Every Monday in December, the Festive 5 will bring you another reason to support carsharing in Winnipeg. Help us grow by purchasing investment shares. The deadline to receive a 30% tax credit from the Province is December 31st, 2012. This week we’re talking…
ENVIRONMENT
We’ve already covered some of the most significant environmental benefits of carsharing on our site. For example, there is overwhelming evidence that in the aggregate, carsharing has a positive environmental outcome by reducing the greenhouse gas emissions of our members.
In general, one carshare vehicle replaces 9-13 owned personal vehicles. This is due to members either putting off car ownership or selling a vehicle. This could even mean transition from a two car household to a one car household.
Why is this important for Manitoba?
According to 50 by 30 , a local group working on practical solutions for Manitoba to get 50 % of its energy from renewable sources by 2030, about 33 % of the energy we use is in transportation. That is the single largest source of greenhouse gas emissions in our province. On the household level, driving is the single largest activity that we do that emits greenhouse gas emissions, so every effort we make to reduce the number of kilometers driven is good for the environment.
The good news is that the overall driving trend for North America has been declining for the past decade, and in general young people are driving less and holding off on getting their licenses. This is great for the environment, but also for health, as these people are choosing to bike, walk and bus more.
However, closer to home we remain committed to driving:
- In Manitoba, light-duty vehicles (passenger cars and light trucks) comprise 15 per cent of all greenhouse gas emissions in the province, and 43 per cent of all emissions from all transportation activities. Between 1990 and 2006, emissions from all light-duty vehicles in Manitoba increased by 21.6 per cent.
- From 1996 to 2006, the proportion of Canadians commuting to work by car decreased by 1.3 per cent, in Winnipeg this proportion increased by 1.4 per cent; the largest increase among 35 metropolitan areas surveyed.
- From 1996 to 2006, the number of Canadians using public transit to commute to work increased from 10.1 per cent to 11.0 per cent. In Manitoba, this number declined from 9.8 per cent to 8.9 per cent.
The good news is that residents of Winnipeg now have another transportation option that can ease their transition into the bike, walk, bus lifestyle. Carsharing means you don’t have to forgo the convenience and speed of driving. There’s more: all of our vehicles are fuel-efficient and we have an extended range electric vehicle, the Chevy Volt.
All told, carsharing represents a healthier, affordable, and more environmentally sensitive way to get around.
Visit www.pegcitycarcoop.ca/invest to find out how you can help us expand.
