By Terry Oparka
C & G Staff Writer

Transportation consumes about a quarter of the total energy used in the U.S, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. While mass transit in the metro Detroit area may be a reality in coming years, for now, most must drive to get around. So how do you do that in an environmentally friendly way?

The EPA offers three basic strategies to reduce pollution resulting from driving your vehicle: avoid unnecessary driving, drive wisely and maintain the vehicle properly. This will result in better gas mileage and less pollution from emissions, which contribute to urban smog, toxic air and global warming, experts say.

The most important thing you can do, according to Dan Wade, co-owner of the recently opened Gratiot Auto Center in Roseville, is to have your car properly maintained by a qualified person.

“You want a qualified professional to put his eyeballs on your vehicle,” he said.

For example, a leak could be dripping into the back of the engine, which could turn into a major repair if not caught in time, he said. 

Routine maintenance includes oil changes every 3,000 miles and checking air and oil filters, spark plugs, and tire pressure and alignment regularly, which keeps emissions to a minimum and increases gas mileage, he said.

And don’t ignore warning signs, such as check engine lights, even if everything seems OK, Wade said. “A hundred dollar repair can turn into a thousand dollar repair,” he said.

He noted that the composition of additives for oil has changed to be more eco-friendly, and that there is a large market for used motor oil. “We recycle it. There’s virtually no waste,” he said. He also prints invoices and service tags on recycled paper.

“Avoid jackrabbit starts,” said Nancy Cain, spokesperson for AAA Michigan. “Drive at a moderate pace and anticipate slowing down,” she said. “Those steps will improve gas mileage and save money.”

“A lot of people want to get out now that the weather is warm,” she said. “This is the perfect time to start thinking about being a green driver.”

To save money and the environment, AAA Michigan suggests consolidating errands, using the vehicle with the best fuel efficiency if you have more than one car, and comparing EPA fuel economy labels when purchasing a new vehicle.

The EPA National Vehicle and Fuel Emissions Laboratory, based in Ann Arbor, offers these tips to drive wise:

• Maintain a steady speed limit and use cruise control on the highway.
• Use EPA-certified facilities for air conditioning repairs.
• Minimize use of air conditioning if you can.
• Fill the gas tank during cooler, evening hours to cut down on evaporation.
• Avoid spilling gas or topping off the tank.
• Use an energy-conserving grade of motor oil.
• Dump the junk in the trunk. Extra weight decreases gas mileage.
• Avoid high speeds — gas mileage improves by 15 percent by driving at 55 mph rather than 65 mph.
• Use overdrive if you can on a 5-speed manual or 4-speed automatic transmission, as soon as your speed is high enough.
• Turn off your engine, if possible, if you expect to idle longer than 30 seconds.

And to keep your car clean, take it to a commercial carwash.

According to the Rouge River National Wet Weather Demonstration Project, which aims to protect downstream water sources such as the Detroit River and Lake Erie, and re-establish a healthy and diverse ecosystem within the Rouge River Watershed, it is best to go to a commercial carwash that uses water efficiently and disposes of runoff properly.

If you must wash your car at home, wash the car on the lawn instead of the driveway to reduce runoff into the street or storm sewer, according to information in the Rouge River Repair Kit. Also, use non-phosphate biodegradable detergents and mild soaps, and water from a bucket instead of the hose. And wash one section of the car at a time, rinse it with a pistol grip nozzle with high pressure and low volume.