Doing Your Bit
There are lots of steps you can take to help improve air quality in the region today, by using more sustainable methods of transport, such as walking, cycling or taking the bus, and by being more energy efficient around the home, including using energy saving light bulbs and turning off electrical items when not in use. We can all do our bit, if everyone contributes and makes these small changes it will make a big difference to our local environment!
Need to travel by car? When you have to use a car there are still steps you can take to reduce the emissions you produce. Some tips are provided on the ECO-driving page to help you get from a to b in your car and still be more environmentally friendly. You could even try car sharing with friends or work colleagues or log on to the Car Share South Yorkshire website, www.carsharesouthyorkshire.com, which offers help to find a car share buddy.
You may be interested to know that many of these tips will also help save you money and some even will help to improve your fitness levels.
Hints and Tips
To drive down local emissions, you could:
- Go for a run rather than drive to the gym
- Car share to work, or for the kids school run
- Use the bus or a train rather than the car
- Have fun! Ride your bike instead of using the car
- Walk as an alternative to driving, which improves your health as well as improving air quality
- Care for your car with regular tune-ups, changing the oil and checking tyre inflation – this can reduce your car’s emissions by more than half
- In hot weather get fuel when it’s cool. Refueling during cooler periods of the day or in the evening can prevent petrol fumes from heating up and creating ozone.
As part of the bigger picture, emissions from regional and national sources can also be influenced in our day to day activities, especially by being more energy efficient.
Do you do any of the following? If not make, some small changes today and help where you can.
- Turn off lights, televisions, DVD players, computers and other electrical items when not in use
- Turn down the central heating slightly (by as little as 1 or 2 degrees)
- Fill your dish washer and washing machine with a full load
- Fill the kettle with only as much water as you need
- Fit energy saving light bulbs