| First of all, there's your normal household recycling | | | | 4 percent. LRR tires, on the other hand, are |
| tasks that can easily be accomplished whilst on | | | | specially designed to improve a vehicle's fuel |
| the road. It's not hard to separate your | | | | economy. Most major tire manufacturers now |
| paper/cardboard, glass and plastics in separate | | | | produce LRR models, so when it comes time to |
| bags or containers ready for recycling. In | | | | replace your tires, seek out a set of LRRs. |
| fact I have three very small square plastic | | | | - Get a tune-up. Whether you do it yourself or go |
| containers that fit perfectly in to my bottom | | | | to a mechanic, a tune-up can increase your fuel |
| cupboard below my cooker. Ok they are a little | | | | economy. |
| difficult to get at but a little sacrifice doesn't hurt | | | | - If you have a garage, use it as much as possible |
| anybody. Because lets be honest | | | | to keep your car warm in winter and cool in |
| sacrifices have to happen if you are going to live | | | | summer. |
| in Volkswagon Bus for a week! And | | | | - Reduce your speed - A drop from 60mph to |
| because you are travelling it is very easy to find | | | | 50mph will reduce your fuel consumption by 10% |
| recycling points, nearly all campsites and | | | | - Reduce the amount you use your brakes - The |
| supermarkets will have recycling centres. | | | | more you brake the more fuel you use. |
| Next there are arguably the more important | | | | You should anticipate braking and take your foot |
| issues, fuel consumption and the | | | | of the throttle earlier. It's the science of |
| environment. There are many ways by | | | | physics, if you have to use your brakes then you |
| which you can reduce your fuel consumption and | | | | have used your throttle too much! |
| at the same time save money. VW | | | | - Add lightness - Don't carry a full water |
| Campers are not well know for there economical | | | | container, try not to fill your fuel tank up, and |
| drive. In fact my old 2.0ltr 1979 Bay | | | | have a small gas canister. 10 gallons of water and |
| Window would do around 25mpg on a run but | | | | full fuel tank adds 200 pounds or 90kgs to the |
| around town that would drop to about | | | | weight of your bus. It will be cheaper to |
| 15mpg! Now that is disgraceful. | | | | run and go up hills much easier. |
| OK, so here are the tips to make your VW bus a | | | | - Tyres - Check your tyre pressures and check |
| greener, meaner machine. | | | | for undue wear. Driving on tyres with the |
| - Avoid "jack rabbit" starts and aggressive driving. | | | | wrong PSI (air pressure), can be dangerous add |
| One second of high-powered driving can produce | | | | cost more in fuel consumption. |
| nearly the same volume of carbon monoxide | | | | - Aero-dynamics - Keep your van sleek and |
| emissions as a half hour of normal driving. | | | | slender. Roof racks can add up to 15% |
| - When possible, plan your trips to avoid rush | | | | to your fuel consumption and that's when they |
| hour. Stop-and-go driving burns fuel and increases | | | | are empty. We know they look great |
| emissions of smog-forming pollutants. | | | | and by all means wear them but think about long |
| - Combine trips. Warmed-up engines and catalysts | | | | journeys. You can easily stick them in the |
| generate much less air pollution, so combining | | | | back until you get to the show/meet etc. |
| several short trips into one can make a big | | | | This also applies to luggage, ifs possible you should |
| difference. | | | | always put in your van and not on the roof |
| - When driving a manual transmission, shift up as | | | | rack. Keep your windows shut when ever |
| soon as possible. Running in a higher gear | | | | possible. |
| decreases the rpm and will decrease fuel use and | | | | - Servicing - A well serviced VW bus will burn fuel |
| engine wear. But be sure you don't drag | | | | more efficiently giving you a better power to |
| your vehicle out in any gear. Make sure | | | | weight ratio. If that sounds complicated |
| you are in the appropriate gear. | | | | then it just means that your VW bus will be more |
| - Buy low-rolling-resistance (LRR) replacement | | | | powerful and you will need to put your foot down |
| tires. Switching to a typical set of replacement | | | | less. |
| tires lowers a vehicle's fuel economy as much as | | | | |