How You Can Reduce Car Pollution, Improve Health

Pollution from car emissions is damaging the health of many people while seriously harming the environment. There's plenty at stake in reducing pollution, and fortunately you can be part of the solution without giving up driving.

Air pollution is just one problem with cars. Vehicle fluids, car exhaust deposits and oil drippings end up in water ways after being washed off the road. Plants, drinking water, fish and aquatic plants can be contaminated and damage the health of millions of people.

You can help reduce pollution and create a healthier environment by doing some simple things, such as:

* Join a car pool and use it as often as you can.

* Maintain your vehicle with regular tune-ups.

* Quickly repair fluid leaks.

* Dispose of used oil in designated areas, and never allow

auto fluids to wash onto roadways.

* Seek out a commercial car wash that uses only

non-phosphorous detergents.

* Keep tires inflated to proper pressure to reduce rolling

resistance.

* Remove any objects that produce wind resistance,

including roof racks when not needed.

Buying a vehicle with a high green rating is a critical step in improving the environment. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates vehicles for the years 2000-2005 in three categories: air pollution, greenhouse gas and fuel economy.

The EPA rating scale for greenhouse gas and air pollution categories is 0-10, with 10 being best. Fuel economy ratings consider both highway and city driving. Although no vehicle will have great fuel economy and score a 10 in the other categories, some rise well above their competitors in being kind to the environment.

Buying a vehicle like a hybrid, which does score uniformly high, might cost you more than you planned to spend. But many expensive vehicles get poor ratings, so you could end up saving money with a higher rated model as well as help protect the environment.

The EPA green ratings can be found at: http://www.epa.gov/greenvehicles/index.htm . You can download the complete ratings or search for vehicles by type or year. What you find about your own vehicle or one you were thinking of buying may surprise you.

One option may be to join a car co-op. In some large cities, co-ops have become a fixture, helping people to save transportation dollars and reducing the number of vehicles on the road. Co-op members typically pay a one-time membership fee, then are able to take a car out as needed for a reasonable rate. Whether the outing is for two hours or two weeks, the co-op has vehicles available.

Changing your driving habits could also help the environment and directly boost your own health. For every gallon of gas you save, 20 pounds of carbon dioxide are kept out of the atmosphere. So if you are able to keep your car parked and walk to work or to do errands, you will make an environmental health contribution while getting fitter with more exercise.

Author Clay Hanimen writes for <a href="http://fkcars.com">FK Cars</a>, which offers the free Cars newsletter at http://www.fkcars.com