Thinking about buying a new car? Perhaps your SUV gets 12 miles to the gallon? Or your 1985 Chevy won’t pass the emissions test? Consider this tidbit from Wired:
“Pound for pound, making a Prius contributes more carbon to the atmosphere than making a Hummer, largely due to the environmental cost of the 30 pounds of nickel in the hybrid’s battery.”
Once you pull up to the gas pump, on the other hand, it’s a whole other story.
If you compared auto insurance rates, you might think green drivers are safer drivers! The reality is, all* insurance companies offer some form of discount to green drivers, although the discounts are not always labeled as green. It takes just a little research and preparation to ask the right questions when talking to your insurance provider.
I found three green chances to drive my auto insurance costs down.
Properly maintaining your car can make a big difference, not just to your pocketbook but also to the air we breathe. And I now have the experience to prove it.
First, some stats. According to the UK National Atmospheric Emissions Inventory, a car throws out 2.84 ounces of pollutants per mile. Call it 3 ounces per mile, then drive 20 miles, and you’ve thrown 3 3/4 pounds of pollutants in the air. If you live in a good size city, estimate that there are at least 100,000 cars doing that every day. Pretty soon, it looks like we are grinding up a stadium and dispersing it every day.
