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The Revolution
This is a revolution. If you want to shut an airport then stop flying.
Want an end to factory farming? Grow your own. An end to pollution?
Change to renewables. An end to war & poverty? Microgenerate. Life
for your childen? Stop needing oil. YOU have THIS Power. You do not
need Government. Seize the initiative. Bring democracy to your
community. Be an example to your children. Take responsibility.
Change for good today. |
Driving Style
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Most people think
they drive better than the average motorist. Think about that.
Of course that is a statistical absurdity and cannot possibly be
true. Half of us will drive better than the average, the rest
will drive worse. So there is obviously a lot of ignorance or
denial out there. The age of the motor car will come to an end
when the oil does. Until then most northern industrialised
economies (ie, the rich people of the world) are completely
hooked on the provision of private motoring. The rest of the
world will just look on in disbelief.
We drive as if
fossil fuels are infinite and cheap. Indeed petrol prices have
declined in the UK in comparison to incomes. It has got cheaper
to run a car. The way we use cars leaves a lot to be desired.
Everyone can think of examples and few of us drive like saints.
So, hands up whose driving could be improved. Let's start saving
petrol, LPG and Diesel..... |
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First things first
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Lets get the
obvious stuff our of the way first. There is no such thing
as an environmentally friendly car. The car is a temporary
luxury unavailable to most. Let's treat it as such and use
it with respect. Avoid using your car for short journeys.
Use public transport where you can. Alternatively walk or
cycle. Better still stay at home and let the internet and
delivery services take the strain. Try sharing the car and
give lifts to others. Choose uncongested routes and combine
trips.
Finally, in your
choice of car please remember that small is good. An
Automatic Gearbox must be avoided as they increase your fuel
consumption by 5%. Choose Diesel over Petrol and then LPG
over Diesel. Choose the smallest engine and check out the
fuel consumption before buying. |
Efficient Driving Style
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Drive like a
chauffeur - drive smoothly and efficiently. Imagine a glass
of wine on the dashboard - you don't want to spill it. No
harsh acceleration or sudden braking. Accelerate slowly and
anticipate traffic ahead as far as you can see. If you need
to slow down then do so early and take your foot off the
accelerator. Coast to a halt where you can and use your
gears to slow yourself down gently. There is no point
accelerating at the car in front of you if it is stationary
or slowing down - then braking hard. Imagine the fuel you
have just used in accelerating now has to be wasted by
braking. You might as well take that fuel and pour it over
your brake-pads then set light to it. It is all wasted....
And for what?
Likewise, read
the instructions for your car. Modern cars do not need to be
either warmed up or revved - even on the coldest of
mornings. As soon as the engine turns over pop it into gear
and drive off. There is no need to over-rev the engine.
Petrol or LPG-powered cars run at their most efficient at
less than 2500RPM. Change up a gear as soon as you can. Keep your revs as low
as is practical. When your car is not moving switch it off.
Do not get out of the driver's position with the engine on -
ever! There is never any need to leave a modern car running.
It is dangerous and wasteful of fuel. It is also far easier
to steal! The engine should be on only if you are at the
wheel, going somewhere (even if it is very slowly!) or
waiting at traffic lights.
Slow down. Your
most efficient speed will be about 50mph. Stick
to the speed limit where practical. Lighten your car. What
are you carrying in the boot that you do not need? What have
you got bolted to your car that will increase drag? A roof
rack or bike carrier? Always remove the roof rack or bike
carrier when it is not being used.
Keep the car
serviced and regular occasions and watch your fuel
consumption. Keep the tyres inflated to the recommended
pressure. Minimise the use of electrical devices in the car.
Only use the Sat Nav if you driving in an unfamiliar area
with a genuine chance you might get lost! Likewise,
fog-lights are to be used when there is FOG. Using them at
any other time is actually illegal in the UK. Switch them
off and use your main lights responsibly. Finally, use your
air-conditioning only in summer when it is intolerably hot.
Even then, only use it for as long as you need to cool the
passenger cabin down. |
Carbon Cutter's Rules of the Road
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- Car Drivers must give way to pedestrians, cyclists,
horses, buses and multiple occupancy vehicles. One day
YOU will be travelling that way so treat them as you
would wish to be treated on the road. Their choice is
low carbon and much better than yours!
- Car Drivers must NOT give way to urban 4x4's or
SUV's. Make them wait but be polite. Pretend you can't
see them. They have made a bad choice and should suffer
for it - but be nice. Obviously if they are a builder,
farmer or country vet then act appropriately as their
choice is more limited. However it is easy to spot the
Mum on the school run or popping to the shops!
- Likewise do not give way to larger 'People Carriers'
if they are occupied by driver only.
- As a Car Driver you are the equivalent of other Cars
and Trade Vehicles such as lorries or vans. Show them
the usual courtesy whilst on the road.
- Relax and stick to the speed limit. Think about your
CO2 emissions and the 4 billion people on this planet
who are doing quite-nicely-thankyou without a car.
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Millablog
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Hello everybody. If you have a car you should think carefully
how you drive. We must also consider what we need switched on as
we drive. This causes much discussion between Mummy and Daddy as
he always turns the air-conditioning off in Summer. Mummy always
wants it turned on so they have to compromise. You should drive
within the speed limits too. It keeps me safe! |
Sport, Recreation & Safety
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One day the closest
any of us ever get to driving an automobile will be at a special
leisure facility. It is unlikely to be affordable within your
Carbon Ration but let's say, for argument's sake, that you have
saved up for two years to drive around a racing rack a couple of
time of go off-road in a 4x4. Using fossil fuels may well come
to be a very rare and expensive recreational pursuit.
Until such a time as
that then there is no need for anybody to use fossil fuels for
any kind of recreational sporting activity. There is equally no
need for anyone to treat driving on a public road like a
joy-ride. Driving safely is very much the same thing as driving
efficiently. There is no room for speeding or burning rubber if
you are concerned about your fossil fuel usage.
Sorry guys. The
period where you could go off for a "track day" in your
performance vehicle is rapidly coming to an end. This is the
antithesis of carbon cutting. It is fossil fuel wasting. Get a
life. |
Resource
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Urban 4x4's & SUV's
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If you are reading this page then you are probably already aware
of the controversy concerning the Urban 4x4's. This is not a
witch-hunt against the four-wheel drive vehicle itself. It is
just that context is everything. A farmer, builder or country
vet are three obvious professions where an all-terrain utility
vehicle is an essential tool-of the trade. These are often
diesel powered and the small numbers involved means that many
can be powered by home-grown bio-diesel.
However, for the
vast variety of the population the 4x4 is completely
inappropriate. Using one in built up areas is antisocial and
unethical. They take up more road and parking space. They use
more fossil fuels than necessary. They are more dangerous to
both their occupants and to other road users (be they
pedestrians, cyclists or other car drivers). You might as well
drive a tractor or tank. Please, PLEASE, think before you buy
one of these. They are socially unacceptable in urban areas and
the school run. |
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| References: |
- See the web sites listed above
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