Maybe it's guilt about the fact we're not looking after planet earth properly, or perhaps I've simply become a boring old fart, but recently I've become obsessed with driving as economically as possible on each and every trip.
It's not so much being more light footed on the juice, but rather about adopting strategies to minimize the use of the accelerator and brakes.
For example, on a route you know, when approaching a set of hills it's possible to gauge how much gas is needed to get you over the first crest, before using that momentum to get you over the next few (without touching the accelerator at all).
Or, through better anticipation of traffic flow, you can keep up with other cars using just one or two judicious (and light) dabs of the throttle (and then coast in gear in between each dab, rather than just using constant light throttle, brakes, constant light throttle etc).
I've always been one to look at the road ahead, rather than just the car in front, but over the last few months I've become much more savvy with my technique, so much so that both throttle and brake usage have been reduced to a minimum. Hopefully, my new found skills will also help with the longevity of my discs and pads too
To give you more of an idea of what I'm on about read this
excellent 4car article.
Certainly, with the way the i-
VTEC 1.8 works, the combination of engine and driver can certainly make a difference to your wallet and CO2 emissions!