23rd April 2022
If we wish to press for change by addressing the fossil fuel
producers, we also need to look at ourselves as fossil fuel consumers: companies will sell less oil when customers buy less. As domestic consumers we typically buy fossil fuels direct from the producers when we buy petrol/ diesel for cars, and gas and oil for heating, cooking and hot water . Otherwise we tend to buy and consume fossil fuels indirectly – either as energy for a manufacturing process, as a raw material (eg for making plastic) or as the energy involved in transportation.
If we wish to consume less petrol, we can look to find ways of replacing shorter car journeys with journeys on foot or by cycle. We can use public transport if that is available / affordable – and if it isn’t we should demand better of our local authority. We can get together with others and try car-sharing. We can replace long car journeys with train travel. Again if this is unavailable/ unaffordable we should demand better of the Government: if their agreed net zero targets are to be met, the use of trains will need to increase (and the rate of electrifying the network)
Try Before you Bike – a scheme that allows you to try a bike with an affordable monthly subscription before buying, as well as offering free helmets, cycling skills courses, and 6 months cover for repairs.
https://www.peddlemywheels.com/try-before-you-bike
The Campaign for Better Transport has recently reviewed the progress being made by England, Wales and Scotland in achieving net zero targets for our transport networks – https://bettertransport.org.uk/blog/roads/net-zero-nations
For an overview of car sharing schemes https://como.org.uk/shared-mobility/shared-cars/where/
“Government launches half-price ‘rail sale’ – how it works and how to get cheaper fares” https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/news/2022/04/half-price-rail–sale–launched-by-government—find-out-how-it-/
The Green Tau 