How cars are destroying our environment

Cars and other automobiles cause environmental damage even before they start running on the road. Manufacturing processes consume huge amounts of energy and are highly polluting.

Cars release large amounts of air pollution during usage. Even the best conventional cars operate at only about 30 per cent to 45 per cent efficiency, i.e. about 70 per cent of each litre of petrol you buy is wasted in the form of heat and to overcome friction in the internal components.

When this litre of petrol is burning your car's engine, it produces more than three kilos of air pollutants including carbon dioxide - a greenhouse gas - and nitrogen oxides. How many litres of petrol does your car consume each year?

Infrastructure supporting car usage, such as street lighting and road maintenance, consume large amounts of energy and contribute to global warming as well.

Even after cars are scrapped, they can still continue to harm the environment. Oils containing heavy metals and other toxic substances can leak into the ground and contaminate our reservoirs while they are sitting in the scrap yard waiting to be recycled.

Reasons To Travel Green

There are some compelling reasons to adopt eco-friendly means of transport. Here are some that apply to Singapore.

•  To reduce the amount of air pollution around us.
Pollution produced by road traffic hits us most directly since it is produced nearest to where we live, work and play. Pollution from cars such as nitrogen oxides and micro-particles can seriously affect health, especially children's.

•  To reduce our reliance on fossil fuels.
Non-renewable fossil fuels contribute to global warming by producing large amounts of carbon dioxide and other pollutants when burnt. Singapore , being a small low lying island, will be strongly affected if global sea levels rise due to global warming.

•  To free up land for alternative usage.
Singapore's roads now occupy 12 per cent of the island, nearly the same percentage as housing. By comparison, nature reserves currently occupy slightly more than five per cent, still short of the target set in the first Singapore Green Plan in 1992. By reducing our dependence of cars, we can have more space for our homes and nature areas instead of constantly building new roads and carparks.

Cultural heritage and nature areas might have a better chance of being kept in their original states if there were less pressure to build bypasses and expressways. Roads and carparks take up large amounts of space near our homes that can be used for parks and green playgrounds for our children.

Here are some greener alternatives

Car sharing schemes now available make it easy for you to stay mobile without having to own a car. For more information please go to "Car Sharing" section.

Use public transport as it is usually the most energy efficient way to transport large numbers of people. Using public transport reduces greenhouse gas emissions, conserves fuel and reduces road congestion, helping us to safeguard the future for our children. In Singapore, the public transportation system is well thought out and affordable.

Walking and cycling are also good options, especially if your destination is less than two km away. You produce no pollution at all, and for short trips around town or housing estate, it is often faster to walk and cycle than drive since a more direct route can be taken. Besides, there are no traffic jams to deal with, and no need to spend on expensive parking either.

Cycling. If you are a keen cyclist, you might already know that the SMRT allows foldable bicycles (folded size 81cm x 58cm x 30cm) on their trains, so it is possible to ride to the MRT station from your home or office, and then carry your bicycle onto the train with you. Use a bike-bag to keep the bicycle clean.

Also read:
"Good things About Cycling for Singapore" by Paul Barter

"Folding Bikes: Real Utility Vehicles" by Jack Oortwijn & Otto Beaujon

Go the Segway. At the cost of up to $10,988, the Segway Human Transporter is battery-powered two-wheeler that lets you commute to work, shop and run errands more efficiently, while adding a little fun to your day.

With a Segway of similar machine, a rider can easily travel a distance of a few kilometres around the home or office.

Contact local distributor SiS Asia at 6473-9898 for more details.

Hybrid cars. If you are in the market for a new car, consider buying a hybrid car. Both Honda and Toyota sell cars in Singapore with hybrid engines that use significantly less fuel and produce much less emissions. A 20 per cent discount on the Open Market Value is available when you buy a hybrid car.

You can also rent the Honda Civic hybrid on an hourly basis, if you work in the CBD area.