by Deanna Sclar

If we cut fuel consumption by only 10 percent, we each can save an average of 77 gallons a year! With gasoline selling at unprecedented highs in the midst of a war that seems intimately related to petroleum, many Americans feel angry and helpless about how the diminishing supply of petroleum has affected our policy in the Middle East, our environment, and our pocketbooks. It's time to stop complaining and take action! Each of us must take responsibility for the burgeoning consumption that is costing lives, ruining our economy, damaging the environment and fomenting international condemnation of Americans as the most wasteful people on Earth. Every one of us has the ability to save gallons of fuel by changing our driving habits and maintaining our vehicles properly. Here are ten ways to personally make an impact on the fuel crisis, global warming, the economy and the world.

1. Don't warm-up your car in the morning You're using fuel to go nowhere. Most owners manuals caution you not to indulge in lengthy warm-ups. They waste fuel, pollute the air, and increase wear on your vehicle.

2. Change the way you drive View your driving techniques in terms of fuel consumption.

• Don't speed. Before hitting the accelerator, be sure that you won't waste that effort by having to slow to the pace of the car ahead of you, or for a blinker, crossroad, or curve ahead. Remember, every time you step on the brake pedal you cancel the speed you used fuel to achieve! Driving at 50 mph instead of 70 mph can cut fuel consumption by 20 percent!

• Start up and accelerate smoothly. A fast getaway may cost you 8 miles per gallon for the first 4 miles. A slow start can carry you 50 percent further on the same amount of fuel.

• Don't try to race the lights. Traffic lights are set for the local speed limit. If you keep to the posted speed limits, the lights will magically turn green as you approach them and you'll use 15 percent less fuel.

• Don't keep changing lanes. Each time you have to accelerate to pass and then have to step on the brake when you get back into lane, you waste up to 30 percent more fuel.

• Decelerate instead of braking. Anticipate slowdowns and halts in traffic so you don't have to stop short. If you're not speeding, you may be able to just ease up on the accelerator. Not only will you extend the life of your brakes, you'll also save fuel.

• Slowly accelerate before you get to a hill. The extra momentum will carry you at least part of the way up.

• Coast down hills, when traffic will permit. Instead of the gas pedal, use the car's weight and momentum to get to the bottom. But don't turn your engine off, you need to keep that oil and water pumping to keep heat and friction from damaging it!

• Choose higher gears. If you have a manual transmission, shift up at the lowest speed that won't cause laboring or lugging. With automatic transmissions, use Overdrive whenever conditions permit and save another 10 percent in fuel.

• Make right turns rather than left turns or U-turns. You'll save fuel by going around the block instead of idling at 0 miles per gallon until traffic clears and then having to overcome inertia to get moving again, or making a U-turn that involves a lot of stopping and starting.

3. Keep Cool, but not Too Cool If it's not too hot, use the interior vents, sun roof, or vent windows instead of the air conditioner, which can consume an extra 2 .5 miles per gallon. Keep side windows closed. They increase wind resistance and fuel consumption.

4. Fill 'Er Up Properly Don't "top it off." If you park in the sun or drive uphill with an overfilled tank, the fuel you paid for will end up on the ground, where it can dissolve the asphalt, cause a fire and increase air pollution. On hot days, fill up in the early morning or evening, when the air is cooler. An increase of only 30 degrees F. can cause 10 gallons of gas to expand by as much as 4/5ths of a quart (or a bottle of whiskey!)

5. Check Your Tires Underinflated tires wear out faster and cost you about 1 mile per gallon. Air costs nothing, so be sure that your tires have all they need. Tires heat up as you drive and the air inside expands, so to get an accurate reading, always check air in the morning before you drive the car, and head slowly to the air pump if you need more.

6. Change your shopping habits Traveling a mile on a cold engine can increase fuel consumption by as much as 70 percent. Try to combine several short trips into one longer one. Shop locally. Is it really a bargain to buy at a distant superstore when you'll save time, effort and fuel by sticking closer to home? When possible, use the phone or e-mail to do your business, or ride your bike or the bus. Carpools are not only great fuel-savers, they qualify you to use freeway Diamond lanes and they often result in new friendships as well.

7. Clean Out the Trunk Compartment Every 500 pounds you haul around costs you from 2 to 5 miles per gallon. That's a lot to pay for "extra storage."

8. Check Under the Hood

• A dirty air filter can cost a mile per gallon at 50 mph.

• If your PCV valve is not functioning properly, you're running your engine less efficiently, and you may be burning and polluting your oil, too.

• If your spark plugs are misfiring, it can cost you up to 25 percent in gas mileage.

• If your ignition system is overdue for a tune-up, do it now! A tune-up can reduce carbon monoxide and hydrocarbon exhaust emissions by 30 to 50 percent. It will also save you fuel and improve your vehicle's performance.

• If the accessory belts that connect your fan, water pump, alternator, and a variety of other devices are too loose or too tight, a serious loss of efficiency can be the result. A belt should have about half an inch of "give" and should not be frayed or badly worn.

• If a brake is poorly adjusted, it may "drag" while the vehicle is in motion. Moving the wheel against the dragging brake takes more power, and the result is that your brake linings — and the gas in your tank — won't last as long. To check for dragging brakes, jack up each wheel and spin it. If a brake shoe or brake pad is dragging, you can feel it as you try to turn the wheel on the hub. If you hear a rumbling sound, your wheel bearings may be worn and may need to be replaced.

9. Keep Your Car Waxed A highly waxed car not only preserves the paint job, it cuts wind resistance dramatically.

10. Buy A Hybrid Instead of pouring money—and fuel—into your old clonker, buy yourself a hybrid vehicle that can get close to 60 mpg. By cutting fuel consumption by 30% or more, you'll be making a real impact on the environment, the economy and the world situation!

Deanna Sclar is the author of Auto Repair for Dummies.