Purchasing a Greener Car
This article shares some of the tips from WhatCar Magazine’s information on how to buy a greener car.
Are you thinking of ways to lighten your environmental load? One of the biggest contributors to pollution in most of our lives is the car we drive. If soaring fuel prices, a desire to improve your environmental status, or simple necessity are causing you to look for a new car, here are some ways to ensure that you purchase one that is best for you and right for the environment.
Emissions
There are several factors to consider in evaluating a car’s environmental standing. We will get to the rest later in the article, but by far the most important (and easiest to evaluate) is the vehicle’s emissions.
A car’s emissions are the carbon dioxide that it releases. This is measured in grams per kilometre. Try to select a car with the lowest emissions, but if this information is not available, you can reach a similar conclusion by selecting one with a high level of economy (miles travelled per gallon of fuel).
Manufacturing
It is not just what you do with the car that matters; it is also how the car was made and even where it was made. Look at the company’s website for information on what their environmental policies are and try to consider vehicles that are manufactured nearby to avoid the environmental cost of long distance shipping.
Buy for Longevity
One of the biggest strains on the environment, when it comes to cars, is repeat manufacturing as people buy, buy, and buy some more. Instead of purchasing a new vehicle every couple of years, select one that will meet your needs for several years, thereby reducing the environmental cost of manufacturing and disposal.
Balancing all of these factors can be a little tricky – which should you choose, a car that was made nearby, but has higher emissions; or one that has been imported with lower emissions? The answer is not always clear, but just factoring these characteristics into your decision making process is a step in the right direction.
The best bet is to select a range of cars that meet your travel and budget needs, and then evaluate them in terms of their emissions, economy, and manufacturing history.
You can also help the environment by ensuring that you drive your vehicle responsibly, using public transit whenever possible.
Original source:
http://www.whatcar.co.uk/news-special-report.aspx?NA=219000&EL=3152521
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