Nowadays, when taking care of the environment has become a priority, it has been realised that enough small changes made by many people can make a difference. Not just limited to recycling cans and saving electricity, this also extends to driving. If you are smart, car repair and motoring need not be such a burden on your surroundings.

Here are a few changes you can make, some of which will benefit not only the environment, but your safety and hip pocket as well!

Alter your lifestyle: It has been discovered that if 10% of the population used their car one day less a week, that every year 100,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide would be saved from going up into the atmosphere. So, try staying at home one day extra a week (working, not lazing around!). Alternatively, join a car pool.

Use SMART car repair for damages: Whatever brand your car is, treat minor damages the SMART (Small To Medium Repair Technique) way. SMART car repair can not only save you a fair amount of money, but can help the environment too, as the damaged parts – particularly plastic ones - do not have to be replaced.

A lot of SMART car repair jobs also take a lot less time than at a garage. In addition, many SMART car repair jobs can be done on your premises, saving you the petrol used to travel there, as well as time and inconvenience.

Techniques that SMART car repair undertake include paintless dent removal, seat and trim repair, plastic welding and bumper repair, air conditioning repair, and alloy wheel repair.

Get SMART car repair technicians to check you out: lluminated warning signals on your dashboard need immediate attention as they could indicate serious problems indirectly leading to inefficient fuel consumption (in addition to the car being unsafe to drive!). Make use of SMART car repair services, which also include a car diagnostics service to ensure the problem does not escalate.

Choose a car that facilitates your lifestyle: If you mainly use it as a run around, then a small car or electric one would be much better than a 4WD, which will use a lot more petrol and cost a lot more to run and maintain, though SMART car repair can reduce a lot of those costs in the case of minor damage.

For regular long-distance drivers, a diesel engine uses less fuel than a petrol engine, so would be a better choice – environmentally speaking.

Slow down: Putting the "pedal to the metal" may be cool in films, but in reality, it's an excessive waste of petrol radically and unnecessarily increasing your fuel consumption. By reducing your speed from 135 kms/hr to 112 kms/hr, your fuel efficiency increases to 25%. By travelling between 80 and 96 kms/hr, your fuel consumption will be at its optimum.

Alter your driving: Slamming on the brakes or accelerating suddenly also increases fuel consumption and increases your risk of an accident. Although SMART car repair services are quite comprehensive, if you lurch forward in slow-moving traffic and smash into the car in front causing considerable damage, SMART car repair technicians may not be able to fix it.

Use mobile services: Where possible and practical, use mobile services that come to you, rather than you going to them, such as SMART car repair services. You will save on petrol and reduce fuel emissions.

Walk: Try walking (rather than driving) to your destination. It will alleviate any thoughts about fuel consumption or SMART car repair services, will be better for your health, and better for the environment!