Fast Facts

Get the quick-and-dirty facts on your real-time environmental impact coupled with a quick tip on what you can do.

• 

  Photo courtesy Shutterstock Images

  05-13-2008

  How to Deal With Gasly Petroleum Prices

  Burning one gallon of gas produces roughly 25 pounds of CO2.

  What Can You Do?

  For those of us who aren't positioned to rush out and buy a hybrid this week, here are a few tips that will help your vehicle run more efficiently:

  • Replace clogged air filters. A clogged air filter can cut a vehicle's fuel efficiency by 10 percent.
  • Check the air pressure on your tires and inflate any that are lower than the pressure recommended in the owner's manual. AccuTire's Programmable Tire Gauge ($19.95; www.properautocare.com) remembers the proper air pressure so you can avoid pulling out the manual every time you check. Properly inflated tires can increase fuel efficiency by 3.3 percent.
  • Slow down. For most vehicles, fuel efficiency begins to drop rapidly at 60 mph. Driving within the speed limit can improve fuel efficiency by up to 23 percent.
  • Take it easy. Slamming on the brakes and accelerating too quickly can reduce fuel efficiency up to 33 percent.
  • Get a tune-up. Routine maintenance can up fuel efficiency by 4 percent, while fixing more serious problems can improve efficiency up to 40 percent.

  See Fueleconomy.gov for more fuel-saving tips.

• 

  Photo courtesy Shutterstock Images

  05-20-2007

  DIY Furniture Polish

  U.S poison control centers received 214,091 reports of exposures to cleaning products in 2006. More than half involved children under five.

  What Can You Do?

  Most conventional furniture polishes contain hazardous ingredients, such as the flammable respiratory irritants isobutene and butane and the skin and eye irritant d-Limonene. Fortunately you can save money, and your family's health, with a homemade wood polish. Here's a recipe:

  1/4 cup white distilled vinegar or lemon juice
  A few drops jojoba or olive oil
  3 to 5 drops fragrant essential oil (optional)

  When considering the right fragrance, choose an antiseptic essential oil. Sweet eucalyptus will give a clean summer scent. And if you want to give your cleaner an unlimited shelf life, opt for vinegar (lemon can turn rancid).

• 

  Photo courtesy Shutterstock Images

  03-18-2008

  Green Eggs

  Found in almost every category of food on the market, food dye Red 40 can cause hyperactivity, aggressive behavior and inability to concentrate in children, and migraine and upset stomach in adults.

  What Can You Do?

  Most conventional egg dyes on the market are made with potentially harmful coloring agents, such as FD&C Red No. 40 and FD&C Yellow No. 6, and ingredients derived from petroleum. But colorful dyes that are safer for the environment and your family's health can be made simply and cheaply with plant-based ingredients like pomegranate and spinach.