Drive and buy smarter to cut CO2 says DfT
Author: Robin Brown
Published: 31 December 2007
Drivers can help tackle climate change and save money overf winter by acting on CO2 and following Smarter Driving tips, says the Department for Transport (DfT).
The DfT´s ACT ON CO2 campaign is aimed at encouraging drivers to cut CO2 emissions either by choosing a more environmentally friendly vehicle or using simple tips to reduce fuel consumption.
If all drivers in the UK followed the Smarter Driving tips over the twelve days of Christmas, CO2 emissions from cars could be reduced by 8%, which equates to 182 thousand tonnes of CO2, saving all motorists almost £68 million in just twelve days.
Transport Minister Jim Fitzpatrick said: "With many of us travelling to visit family and friends over Christmas time, we´ll be clocking up extra miles and increasing our carbon emissions. If you do have to travel by car, why not try out the smarter driving tips, help tackle climate change and save yourself some money at the same time."
The advice comes ahead of a follow up burst of advertising for the Department´s ACT ON CO2 campaign. From New Year´s Eve adverts urging motorists to drive smarter will hit TV screens and national newspapers.
The advertising will give motorists simple Smarter Driving tips to help them drive in a way that improves fuel consumption and therefore reduces carbon emissions. They star ´Engine´, a character designed to show that it´s not just the car; it´s how you treat the engine that counts.
The top Smarter Driving tips are:
- Pump up to cut down on CO2 - under-inflated tyres mean more CO2 so make sure your tyres are pumped up correctly
- Don´t over rev the engine - change up a gear a little earlier when you can
- Less clutter in your car means less CO2 - the less weight you carry in your car, the easier it is for your engine and the less fuel it uses.
According to the DfT the least polluting vehicles are the Volkswagen Polo BlueMotion, Toyta Prius, MINI Cooper D, Peugeot 107, Toyota Aygo, Citroen C1 and Honda Civic Hybrid.
More tips are available on http://www.dft.gov.uk/ActOnCO2 along with the best on CO2 rankings which allow you to search the top 10 cars with lowest CO2 emissions by class.
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