Environmental awareness is key this Earth Day

5 easy ways to make your car more eco-friendly

When you are finished reading this, if possible, step outside for a few moments. Just step outside and observe your surroundings. What do you see? What do you hear? What do you feel? Whatever the sights and sounds, you owe that experience to planet Earth, our only home. While we should be appreciating this planet and all it offers us on a daily basis, one specific date, April 22, is recognized as Earth Day every year. Keep reading for a brief history of the day, and to see how you can help the environment with 5 easy ways to make your car more eco-friendly.

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When did Earth Day begin?

Earth Day saw its origins begin when all of the rampant consumption and disregard for the environment came to a head with a disastrous oil spill in Santa Barbara, California, in 1969. A blowout occurred at a Union Oil platform, spilling close to 100,000 barrels of oil into the Pacific Ocean and killing thousands of marine animals. In the outrage that followed, United States Senator Gaylord Nelson from Wisconsin pushed for an official day of environmental awareness and teaching. Earth Day was established on April 22, 1970, and has remained ever since.

traffic jamEco-friendly driving habits

What can you do to help keep our environment safe? Here are a few easy steps for making your drive more eco-friendly.

  1. Keep tires properly inflated. Proper inflation means proper fuel consumption and helps avoid excessive use of gasoline.
  2. Change your oil regularly to keep everything running cleanly.
  3. Ease up on the air conditioning and use the airflow function inside your car when you can.
  4. Carpool. If you and a bunch of others need to get to the same place at the same time, taking one car for all of you is easier on the environment than everyone driving their own car.
  5. Whenever possible, take a walk instead of driving. Not only will this reduce emissions, it will also be great exercise!

We only have one planet, and we ought to treat it with respect. Keep an eye on the Gil’s Auto Sales blog for more tips and tricks!