Did you know tires could be green?

We don’t recommend literal green tires, of course – they might distract other drivers. But believe it or not, tires can help keep our planet a bit greener, when they’re built and used with sustainability in mind.

As part of our Shop Talk with Nokian Tyres campaign, we'll explain how that works. 

Low Rolling Resistance Saves Energy and Lowers Emissions

According to the U.S. Department of Energy, between four and 11 percent of a car’s fuel is used up providing the energy required to propel your tires along the road. It’s known as rolling resistance. Premium tires [like ours] that are properly inflated require less energy to operate – less rolling resistance – which makes cars more fuel-efficient.

Lower rolling resistance also helps lower carbon dioxide emissions. Since 2013, Nokian Tyres reduced the rolling resistance of our products by an average of 8 percent compared to 2013, resulting in a reduction of 128 million kg of CO2.

We make our tires to minimize rolling resistance, but you can play a role in that, too. The key: keeping your tires inflated at their proper level. Underinflated tires generate more friction and are less fuel-efficient. So, if you’re serious about going green, make sure you’ve filled your tires to the recommended inflation pressure. You can usually find that on a sticker inside your driver’s-side door or in your car’s owner manual.

Greener Tires Through Better Materials and Processes

You can impact how full your tires are, but there’s plenty that happens before those tires are on your car. Eighty-five percent of a tire’s carbon footprint is generated during its use, but the other 15 percent comes from the way tires are sourced and manufactured. If going green is important to you, be sure to do some research about those processes before you buy your next set of tires.

We’ll give you a head start and tell you how we make sustainable tires in an eco-friendly way. 

We were the first tire company to eliminate the use of harmful oils in our tire compounds, and we did so without compromising the grip and safety of our tires. We only use purified oils in our tire production – no toxic or carcinogenic chemicals.

We’re also achieving new levels of sustainability in our production process. Our 2018 goal was to reduce CO2 emissions from our production process by 20 percent. We nearly doubled that goal, decreasing CO2 emissions by 38 percent.

There’s a lot more we’d love to tell you about our passion for sustainability. Click here to dive in! 

Hopefully this gives you a sound education about how tires impact the planet. Best of luck picking tires that are right for you and good for the environment! We have plenty of options for you.