01.Introduction
In brief
- Petrol prices may fluctuate in the short term but will probably increase in the long term and it will be a long wait for more extensive public transport and better town planning that alleviates our dependence on private transport.
- We compare the alternative fuels on offer and what you can save by fuel switching, downsizing and driving less.
Please note: this information was current as of December 2008 but is still a useful guide today.
Tips for sustainable living
Oil dependency
It’s been referred to as a double crisis; that oil supplies won’t last forever, especially if demand continues to increase, and the need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to limit the impacts of global warming. And while the price of petrol fluctuates in the short term, it’s likely to increase considerably in the long term, because of the scarcity of oil and greater pollution controls.
Experts say we need major investment in better town planning to reduce the need for lots of long trips, infrastructure for public transport, better freight systems and improved motor vehicle technologies that include the use of renewable energy. Holden has just announced its first 85% ethanol-fuelled car will be produced from its Adelaide plant in 2010, however, you could be forgiven for yawning while you wait for all that to happen.
Even though the federal government’s proposed FuelWatch scheme was voted down in the Senate last November, you can still keep track of price information in most major cities through motormouth.com.au or fuelwatch.wa.gov.au if you're in WA.
Transparent fuel consumption
A new fuel consumption label was released on 1 October 2008. It shows urban and extra-urban (highway) driving figures in L/100km and a combined figure for greenhouse gas emissions in grams of CO2 per kilometre. You can also compare figures for different cars at www.greenvehicleguide.gov.au
18 Oct 2010
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Biofuels such as E10 are meant to have environmental benefits, but are there hidden costs?
21 Apr 2008
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Renting a car at your destination offers the flexibility to make the most of a holiday but nearly everyone knows of someone who's been ripped off.
23 May 2008
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The guide gives each model an overall star rating: the more stars, the lower the environmental impact.
15 Sep 2006
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Currently, there are about 500,000 vehicles on our roads that run with liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) — that’s about 5% of all cars.