Better, Greener Lifestyle Tips
Lifestyle advice, products and solutions related to the guest drivers, speakers, partners & participants in the annual eco-rally show
Diesel? Hybrid? Electric? Petrol? There are lots of options when it comes to choosing the most environmentally friendly car. That's why Start have created an interactive tool that aims to provide a rough guide to the best choices for you - taking into account how much you drive, how far and much more. To make these calculations, they have had help from Top Gear magazine journalist Paul Horrell, and Mike Berners-Lee, author of the book 'How Bad are Bananas?' which outlines the environmental cost of many everyday items. The original idea for this guide came from a decision tree in Chris Goodall's book 'How to Live a Low-Carbon Life'.
Sign the Oxford Citizens' Climate Change Pledge
I recognise that:
- Climate change is happening now
- Climate change will have far reaching effects on our economy, society and environment
- I have a part to play in reducing the overall impact on the environment
Within the next year I will act on some or all of the following (with the help of the “Oxford is my world” – Your Guide to Saving the Planet!) :
- Switch to a green electricity tariff
- Reduce, reuse, and recycle waste and water more (e.g. use the recycling scheme, install a water saver in my toilet).
- Use the car less – walk and cycle more. Take the train not the plane. Fly less. When you replace your car choose a bicycle or a small diesel. When you have to drive, drive with care for the environment.
If you're an Oxford citizen or visitor, you can sign the actual pledge and find more useful actions at: http://www.oxfordismyworld.org/guide.php
Electric-assist bicycles are a great alternative to driving or taking public transport saving you time and money, as well as benefiting your health and just as importantly, the environment. Book your test ride at http://www.spencerivy.com/products.php
Drive as smoothly as possible, avoiding harsh acceleration and braking, and don’t speed. Generally speaking, go above 50mph and fuel consumption changes from being a linear progression to exponential. Also, try and drive at a constant speed.
Anticipate the road ahead and keep rolling whenever possible. Moving away from a standing start uses a lot of fuel. Begin slowing down leaving plenty of time, get off the throttle as early as possible and use the available engine braking by being in the appropriate gear. The fuel supply to the engine is cut off during this process, so the savings are greater than being in neutral; and way safer.
If a Stop/Start system — the engine cuts out when stationary and restarts automatically when the clutch is depressed — is not fitted as standard and is on the options list, specify it. This one is a no-brainer and it pays for itself very quickly.
If Stop/Start isn’t fitted switch off the engine if idling by the side of the road or stuck in a traffic jam for more than a couple of minutes.
Always be in the highest gear possible and don’t over-rev the engine. Changing up as early as possible — short-shifting — is particularly effective with a diesel engine where the peak torque occurs low down the rev-range. Generally speaking it should not be necessary to exceed 2,500rpm.
Use air conditioning or a climate control system only when necessary. They can have a noticeably adverse effect on fuel consumption.
Low rolling resistance tyres can have a substantial effect, but whatever rubber is fitted make sure they are at the correct pressures. Not only does this maximise fuel economy, they will wear evenly.
Don’t cart around any unnecessary weight.
Follow the manufacturer’s recommended service schedule.
Recycling food waste avoids the need to send waste to landfill, providing your company or organisation with cost savings and offering recognised green credentials that could be marketed towards your consumers or those for whom you provide a service.
Kim Woodburn's tip: "It is vital that we preserve our natural resources. I demonstrated on my TV show, "How Clean is Your House?" many eco friendly ways to clean the whole house. I am now the spokesperson for EcoEgg, a non toxic, non allergenic, clothes washing product which is both eco friendly and economical. I am very proud to represent this product. I use it and it really does work! www.ecoeggonline.com"
Did you know, changing just one journey per month from car to bus or coach not only reduces your personal carbon footprint, but will play a vital part in helping us reach our targt of removing one billion car journeys from our roads. Switch Today. Save Tomorrow.
OxTreeGen has come up with simple tips your business can implement, most of which can be done today and require minimal work from you. Not only will you be working towards becoming a more responsible greener business but we have no doubt the tips will also save your business money.
- Eco Warrior or Boy Racer?Take the smarter driving quiz
- Calculate your carbon footprint and get a personalised action plan
- Select the ‘most economical’ route when you programme your journey
- Use your Navman GPS to re-route around traffic congestion and road works using Real-time Traffic and Route Traffic Overview
- If you take a wrong turn, Navman GPS quickly re-routes to get you back on track
- Navman POIs allow you to stop at the closest conveniences along your route
- Voice guidance advises motorists when they’re within 10% of the speed limit – alerting them to a more economical and legal driving speed
When choosing a new car, look out for the fuel economy label at the point of sale. The label clearly shows that choosing a car with lower CO2 emissions means lower running costs and lower tax
LPG is the most cost-efficient natural fuel available for vehicles. As a Transport Energy PowerShift approved vehicle, C-Free LPG Smart Cars are eligible for a 100% discount from the charge.
Insulate yourself against rising bills
With gas bills on the rise it makes sense to get your roof space ready for the heating season. Grants are available for roof insulation, and if you're in receipt of benefits you may be eligible for a 100 per cent grant. Go to www.markgroup.co.uk for further information. You can find more money-saving tips like this in Penny Poyzer's book: No Waste Like Home
Pop a re-usable water bottle in your bag/car and simply re-fill as necessary. Some are made from recycled plastic or collapsible to save space.
We are actively using electric vehicles in our Southern Electric fleet and have trialled the use of both LPG and Compressed Natural Gas. We have also measured significant benefits from electronically limiting speeds, the procurement of Smart cars and using tyres that are proven to be both fuel-efficient and long-lasting.
We have allowed traffic to blight our towns and cities. A central plank of the Slow Movement
is to take back the streets from the automobile. That means a lot less driving and a lot more walking, cycling, scootering, rollerblading, street football and parties, road hockey, etc.
Downsize your car, downsize your bills
Go for a smaller car with an economical engine and you can save a small fortune on fuel bills, insurance and Vehicle Excise Duty.Go for a greener car
Cars with low carbon dioxide emissions are also more fuel-efficient. Whether you are a business driver or a private buyer, it pays to go green.Know the value of your part-ex
Don’t get turned over on your trade-in. Check the value of your old car with our free valuation service on whatcar.com before going to the showroom.
Think ahead
A tempting deal now may not look so sweet in three years if the car loses value quickly. Check the resale values are sound before you buy.Haggle like a pro
The What Car? Target Price makes haggling easy, but for the biggest possible discount search for the cheapest online price then challenge the dealer to match it.Sell your old car privately
Trading-in your old car when you buy a new one is convenient, but you’ll probably make more money by selling it privately.
Buy a model that’s about to be replaced
Dealers will be keen to shift stock to make way for a new or face-lifted model, and are likely to offer some pretty tempting deals. Resale values won’t be as strong, though.
Be prepared to walk away
There’s no such thing as a once-in-a-lifetime deal. If you are not ready to buy, just walk away. Tomorrow’s price could be even better.
Look out for the colour-coded fuel economy label displayed on cars at most new and used dealerships. It will help you make an informed choice when choosing a car that will cut running costs and emissions. More info at: www.lowcvp.org.uk/cutting-carbon/fuels-labels-explained.asp
Maintaining the right tyre pressure saves between 5-8% of CO2 emissions per car journey, and makes fuel, cash and carbon savings all in one go.
81% of EU motorists are driving on under-inflated tyres.
By pumping up our tyres we could cumulatively save 4.0 billion litres of wasted fuel, worth €5.2 billion, and avoid 9.3 million tons of CO2 emissions. Under-inflated tyres also wear out much quicker, so when yours need replacing look for low-rolling resistance tyres with good wet and dry grip
Wine Miles
Vintage Roots commissioned a study to reveal the true carbon footprint of all its wine imports, using a specialist leading carbon company called Carbon Clear. The results show that a longer distance traveled by ship is not as damaging as lots of shorter trips by a conventional lorry or truck.
Carbon offsetting
Carbon offsetting is a way of compensating for the emissions produced with an equivalent carbon saving. Carbon offsetting involves calculating emissions and then purchasing ‘credits’ from emission reduction projects. Carbon offsetting is NOT a cure for climate change, however we believe that it helps raise awareness of the issues.
Anyone undertaking a driving test will get assessed on their eco safe manner of driving. This includes control and planning with particular attention to starting and moving away, use of gears and accelerating whilst driving at an appropriate speed for the conditions. As well as hazard awareness, engine braking and planning ahead.
The greentomatokit is an essential starting point for people who want to live greener lifestyles but don't know where to start.Thou shalt understand that insulating thy dwelling and installing solar heating is a righteous act, but be not sanctimonious about it. Nor shalt thou fly off to the Caribbean to celebrate thy newfound Greenness. Taken from "The Ten Green Commandments"
There are lots of things that you can do as an individual or as part of a community, to help to reduce part of the environmental impact of your food and to support your local food economy. Shopping at farmers' markets, joining a community supported agriculture scheme or local group can all contribute to championing local food culture.
The AA fixes around eight out of ten cars by the roadside but most of these faults can be avoided by simple pre-journey checks and regular maintenance. The acronym 'FLOWER' can help you remember what to check Fuel, Lights, Oil, Water, Electrics, and Rubber. With the AA's video podcasts, you can carry our 100 years of motoring experience with you wherever you go
Get more smileage. If you need to get around the city fast, or even from city to city, try a folding electric scooter. You can take it on a train, take it into the office, take it in the boot of your car... the list goes on. If you'd prefer to leave it outside, just remove the battery pack and charge it up indoors, ready for your next journey.
Is it dangerous to have a quiet bike?
Electric bikes are not totally silent, with a fair amount of noise coming from tyre and wind friction. As a bike rider we need to be aware at all times and ride like we expect someone to step out from behind every bus, and this level of awareness is equally important for our own as well as others’ safety.
Spread the word about WhizzGo car club and you could drive for free! WhizzGo will credit both your account and your friend's account with £10 for each and every friend you recommend who joins WhizzGo. Find out more about WhizzGo at www.whizzgo.co.uk
"The scientists tell us we have less than a decade before we trigger runaway climate change, so we've got to accelerate action now." Deputy Mayor of London, 2007
![Image of How Clean Is Your House? [DVD]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41HFKCBDD5L._SL75_.jpg "How Clean Is Your House? [DVD]")
![Image of Oz And James's Big Wine Adventure: Complete BBC Series One [2006] [DVD]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51PWSXQAHPL._SL75_.jpg "Oz And James's Big Wine Adventure: Complete BBC Series One [2006] [DVD]")
