Are you still in a lease on a SUV or have you purchased a SUV recently and aren’t in a position to trade it in yet?  If  you’re stuck with a SUV for a while and feeling guilty about your environmental impact, there are a few things you can do to make it a little greener.  These tips are great for drivers of fuel efficient cars too.

1. Drive your SUV only when you have to. Whenever possible, walk, bike or take public transportation.  If these aren’t an option, check with your employer to see if you are able to telecommute some days.

2.  Drive an alternate car when you can. If you are a multi-car household, try to drive the more fuel efficient car on weekends or on days when another driver won’t be using it.  For instance, if you’re a mom who drives the kids around in an SUV all week and your husband drives a more fuel efficient car, use it for weekend errands.

3. Combine errands into one trip. Combining all of your errands into one trip not only uses less fuel but it’s also less wear and tear on your engine, as it’s better for your engine to have multiple warm starts than multiple cold starts.  Additionally, if you combine your errands into one trip instead of several during the week, you will save yourself a lot of time.

4.  Empty your cargo area. Many people driving large cars tend to use the trunk or cargo area as a storage space.  A full cargo area increases the weight of your car and decreases your fuel efficiency.   There’s really no reason to be driving around daily with golf clubs, bikes, sporting equipment etc. in the back of your car.  If you’re a parent of a small child trying leaving the stroller in the garage except on days when you know you’ll need it.

5. Maintain your car. Keeping your tires properly inflated and changing your air filters will improve your fuel efficiency. For every pound under the manufacturer’s recommended tire pressure, you cut your fuel economy by 2%.

5. Don’t wash your car at home. It is a common misconception that washing your car at home is better than going to a commercial car wash.  Washing your car at home is actually very bad for the environment.  In addition to the large amounts of water wasted, you are also rinsing gasoline, oil and residue from exhaust fumes right into the storm drains.  Water from commercial car wash facilities gets treated before it is discharged back into the water system.  Many places recycle and reuse the water as well.   And because car washes use high-pressure nozzles they are able to minimize the amount of water used.

6. Consider converting your SUV to a Plug-In. If you don’t want to part with your SUV or need it for your business, one option to consider is converting it to a Plug-In.  When a car is converted to a plug-in vehicle, it can be driven short distances at lower speed without turning the engine on at all.  At higher speeds, the electricity from the battery pack will assist the gasoline in powering the engine, improving the fuel efficiency.  For additional information on how plug-in conversions work visit: www.pluginconversions.com

7. Live greener in other areas of your life. You know your car isn’t the most eco-friendly one on the road, so do what you can to offset it by living greener in other areas of your live.  Specifically, reduce your consumption of plastics made from petroleum and recycle all that you can.

Finally, if you currently drive a SUV but plan to make a switch in the next few years, start researching better options now.  Many great options are going to be available over the next few years including hybrids and plug-ins so doing your leg work now will help you make a greener choice when you purchase your next vehicle.