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Eco-Car Care

Care for the Earth - Care for your Car
Every car owner knows that proper maintenance is important to keep your car running in top condition.  But did you know that it's also important to keep the earth in good condition too?  Keeping your car running smoothly, helps reduce the amount of fuel it consumes.  It is also critical to dispose of your car's "waste" properly.  

What Makes It Green?
Transportation is the largest single source of air pollution in the US.   It causes over 1/2 of the carbon monoxide, over 1/3 of the nitrogen oxides and almost 1/4 of the hydrocarbons in our atmosphere.  Cars and trucks also account for over 1/4 of all US greenhouse gas emissions.  With the number of vehicles on the road and the distances we are driving increasing each year, we are on the fast lane to dirty air.

Recycling the waste from our cars is an important way to protect the earth.  We can recycle used tires, batteries, motor oil, oil filters and brake pads/shoes.  Tires are a great example of why recycling is important.  In 2005, 290 million new tires were manufactured and 259 million tires were deemed scrap material.  These discarded tires fill up landfills and pose a huge environmental risk if they ignite.  Another eye-opening example is motor oil.  According to the EPA, over 40% of America's oil pollution comes from the improper disposal of used motor oil by do-it-yourselfers.  Recycling properly not only saves the oil from contaminating our environment, used oil can also be reprocessed and used as a fuel to provide heat and electricity. 

What You Can Do
  • First and foremost - drive less. By driving less, you save fuel and your car generates less waste.
  • Accelerate slowly and maintain a steady speed (at the speed limit please).
  • Keep up with your scheduled tune ups, oil and filter changes.
  • Regularly check the air pressure in your tires.  Properly inflated tires can increase gas mileage by around 3% and improperly inflated tires cause additional CO2 (carbon dioxide) to be released each year. 
  • Tighten your gas cap.  In the US, 147 million gallons of gas evaporate every year from cars with loose, damaged or missing gas caps. 
  • Recycle your used tires, motor oil, oil filters, batteries and brake pads/shoes. Find recycling locations for these items near you at Earth911.com.
  • Buy products made from recycled tires - some examples are floor mats, mulch, office supplies, shoes, carpeting and purses.
didyouknow
According to Earth911, 2 gallons of used motor oil can generate enough electricity to: power the average home for 1 day, cook 48 meals in a microwave oven, blow-dry a person's hair at least 216 times, vacuum a house for 15 months, or watch television for 7 ½ days straight!

handson
I have a cosmetic bag from Uca Ruffatti that is made out of recycled tire inner tubes.  I use it every day and love it.  It's easy to find in my purse, sporty looking with bright yellow trim and firm enough to keep my lip gloss and lotions from getting crushed.  Check out their entire line of bags and luggage at www.ucaruffatti.com and get your own at www.globalexchangestore.org.
 
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