We cannot wait for governments to act.
There is no techno-fix.
Every mile or km we drive contributes to climate change emissions. Transport contributes 25% of all climate change emissions [===], with road use by far the most. So we should cut our unnecessary miles or kms.By driving less we reduce our climate change emissions. "Only by a little?" As my mother and grandmother used to say, and as a large supermarket has reminded us, "Every little helps".
We are too dependent on oil. We depend on oil to drive, into the foreseeable future. We take this so much for granted that we don't think about it any more. But dependency on oil make us vulnerable to attack. Does not unquestioned dependency on oil sap our personal and national character?Choosing to drive less, makes us personally and nationally less dependent on oil.
Vehicles have to be made. And, as things wear out, and they are repaired, components have to be made. The manufacture of vehicles and their components generates climate-change emissions and pollution. So does the extraction and processing of raw materials from which they are made.If we choose to drive less, our vehicles and their components wear out less often. They are replaced less often. Manufacture emissions are reduced.
Do not underestimate the importance of setting an example. When we set an example of responsibility, others are inspired to follow our example - many more than we are aware of. Our example is even more powerful when we change our behaviour and lifestyle, and people find out why we did so.When choosing to drive less, people notice and begin to think about their own driving - and driving less spreads.
Because the trend is going the wrong way. Even after many years of knowing about the problems of road transport, the trend is going the wrong way. Pedestrians seriously injured in 2017 numbered 20,000, higher than the previous nine years. After 20 years of knowing these facts, we are driving more miles (km) and more often every year - 5% increase from 2011 to 2014.By driving less, we halt then reverse this trend. We've GOT to reverse it.
Because road vehicles kill birds. Between 30 and 70 million birds are killed by road vehicles on British roads each year. Roads create barriers for wildlife to move and replenish populations; by driving more, the government feels pressured to build yet more roads - exacerbating this problem.When enough of us drive less, this slaughter will reduce.
Governments are too cautious in reducing road use. The UK government keeps on putting off the fuel duty escalator. Even the UK government, even though it has passed a law that we must reduce climate change emissions from within the UK to zero by 2050, is acting too slowly and cautiously. =====Though some governments have enacted legislation to reduce climate change emissions, most governments are allowing emissions to rise. Often because what politicians see as giving their nation kudos are those things that cause more emissions rather than less. Often because of powerful vested interests, on which the nation's economy and way of life is assumed to depend. Car industry, air travel, chemical industry, etc. Often because they outsource their emissions. And even without these hindrances, the legislation is not strong enough.
Example: The United Kingdom has legislation to reduce climate change emissions from within Britain by zero by 2050. But our this is not fast enough. And since it does not include the climate-change emissions caused by goods we consume that are imported, nor aviation, we need to do even more. Though considered bold in its time, it is not enough. We now know that we need to reduce our climate change emissions to zero, that is by 100%, by 2040. The UK achieved its reduction in emissions by outsourcing many of them to China: manufacturing industries generate high emissions, but the UK shut down its manufacturing industries, but increasingly bought manufactured goods from China - which is actually worse because shipping those goods generates large emissions.
Our bodies are 'designed' for exercise, of perhaps 5 miles per day. Every car journey is an opportunity lost for gaining much-needed exercise. Commuting by car, averaging one hour per day, is one hour lost of the day, in which exercise could be taken.
In the UK outdoor air pollution causes an estimated 14000 deaths per year - most from us driving.
Pedestrians killed 2017: 3 by cyclists, 400 by motor vehicles. Pedestrians injured: 20,000 - a nine-year high. [Source]
Cars cause 30 times the accidents that trains do, per passenger-mile /km. [Source]
Car miles. Air miles. Domestic heating. Appliances. Indirect embedded fossil fuels in every product you buy. Try Carbon Footprint Calculator
Think before you get in the car: How necessary is this journey? What happens if I do without it? Would that really be a disaster? Something like 80% of journeys taken by car are unnecessary.
If you add up the time taken with travelling to distant shops, and the costs incurred, especially to the environment and planet, then the more local shop often turns out cheaper even though its price tickets might be slightly higher.
Have fun nearer to home. If we must drive, drive to nearer facilities and entertainment. If possible, choose enjoyments near enough to walk to.
When you are used to it, most journeys up to 10 miles (16 km) are possible, and often more enjoyable, by cycling. We see more, notice more, and feel more involved with our surroundings. It is easier to stop and 'park'. And it gives us exercise. Until you are used it, try journeys up to 2 miles by cycling, then to 4 miles, then 8.
Walking is great exercise, slower than cycle, but often able to go places that no vehicle can.
Especially between cities. Take local train or bus to city, then train between cities. Fast and comfortable. Can read, write, watch, relax, converse or even sleep - most of which cannot be done while driving. Compared with that, is not driving a waste of life? Perhaps use taxis at either end to and from stations.
Great in cities. In rural areas can be very relaxing. But more difficult in rural areas - though can often be done with a little planning.
Think about your journeys and see which ones can be either omitted or replaced by other modes of transport.
- Make a list of the car journeys you have taken over the past month or two.
- Sort them into lengths.
- Decide, for each, how important the journey was. For each, ask yourself "What if I omitted this journey?"
- For each journey, ask yourself "What would have heppened if I had made that journey by walking, cycling, taking buses, or taking the train?"
- Review and act.
Road rage is exacerbated by cars.
Driving robs us of exercise opportunities. Driving robs us of time to exercise.Is it not the height of foolishness to drive to a gym to get some exercise? In any case, exercise taken in the course of normal life - like walking or cycling rather than driving - is more effective than exercise in a gym.
from fumes and accidents.
Britain leads the way in targets to reduce climate change - but only because we have outsourced many of our "consumptions emissions" to China and other nations. We used to manufacture the things we consume here; now we import things we consume. Does it not make sense to include the pollution and climate-change emissions resulting from our consumption in our own responsibility? Those of the manufacture and the transport of the goods we consume? This includes almost all the raw materials and components of which our vehicles are made. Every mile we drive wears them out.If we choose to drive less, we ====== pollution is different from climate-change emissions
We need to develop life habits that no longer demand more from the planet than it can deliver. Driving less is part of that. We need to begin now.