Abandon the Car? | Green Energy News

September 15, 2002 – Vol.7 No.25

ABANDON THE CAR?

Here’s a radical step to mitigate climate change most American’s wouldn’t even consider: Park the car, take the keys out and forget about it - never drive it again.

Aside from American’s love of the automobile, the lack of public transit in most of the nation, and distances to far to travel by foot or bicycle, make it clear that, for now, the car has become an unfortunate necessity in the U.S.

But that radical step is being recommended for the U.K. in a new report by the Energy Savings Trust. The report states that carbon dioxide emissions can be reduced by making vehicles more efficient, but that in the long term government policy could be aimed at slowing and ultimately reducing car ownership and the use of cars.

The report also shows that the U.K. has much to loose from climate change. Almost 2 million homes and 5 million people (750,000 in London alone) could be threatened with flooding from above normal rainfall and rising sea levels. Buildings and land worth GBP 222 billion ($344 billion) are at risk from flood damage as is three-fifths of the nation’s best farmland. The report was submitted to the Department of Trade and Industry which will publish a white paper regarding climate change at the beginning of next year.

Visit the Trust at http://www.est.org.uk/ .