Since the first  Ford Model T – arguably the first modern production car was sold in 1908 the car has become a key feature of almost every modern society. The cultural impact of the car was and still is phenomenal. It allowed people to travel, commute and enjoy a freedom unknown at the time and soon the car boom spread from the USA to all over the world. In Britain alone there are 31 million cars – almost one for each of the 37 million adults eligible to drive. But if cars were once a status symbol of freedom and prosperity then surely now the car has taken a more questionable place in society. We know now cars are massively polluting, causing not only huge volumes of carbon dioxide to be emitted but also produce other types of pollution including carbon monoxide, sulphur and metallic compounds, carcinogens and small particles called PM10s – all dangerous to human health.

There are however ways to drive that are a little bit greener. The guide below shows a few tips on how you can get the most out of your car for the smallest environmental cost. Not only will these tips have you save carbon and the environment but they will also save you money in the process.

• If you can avoid driving then do so. No matter how efficiently you drive you’ll still use more energy and release more carbon than getting a bus, walking or other forms of public transport. Although sometimes this is impractical or even impossible you can always try to cut down on the number of small journeys you take. Remember your car is most inefficient for the first few minutes of driving – so you may be doing more damage than you think on those shorter trips.
• Keep your types pumped up. Pumped up tyres are round and this is a rather good shape for a wheel. Flat tyres slow your car down and require the engine to do more work for the same performance  making your car more expensive to run and less fuel efficient.
• Empty out your car. Unused items left in your car create more weight. This means more energy is required to accelerate your car meaning efficiency decreases. Before you go on a journey try and clear out anything in your car you won’t be using.
• Fill your car with people. If you drive to work why not get involved in a  car share? Taking another person is far better for the environment than you both driving. Many roads have an express “car share” lane – only available for people with more than one person in their car so you may find your commute faster and cheaper as costs are shared.
• Keep your car in tip top shape. Unchanged oil and leaking radiators will reduce the efficiency of your car  meaning you’ll pay more per mile. Not only that but neglecting your car will cause it to wear down faster – another waste of  resources and expense.
• Remove the bike and roof rack when not being used. Not only do these weigh a lot but they also make the car less streamlined  increasing drag. Drag is the force created by air resisting the motion of the car. If you make the car more streamlined you’ll literally cut through the air reducing drag and making the car much more efficient.
• Drive efficiently. This means trying to reduce the amount of time you touch the brake pedal and  gas pedal. Every time you break the kinetic energy of the car is reduced. This has to be supplied again by the engine as the car accelerates. If you drive smoothly you can increase efficiency by up to 33%. Luckily hybrid cars have a regenerative system. This means as you brake instead of the kinetic energy being wasted it is converted into electrical energy stored in a battery. This can then power the car’s electrical motor.
• Buy smart. Not all of us are in the position to afford new cars, however green cars may save money in the long run. They are often road tax exempt or incur only a nominal fee. As  hybrid cars are more efficient they critically use less petrol – meaning a saving for both your wallet and the environment. Not only that but hybrid cars in the UK are not only given certain parking privileges but are exempt from the London congestion charge and other schemes. If you don’t think a hybrid car is for you make sure you pay attention to the miles per gallon and kg CO2/100 km rating of your prospective car.