Comments on: Lower Your Carbon Footprint by Not Warming Up Your Car this Winter http://ecochildsplay.com/2009/01/12/lower-your-carbon-footprint-by-not-warming-up-your-car-this-winter/ Green and Natural Parenting for Eco-Friendly Families Thu, 24 May 2012 17:04:38 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: adil akhtar http://ecochildsplay.com/2009/01/12/lower-your-carbon-footprint-by-not-warming-up-your-car-this-winter/#comment-8050 adil akhtar Sat, 29 May 2010 06:10:07 +0000 http://ecochildsplay.com/?p=2579#comment-8050 i have automatic car its 2007 model, cvt transmission, when i start the car its rpm is normally at 1500 rpm then i leave it idle for at least 5 minutes the rpm comes down to 600 to 700 rpm. is this ok to do. i have automatic car its 2007 model, cvt transmission, when i start the car its rpm is normally at 1500 rpm then i leave it idle for at least 5 minutes the rpm comes down to 600 to 700 rpm. is this ok to do.

]]> By: The EcoSpheric Blog » Excessive Idling, Excessively Dangerous for People and Planet http://ecochildsplay.com/2009/01/12/lower-your-carbon-footprint-by-not-warming-up-your-car-this-winter/#comment-8048 The EcoSpheric Blog » Excessive Idling, Excessively Dangerous for People and Planet Sun, 07 Mar 2010 22:15:35 +0000 http://ecochildsplay.com/?p=2579#comment-8048 [...] I’m not afraid to point that finger at myself, we’re all guilty here. We call it “heating up the car” during winter months, and hide behind myths like “it takes more gas to turn the car on [...] [...] I’m not afraid to point that finger at myself, we’re all guilty here. We call it “heating up the car” during winter months, and hide behind myths like “it takes more gas to turn the car on [...]

]]> By: Serge http://ecochildsplay.com/2009/01/12/lower-your-carbon-footprint-by-not-warming-up-your-car-this-winter/#comment-8047 Serge Tue, 10 Mar 2009 02:40:16 +0000 http://ecochildsplay.com/?p=2579#comment-8047 Dumbest advice i've ever heard. But sure, go for it if you like wearing out your car's mechanical parts at an accelerated rate due to poor oil circulation, emitting even more carbon than if it was warmed up, and driving with high RPMs which damages the engine in the long term and decreases fuel mileage. Some practical advice: fire whoever wrote this. Dumbest advice i’ve ever heard. But sure, go for it if you like wearing out your car’s mechanical parts at an accelerated rate due to poor oil circulation, emitting even more carbon than if it was warmed up, and driving with high RPMs which damages the engine in the long term and decreases fuel mileage.

Some practical advice: fire whoever wrote this.

]]> By: Gareth http://ecochildsplay.com/2009/01/12/lower-your-carbon-footprint-by-not-warming-up-your-car-this-winter/#comment-8042 Gareth Thu, 29 Jan 2009 15:56:10 +0000 http://ecochildsplay.com/?p=2579#comment-8042 Obviously a car's brakes don't warm up unless they're used, so this is certainly not a safety issue. And it's well known that the vast majority of engines suffer less wear if driven slowly as soon as they're started. I think this is very good advice - the amount of energy saved by following a simple rules can be significant. I found a related article at Recycle for London about <a href="http://www.recycleforlondon.co.uk/economical-driving/" title="Economical Driving" rel="nofollow">saving fuel whilst driving</a>. Obviously a car’s brakes don’t warm up unless they’re used, so this is certainly not a safety issue. And it’s well known that the vast majority of engines suffer less wear if driven slowly as soon as they’re started.

I think this is very good advice – the amount of energy saved by following a simple rules can be significant. I found a related article at Recycle for London about saving fuel whilst driving.

]]> By: Rachael http://ecochildsplay.com/2009/01/12/lower-your-carbon-footprint-by-not-warming-up-your-car-this-winter/#comment-8041 Rachael Fri, 23 Jan 2009 13:52:08 +0000 http://ecochildsplay.com/?p=2579#comment-8041 This is bad advice for several reasons as mentioned above by other posters, but one other important factor to consider is that a car's brakes don't always work well until they are warmed up. That's a safety issue and not one that's solved by wearing a warmer coat or giving your car a hot water bath. I'm willing to do my part for the environment, but not at the cost of safety. This is bad advice for several reasons as mentioned above by other posters, but one other important factor to consider is that a car’s brakes don’t always work well until they are warmed up. That’s a safety issue and not one that’s solved by wearing a warmer coat or giving your car a hot water bath. I’m willing to do my part for the environment, but not at the cost of safety.

]]> By: pinkrunningshoes http://ecochildsplay.com/2009/01/12/lower-your-carbon-footprint-by-not-warming-up-your-car-this-winter/#comment-8046 pinkrunningshoes Fri, 23 Jan 2009 04:36:16 +0000 http://ecochildsplay.com/?p=2579#comment-8046 not warming up your car can cause transmission damage leading it to run at high RPMs and not shifting when it should (on an automatic) and wasting gas. In my stick shift it is nearly impossible to change gears if the car has not warmed up. Me struggling at the intersection to put my car into 1st, while the car idles, isn't going to save anyone any CO2, time or money. I am also not going to track to my car with two kids all the school bags and a pitcher of hot water... Plus...what about all the warnings not to buckle your kids into the car seat wearing a big coat because in the event of a crash a big fluffy winter coat can compress and decrease the effectiveness of the car seat restraint system... (I'm not sure how much I buy into that idea either though) not warming up your car can cause transmission damage leading it to run at high RPMs and not shifting when it should (on an automatic) and wasting gas. In my stick shift it is nearly impossible to change gears if the car has not warmed up. Me struggling at the intersection to put my car into 1st, while the car idles, isn’t going to save anyone any CO2, time or money.

I am also not going to track to my car with two kids all the school bags and a pitcher of hot water…

Plus…what about all the warnings not to buckle your kids into the car seat wearing a big coat because in the event of a crash a big fluffy winter coat can compress and decrease the effectiveness of the car seat restraint system… (I’m not sure how much I buy into that idea either though)

]]> By: GenGreen Life » American Idle http://ecochildsplay.com/2009/01/12/lower-your-carbon-footprint-by-not-warming-up-your-car-this-winter/#comment-8044 GenGreen Life » American Idle Thu, 22 Jan 2009 19:44:11 +0000 http://ecochildsplay.com/?p=2579#comment-8044 [...] to popular belief, idling is not an effective way to warm up your vehicle, even in cold weather. The best way to warm up your car or truck is to drive it. In fact, with [...] [...] to popular belief, idling is not an effective way to warm up your vehicle, even in cold weather. The best way to warm up your car or truck is to drive it. In fact, with [...]

]]> By: JRS http://ecochildsplay.com/2009/01/12/lower-your-carbon-footprint-by-not-warming-up-your-car-this-winter/#comment-8043 JRS Tue, 20 Jan 2009 09:03:22 +0000 http://ecochildsplay.com/?p=2579#comment-8043 This tip is wrong. In the rush to give "green tips" people should not get carried away and suggest things that at first seem like a good idea but actually make things worse. Warming up your car in below-freezing weather is vital to getting the oil circulating throughout the engine to prevent excessive mechanical wear AND to allow maximum efficiency in the burning of the fuel. While it is not necessary to "over-warm" your car, letting it idle for at least 2 or 3 minutes is far better for the environment and your car than just firing it up and immediately driving off in cold weather: 1) If you drive off at street speeds before the engine and oil has a chance to warm up, the engine will not burn the gas as efficiently for the first several minutes of driving, putting out MORE emission than if you had warmed the engine up at idle for a couple of minutes (which uses very little gas and puts out comparatively less emissions). 2) If you regularly drive off without warming up the engine for a few minutes in cold weather, you will wear out critical moving parts inside the engine much faster. Over time this will result in your engine not running as well as it should (creating more emissions than it should), not to mention eventually costing you more in engine maintenance or even having to replace the vehicle sooner. This tip is wrong. In the rush to give “green tips” people should not get carried away and suggest things that at first seem like a good idea but actually make things worse. Warming up your car in below-freezing weather is vital to getting the oil circulating throughout the engine to prevent excessive mechanical wear AND to allow maximum efficiency in the burning of the fuel. While it is not necessary to “over-warm” your car, letting it idle for at least 2 or 3 minutes is far better for the environment and your car than just firing it up and immediately driving off in cold weather:

1) If you drive off at street speeds before the engine and oil has a chance to warm up, the engine will not burn the gas as efficiently for the first several minutes of driving, putting out MORE emission than if you had warmed the engine up at idle for a couple of minutes (which uses very little gas and puts out comparatively less emissions).

2) If you regularly drive off without warming up the engine for a few minutes in cold weather, you will wear out critical moving parts inside the engine much faster. Over time this will result in your engine not running as well as it should (creating more emissions than it should), not to mention eventually costing you more in engine maintenance or even having to replace the vehicle sooner.

]]> By: Jimmy James http://ecochildsplay.com/2009/01/12/lower-your-carbon-footprint-by-not-warming-up-your-car-this-winter/#comment-8045 Jimmy James Mon, 12 Jan 2009 23:04:47 +0000 http://ecochildsplay.com/?p=2579#comment-8045 Fantastic advice - for anyone living where -5 to -10 is considered cold. Pouring hot water on a windshield when the temperature is -30 is a sure way to shatter the glass. And no matter how much you bundle up, it's not enough when you're sitting on a frozen car seat. Fantastic advice – for anyone living where -5 to -10 is considered cold. Pouring hot water on a windshield when the temperature is -30 is a sure way to shatter the glass. And no matter how much you bundle up, it’s not enough when you’re sitting on a frozen car seat.

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