Up and Coming Weekly is a weekly publication in Fayetteville, NC and Fort Bragg, NC area offering local news, views, arts, entertainment and community event and business information.
Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/525120
18 UCW JUNE 10-16, 2015 WWW.UPANDCOMINGWEEKLY.COM 4624 BRAGG BLVD. Happy Father's Day JUNE 26-27• 5TH ANNUAL BFBF MUSIC FESTIVAL- RALLY at Vander Civic Association Park. Gates open Friday at 5 p.m., Saturday at 10 a.m. Admission is $15/day $20 wknd pass. Benefits Bikers For Bikers Foundation. Find out more at Bikersforbikersfoundation.com. JUNE 27 • SWANKTITUDE FASHION SHOW at Fort Bragg Harley Davidson 7 p.m. $15/ general admin, $25/VIP. Find out more at www.fortbraggharley. com. JUNE 27 • FAYETTEVILLE AREA SOCIETY FOR HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT SCHOLARSHIP FUND RIDE at Arnette Park. Registration at 9 - 9:45 a.m., ride at 10 a.m., $10/rider, $15 with passenger. Meal provided. Benefits Fayetteville Area Society For Human Resource Management Scholarship Fund. Call 910-366- 3983 for information. PATRIOT GUARD RIDERS The Patriot Guard Riders is a diverse group of patriots from every state that come together to honor fallen soldiers at funeral services across the country. Visit www.patriotguard.org for more information about the group. 484-6200 www.upandcomingweekly.com Turn to our calendar every Wednesday and see what's happening! Dear EarthTalk: Summer is near and I am planning a big road trip. Do you have any tips for boosting my car's fuel efficiency on long, hot drives? — Esther McCoy, Burlington, VT Ah, the summer road trip, that classic American experience. But long drives through steamy weather can burn through a lot of gas and cause untold wear and tear on your car's engine and systems while putting you at risk for overheating. Doubling down on tactics to help your car run better will not only improve fuel efficien- cy, but could also help you avoid spending a large chunk of your vacation time in the breakdown lane waiting for a tow. According to the American Automobile Association (AAA), there are lots of ways to conserve fuel on hot weather road trips that also will help prolong the life of your car. "In summer, drive during cooler parts of the day," reports the group. "Cooler, denser air can boost power and mileage." While it may seem counterintuitive, using your car's air conditioning is actu- ally a smart idea in hot weather. "Today's air conditioners create less drag on the engine than driving with the windows open," says AAA. Meanwhile, if you have a hybrid, pre-cool it before you get in so it can devote more electricity to driving when you are out on the road. But don't warm-up (or pre-cool) a conventional car, as the extra idling doesn't do the car any good and just wastes fuel and creates extra heat. Another key tip for hot weather driving is to park in the shade when you can. The Green Car Reports website suggests utilizing cruise control and overdrive features on cars that offer them on long summer roads trips; these features help normalize the energy demands of the engine which in turn helps conserve fuel. According to AA1car.com, a leading online information resource on auto repair and maintenance, placing a sunshade under the windshield and cracking the win- dows when parked can help keep the interior cool between drives. This can also "lighten the cooling load on the air conditioner when the vehicle is first started." The website also reports that changing old dirty motor oil with a fresh, higher viscosity one will help keep your car's engine lubricated and running smoothly on those summer road trips. "For example, you might want to change from 5W-30 to 10W-30, 10W-40 or 20W-30 for hot weather driving," reports AA1car.com. "Synthetic motor oils are even better for high temperature protection." Of course, some fuel saving tips apply any time of year. For instance, jackrabbit starts are a big no-no; drivers should always try to accelerate gradually. Taking your foot off the gas as early as possible when approaching a red light is another way to save gas. Keeping filters clean, maintaining recommended tire pressure and driving at the speed limit are additional ways to conserve fuel, reduce emis- sions and treat your ride nicely. CONTACTS: AAA, www.aaa.com; Green Car Reports, www.greencarreports.com; AA1car.com, www.aa1car.com. EarthTalk® is produced by Doug Moss & Roddy Scheer and is a registered trade- mark of Earth Action Network Inc. View past columns at: www.earthtalk.org. Or e-mail us your question: earthtalk@emagazine.com. Boosting Fuel Efficiency EarthTalk®From the Editors of E - The Environmental Magazine