Many of us are growing more concerned about the environment and this concern is changing our choices. We’re saying no to plastic bags, we’re recycling more and we’re choosing to be more conscious in our decisions. If you’re a car owner like I am, you may have spent a fair bit of time considering the implications on the environment of using your car. As I’m single, often when I use my car it’s just to transport myself, which makes me feel a little guilty. But don’t worry, there are small changes you can make when using your car to minimise the environmental impact and to ensure you’re doing your best to keep the environment as clean as possible:
1. Car Pool
Do you live near your colleagues, yet drive to work separately? Do you have kids in school, with parents nearby who have kids at the same school. Why not consider car pooling? You’ll save on gas and can split the driving responsibilities amongst the group, potentially giving you a little more time in the mornings a few days a week- sounds pretty great right?
2. Use a Better Quality Fuel
If you’ve ever visited a country where there’s no regulations on what people put into their cars, or what kind of fuel they use, you’ll have seen the black cloud of smoke coming out of many of the exhausts – gross! Always use the best quality fuel you can afford, it’s better for your car and the environment too. The future of fuel is changing, dramatically, with more electric cars on the market as well as hybrid cars. Motorparks have made a great infographic outlining the future of fuel, which I’ll include at the bottom of the post for you to check out.
3. Use Public Transport Where Possible
Maybe it sounds a bit ridiculous when you have a car to consider using public transport, but there may be some situations where it makes more sense than using a car. For example, if you’re attending an event where there will be a huge parking fee, it will often be easier and cheaper to take public transport. Likewise if you’re planning to drink, public transport is the obvious choice. I encourage you to use public transport a few more times a month in order to reduce traffic congestion and carbon emissions from your car. You may think you’re just one person, so what difference could it make? But the truth is if million of people made these small changes, we would see a dramatic difference. Be the change you want to see!
