Green Tip of the Week – 4/30/08

This week’s tip is authored by David Boni of the Transitional Studies Department.  The Internet abounds with gas savings tips. You can decide if they are myths or reality after examining the evidence of experts.  For example I received these claims in a recent email:  claim #1. Only buy or fill up your car in the early morning when the ground temperature is still cold. Remember that all service stations have their storage tanks buried below ground. The colder the ground, the denser the gasoline will be. When it gets warmer gasoline expands, so when buying in the afternoon or in the evening your gallon is not exactly a gallon.     Claim #2. Fill up when your gas tank is HALF FULL or HALF EMPTY. The reason for this is, the more gas you have in your tank the less air occupying its empty space. Gasoline evaporates faster than you can imagine. Gasoline storage tanks have an internal floating roof. This roof serves as zero clearance between the gas and the atmosphere, so it minimizes the evaporation. Here’s the website that takes a stand on the question of myth or reality regarding these claims and others: http://www.snopes.com/inboxer/household/gastips.asp What most experts agree actually will save gas:  ·         Drive more efficiently. Don’t stop and start the engine unnecessarily.  ·         Don’t rev the engine. Don’t accelerate unnecessarily.  ·         Keep your car in shape. Keep tires properly inflated.  ·         Plan & combining trips.  ·         Choose a more efficient vehicle.  ·         Avoid filling the gas tank beyond the top. Overfilling results in sloshing over and out of the tank. Never fill gas tank past the first “click” of fuel nozzle, if nozzle is automatic. ·         Think ahead when approaching hills. If you accelerate, do it before you reach the hill, not while you’re already on it. ·         Keep windows closed when traveling at highway speeds.     Matthew Fox Sustainability Committee 04/30/2008