1. Find alternatives
for the short car trips you make.
One third of all car trips in New Zealand are for less than 1 kilometre and two thirds are under 6 kilometres. Vehicles also create more pollution during the first 3
kilometres before the engine warms up.
If you still need to make that short trip in your car, try and combine the tasks you need to do. This will save you time and money.
2. Consider carpooling.
Do you know of others in the same area that you might be able to car pool with?
Many car trips are made with only one person - the benefits of car pooling include reduced congestion and saving you and your new car pooling friends money.
If you use your car infrequently but still need one for some trips,
consider having a shared car. Think about people in your
neighborhood, friends or family who might be in the same position
as you and could be keen to share a car.
4. Drive smoothly.
By driving smoothly and safely - not using full throttle or excessive revs, you can save up to 20% in fuel.
If your car is a manual: accelerate steadily, change gears early and cut down on frequent, repetitive braking.
If your car is an automatic: choose the economy gear to keep the engine speed down.
5. Keep within the speed limit.
Reducing your speed by 20km/hr can save save you up to 25% in fuel and will give you greater mileage.
6. Keep your car as light as possible.
The heavier a vehicle is the more drag it has and the more fuel it uses.
Get rid of any extra items in and on your car such as sports gear and the roof rack when not in use.
7. Maintain your car well.
A well maintained vehicle will last longer, reducing greenhouse gases by up to 15% through fuel efficiency and better performance.
Keeping your vehicle regularly serviced, tuned and the tyres properly inflated, will
all help significantly.
8. Upgrade to a newer, smaller,
more fuel efficient car.
The bigger the car, the more gas it guzzles.
New vehicles are generally more fuel efficient, safer and
create fewer emissions.
To investigate the possibility of creating a bike free programme in Wellington. This includes bike paths solely for cyclist and sufficient parking spaces for bicycles.
