Why Eco-Tips for the Weekend? – because we reckon this is when most people have time to think about or try something new to make their life more eco-friendly :-)

We’ve been thinking about Cars – We name them, eat in them, listen to music in them, put on make-up (no we don’t!), talk on the phone (no we don’t!)- almost live in them, so can we be a bit more eco-efficient in our use?

Someone said: Efficiency is doing better what is already being done

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When’s the last time you checked your tyre pressure?

A recent GE survey of 8,700 European drivers showed that 44% of all vehicles had at least one tyre underinflated.

Aside from increasing the rate of wear, for every psi (Pounds of pressure per Square Inch) that your tyre is underinflated your fuel consumption increases by 1%. So if each of your tyres is between 2 and 3 psi under the manufacturers recommendation, then your fuel consumption could be 10% more than necessary – EEK!

So – Check your tyre pressures every fortnight starting this weekend.
Worn tyres will also decrease fuel efficiency (and your safety!), so check the tread regularly. If you are replacing tyres, ask about the newer “Eco” tyres that are designed specifically to increase fuel efficiency.

Do you use the boot of the car to store extra stuff such as toy or clothing donations for charity? Bottles for the bottle bank? More loot in the boot than in the shed?

That’s all good recycling behaviour, but an extra 100 pounds of weight reduces fuel economy by 1 to 2 percent. Smaller cars are affected more when they carry extra weight because the reduction is based on the percentage of extra weight relative to the vehicle’s weight.

So, if you’ve been putting off cleaning out your boot or emptying your roof carrier, there is no time like the present. And make that charity donation this weekend too! Sure, maybe your garage will be more cluttered, but your fuel mileage will increase!

While each vehicle reaches its optimal fuel economy at a different speed (or range of speeds),fuel economy usually decreases rapidly at speeds above 60 mph.

Aggressive driving (speeding, rapid acceleration and braking) wastes fuel. It can lower your gas mileage by 33 percent at highway speeds and by 5 percent around town. Sensible driving is also safer for you and others, so you may save more than gas money..

Driving in the highest gear possible without laboring the engine is a fuel-efficient way of driving. A vehicle traveling at 37 mph in third gear uses 25 percent more fuel than at the same speed in fifth gear.

Er…suppose we could WALK sometimes??!!

We’ve all been there – no rush, could walk, but we choose to drive instead to the park, shop, bank, post office etc.

But one extra trip (calculated assuming a 4 mile round trip) each week adds 377 lbs of carbon dioxide to the atmosphere each year.

It seems simple, but merely being conscious of our small choices can really make a difference. Why not leave the car at home for one errand this weekend if you can?

Don’t forget our Bamboo Towels are on Special Offer with 10% Off for the rest of July

And –

For Newsletter Readers, there’s an extra 5% off if you type the word Bamboo into the Promotion Code box at the checkout. This 5% will also apply to anything else in your shopping cart at the time – so go and spoil yourself after all your efficiency!

Read more about fabulous Bamboo in our Reading Room !