Reduce Car Use

Vehicles have offered us a level of mobility we could not have imagined only a few decades ago. They have revolutionised the movement of people, goods and services. These benefits come at a high price and the rewards are outweighed by the social, environmental and financial costs of car dependency. As traffic increases we are seeing pollution problems that are no longer confined to the city. Increasing numbers of country people are being affected as vehicle use grows.

Do you need to use your car?

A large percentage of urban air pollution is caused by the motor car. The motor car is not the best vehicle for every task and a variety of travel tasks require a variety of travel solutions. At times, we do not have an alternative to driving, but with a little planning we can do several different tasks in the one trip. This will not only save time, it will reduce the distance we drive, our contribution to air pollution and the time spent breathing the fumes of the other cars on the road. It will also save you money. At times your car can act as a pollution trap, fumes come in through the vents and without the windows open they may have nowhere else to go but into your lungs. There are more than 245,000 cars in Tasmania and approximately 80% of people in Tasmania travel to work or to their place of study by car. This is not always necessary. Remember, you can help influence the way our public transport systems are run. You can also support measures taken to encourage people to walk and ride. Walkers and cyclists deserve safe routes.

Simple steps to reduce vehicle use

The Australian Greenhouse Office website has some suggestions for smart travel choices: http://www.greenhouse.gov.au/gwci/transport.html

Report smoky vehicles

The Department of Infrastructure Energy and Resources (DIER) is responsible for vehicle emissions. Telephone 03 6233 5331. Website: http://www.dier.tas.gov.au

Further Information

For further information, please contact:

Air Specialist

134 Macquarie Street
GPO Box 1751
Hobart TAS 7001

Phone: 03 6233 3373
Fax: 03 6233 3800

Email: EnvironmentEnquiries@environment.tas.gov.au

See also