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This brochure is available from the Broward County Environmental Protection Department
Air Quality Division
(954) 519-1220
What is a green car?
The term “green car” no longer refers to the color of a car. Today a green car means a clean car *.
Broward County's population is growing, and there are more and more drivers on the road each year. With so many cars, we have a negative impact on South Florida's air quality.
People used to think that by the year 2000 they would be flying their cars instead of driving them. So maybe technology isn't that advanced. Cars can't fly yet. How advanced is automobile technology? Advanced enough to improve the cars you do have? Absolutely! Cars are running cleaner and greener than they ever have before.
* Clean cars are more efficient and produce lower emissions than average cars. A gasoline-powered car can also be green if it is fuel efficient.
Why should you buy a greener car?
The question you should be asking yourself is, “Why wouldn't I buy a greener car?” Green cars are more efficient, they get better gas mileage, and they save you money!!!
Need another reason?
Air Quality!
In Broward County automobiles account for 50% of the air pollution. The population is growing, so is the number of registered cars in the county, and people are driving more and commuting further every year.
What's the big deal?
The big deal is that lots of little things can turn into a big thing. If one person drives 20 miles more per week, it is only 20 miles.
If 10,000 people drive 20 miles more per week, it is 200,000 miles.
That's a lot of driving. Right now there are approximately 1.5 million people in Broward County. Keep multiplying - those extra 20 miles really add up!
So what does all this mean to you?
You aren't going to stop driving, but you can drive greener and cleaner.
If you drive a car that gets 15 miles per gallon, gas costs $1.50, and you put 10 gallons of gas in your car,
$1.50 x 10 gallons = $15.00
10 gallons x 15mpg = 150 miles
$15.00/150 miles = 10 cents per mile
But if you drive a car that gets 30mpg when gas costs $1.50, and you put 10 gallons of gas in your car,
$1.50 x 10 gallons = $15.00
10 gallons x 30mpg = 300 miles
$15.00/300 miles = 5 cents per mile
Only 5 cents - you can't buy much with that! But when you are driving 400 miles a week,
5 cents x 400 miles = $20.00 per week
$20.00 per week x 52 weeks = $1,040 per year
How do you buy a green car?
The automotive industry is making all kinds of cleaner, greener cars. You can find out how efficient a car is by looking at the price sticker to see how many miles it gets per gallon. Take a look under the hood to see if a car has a Massachusetts, New York, or California Emissions Package, they meet more stringent standards than those set by federal laws. Cars with low emissions will display LEV (Low Emission Vehicle) on the price sticker.
Vehicle Emission Standards:
- Tier 1 - the current Federal (EPA) Standard as of 1994 for vehicle emissions
- LEV - Low Emission Vehicles, two times as stringent as Tier 1
- ULEV - Ultra Low Emission Vehicles, stronger than LEV
- SULEV - Super Ultra Low Emission Vehicles, prohibits emissions of fuel vapors
- ZEV - Zero Emission Vehicles, prohibits any tailpipe emissions
The automotive industry has also come up with cars that run on alternative fuels instead of just gasoline. These cars produce even lower emissions.
- Electric vehicles - run on batteries instead of gasoline
- Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) - uses CNG, an alternative fuel to gasoline
- Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) - uses LGP, an alternative fuel to gasoline
- Bi- and Flex-fuel Vehicles - ability to run on either an alternative fuel or gasoline
- Hybrid Vehicles - run on gasoline and electricity, never need to be charged
Here are some Websites About Green Cars that You can check out!
Just remember, whatever car you buy, whatever car best meets your needs, do your best to drive clean and drive green.
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