Ritter, Schwarzenegger: here to pump up your tires

Gov. Bill Ritter is an eco-conscious guy.

Who most days rides around in a state-issued Chevrolet Suburban. Chugging along at about 15 miles per gallon. Belching out 10 tons of greenhouse gasses a year. At best.

What’s a green-living governor to do?

Well, for starters he can give his State Patrol drivers one of the hefty packets handed out at the news conference Monday promoting the new EcoDriving program.

Ritter, representatives from the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers and the National Automobile Dealers Association and special guest star California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger — live via satellite! — announced the program designed to ease the gas crunch by encouraging consumers to drive in fuel-saving ways.

“The cheapest gallon of gas,” Ritter said, “is the gallon you never buy. ... EcoDriving is the perfect fit. It uses easy actions that you can take today.”

The announcement came with weighty folder jammed with information on EcoDriving techniques like driving the speed limit, keeping your tires properly inflated and using the air conditioner only when traveling at high speeds.

Schwarzenegger said if everyone in America used the techniques it would be the equivalent of taking 40 million cars off the road.

Colorado and California are the first two states to sign on to the program. Schwarzenegger said the program isn’t a substitute for more substantial energy policies. But, he said, it’s something everyone — from car makers to green groups — can agree on.

“This provides immediate relief,” he said, “right now.”

Dan Grossman, the regional director of the Environmental Defense Fund and who participated in Monday’s announcement, agreed. He said the goal of the program is to move forward on promoting ways to improve fuel economy – the campaign says EcoDriving can boost your miles per gallon by 15 percent. Grossman said the partnership with car makers and sellers is not intended to provide the latter two groups “cover” to resist more ambitious fuel efficiency policies, like raising corporate average fuel economy.

“I think this is a hopeful move to try to work together,” Grossman said.

Dave McCurdy, the president and CEO of the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers, said that’s the industry has supported raising company-wide fuel economy standards.

“We want to work with the states,” McCurdy said. “We’re a part of the problem. The industry accounts for 20 percent of the carbon dioxide emissions in the United States.”

Ritter, for the record, says his State Patrol drivers are mindful of fuel economy. His Suburban most of the time runs on E-85, a biofuel and gasoline blend, Ritter said.

State Patrol spokesman Ryan Sullivan said troopers – both when looking after the freeways and when looking after the governor – pay close attention to vehicle maintenance and tire pressure. But, he said, there are limits.

“All of us are doing what we can to conserve fuel when we’re out there,” Sullivan said. “...But obviously we still have a job to do. We can’t always stop slowly.”

Tips for improving your car’s fuel economy from the EcoDriving campaign:

- Avoid rapid starts and stops.

- Try to maintain a constant speed in traffic.

- Use cruise control.

- Use air conditioning at higher speeds; open your windows at lower speeds.

- Avoid idling.

- Have scheduled maintenance done on time.

- Keep your tires properly inflated.

- Replace you air filter regularly.

- Tighten your gas cap.

- Remove unneeded items from your vehicle.

For more tips or information on EcoDriving go to www.ecodrivingusa.com.

For a list of car dealerships in Colorado offering a “green checkup,” go to www.greendrivingusa.com.

Bookmark/Search this post with: