Then, nothing will prevent you from spoiling yourself a bit with an air conditioning, a cruise control, or other small semi-rational luxuries. But at least, by asking yourself those questions, you will be more aware of the real reasons of your choices and less influenced by advertising, prejudice, and the actions of others' belief.
I also invite you to David Suzuki's website, who has written this letter that you can sign and that asks the Canadian government to put pressure on automotive manufacturers to produce less energy-hungry vehicles.
To send this letter to Environment minister Stéphane Dion, Industry minister David Emerson, and Prime Minister Paul Martin, see:
http://www.davidsuzuki.org/Climate_Change/act_cars.asp
To conclude, here's a little trivia question:
-How many trees do we have to plant to absorb a car's greenhouse gas emissions?
Answer:
"Suppose a car consumes 10 litres every 100 km. That means it will use 2,000 litres of fuel in a year (20,000 km). The combustion of a litre of fuel produces 2.5 kg of carbon dioxide. The car will spit out some 5,000 kg of carbon dioxide in a year. Since a mature tree absorbs 4.5 to 5 kg of carbon dioxide a year, we'll have to plant about 1,000 annually to absorb the CO2 emitted by the vehicle." (1)
So, if you feel like the man who planted trees and want to dedicate your life to compensate the effects of your fuel consumption, good luck. Or else, it would probably be less hassle to buy a car that's less energy-hungry, or drive less...
(1): La Presse, Environnement, Monday January 31st 2005, page 4 Arts Spectacles.
I also invite you to David Suzuki's website, who has written this letter that you can sign and that asks the Canadian government to put pressure on automotive manufacturers to produce less energy-hungry vehicles.
To send this letter to Environment minister Stéphane Dion, Industry minister David Emerson, and Prime Minister Paul Martin, see:
http://www.davidsuzuki.org/Climate_Change/act_cars.asp
To conclude, here's a little trivia question:
-How many trees do we have to plant to absorb a car's greenhouse gas emissions?
Answer:
"Suppose a car consumes 10 litres every 100 km. That means it will use 2,000 litres of fuel in a year (20,000 km). The combustion of a litre of fuel produces 2.5 kg of carbon dioxide. The car will spit out some 5,000 kg of carbon dioxide in a year. Since a mature tree absorbs 4.5 to 5 kg of carbon dioxide a year, we'll have to plant about 1,000 annually to absorb the CO2 emitted by the vehicle." (1)
So, if you feel like the man who planted trees and want to dedicate your life to compensate the effects of your fuel consumption, good luck. Or else, it would probably be less hassle to buy a car that's less energy-hungry, or drive less...
(1): La Presse, Environnement, Monday January 31st 2005, page 4 Arts Spectacles.