's Clean Air Force (GCAF), in partnership with the Environmental Protection Division (EPD), is responsible for the management of the Enhanced Vehicle Emission Inspection and Maintenance (I/M) Program throughout Atlanta's 13 metro counties. Since 1996, Georgia's Inspection and Maintenance Program has prevented more than 1.6 million tons of harmful ozone-forming pollutants from entering the air we breathe, the equivalent of removing 13,400 vehicles from the road, or planting more than 400 million trees. It is also estimated that Georgia residents have saved $311 million in utility bills since 1996 due to cleaner air. The program has also identified and repaired more than 3.4 million heavy-polluting vehicles. For more information, please visit www.cleanairforce.com.

SOURCE Georgia's Clean Air Force

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http://www.cleanairforce.com