Monday was World Car Free Day in around 40 countries. Not in Malta. With Malta's dismal green credentials, the authorities might actually have had no choice but look the other way. A reader posted a message on timesof malta.com saying Malta only managed a public transport free day this year (thanks to the public transport strike in July) which probably did the country a world of good.
That's the whole point. What's the use of leaving the car at home and getting on a belching bus, probably running on an LHO cocktail? Where's the sense in riding a bike to work if you have to cycle behind a bus? It's a joke - but it's not funny. Research by the UK's Environmental Transport Association (ETA) has shown that 37 per cent of British drivers are aware that their car is responsible for pollution but do not feel there is a practical alternative to driving. ETA director Andrew Davis says the idea behind Car Free Day, which the ETA first organised in Britain 11 years ago, was "not to put cars on trial or to totally condemn drivers' desire for mobility, but rather to reconsider the way we travel."
The NGO's website (www.eta. co.uk) offers some practical tips on green driving that all of us could follow to do our bit and reduce fuel consumption and pollution every day.
The association suggests buying nearly new cars but checking that they are environmentally efficient. The same goes for new cars. Reduce your car's weight by removing heavy items like buggies, the golf bag, and tools. The wind resistance caused by roof racks also uses up more fuel. Remove it if you don't use it often. Avoid overfilling the tank - spilled fuel evaporates. Drive with the windows up when possible to reduce drag. Don't be in a hurry - it's uneconomical. Turn on air-conditioning only when needed. Avoid unnecessary revving or idling. Run a collection of errands in a journey, rather than one at a time. Avoid congested areas and reduce traffic time if you can. Delay your journey - it could mean less time spent in the car. Give people going the same way a lift when possible.
There. Shouldn't be too hard.
That's the whole point. What's the use of leaving the car at home and getting on a belching bus, probably running on an LHO cocktail? Where's the sense in riding a bike to work if you have to cycle behind a bus? It's a joke - but it's not funny. Research by the UK's Environmental Transport Association (ETA) has shown that 37 per cent of British drivers are aware that their car is responsible for pollution but do not feel there is a practical alternative to driving. ETA director Andrew Davis says the idea behind Car Free Day, which the ETA first organised in Britain 11 years ago, was "not to put cars on trial or to totally condemn drivers' desire for mobility, but rather to reconsider the way we travel."
The NGO's website (www.eta. co.uk) offers some practical tips on green driving that all of us could follow to do our bit and reduce fuel consumption and pollution every day.
The association suggests buying nearly new cars but checking that they are environmentally efficient. The same goes for new cars. Reduce your car's weight by removing heavy items like buggies, the golf bag, and tools. The wind resistance caused by roof racks also uses up more fuel. Remove it if you don't use it often. Avoid overfilling the tank - spilled fuel evaporates. Drive with the windows up when possible to reduce drag. Don't be in a hurry - it's uneconomical. Turn on air-conditioning only when needed. Avoid unnecessary revving or idling. Run a collection of errands in a journey, rather than one at a time. Avoid congested areas and reduce traffic time if you can. Delay your journey - it could mean less time spent in the car. Give people going the same way a lift when possible.
There. Shouldn't be too hard.