.png)
Most cars run on petrol or diesel and their exhaust fumes include carbon dioxide which causes climate change. Exhaust fumes also cause air pollution. Reducing our number of car journeys - taking public transport, walking, cycling or scooting instead – is therefore a double whammy! – good for the health of both us and our planet!
Often our lives seem structured around driving – to work, to school, to the supermarket, to clubs – and sometimes alternatives aren’t available. Especially as children, you might feel you don’t have a choice or can’t make a difference. This week’s challenge is however, to see how you, as a Young Climate Warrior, can reduce carbon emissions related to your car journeys – avoiding them is obviously the best option – but here are 3 others elements to our guzzle-busting jigsaw puzzle.
First puzzle piece – walking, scooting, biking!
Second puzzle piece – lift-sharing! Can you think hard this week about who you could offer a lift to? How often you do turn up at football, cubs, brownies or dance class and bump into your friend who lives down the road? Make suggestions to your parent/carer about potential lift-shares – cut your carbon emissions from that journey in half!
Third puzzle piece – switching off. Whilst you are sitting in your car waiting to collect your brother, sister or friend, at the bus stop, or in a traffic jam, can you ask your parent or carer to turn the engine off – save those carbon emissions! Keeping the engine running without driving anywhere is called ‘idling’. There are now lots of local ‘anti-idling campaigns’ - have you seen their slogan ‘I’m no idler… idling is fuelish.’
Final puzzle piece – check your tyre pressure. When you’re next at the garage ask your parent/carer if you can check the tyre pressure together. Have you ever tried cycling a bike with a flat tyre – it’s really hard work. If the air pressure in your car tyres is too low, your car engine has to work harder, burning more fuel, and producing more carbon emissions.
If you’re enjoying the ‘puzzle’ theme – you might like to do this Climate Change Wordsearch next time you’re waiting around in the car!
Remember to HIT THE RED BUTTON and tell us when you’ve helped our planet by cutting carbon emissions from your car journeys
