The Greener Alternative

So we meet again for another entryJ. If you remember from a previous post we spoke about the dominance of car based mobility in our society today. The focus of this entry will be based on the ways in which society and governmental institutions can minimize the environmental effects of car based mobility on our environment. The picture above of the CNG pump was taken at a gas station in Mt. Lambert. As I sat in the car waiting for the attendant to come to my vehicle I saw this lonely CNG pump. No one was filling their car with CNG. I then thought to myself with all the positives of CNG for the environment why aren’t more persons converting their gasoline based vehicles to CNG based vehicles?

With global warming on the rise it is seen that greenhouse gases are the main contributor to the rise in temperatures. With the increasing number of vehicles on the road today there is seen to be more greenhouse gases being emitted. A study conducted in the United States show the extent to which cars are contributing to global warming. Carbon dioxide emissions from personal vehicles in the United States equaled 314 million metric tons in 2004. That much carbon could fill a coal train 55,000 miles long- long enough to circle the earth twice! While Americans own only 30% of the 700 million vehicles that are in use worldwide, it was found that cars in the U.S. account for a disproportionate amount of greenhouse gas emissions because they are driven further, have lower fuel economy standards, and burn fuel with higher levels of carbon than many of the cars in other countries (DeCicco and Fung 2006.) The recognition of the environmental impacts of the car have led to the promotion of a range of initiatives, from a variety of advocates and levels of government to reduce the effects of car based mobility within the city. The following table by Hall and Barrette (2012) shows some substitution mechanisms which will help the environment in the long run.

Linking trips	Rather than making a number of trips for a single purpose, a single trip is made which addresses a number of purposes.
Technology	Physical travel is replaced by electronic communication
Trip Modification	The trip is modified by type, eg, a mobile goods delivery van replaces several individual shopping trips.
Mode Switching	Drive alone car travel is replaced by car sharing or alternative modes of travel such as public transport and cycling
Time switching	Travel takes place at less congested, off peak time, thus reducing travel time.

Compressed natural gas is a clean-burning fuel. It is actually the cleanest of all fossil fuels. Since natural gas is composed mainly of methane, burning it produces carbon dioxide and water vapor. These are the same compounds we exhale when we breathe. Meanwhile, petroleum produces higher carbon emissions, nitrogen oxides and sulfur dioxide. Burning fuel oil also produces ash particulates that worsen pollution. For many years now, Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) has been promoted as the alternative transport fuel of the future for our vehicles simply because its cheaper, cleaner, safer and greener.

Trinidad and Tobago is well poised to take advantage of these benefits falling within the Top 50 list of countries possessing the world’s largest natural gas reserves. The country’s fuel subsidy was $4.4 billion last year and Energy Minister Kevin Ramnarine says CNG is key in bringing about a reduction .With the recent opening of the country’s 10^th CNG fuel station government is paving the way for the use of this gas. In addition one of the main problems with CNG was that it took approximately 30 minutes to full up at the gas station. This time has significantly been reduced to 4mins. Furthermore, in recent times , the Government of Trinidad and Tobago has implemented fiscal initiatives in support of CNG adoption, including the removal of motor vehicle tax and VAT on imported OEM natural gas vehicles (less than two years old). Jumping on the heat of that announcement, Maska South Motors in La Romaine boasted of importing 200 CNG ready vehicles in a bid to support the Government’s push for Trinidad and Tobago to be greener. Though the pros far outweigh the cons in number, the miniscule number of stations still remains the main reason motorists and commercial organisations fail to take the plunge. The Public Transport Service Corporation (PTSC) and the National Petroleum Marketing Company (NP) are going against the grain with their recent collaboration, having turned the sod at their planned CNG station at City Gate. The state of the art CNG facility will be built at the South Quay location and the gas will be supplied by the National Gas Company (NGC). This recent initiative  by the PTSC together with government’s tax exemptions may help to woo persons in the use of CNG.

                                             

 Reference

Boodan, Shastri.2013. “Cabinet to consider CNG master plan” Trinidad Guardian ( March 15^th 2013) Accessed April 2 2013 http://guardian.co.tt/business/2013-03-14/cabinet-consider-cng-master-plan

DeCicco, John and Freda Fung.2006. “Global Warming on the Road.” New York: Environmental Defense.

Hall and Barrett,2012. Urban Geography. 4^th Edition. London and New York: Routledge Publishing.(pages 282-301 ).

Leang. Michelle.2012. “CNG Cheaper, Cleaner, Safer.” Trinidad Guardian (April 1^st 2012). Accessed April 2 2013  http://guardian.co.tt/business/2012-04-01/cng-cheaper-cleaner-safer