Yahoo News: Shell and Motiva Urge Americans to Practice Fuel Conservation Following Hurricane Katrina: Monday September 5, 2005
10 Easy Ways to Conserve Fuel
HOUSTON, Sept. 5 /PRNewswire/ -- In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, the nation's oil and gas companies are working around the clock to bring impacted refineries and distribution terminals on line to maintain a steady supply of gasoline across the U.S. and, in particular, to those areas that sustained the greatest damage. Shell and Motiva are committed to delivering a consistent supply of fuel to motorists across the country, and we are closely managing the process to help achieve that goal. However, we also support recent calls made by President Bush and other national, state and local government officials in asking Americans to practice fuel conservation during the coming weeks. Here are 10 easy tips to help conserve fuel:
-- Plan trips carefully. Cutting down on the time spent in the car is the easiest way to conserve fuel. To minimize driving time, experts recommend combining all your short trips and errands.
-- Use alternative modes of transportation. Whenever possible, use carpools or take public transportation. Also consider active transportation modes such as bike riding, roller blading or walking.
-- Maintain regular refueling habits. Frequently topping off the tank is not only unnecessary, but it also increases lines at the pump and contributes to wasting fuel.
Drivers can also significantly enhance fuel economy through regular vehicle maintenance and smart driving techniques:
-- Keep tires properly inflated. Keeping tires at their proper air pressure cuts down on the amount of fuel used while driving. Under-inflated tires can decrease fuel economy by up to one mile per gallon.
-- Avoid high speeds. Reducing high speeds will cut down on fuel usage. Fuel efficiency decreases significantly at speeds in excess of 60 miles per hour. While driving on the highway, for example, reducing speed from 65 mph to 60 mph reduces fuel consumption by 10 percent.
-- Drive Smoothly and avoid jackrabbit starts. Starting a vehicle abruptly requires about twice as much gasoline as gradual starts. Take it slow before accelerating at a stop sign or stoplight. Avoiding unnecessary speedups, slow downs and stops can save as much as two miles per gallon. Stay away from sudden braking by staying alert and driving steadily. Keep a reasonable, safe distance from the car ahead of you and anticipate traffic conditions.
-- Avoid excessive idling. Decreasing run time while the car is not moving will increase gas conservation. Avoid excessive idling by turning off your engine upon arriving at your destination or if you are delayed for more than a couple of minutes. Drivers can also cut back on idling by limiting warm-up time to one to three minutes.
-- Use the right motor oil. Following your manufacturer's recommendation for motor oil can help improve gas mileage by 1 to 2 percent. Look for motor oil that contains friction-reducing additives.
-- Minimize vehicle drag. Having a clean car, free of excess weight, can reduce drag, which can help increase fuel economy. Keeping a car as light as possible by removing mud, dirt and other build-up, and removing roof and rear racks contribute to fuel economy.
-- Keep engines tuned-up. Having a vehicle's engine tuned regularly can improve fuel economy by an average of one mile per gallon.
For more suggestions on fuel conservation, please visit the U.S. Department of Energy's Web site at http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/drive.shtml
Shell Oil Products US, is a leader in the refining, transportation and marketing of fuels, and has a network of nearly 7,200 branded gasoline stations in the Western United States. Shell Oil Company is a 50 percent owner of Motiva Enterprises LLC, along with Saudi Refining, Inc., which refines and markets branded products through 11,000 stations in the Eastern and Southern United States. For more information, please visit www.shell.com.
Source: Shell
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