I use my car all day, practically every day and, quite frankly, up to some years ago I never really stopped to think about the environmental issues of this every day occurrence.
Recently, my attention was drawn to the fact that driving a car has an enormous effect on the environment. The first effect that springs to mind is car emissions. Our roads are now so clogged with cars that in some localities it is practically impossible to sit outside for any length of time, as basically it is smelly and a cough inducing experience. The quality of the air we breathe has led to a rise in respiratory problems, an issue that we in Malta, unfortunately are very aware of, as we are the country with the highest rate of asthma sufferers in the Mediterranean region. That leads me on to the noise levels produced by the same cars. When there is traffic congestion the noise produced by the car engines and the beeping of horns is not exactly the music I like to hear.
There is the further issue that cars use up fossil fuel and that fossil fuel is not an infinite resource. There is also the fact that obtaining fossil fuel is not exactly an environmentally friendly process either. First of all there is the process of extracting this kind of fuel, then refining it, then its actual distribution. These all have a lasting effect on the environment.
What can one do? The idea of using alternative resources is gaining ground. In December 2008, MEPs decided that by 2020, 10 per cent of fuel used in road transport should be from renewable sources. We need to look for alternatives to fossil fuel. Popular suggestions as alternatives are biofuels, electricity and hydrogen.
Various petrol stations in Malta sell biodiesel. This is diesel made from both animal and vegetable fat and has the advantage of being derived from a renewable source. Is this a solution for Malta? It is definitely an interesting development. As a general rule biofuels have the advantage of not only being produced from a renewable source but are also less polluting. Potentially, they also have the advantage of creating less dependency in Europe on foreign imported oil.
The downside is that there is the real possibility of causing a food shortage as more land is used for the production of fuel as opposed to food. This could lead to a rise in the price of food as well as to further deforestation as more land is cleared for the production of biofuel.
The use of electric cars has risen in popularity. From what I have read, there are both pros and cons. They tend to be expensive to run, as their parts are not cheap, it takes a long time to recharge them, during which they cannot be used. The electricity needed to run them must be produced somehow and this again leads to dependence on some kind of fuel or other. Another disadvantage is that they are so silent that while this means that there is less noise pollution, this can actually be dangerous as both pedestrians, and other drivers, do not hear these cars drive up. The use of hearing as a means of detecting vehicles is very important for both drivers and pedestrians, so that which is an advantage, that is less noise pollution, can actually be a disadvantage. However, the fact the question of emissions is linked more to the production of electricity to charge up the car than the use of the car itself is a significant advantage as it is easier to control a few sources (that is electricity producing plants) than thousands of cars. Are they feasible for Malta? The fact that distances in Malta are short is definitely an advantage and the use of electric cars remains an interesting option.
Another alternative is hydrogen-powered cars. Their greatest advantage is that they basically do not produce dangerous emissions but, and it is a big but, production of hydrogen from water and other sources uses large quantities of fuel. There is also the added disadvantage that hydrogen filling stations would have to be built and the setting up of this network would be complicated.
There are over 200 million cars in Europe and cars account for 12 per cent of the EU’s CO² emissions. This means that this is a source of pollution all of us who drive directly contribute to. What can we do, here and now? Well, we need to think twice before we get into our cars. We need to car pool. We need to use public transport, although most would agree that the current service is of a rather poor standard. We need to walk to our destination if it is close by. If we do use our cars, we need to park outside congested centres and walk the last few metres. This is not easy. Another option is cycling, but with our laughable bicycle lanes and roads that have holes of all shapes and sizes, this option will realistically not be taken up by many. To compound matters, most drivers view cyclists as a nuisance and treat them as such. Believe me, I am talking from experience following the innumerable times I have been practically driven off a road by a vehicle while cycling.
Our lives have become rather complicated and we usually have to be in several places, if not at the same time then within a short time frame. Public transport is obviously not as easy as using the car that is parked behind your door and can take you directly to where you want to go. I never said it was easy. However, we owe it to ourselves and to those around us to try. Often practicality and safeguarding the environment do not go hand in hand. However, being impractical sometimes has its benefits too.
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Dr Micallef Stafrace is a Labour Party candidate in the forthcoming European Parliament elections.