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New Zealand is a nation of cars.
Emissions from vehicles include hydrocarbons, nitrogen
oxides, carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, particulates and
sulphur oxide. These emission contribute to global warming
and general ill health, including respiratory, heart and
liver issues, and cancer.
Vehicles are reliant on oil, which is a limited resource and
will not always be available in the quantities that we are
used to. Oil is also costly to produce, and uses methods
that are not always environmentally friendly.
As the oil starts to run out, the cost of fuel will
increase. We have already seen massive increases in the cost
of fuel over the last few years. We are also seeing major
congestion on our roads in our cities which raises our
stress levels and eats into our free time.
As a nation we need to look at ways of reducing our reliance
on cars. The availability of public transport in New Zealand
is improving, but not fast enough. We can help speed up this
progress by using the options that are available to us.
You have got plenty of options:
-
walking – great for those short
trips (to school, the dairy, or work if you live close
by)
-
cycling – useful for slightly
longer trips
-
bus
-
train
-
ferry
-
car pool
-
motorbike or scooter
Walking and cycling is also great for your health. There are
more and more cycleways being created by our councils making
this a safe option.
As well as saving money on fuel and parking, car pooling is
also great for getting onto the motor way using the transit
lanes, and for catching up with all the gossip.
The bus, train and ferry give you a chance to read the
newspaper, your book, or even snooze. The ferry also
provides some spectacular views.
Useful links
Auckland -
http://www.maxx.co.nz/
Wellington -
http://www.metlink.org.nz/section10.php
Christchurch -
http://www.metroinfo.org.nz/
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Car efficiency
Most of us
will continue to own a car. Make sure you get the best
fuel efficiency from it.
-
if you
have the option, choose a car that is fuel efficient for
the type of travel that you will be doing - check out
rightcar.govt.nz,
or
fuelsaver.govt.nz
-
get
your car serviced regularly
-
avoid
short trips - walk or cycle instead
-
make
sure your tires are at the correct tire pressure
- incorrect pressure can use an
extra 8% fuel
-
make
sure your tires are correctly aligned - this not only
saves fuel but extends the life of your tyres
-
avoid
heavy accelerating and heavy breaking - an abrupt
driving style can cost you up to 20% more fuel
-
don't
use your car as a storage device - take out those
unnecessary items to reduce the amount of weight your
engine is trying to move
-
remove
your roof rack when you are not using it
-
turn
your air conditioning off unless you really need it -
this can save you 9% in fuel
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Last
page update: September 2010 |