How Can Drivers Make their Contribution This Earth Day ?

Okay, let’s cut the bollocks here as driving and environmental awareness put together is similar to an oil spill in the ocean. While this notion is true to a certain extent, there are definitely several things that we can do as drivers other than simply owning a Prius. Vehicular emission is one of the major contributor to the carbon content in the environment. We have already experienced a major climate change in the past 2 years along with continued reports of devastating earthquakes all around the world. While some consider this as a regular phenomenon, deep inside we know that with the increasing traffic on Manila roads there’s no way the air’s getting any cleaner. If you want to make your contribution this earth day, here are some ‘really green’ ideas that you can try.

1. Do Not Drive a Diesel Vehicle To Work

If you’re the kind of person who only drives a diesel vehicle due to cheaper fuel and better mileage, then you’re a part of the problem. While diesel vehicles are much cheaper to drive than gasoline powered ones, their emission levels and maintenance is extremely high. Electric vehicles and Hybrids are sure the next-gen solution to this problem, but as long as they bear premium price tags, petrol engines are the only option. The emission levels and maintenance of these vehicles is far lower, which also provides considerable tax benefits to the owners. So unless you’re not driving a commercial vehicle or travelling long distances, buy Petrol.

2. Avoid High Speeds

Have you heard of the term ‘Trigger foot’? In case you haven’t then you would certainly find one on any busy Manila road. It is a general tendency among drivers to put the pedal to the metal, even amidst busy traffic. While it would certainly save like 5-7 minutes of commute time on a daily basis (great success huh !), you know there’s no point in struggling against heavy traffic. The best way to ensure that your engine doesn’t get overloaded is by driving on optimal speeds. This not only helps avoid unnecessary fuel consumption, but also doesn’t put too much load on the engine.

3. Ride A Bicycle

Taking your car every time you want to want to buy a pack of gum surely sounds a little far-fetched. You could do it on your motorised 2-wheeler but what’s the ‘green’ in that. The best way to reduce your carbon footprint is by reducing the time you use a motorised vehicle. Bicycles are certainly a great choice if you want to maintain a healthy body while keeping vehicular emission at a bare minimum. You could also carpool but that would also beat the purpose of emission free transport.

4. Public Transport

The most cost-effective and green way to get around is by using public transport. It might be a little difficult for some to get used to the bustling Jeepneys and the Manila LRT (Light Rail Transit), but will be totally worth the pay-off. The commuter rail network is best suited for any long distance travel, while the Light Rail and Jeepneys are best for getting around cities. You could take a private cab, but that would again mean there’s another car on the road that could’ve been avoided.

5. Drive A Prius

When all else fails, owning a Prius remains the only option (sorry to break your bubble). While this sounds like a joke, we all know the Hybrid and electric vehicles are the future of automobile technology. Weather partially electric or fully, these vehicles have helped curb the rising CO2 emissions in several regions along with an astonishing fuel economy. These vehicles are currently available at prices that rival luxury brands, but that will soon change due to the increasing demand of Hybrid/electric vehicles each year.

In case you think China is the largest polluter in the world then you must also know that it is also the largest clean-energy driven market across the globe. Simply blaming China or US for this serious impact is certainly not the solution as we all need to make our personal contribution that would result in a much cleaner community. These abovementioned contributions might sure sound miniscule to some, but the conditions will certainly improve on a longer time span.