Road based transport – cars, lorries and buses – contribute roughly 15% of all CO2 emissions: about half of this comes from cars.
Many households own at least one car. You can use the Emissions tool to find out the CO2 emission rate of your car, but how does it compare to others and how can it be improved?
In general, cars with a CO2 emission rate of roughly 115g/km are considered lower emitters. They will also use less fuel, so will be more economical to run.
How can I make my car use greener?
You can also make a difference by following the tips below:
- The simple answer is to use it less.
- Get your car serviced regularly to maintain its efficiency.
- Stick to speed limits and drive smoothly – your car will be less efficient the faster you travel.
- Keep your tyres inflated to the correct pressures, close the windows and take off the roof rack as these will increase drag and fuel consumption.
- If the car is stationary, turn off the engine.
- Don’t carry around unnecessary weight – empty your boot.
- Use air conditioning sparingly as it can increase fuel consumption.
- Plan your journeys to avoid congestion, road works and getting lost.
How big is your environmental footprint?
Take the WWF environmental footprint calculator to see your impact on our environment. You may have already taken this in the energy module.
Find out your carbon footprint here:
