(Image Credit: Thanks to John Matrix from Bike List.)
We all know that car emissions are bad for the environment, but people feel making a change as an individual won’t have much impact. Did you know that recent reports showed that diesel cars produce ten times more toxic air pollution than trucks and even buses? With the high number of diesel cars on the road, this is causing terrible consequences, and NOx pollution is the cause of thousands of early deaths in the UK.
Car manufacturers care about making money, not reducing the emissions; therefore, they build their cars based on demand and on how they can produce cars at a profit. We have seen a prime example of car manufacturers not only failing to take on the responsibility of car emissions but also trying to manipulate emission stats, as was the case with Volkswagen. The popular manufacturer was caught out in September 2015 and is currently under investigation.
When it comes to making a difference in reducing emissions, many corporate companies will proudly support and manage a green travel policy to do their bit when it comes to the environment. However, not all businesses have actually set up green travel policies. If your company is still in the dark ages, then you could make a huge difference by persuading them to develop one.
Some businesses don’t want to look into green policies because they think it will cost a lot of money to implement, but there are also lots of positives that the company can gain from it. For example, they can get good publicity for being an environmentally friendly company. They can use details in their marketing to attract customers who are keen to use greener companies. Businesses can also attract high calibre job candidates who are passionate about looking after the environment, which is especially beneficial in a competitive recruitment market.
They can even combine some of the green travel policies to provide employee benefits that will improve staff engagement. For example, they could offer Cycle to Work schemes where they work in conjunction with bicycle shops to provide discounted rates for people who cycle to and from work.
You could even suggest that the green travel policy is put together and supported by a network of volunteers if you think there will be enough interest in helping. If you have colleague engagement groups/forums etc. at your company, then you could gauge the appetite for people who want to see a green travel policy in place.
The government is keen to get businesses working to help the environment, and there is lots of useful advice on developing a green travel policy on their website. You may even find that charities that support green policies will come into your workplace to offer support or help with setting your policy up. You could even encourage education of fuel emissions and safe driving by using websites like toptests.co.uk who frequently publish articles about safe driving and fuel savings.
If you can persuade a business of 10 employees or even a business of 1,000 employees, you are making a significant difference to the world.
