7 Simple Steps to Make Your Car Environment-Friendly

Updated Aug 14, 2018 | Same topic: Save fuel - Save Earth

What can you do to your car to help the environment?

No, not literally green – although a green car is always pleasing to the eyes. However, we are not going to talk about literally turning your car into color green, but instead, we are going to tackle a very important topic which could be vital to our and our kids’ future – saving the environment. Now, as car owners, the question is, what can we do on our part to make our vehicle safe for the environment?

What’s been happening to Mother Nature for the past several years have been quite alarming. All the climate change has drastically brought upon us catastrophic events such as intensely hot and dry season and enormous flooding during rainy season. We are experiencing weather and temperatures in total extremities and it’s kind of scary to know what can happen in the future.

I know we cannot do major things to change how the environment behaves, as it may be way too late. However, we can’t also just sit down and watch earth deteriorate right in front of our eyes. If earth dies in a few years due to people being careless and continuing to destroy whatever’s left of earth, then it’s not really us nor our generation who’s going to suffer, rather, our kids and their future.

car's air pollution

What can we do on our part to make our vehicle safe for the environment?

So, as people residing on earth, we must do our part to save and preserve what’s left of it. Even in the littlest ways that we can do every day, in the long run would still bring positive impact on the environment.

Regardless if you’re a student, a small kid, a mother, a working professional – wherever walk of life you may come from, you can do something to save our environment. Even just as a car owner, you can do something to make your car environment friendly. Let Philkotse.com show you how. 

1. Never miss your scheduled maintenance

You may say, “What?! How can a proper maintenance schedule that even help the environment?” Well, it may seem not, but it actually does. How? When you go through your annual or bi-annual maintenance and check-up, your car becomes healthy, getting cleaned inside and out, parts that needs replacing are replaced accordingly – all of which results to fuel efficiency and less emissions that contributes greatly to harming our environment.

Therefore, healthy car equals healthy engine, better gas mileage and less pollution.

a man checking car engine

Don't miss out on your annual or bi-annual car check up to maintain a healthy and emission free vehicle

2. Always ensure that tire pressure is checked as necessary

Yes, checking your car’s tire pressure regularly not only saves you and your passengers from possible road hazards, but this habit can also make your car green. Why? If your car tires has the proper pressure on them, they will be able to carry the weight of your vehicle plus whatever or whoever’s inside without burning too much fuel. And burning too much fuel can contribute harm to nature.

Besides that, with the right tire pressure, you can keep your tires longer, meaning they don’t need to be thrown away, which can also cause some damage to the environment, as it is made of rubber.

 checking car tire pressure

Checking your car's tire pressure not only ensures your safety but can also help the environment positively

3. Regular emissions check

This habit does not only protect your car from future engine problems, but it can also make your car environment friendly. It is by checking your emissions that you also prevent your car from emitting harmful gasses that can add up to the already polluted air in the city.

Car emission cartoon

Checking your car's emission means that you are aware and concerned that you may be adding pollution to the already polluted air

4. Fuel System Inspection

This involves checking if the system is able to distribute fuel in the best way possible throughout the engine. By having a good fuel system, you could have a great and efficiently performing vehicle with little or no emissions at all.

 checking the fuel filter

Having a healthy fuel system could save the enviroment by ensuring there are no harmful emissions coming out of your car

5. Check your air filters regularly

Your car’s air filter ensures that no dust or dirt gets into your car’s system that could hinder it from performing in its best ability. A dirty air filter could lead to the engine having difficulty to run, hence, leading to possible emission and later on air pollution. Make sure that you have your air filter cleaned and replaced only if absolutely necessary.

a man checking and replacing air filter

Clean air filters will allow your engine to breathe easily and not have a hard time running

6. Make sure you dispose your car’s used oils, tires, etc. properly

Again, a simple and small way of helping the environment. How can you, by ensuring that all of the used parts of your car are disposed properly, can contribute to the environment positively? Through recycling.

If you are the type who does the change oil yourself, you will accumulate a lot of used oil after you have drained them off. You know that you cannot just throw it anywhere, right? Used oil can pollute the environment.

What you can do is make sure you put your used oil in a leak proof container such as used, clean and empty plastic bottle of laundry detergent or fabric softener that you have at home and take it to the nearest auto shop or gasoline stations who can recycle the used oil and oil filters.

Total gasoline station and Bensan Industries are known to buy used motor oils.

used oil collection center

Make sure to take your used motor oil to a collection center so they can recycle it

7. Use of Rebuilt Engine

If for unfortunate reasons, you have to deal with a hopeless engine problem, instead of buying a new car, you can look for other options to revive your car. One of these efficient and less costly options is by using a rebuilt engine. Besides it cannot cause much impact to your pocket compared to buying a new car, little did we know that rebuilding the car’s engine can also make your car greener.

If you get your car engine rebuilt, there’s no need to spend energy on processing broken engines and vehicles and the industry conserves resources of manufacturing new cars and engine. You might hesitate at first because it may sound that a rebuilt engine won’t last long.

If you’re going to think of it, as long as you put proper care towards anything, in this case, your car’s engine, then there’s no way for it not to last as long as it should.

a rebuilt engine

A rebuilt engine can get your car up and running again at a much lower cost

All these usesful car tips and advice should bring you into a win-win situation. Why? Because firstly, you are already taking care of your car to make its lifetime last long and at the same time, you are also contributing in saving the environment. Who would’ve thought it’s possible? Just follow the tips above so you can make your car environment friendly.

Ivy Kristia Padura

Ivy Kristia Padura

Author

Ivy is one of the first Philkotse's content writers. She finds joy in sharing her driving tips, particular for dealing with heavy traffic in Metro Manila, with other fellow drivers.

View more