The idea of organising a strike for the environment is not new. It has been used by countless activists in the past, and it is still a major source of pressure to create a reaction. More recently, however, the public opinion has been fascinated by the individual strike led by Greta Thunberg, a Swedish schoolgirl who decided to skip school for the climate. Her actions have been noticed by her government, as well as many others. Greta is dedicated to reducing carbon footprint to sort out the climate crisis. More recently, she’s crossed the Atlantic on a zero-emission boat to attend the United Nations climate summits in New York and Chile. There’s no denying that not many of us could switch to a zero-carbon emission lifestyle overnight. However, we can, at an individual level, consider reducing our car use for the climate.
Are there other alternatives?
Your car isn’t the only option to commute to work. In fact, for a lot of UK employees, reducing your carbon footprint is as easy as taking the bus. Indeed, transforming your commute journey from driving to relying on public transport instead can make a significant difference to C02 emissions. For professionals who live in the vicinity of their workplace, cycling or walking to the office is another viable option. However, if you live outside of big cities, public transport options are limited. Nevertheless, remote working alternatives can help to stay in the green.
When you can’t: Manage your fuel consumption
It is fair to say that not everyone can find an alternative to the car. Depending on where you live and what kind of job you have, you have no other choice than to drive to work every day. However, you can consider tips to become an environmentally-aware driver. For instance, if your car is equipped with a tachograph, you can use the chart along with the tachograph pictograms to figure out the best route for your fuel consumption by combining speed, distance, and other road event recordings. Alternatively, char-sharing schemes are becoming popular in busy offices.
Make a green choice for your next car
If you’ve been a diesel lover all your life, it’s time to look for an eco-friendly alternative. Petrolheads can drive green vehicles – some of which are still petrol models. For instance, the VK e-UP is a small electric city car with an NGC rating of 19 – New Green Car ratings express the environmental impact of the car, from 0 to 100; low scores are the least polluting vehicles. The Citroen C1 1.0 VTi Origins is a green petrol vehicle, with an NGC rating of 22. Even when renting a car you can be more environmentally conscious by choosing an eco-friendly rental car.
Is car-less sustainable?
The main question that people like Greta Thunberg push us to ask is whether we can survive without a car. The answer, as for now, is a loud and disappointing NO. Indeed, the UK is not yet equipped to provide satisfying public transport facilities to every location, let alone green public transport options. Additionally, the business mentally has not yet switched to virtual offices, which means that many commuters are on the road instead of working from home.
In conclusion, it can be tricky to get rid of your car to reduce your environmental impact. However, while there are alternatives to reduce usage or fuel consumption, the UK’s best option to cut down carbon footprint substantially is to develop financial options for green vehicles and public transport services.
