According to the American...
According to the American Water Works Association, the average U.S. residence uses about 110 gallons of water a day. I would venture to say when we use our RV, as a family, we probably use less than 40 gallons a day.
Can you drive a 35-foot motorhome and still be conscious about the environment around you? My answer is a resounding yes. But to the non-RVing onlooker, traveling by RV equates to a gas-guzzling behemoth that is destroying our environment.
The stereotype is that RVers are reckless, self-serving individuals who couldn’t care less about the carbon footprint they leave behind. The biggest culprits as in terms of energy consumption and the environmental are, of course, the fossil fuels burned getting from point A to point B. But in reality, even at 7-10 mpg, compared to air travel RVs are the better choice environmentally.
In the weekly periodical The Nation, an article stated that the effects of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases released by jets during air travel are around 270 percent higher than the average emissions caused by driving the same distance. George Monbiot, the article's author, went on to say that this makes air travel, "one of the most destructive things we can do.''
Innovative RV and automobile manufacturers are designing green RVs, smaller and lighter RVs, and engines that run on alternative fuels. In addition to this are ways the energy conscious RVer can improve the amount of energy consumed while driving down the highway.
Once you arrive at your destination,...
Once you arrive at your destination, the amount of energy consumed by an RV is far less than that of your home. By design, the RV is an environmentally friendly home.
For starters, we can slow down. Speeding and rapid acceleration reduces fuel economy anywhere from 5 to 33 percent, depending on your individual driving habits. Another simple yet effective way to lower your fuel consumption is to ensure that you have proper tire pressure. Proper pressure can increase fuel economy by 3 percent, not to mention preventing premature tire wear and failures or blowouts caused by over- or underinflated tires. Tires can look normal even when they are seriously underinflated.
Something as simple as a clean air filter can improve your fuel economy up to 10 percent. Using overdrive whenever you can will save fuel too, by decreasing the engines speed. Using the cruise control saves fuel because it keeps the vehicle at a constant speed, especially when you are driving on a relatively flat road.
Keeping the vehicle tuned up and in top running condition saves fuel. A poorly tuned engine can lower fuel economy 10 to 20 percent.
Poor emissions or a faulty oxygen sensor can cause a 40 percent reduction in fuel economy. Can you believe that? 40 percent!
Watch the weight too. Any weight you don’t need reduces fuel economy significantly. We're all guilty of this one.