Transcript Sustainable Transportation

Sustainable Transportation
Travelling Light:
Environmentally Friendly
Transportation
Canadians and Their Cars
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Spend a lot of time
Some up to 4 hours per day
Mostly sitting in traffic
Waste of resources and source of pollution
“no other activity produces more
atmospheric smog and climate-altering
carbon dioxide than driving”
• Almost 1/3rd of all air pollution in Canada is
from cars
Canadians and their Cars Cont.
• 30% of air pollution in
Canada is from motor
vehicles
• Fuel efficiency has
declined over the last
20 years
• SUVs and trucks
have dramatically
increased
• Less fuel efficiency
standards
Car Exhaust
• Contains many pollutants
• Millions of tonnes are put into the
atmosphere every year
• Contribute to climate change
• Many believe it contributes to thousands of
deaths in Canada/US each year
“Contributions” to the air from Cars
• Exhaust Pollutant
• Carbon Dioxide – linked to global climate
change
• Carbon Monoxide – From the incomplete
combustion of hydrocarbons in fuel. Highly toxic
to plants and animals.
• Sulphur dioxide - A potent greenhouse gas,
toxic to organisms. Contributes to acid rain.
• Hydrocarbons - From spilled fuel and fuel in
exhaust. Poisonous to plants and Contributes to
global climate change.
“Contributions” to the air from Cars
Cont.
• Lead oxide - Present in some transportation
notably diesel. Highly toxic, linked to nerve brain
damage in children.
• Benzene - From spilled fuel, and incompletely
burned fuel in exhaust. A known cancer-agent.
• Soot - Tiny particles of carbon. Contributes
damage, allergies, some forms of cancer.
• Nitrous and nitric oxide - Produced when from
the atmosphere reacts with oxygen combustion.
Contributes to smog and acid
…more than just pollution
• Transportation goes beyond just air
pollution and climate change
• Roads and highways take up land
• In Canada – more land devoted to
roads/highways
• Includes parks, schools, residences,
commercial buildings and hospitals
• Land can no longer support vegetation or
crops
Environmental Impacts –
Manufacturing Cars
• Mining of metals
• Manufacture of plastics,
rubber, paints, chemicals,
other substances
• Badly polluted
lands/lakes/rivers next to
automobile plants
• Same with scrap yards
Going Green
Moving Towards Sustainable
Transportation
What is Sustainable
Transportation?
• “Sustainable transportation concerns systems,
policies, and technologies. It aims for the
efficient transit of goods and services, and
sustainable freight and delivery systems. The
design of vehicle-free city planning, along with
pedestrian and bicycle friendly design of
neighbourhoods is a critical aspect for
grassroots activities, as are telework and
teleconferencing”
– http://www.gdrc.org/uem/sustran/sustran.html
Solutions!!
• We know about many of the problems
• What are some solutions?
Driving less
• Studies show most
Canadians drive short
distances
• 20 Km or shorter
• Reduce by using bicycles
or walking
• Families can reduce their
use of vehicles by 1/3rd
by using these methods
• Save money from fuel
use and repairs
Better Urban Planning
• Redesign cities
• Provide better quality
residential areas
closer to where
people work
• More accessible
parks, shops, grocery
stores
• Better transit system
Cleaner Cars
• Many choices for fuel
efficient cars
• i.e.- Volkswagen Jetta
TDI – diesel engine
• Less than 5 litre /
100km
• Hybrid engines
combine gas powered
engines and electric
motors
• Gas runs only when
necessary
Renewable Energy for
Transportation
• Three different types:
– Hydrogen
– Biodiesel
– Wind
Hydrogen
• One of the most promising
• “Hydrogen Fuel Cell”
• Device that combines pure hydrogen with
oxygen to produce electricity with no
pollution
• Electricity is used in electric motors that
drive the wheels
• Quiet, pollution free
Hydrogen Cont.
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Cells themselves do not emit pollution
Making the hydrogen does!
Hydrogen is made from natural gas
The process releases carbon dioxide
Soon, when it can be made from solar or
wind power it will be truly clean
Biodiesel
• Regular diesel is made from petroleum, a non
renewable resource
• “Biodiesel” is made from oil grains, like canola
• Take used vegetable oil from fast food
restaurants, filter it, treat it with chemicals,
separate it.
• Smells like French fries
• Renewable resource if the crops are grown
sustainably
Wind Power
• Wind turbine power
• “C-train” in Alberta is wind-powered
• Does not use coal, oil, natural gas
In Conclusion
• Until we can properly use only renewable energy
to power our cars we will have to live with the
pollution
• There are ways to reduce the need
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Greater use of carpooling and public transit
Live closer to stores and work
Use bicycles and non motorized transportation
Plan communities that maximize green spaces, and
place residences close to stores and work