Spring Car Carbon Challenge 2011
Do you feel dependant on the use of your CO2 emitting car??
Why not take our Spring Carbon Challenge and aim to reduce the number of miles that you take by car?
IDEAS:
Could you walk, cycle or use a bus instead for one journey? A week? A month?
Could you car share one day a week?
Start by chooosing a route which you would normallly be travelling by car. Decide on a more eco-friendly mode of transport. Count up the number of miles which you have saved through travelling in an eco-friendly way, rather than a car.
To work out the number of tonnes of CO2 saved: Tot up the numbers of miles that you have saved and multiply this by 0.207 kg CO2 = number of tonnes (KG) CO2 saved per mile walked/cycled/ car shared.
If you went on public transport, Multiply the number of miles by 0.178 kg CO2 saved. (based on taking a bus instead of a car).
Here are a summary of the Car Carbon Challenge which we set ourselves as a group. It is interesting to note that travel is the area where there has been huge change in attitude within our group. Even beyond the focus of mode of transport to and from the garden, many people have been choosing to make travel lifestyle changes involving public transport/ walking as holiday choices. One person chose to ‘leave the car at home’ when travelling 500km in UK and saved an estimated 90.45 kg CO2 (500 km x 0.2070 kg CO2 for an average petrol car minus 450 km x 0.0290kg CO2 on coach. Additional 50 miles walking/ hitching – no figures).
As an autumn carbon challenge set up the group in 2009, members were asked to note the number of miles which they saved by choosing not to drive but to take public transport or to walk instead.
The total the number of miles saved by 8 people was 4000 miles for 4 months. For the purposes of calculating carbon, it is assumed that 90% of these journeys were in a bus as opposed driving an average car and the remaining 10% of journeys were walking/cycling. Thus CO2 emission s saved is estimated to be (90% of 4000miles= 3600miles x 0.3286 kg CO2- 0.1158 kg CO2(bus)) 766kg Co2 saved from taking public transport. And (10% of 4000miles x 0.3286) 131 Kg CO2 saved from walking/ cycling instead of driving.
The results of our annual carbon questionnaire shows that 4 people now use public transport more often than a car. 1 person uses a bike in addition to walking/ public transport now.
We asked members to estimate the number of hours spent on public transport per week. In retrospect, this question could have been better focused by targeting the number of kilometres travelled. Therefore, an assumption is made that journeys on public transport are short journeys mainly in and around the Kilmarnock area at 30kms per hour, using the travel route map figures issued by Climate Challenge Fund of 0.1158 kg Co2/ passenger kms travelled in a local bus. Also, for the purpose of calculating CO2 emissions, there is an estimated average time (eg: for 2-5 hours per week, read 3.5 hrs). 2 people didn’t previously travel by bus but now travel 2-5 hours a week= 2x 3.5hrsx30 km x 0.1158= 24.32 kg CO2/ year. 1 person who didn’t previously use a bus, now travels 5-10 hours per week = 1x 7.5hrsx 30 x 0.1158= 26 kg CO2/ year. 5 people reduced the number of hours spent on public transport to an estimated collective total of 10 hours per week = minus 34.74 kg CO2 per year. When these figures are taken together (24.32+ 26 – 34.74), there is still an estimated saving of 15.58 kg CO2.
We also measured the number of hours spent in short haul flights in the last year. However, the majority of our group do not fly as a mode of transport due to individual choice to lessen the environmental impact of flying therefore we have no figures for that.
All and all an interesting exercise. Well worth the challenge! And you get fitter or get out and meet with people in the process! Reduce your carbon emissions from transport and send us your figures.