1'M Blue: Be Part of the Solution, Be an Eco-safe Driver and Drive for Blue Skies!

1'M Blue (read as I'm blue) Eco-Safe Driving Campaign is a program that aims to educate one million Filipino drivers with driving techniques to help clean up the air while promoting road safety, fuel-efficiency and safe driving. The advocacy campaign is comprised of educational videos, social media campaigns, driver training seminars and clean fleet management programs that will further boost the awareness on helping save the environment and promote eco-safe driving.

1'M Blue Eco-Safe Driving Campaign is a partnership among Honda Cars Philippines, Philippine Business for the Environment, Clean Air Asia, PAC Fleet Solutions, Honda Safety Driving Center, GMA Network, Climate Change Commission, Dept. of Environment and Natural Resources, Dept. of Energy, Dept. of Transportation and Communication, MMDA, and TESDA.

In celebration of the campaign's 1st anniversary, I was invited together with other travel and lifestyle bloggers at the Honda Cars Philippines Incorporated’s (HCPI) headquarters in Sta. Rosa Laguna for a media briefing on the 1'M Blue Eco-Safe Driving campaign. We were welcomed by Tatsuya Natsume, Honda Cars Philippines' President and General Manager together with the other HCPI associates.

We got to learn more about eco-safe driving techniques through the instructional videos shown to us; we also had a tour at the manufacturing and assembly parts division of their plant, as well as to their waste management facility. We were also given the chance to test drive four of the company's model cars, namely the Honda City, Civic, CRV, and Insight Hybrid cars.

As a driver I learned several tips on how to practice an eco-safe driving:

• Avoid Idling - with today's modern engines, you need not to warm up your car even in cold weather. Start up your car's engine and drive smoothly immediately.
• Drive smoothly, not aggressively, it saves fuel and money.
• Be a considerate driver, don't counter flow, avoid changing lanes and cause traffic and let the traffic flow as smoothly as possible.
• Anticipate starts in stops. Slow down by easing up the gas pedal early and save fuel.
• Plan and combine trips, car pool with your friends, walk if you can; it saves fuel time and money.
• Follow your car's prescribed preventive maintenance schedule.
• Gas up wisely, the best time to buy gasoline is during early morning, the coolest time of the day.
• Check tire pressure, your car's suggested tire pressure is the cold tire pressure. Add up 2 PSI to compensate for the hot tire pressure.
• Monitor fuel consumption, drive smoothly, use clean quality fuels and fuel-efficient vehicles.

For more eco-safe driving techniques, visit www.youtube.com/user/1MBlueCampaign.

Eco-safe driving reduces your vehicle's fuel consumption and emissions by up to 20 percent. The driver plays a significant role on your car’s fuel efficiency. Start with your driving habits. Be part of the solution, be an eco-safe driver and drive for blue skies!

It takes the fuel, vehicle, and eco-safe driver to work together for 1'M Blue eco-safe driving for Blue Skies! Pledge your commitment, practice eco-safe driving everyday.

Learn, share and support! Visit www.facebook.com/1MBlue and www.youtube.com/user/1MBlueCampaign.