Five simple ways to reduce your car’s impact on the environment

It’s not always possible to replace your vehicle with a more efficient and eco-friendly new model - but it is possible to lessen your car’s impact on the planet. From changing air filters to quickly dealing with windscreen chips that can be repaired, there are steps you can take to make positive changes to the environment. 

1. Regularly maintain your vehicle

From tyre pressures to tuning, car maintenance has a crucial impact on the environment. Develop a routine and keep a record of maintenance in accordance to your car’s owner manual. One of the best ways to reduce your emissions and increase fuel efficiency is to replace your air filter regularly, which often gets clogged. 

2. Don’t be idle

Whether you’re waiting for your kids to get out of the car at school or stuck in a traffic jam, idling (keeping your car engine running when not in motion) has a huge impact environmentally. A worrying 40,000 deaths a year in the UK are linked to air pollution and the Government are working to address the issue. It may even be a potentially fineable offence. If you think you’re going to be stationary for more than two minutes, switch off your engine to save your fuel bill and the planet.

3. Reduce glass waste by repairing not replacing

The cost of replacing a chipped windscreen doesn’t just hit your bank balance hard. It also equates to millions of pounds of waste every year - and it's our planet that pays the price. Windscreen glass is tricky to recycle in a glass furnace because much of it is two-ply laminated, with integrated heating elements and embedded radio antennas. From air pollutants in glass manufacturing to transport-related C02 emissions, replacing a windscreen is more damaging to the environment, more expensive and more time-consuming than a simple repair. As the UK’s largest independent repair-only company, we focus solely on windscreen chips that can be repaired and won’t push a replacement you don’t need unless it’s 100% necessary. 

4. Avoid using your car whenever possible

Reducing your time on the road is an obvious way to reduce carbon emissions. If you’re only travelling a short distance, walk, cycle or hop on the bus. There are numerous carpool schemes you can take advantage of in your local area, or you can arrange something with your co-workers to save money and environmental impact.

5. Go gently

The emissions you generate through driving are at their strongest when you speed. At around 50mph pollution is at its lowest, however these rise significantly when you drive at 70mph or more. If traffic allows, drive in a higher gear. Stops and starts will also increase fuel consumption and environmental impact.

Protecting the planet needn’t be time-consuming. Save valuable time and reduce the cost of replacing damaged windscreens by letting Optic-Kleer fix your chipped windscreen before it turns into a crack. We’ll deal with the paperwork for you and we provide Lifetime Warranty on your repair, free of charge. You’ll find most of our repair technicians at local supermarkets, so search for ‘windscreen chip repair near me’ and drop into one of our 300 windscreen repair locations across the UK.