「里程破表」（Hypermiling），一種增加最大燃油效率的駕駛方法，已經變成美國兩大政黨之間的主流。美國汽車製造業聯盟（Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers）22日開啟一個新網站：www.ecodrivingusa.com，旨在促進駕駛汽車和汽車的維修保養習慣，藉此減少燃油的消耗。最先致力於推廣此活動的二位代言人分別是共和黨籍加州州長阿諾史瓦辛格以及民主黨籍科羅拉多州州長比爾瑞特（Bill Ritter）。
為了強調共和黨和民主黨聯合一致的努力，該網站宣稱：「不論是紅州還是藍州，透過環保駕駛（EcoDriving），我們都可以成為綠色的國家。」在互動網站上也列出了各種可以讓每加侖的汽油發揮最大里程數的方式，如：避免汽車空轉30秒以上，及利用「內在空氣循環」的功能降低車內對冷氣的需求。
阿諾史瓦辛格的網站首頁張貼了一個影片資訊，強調學習環保駕駛可以獲得的立即效益。他說：「我們聽了很多政治人物提出如何降低油價及對抗全球暖化的不同意見，但是不管是生質燃料、離岸鑽井、或核能發電等等，都沒有任何一件可以立刻影響油價。只有你可以做到，我們每一個人都有力量從現在開始改變。」
但是要如何做呢？在網站上列出了26項關於駕車和汽車維修保養的訣竅，據說可以將整體的燃油經濟效益提高15%，包括了：
- 開車時應輕踩油門甚於重壓油門，避免快速加速又緊急剎車。
- 大熱天時，如果車速低於60公里，可以搖下車窗讓涼爽的空氣流通；在時速60公里以上時再使用冷氣會比較有效率。(更正註)
- 有選擇性的使用定速巡航系統。定速功能在平坦的路面可以節省能源，但在山路則不然；在上坡時，定速巡航系統會讓引擎不必要地一直加速，而下坡時則會不停減速。
- 經常檢查胎壓。如果可以的話使用節能機油及適合自己引擎的產品，定期更換阻塞的空氣濾淨器，並且適當地調整車輛狀況。
Hypermiling, a way of driving to maximize fuel economy, has gone mainstream and bipartisan. The Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers started a new website today, www.ecodrivingusa.com, to promote driving and vehicle maintenance habits that can reduce fuel consumption. Its first two spokesmen for the effort are Arnold Schwarzenegger, Republican governor of California, and Bill Ritter, Democratic governor of Colorado.
Underscoring their united efforts, the site proclaims: "Red State. Blue State. Through EcoDriving, we can all be green states." The interactive site lists a variety of ways to wring the most miles out of every gallon of gasoline, from avoiding idling the car for more than 30 seconds to using the "recycle inside air" feature to reduce air-conditioning demands. In a video message posted on the site's home page Schwarzenegger underscores the immediate benefits of learning how to "ecodrive."
"We hear a lot of ideas from politicians about lowering the gas prices and fighting global warming, whether it is biofuels, offshore drilling or nuclear power," he says. "But none of those will affect gas prices right now. Only you can do that. ... Each of us has the power to make a difference right now."
How? The site lists 26 driving and vehicle-maintenance tips that it says can collectively boost fuel economy by 15 percent. For example:
- Drive with a feather foot rather than a lead foot, avoiding rapid acceleration and hard stops.
- On warm days, roll down the windows to cool off if driving slower than 40 mph. At speeds above 40 mph, using air conditioning is more efficient.
- Use cruise control selectively. The feature saves energy on flat terrains, but on hilly routes, cruise control may cause the engine to speed up unnecessarily while climbing hills and slow down while descending.
- Check tire pressure regularly, use "energy conserving" motor oil if available and appropriate for your engine, replace clogged air filters and keep vehicle properly tuned.
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In my healing journey and learning to attain the breath awareness, I become aware of the reality that all the creatures of the world are breathing the same breath. Take action, here and now. From my physical being to the every corner of this out of balance's planet.
