http://www.care2.com/greenliving/is-a-full-gas-tank-the-greenest-gas-tank.html
Is a Full Gas Tank the Greenest Gas Tank?
Josh Peterson, Planet Green
Removing your gas cap as little as possible will save you gas. Over 147 million gallons of gas evaporate from tanks each year. I know plenty of people who will not let their gas gauge go below three-fourths of a tank. They tell me that it’s good for the car. It’s not. It wastes gas.
Every time you open the gas tank, you lose gas vapor that your car could use. So you should try to open it up as little as possible. Furthermore, a car that is low on gas weighs less, and it takes less gas to move it. There is no harm in running low on gas. There is only harm in running out of gas.
The trick is to wait till your tank is empty and fill it up. Don’t put the bare minimum in the tank. I know gas is expensive in these uncertain times, but try and fill your tank completely each time you go to the pump.
The more trips to the gas station, the more gas you’ll be using. Fill up your tank, and you’ll save gas and reduce emissions overall.
Source: Daily Fuel Economy Tip
Original article posted on Planet Green
Planet Green is the multi-platform media destination devoted to the environment and dedicated to helping people understand how humans impact the planet and how to live a more environmentally sustainable lifestyle. Its two robust websites, planetgreen.com and TreeHugger.com, offer original, inspiring, and entertaining content related to how we can evolve to live a better, brighter future. Planet Green is a division of Discovery Communications.
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20 comments
add your comment »yes, this is a good article. thank you.
and also, fuel up early in the morning or in the evening.
here's why:
http://www.answerbag.com/q_view/820628
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thanks!
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I use a fuel conditioner that ensures I burn all the fuel I purchase completely, instead of partially, which results in less pollution and improved MPG. check out www.getgforce.com for details. I can't argue with results!
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Find out how efficient your car is with the Energy Saving Trust's online MPG calculator.
This calculator will compute your car's miles per gallon (MPG) and forecast your petrol expense for one month and for one year. It also allows you to see how much money you would save if you were driving a car that has got better gas mileage.
The calculator is free to use but you'll need to register.
http://www.energysavingtrust.org.uk/mpg/calculate
Happy energy saving!
Clare
Energy Saving Trust
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why is this inappropriate?
Just because it is on the internet is not a good enough reference for this English teacher of research writing. I often find on this site and others information with no solid support. In reference to Jsteven's advice, in the part of the Northwest where I live not only are we likely to have earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and tsunamis but even more recent events involve floods that cut off electricity and that means even if you can get to a service station to fill your nearly empty tank, the pumps will not work. The advice from the emergency management in this area is to keep your tanks 1/2 full in case of emergency evacuation orders. It saves a lot of gas to be able to get out on your own instead of having to flag down a helicopter using who knows how much fuel.
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My brand new state of the art car spews out petrol vapour under pressure when I remove the filler cap as did my twelve year old car and every car I have ever owned or driven as a mechanic or professional driver so if you know something I don't plese let me know as UK gas is probably the most expensive highest taxed gas in the world so I can't afford to waste it!
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Actually, the amount of gas lost through evaporation during refueling is near zero. The statistic you quote "Over 147 million gallons of gas evaporate from tanks each year." does NOT refer to refueling but is due to loose, missing, or damaged gas caps. Of course, there are other reasons to fill the tank but, gas evaporation during refueling isn't one of them especially on cars made in the last 15-20 years that have mechanisms to minimize vapor release.
BTW, I tried to find the source of your statistic but, while I found many references to it (some as far back as 2006), I could not find where it came from, so how do we know it is accurate? Sounds like hearsay to me.
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It's not particularly green to be stranded without life sustaining resources. Seriously, if you live in a major earthquake and/or fire zone, as many do on the U.S. West Coast, you should keep your tank at least half full for emergency use in case gas is not available for several days.
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I always thought when less gas more spend because evaporates in the walls of the tank... Thank you!
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the problem with leaving your gas tank empty is the fact that the more surface area of the tank that isn't covered by petrol, the more condensation that can build up on the inside of the tank. this condensation then runs down into the tank and eventually gives you a false reading on your fuel gauge because the water floats on top of the petrol. this means that you may think you have 1/4 of a tank left when really half of it is water, and if you run the car until the tank is just about empty then your car will start trying to use the water as fuel, along with all the other sludge at the bottom of the tank which will seriously damage your car.
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