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Reduce your impact - fourth steps

1. Leave Your Car At Home For Short Journeys

Rather than taking the car around the corner to buy a bottle of milk, why not just walk? You'll get some exercise and fresh air, help to reduce congestion on the roads, save yourself money on fuel and keep your engine alternator and battery in better working order (a car is most damaged by a short journey than a long one). Oh, and you could save yourself about 1.5% of your emissions.

For longer journeys, particularly from one city to another, it may be quicker, cheaper and more enjoyable to take the train. This will further reduce your greenhouse gas emissions.

2. Drive More Economically

The quantity of greenhouse gasses you produce per mile is directly related to how hard you are pressing on the accelerator pedal.

If you are driving constantly at 40mph in 3rd or 4th gear, you may find that you don't have to press as hard if you change to 5th. Conversely, if you are driving uphill in 5th and your foot is to the floor in an effort to get to the top, you'll probably find it much easier if you change down. Safety should, however, be your primary concern and you should not sacrifice control for fuel economy.

Accelerating consumes much more fuel than driving at a constant speed. So, if your driving style involves accelerating quickly and breaking hard you will use much more fuel than if your driving is smoother. Obeying the speed limits will also help a lot.

Switch off your engine if you're in a traffic jam; why waste fuel when you're sitting still, getting 0 mpg?

Check that your tyre pressure is correct on a regular basis as under-inflated tyres drag on the road. Also, empty your boot if you're not using the contents and remove roof racks when they're not required.

Driving more economically can save you a lot of money every week. Why not try writing down how much you spend on 1 typical week and compare it to how much you spend when driving economically? Multiply the savings by 52 and you' ll see how much you could save every year.

3. Fit a Hydrogen Boost System

Hydrogen boost systems work by using the excess electrical charge produced by your alternator. They usually incorporate an electrolyser to convert water into hydrogen and oxygen by passing an electric current through it. The hydrogen is then burnt with the oxygen and regular fuel in your engine, with water vapour being the exhaust gas. These systems can improve your fuel economy by 10% - 30%

4. Buy an Electric Car

Do you think electric cars are slow and uncool? Guess again. Tesla Motors have created the Tesla Roadster. It is an electric car that does 0-60mph in 4 seconds and has a top speed of 130mph! It looks the part too. It has a range of 250 miles between charges, takes just 3 hours to re-charge and costs around 2.5p per mile to run. I want one!

If your taste is less extravagant, you could always go for a G-Wiz car. If you live and work in London, this car could pay for itself within the first year of use, being eligible for about £8000 per year in free parking, free charging, exemption from road tax and the congestion charge.

What Else Can I Do?

Finally, check out the next page for the ultimate tips to reduce your greenhouse gas emissions!

Next Page: Fifth Steps to Avert Climate Change