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Reducing our use of gasoline and diesel cars is one of the most effective things we can do to prevent climate change, but the message does not reach many kiwis, the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority (EECA) has found.
The government agency surveyed 700 New Zealanders and asked them to rate the effectiveness of nine actions, from flying less and ditching plastic to buying organic food, on greenhouse emissions.
Only two in five respondents thought that reducing the use of gasoline and diesel cars would have a major impact on climate change. Even fewer people, just 32 percent, reported that they were putting this principle into practice.
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Despite low public awareness, reducing our gasoline and diesel consumption could make a big difference to the country’s carbon footprint, said EECA CEO Andrew Caseley.
If one in five New Zealanders who drive to the office worked remotely just once a week, we would save 84,000 tons of carbon dioxide entering the atmosphere each year, the agency estimates.
In contrast, 59 percent of all respondents thought recycling was one of the most effective climate actions. Caseley said recycling can reduce waste and pollution, but “unfortunately it doesn’t do much” to reduce emissions.
Recycling a product can save carbon, but less than you think: recovering a ton of aluminum saves 7 tonnes of greenhouse gases, while recycling a ton of paper saves 0.2 tonnes, according to Zero Waste Scotland.
In total, our waste produces the equivalent of 4.1 million tons of carbon dioxide a year, although most of these greenhouse gases are produced when organic matter (such as food, yard trimmings, paper, wood, and fabrics ) decomposes after being buried in landfills. .
Our fuel consumption while driving emits almost four times as much, or 15.1 million tons, of carbon dioxide.
Peter Macdiarmid / Getty Images
Reducing the use of gasoline or diesel each year is one of the most powerful actions a person can take to fight climate change.
Caseley said the environmental impact of disposing of single-use plastics and recycling – “a great thing to do” – has received a lot of attention in recent years.
“People have associated that with climate change, very closely,” he said. “That’s where the disconnect occurred, in my mind.”
A campaign of similar size may be required to help New Zealanders understand the benefits of ditching their cars, he said.
“If you can make consumer pressure and push behavior change happen around how we use our motor vehicles … even a 10 percent reduction in emissions per year is significant,” added Caseley.
“There are four million light vehicles in New Zealand. We have an incredible level of car ownership in this country. Therefore, each and every one of us can make a contribution, unless we are driving an electric vehicle, if we are mindful and think: no, I don’t need to drive to the dairy and buy that bottle of milk, me. Can walk.”
Since international aviation contributes about 2% of global emissions, cutting back on flights is another green option. According to the survey, 17 percent of people said they have recently limited their air travel, although this result will be driven in part by travel restrictions from the pandemic.
Fiona Goodall / Getty Images
The grassroots reusable and recyclable bag campaign may be a model for efforts to reduce the use of gasoline and diesel, experts say.
Interestingly, the survey found that participants are also making low-emission decisions without realizing it. Nearly seven out of ten people bought energy-efficient LED bulbs, which reduce electricity consumption.
“That’s really good news,” Caseley said. “People are willing to pay more, because we all know that they cost more, for a significantly longer life and a much lower cost of use.”
Still, only 16 percent of people thought this would help prevent climate change. However, if every home switched to LED bulbs, reducing energy demand would prevent 84,000 tons of greenhouse gases from entering the atmosphere each year. Currently, about 14 percent of all bulbs are LEDs.
Additionally, 63 percent of those surveyed said they opt for energy-efficient appliances. However, only about a quarter understood the climate impact of this choice.
Although 82% of the country’s electricity in 2019 was renewable, the rest is obtained by burning natural gas and coal. Therefore, reducing electricity consumption is another effective step to prevent carbon emissions, Caseley said.
The weighted survey, administered by research company TRA, was conducted in April, May and June and has a 3.6 percent margin of error.
