Redditch Friends of the Earth | Think Global, Act Local

CAR SHARING

Share your daily journey with someone on LIFTSHARE and you could help cut your carbon, save money and get to work quicker.

What is car sharing?

Car sharing is when two or more people share a car and travel together. It’s something many of us do all the time without thinking about it, but there are some occasions when you might want to share a car and don’t know anyone going your way. That’s where LIFTSHARE can help. http://www.liftshare.com

Liftshare can put you in touch with travel companions to all destinations across the UK, free of charge.

What are the benefits of car sharing?

Benefits individuals and the environment by:

Reducing travel costs

On average a carsharer will save themselves around Ł1,000 a year.

Reducing congestion

Car sharing reduces the number of cars on the road making it easier for everyone to get around.

Reducing pollution

By car sharing you can significantly reduce the amount of harmful CO2 emissions which cause global warming.

Make the change now.

Help make better use of the 38 million empty seats on the UK’s roads every weekday by logging onto http://www.liftshare.com and spending 5 minutes entering the details of any journeys you are making.

CYCLING

Fed up with congestion?

Always struggling for a parking space?

Then get on your 2 Wheels ...

"Evidence shows that people who cycle to work are fitter, more alert and more productive that non-cyclists" - Peter Brooke, Heritage Secretary 1994.

Why Cycle?

At a time when there is serious concern about congestion and pollution and when even the Government has admitted that new roads in urban areas only exacerbate the problems, alternatives must be found - and quickly.

Of course, cycling's not for everyone. Many are either too scared or too content reading a paper on the bus or train to contemplate taking on the traffic 'head-to-head'. Yet with a bit of encouragement and advice, it's a fair bet that some of your employees would switch to a bike and change their whole way of life in the process.

The benefits that cyclists have for employers

A healthier, more productive workforce

According to doctors only one in ten Britons take enough exercise.

Cycling benefits the heart and lungs, lowers blood pressure, and helps in weight control.

Cyclists are more alert, less prone to stress and take fewer days off sick.

Freed from timetables and traffic jams, people arrive on time.

A 'greener' corporate image

In these competitive times, forward thinking companies are keen to promote a 'green' image as a means to tapping into the potential market of the environmentally aware consumer. A pro-cycling policy will not only enhance your green credentials with customers and potential employees.

The benefits for employees who cycle

Lower travel costs

No more season tickets, bus passes, petrol bills and parking fees. A bike costs only a fraction as much to run as a car, and pays for itself in a few months.

Better health

A 35 year-old man cycling 12 miles a day extends his life expectancy by two-and-a-half years compared with someone who takes no exercise, says the British Medical Association.

Throw out the multi-gym! Cycling combines getting to work with exercise. Long distance commuters can combine cycling with a train journey, or drive to the outskirts of the city and cycle the rest of the way, avoiding the worst of the traffic.

More fun

For many riding through a park or on a cycle track opens up a whole lost world of peace, fresh air and sheer pleasure of being that much closer to nature for a part of the journey.

(Taken with thanks from 'Pushbikes' - Birmingham's cycle campaign group http://www.pushbikes.freeserve.co.uk)

DRIVING FRIENDLY

The time has come for motorists to chose more efficient vehicles, for their pocket and for the environment. Gas-guzzling 'Chelsea tractors' will soon be as much a rarity on our streets as the Sinclair C5.

Choosing a more fuel efficient car can help save money and reduce greenhouse emissions. For motorists considering buying a new car there are many green options. The most efficient cars, such as the VW BlueMotion, emit less than 100g CO₂/km, in comparison to the Range Rover Freelander 1.8 petrol which creates 248g CO₂/km.

Hybrid cars, like the Toyota Prius, have a petrol engine and an electric motor that is charged as you drive. At slower speeds, under 30mph, the electric motor automatically powers the car, but driving faster means relying on the petrol engine. In comparison to a petrol vehicle they cost two-thirds of the price to run and have a reduced road-tax. It's a green car if you drive at slower speeds.

Electric cars, like the G-Wiz, have no exhaust emissions and are currently the greenest and cheapest way to drive. They plug straight in, costing only a few pence worth of electricity. For households that have switched their electricity to a supplier generating from renewable energy they will be producing zero carbon emissions.

Electric cars also have the benefit of not contributing to air pollution that causes respitatory problems. Drivers of electric cars enjoy free road tax and free parking permits in cities like Manchester and London. In the centre of London there are over 50 charging points where electric cars can charge for free. Currently, electric cars are only suitable for driving locally as a charge will last 40-50 miles. However, technology is developing fast, as the Tesla Roadster shows, travelling over 200 miles from a 3 hour charge and easily exceeding the national speed limit.

Greener cars will be crucial in reducing transport's impact on climate change and should be introduced widely as soon as possible. Some local authorities seem to be in the slow lane when it comes to promoting the benefits of owning a greener car. Plugging into clean electricity from renewable sources like wind, solar and tidal energy will mean our cars aren't adding to air pollution or contributing to climate change.

Converting to LPG (liquified petroleum gas) could reduce your fuel cost by up to 50% and lower your road tax band. LPG costs less at the pump, reduces our reliance on petrol and diesel, whilst LPG vehicles produce 20% less CO₂ than their petrol equivalents.

Some motorists are turning to Biofuels to save money and reduce greenhouse gas emissions from their vehicles. Biofuels are derived from plants and can, in theory, be used in any diesel engine. However, there are concerns about its production. Biofuel crops are causing the loss of ancient rainforest habitats and are competing with land grown for food. The sustainable production of biofuel comes from re-using waste materials like cooking fat.

Many fleet vehicles are using biodiesel produced from waste cooking oil. It's something that our local authorities could easily be working towards, setting-up a project in Redditch to collect and re-process.

Other suggestions to motorists are:

- Changing gear at the correct speed.

- Ensuring tyre pressures are correct.

- Reducing drag by removing roofrack.

Besides switching to a more efficient car, there are other green options for motorists and companies. Birmingham now has pay-as-you-go car-sharing clubs, and the online network 'Liftshare' helps save cash whilst cutting emissions by sharing car journeys.

One thing a greener car doesn't reduce is traffic congestion.

Choosing public transport or walking and cycling can help us all stay healthy and get around quicker.

- Visit The Green Car Website. http://www.thegreencarwebsite.co.uk

- Switch to a household electricty supplier (Good Energy and Ecotricity) who get their power from renewable sources.

- Visit Friends of the Earth. http://www.foe.co.uk/campaigns/transport/issues/cars_index.html