Our transportation choices impact the environment. Personal vehicles (e.g., cars, pickup trucks, minivans, and sport utility vehicles) majorly contribute to climate change and impact air quality.
While driving a car is a necessity for most people, there are things you can do to reduce pollution from your vehicle.
The most effective way to reduce car pollution is to switch to a clean vehicle (e.g., an electric car), but several other ways to drive smarter will also make a big difference.
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Environmental Impacts of Cars
In the United States, over 284 million cars are on the road.
The burning of gasoline and diesel fuels emits various air pollutants and greenhouse gases, including volatile organic compounds (VOCs), nitrogen oxides (NOx), particulate matter (PM), carbon monoxide (CO), and sulfur oxides (SOx). These pollutants harm our health, pollute our air, and contain greenhouse gases contributing to climate change.
A typical personal vehicle emits about 4.6 tons of carbon dioxide per year. Carbon dioxide is the most common greenhouse gas generated by human activities. It is emitted when fuel is burned.
In 2019, carbon dioxide accounted for approximately 80% of all greenhouse gas emissions in the United States.
According to the Environmental Protection Agency, personal vehicles account for as much as 95% of all city CO emissions.
Car pollution is a major contributor to smog, which is air pollution that reduces visibility and is often described as a mix of smoke and fog.
When the term was created in the early 1990s, it referred to the smoke from factories burning coal.
Smog and air pollutants emitted from cars have been linked to several adverse health effects, including cancer, asthma, heart disease, lung function, congenital disabilities, and eye, nose, and throat irritation.
17 Ways You Can Do to Reduce Car Pollution
Reducing car pollution and emissions benefits human health, air quality, and the environment. Adapting your driving habits and making minor changes can also help improve your vehicle’s performance and lifespan.
1. Switch to an Electric Car
An electric car has an electric motor instead of an internal combustion engine. It does not run on gasoline or diesel; it runs on electricity. This means the vehicle does not emit exhaust from a tailpipe and does not contain liquid fuel components that generate greenhouse gas emissions. Electric cars do not emit air pollutants.
In 2019, lifecycle electric vehicle emissions were around three times lower than those of a conventional car, and emissions are expected to decrease as electricity becomes cleaner.
2. Carpool or Take Public Transit
Depending on where you live, public transit may not be an option. However, carpooling is a great alternative that is equally effective. Some cities even have designated high occupancy lanes on major highways.
Carpoolers reduce greenhouse gas emissions associated with their commute by approximately 5%.
Public transportation uses less energy and produces less pollution than comparable travel in personal vehicles, regardless of whether you are carpooling.
Taking public transportation for a 30-minute morning commute could eliminate 10% of your household greenhouse gas emissions.
Carpooling and using public transit thrice a week can reduce fuel consumption by over 50%. The reason is simple: fewer cars on the road equals fewer emissions.
3. Bike or Walk
When you own a car, you often don’t consider alternative modes of transportation, such as walking or biking. However, these are great alternatives when traveling nearby.
These sustainable transportation options also provide opportunities for physical activity that improves physical and mental health. For example, walking burns an average of 100 calories for every mile.
Every gallon of gasoline saved from not taking your car prevents 22 pounds of carbon dioxide emissions. It is estimated that choosing a bike over a car just once per day can reduce your carbon footprint associated with transportation by 67%.
4. Live Close to Where You Work
Living close to your workplace is one way to avoid rush hour traffic or a long commute. This is ideal for several reasons: it will save you money on fuel and reduce fuel consumption and car pollution.
5. Join a Car Share Program
Car share programs allow people to rent cars for short periods, often by the hour. This gives people the flexibility of having access to a car without owning one.
These programs are becoming increasingly popular in major cities, with some condo buildings having car share programs.
A person taking part in a car share program experiences an annual emissions reduction of approximately 70% compared to someone who owns a car.
6. Drive at a Steady Speed
Maintaining a consistent driving speed uses far less fuel than continuously accelerating and breaking. For example, fluctuating your speed between 75 and 85 km per hour every 18 seconds can increase your fuel consumption by over 20%.
The constant braking and acceleration associated with speed fluctuation force your car to work harder and consume more fuel than cruising at a steady speed.
While driving at a steady speed is not always possible, especially in the cities, it is best practice. Cruise control is an excellent fuel-efficient option if you drive on a highway and conditions allow.
7. Avoid Speeding
Your driving speed can drastically influence your fuel consumption and the pollution your car releases.
Reducing your cruising speed by 10 km/hour can improve fuel consumption by 10-15%. The most efficient speed or “swee” spot” for “most cars is between 30 mph (50 km/h) and 50 mph (80 km/h).
Reducing your speed and driving the speed limit can reduce harmful greenhouse gas emissions, including nitrogen oxides and particulate matter.
8. Avoid Idling
Idling occurs when a vehicle is left running unnecessarily while stopped or parked. This is often associated with activities like a drive-through, waiting to pick someone up, or being stuck in traffic.
Idling waste fuel releases unnecessary carbon emissions and other greenhouse gases and affects the environment.
The general rule of thumb in the United States is that if you need to stop for more than 30 seconds, it is more efficient to turn off your engine.
This recommendation varies in other countries. For example, it is 10 seconds in Italy and France, 20 seconds in Austria, 40 seconds in Germany, and 60 seconds in the Netherlands. The one exception to this rule is when you must idle to defrost or defog your windshield during winter.
Remember that idling doesn’t get you anywhere, but it does waste fuel and generates emissions. Avoiding unnecessary idling is an easy way to reduce car pollution.
9. Perform Regular Maintenance
Maintaining your car is essential to ensure it runs as efficiently as possible.
A poorly maintained engine can use up to 50% more fuel and produce up to 50% more emissions than one running regularly and adequately maintained.
If your car has clogged air filters, a dirty carburetor, or worn-out engine parts, it must work harder, increasing fuel consumption and emissions.
If your check engine light appears on your dashboard, you should take your vehicle to a technician right away because it means something is not operating correctly.
10. Change Your Engine Oil Regularly
Regular oil changes are vital to ensure your car is performing at peak efficiency. A clean and smooth engine will release less exhaust than a dirty engine.
Clean engine oil can better absorb harmful engine particles and engine by-product emissions.
While regular oil changes may seem like another responsibility for owning a car, they reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
11. Keep Your Tires Properly Inflated
Properly inflating your tires will lower fuel consumption and provide a smoother drive.
Underinflated tires can increase fuel consumption by as much as 6%. Proper tire inflation can result in inefficiency, which could save nearly 800,000 barrels of oil a day.
It is considered best practice to check tire pressure using a tire gauge at least once a month. The correct tire pressure for your vehicle is at the owner’s disposal.
12. Reduce Air Conditioner Usage
Using the air conditioner in your car increases fuel consumption by adding an extra engine load. Rolling down your windows and not using your air conditioner can reduce fuel consumption by as much as 20%.
You can also reduce your air conditioner usage by using the highway through ventilation, your system’s re-circulation function, and parking your car in a shaded area.
The goal is to reduce the demand for your air conditioner system and use it as efficiently as possible when necessary.
13. Turn Off Your Engine at a Red Light
Turning off the car at a red light saves fuel and eliminates idle emissions, particularly if the wait time is extended. The general rule of thumb is to turn off your car if it has been idle for over 10 seconds.
It may only sometimes be working to turn off your car at a red light, but if you are familiar with an intersection and know it will be a long wait, it will be worthwhile.
Vehicles at traffic lights are idling, which means they are wasting fuel and generating harmful emissions.
14. Break Early
A hard break can increase fuel consumption by as much as 40%. Your car’s consumption and vehicle should come to a steady, gradual stop rather than a hard stop.
Removing your foot from the gas and letting your car cruise before coming to a complete stop will allow you to cover more distance on less fuel. This approach also reduces brake wear and tear.
15. Reduce the Overall Weight of Your Car
The heavier a car is, the harder it needs to work and the more energy it needs to expend to get moving.
Every 45 kg reduction in weight improves efficiency by 1%- 2%. Try to avoid driving around with extra unnecessary weight in your car.
16. Avoid Rush Hour Traffic
Most cities experience rush hour traffic during the morning and evening commutes. This results in idling and constant braking and acceleration, which means a lot of emissions are released without the car moving.
The constant stop-and-go also results in your vehicle releasing more emissions than usual because it is constantly working. If possible, try to adjust your work hours to avoid rush hour traffic, or check Google Maps before you leave the house to avoid traffic.
17. Purchase a New Car
An older car is usually less efficient than a newer one. Therefore, it is essential to investigate the fuel efficiency of a new vehicle when shopping for one.
The best option would be a less reliant vehicle on gasoline or diesel (e.g., hybrid or electric vehicles). While this is ideal, hybrid and electric cars remain at a higher price point.
Hybrid electric vehicles, plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, and all-electric vehicles typically produce lower tailpipe emissions than conventional gasoline vehicles.
All-electric vehicles produce no tailpipe emissions, while hybrid cars only emit tailpipe emissions when gasoline is used as a fuel source.
Driving the most fuel-efficient vehicle within your price range that meets your needs is a great way to reduce car pollution.
Final Thoughts on Car Pollution
What we drive and how we go tremendously impact the environment.
Reducing car pollution is as easy as changing your driving habits and behaviors or as big as upgrading to an electric car.
Be mindful of your car pollution and find ways to reduce your environmental impact whenever possible.
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