The detrimental effects of smog on our health are well-documented. By taking action, everyone can play a part in making Canada's air cleaner. Learn how to change your home, transportation and consumer habits and help reduce air pollution.
A large amount of air pollution comes from power plants, industrial sources and motor vehicles. The choices that individuals make every day either increase or decrease air pollution from these sources and thereby threaten or protect their own health. Individuals have the power to change their home, transportation and consumer habits to help reduce air pollution. By taking action, everyone can play a part in making Canada's air cleaner.
Getting around
Transportation is one of the biggest contributors to smog. When, where, how, why and what you drive all play important roles in affecting air quality. Here are some suggestions on how to be more environmentally friendly when you need to get somewhere.
WHAT YOU CAN DO: Drive less, especially during peak traffic periods or on hot sunny days.
Why? Auto emissions contribute directly to smog. In Canada, cars account for 19% of the nitrogen oxides (NOx), 37% of the CO and 23% of the volatile organic compounds (e.g., benzene) released each year as a result of human activity.
Did you know? On average, each one of the 16 million cars and light trucks on Canada's roads adds more than 5 tonnes of pollutants annually to the air we breathe.
WHAT YOU CAN DO: Use public transportation instead of your car. Walk or ride your bicycle. (But be careful about over-exerting yourself on a smoggy day.)
Why? One car commuter uses as much energy driving a car for four years as a transit rider uses in 40 years.
Did you know? Each person using public transit for a year instead of an automobile can save nearly a tonne of pollutants, including CO2, from going into the atmosphere.
WHAT YOU CAN DO: Carpool to work.
Why? Carpooling with one other person immediately halves your car's emissions.
Did you know? On average, a carpool saves 2,000 litres of gasoline each year.
WHAT YOU CAN DO: Use an alternative fuel.
Why? Alternative fuels have fewer impurities than gasoline and produce less CO and other emissions that contribute to smog formation.
Did you know? More than 30,000 vehicles operate on natural gas in Canada. There are nearly one million natural gas vehicles worldwide, and the market is growing.
WHAT YOU CAN DO: Avoid idling. If you are going to be stopped for 10 seconds or more, except in traffic, turn your car engine off.
Why? It has been estimated that 3% of Ontario's fuel is wasted by idling. An idling diesel engine will burn about 2.5 litres of fuel per hour. An idling gasoline engine will burn about 3.5 litres of fuel per hour.
Did you know? Just 10 seconds of idling uses more fuel than restarting your engine.
WHAT YOU CAN DO: Get engine tune-ups and car maintenance checks as advised by the car manufacturers' maintenance schedule.
Why? If all drivers maintained their cars regularly, together we could reduce NOx by 12% and VOCs by 30%. Ontario has set a goal of reducing these two pollutants by 45% from 1990 levels by the year 2015, and has proposed accelerating the NOx target to 2010.
Did you know? Keeping your car well-tuned not only helps the environment, it also saves you money. You can save an average of $90 in fuel costs a year by maintaining your vehicle.
WHAT YOU CAN DO: Keep your vehicle's tires properly inflated.
Why? Inflated tires cut down on "drag," thereby saving on fuel and harmful emissions.
Did you know? Just one tire under-inflated by two pounds per square inch will result in a 1% increase in fuel consumption.
WHAT YOU CAN DO: Fill your gas tank during cooler evening hours to cut down on evaporation. Avoid spilling gas and don't "top up" the tank. Replace the gas tank cap tightly.
Why? Smog-related emissions don't just come from the tailpipe. Evaporation of gasoline from filling up the gas tank releases smog-causing VOCs into the air. Spillage is a major source of O3 pollution.
Did you know? Vapours from evaporating gasoline (those wavy lines that appear in the air while you are filling the tank) can account for two-thirds of the VOC emissions from gasoline-fuelled vehicles on hot summer days.
WHAT YOU CAN DO: Consider fuel efficiency when purchasing a vehicle, and keep your vehicle well maintained. Check out the Auto$mart website (http://oee.nrcan.gc.ca/vehicles/) to find out which vehicles are most fuel efficient.
Why? A large car that burns 14 litres of gasoline to travel 100 km will emit 60 tonnes of CO2 during its lifetime. A typical smaller car that burns 9 litres every 100 km will emit only 38 tonnes of CO2 over the same total distance. By choosing the more fuel-efficient car, you can save 22 tonnes of CO2 from entering the environment. The savings in fuel is about 8,800 litres, which translates into approximately $4,500.
Did you know? In 1990, North American sales of SUVs barely topped one million, but by 1995 sales had reached 1.7 million, and by 1999 three million of these heavy, less fuel-efficient trucks had been sold.
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