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Sustainable Transportation

Sustainable Transportation. Travelling Light: Environmentally Friendly Transportation. Canadians and Their Cars. Spend a lot of time Some up to 4 hours per day Mostly sitting in traffic Waste of resources and source of pollution

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Sustainable Transportation

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  1. Sustainable Transportation Travelling Light: Environmentally Friendly Transportation

  2. Canadians and Their Cars • 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

  3. 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

  4. 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

  5. “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.

  6. “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

  7. …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

  8. 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

  9. Going Green Moving Towards Sustainable Transportation

  10. 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

  11. Solutions!! • We know about many of the problems • What are some solutions?

  12. 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

  13. Better Urban Planning • Redesign cities • Provide better quality residential areas closer to where people work • More accessible parks, shops, grocery stores • Better transit system

  14. 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 Cleaner Cars

  15. Renewable Energy for Transportation • Three different types: • Hydrogen • Biodiesel • Wind

  16. 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

  17. Hydrogen Cont. • 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

  18. 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

  19. Wind Power • Wind turbine power • “C-train” in Alberta is wind-powered • Does not use coal, oil, natural gas

  20. 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 • 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

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