2 days Ago By Angela Terry
Without a doubt the future is electric. It’s quite common to hear mixed views on electric vehicles (EVs) from people who don’t drive one but in general the public remain hesitant, not hostile, when it comes to EVs. There’s so much misinformation out there but as an environmental scientist and EV driver here are some useful facts to dispel those myths: EVs made up 23 percent market share of new car sales in August, up ten percent year on year so consumers are investing in all electric cars and not hydrogen.
Advertisement Advertisement Did you know with a Digital Subscription to Lancashire Evening Post, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. EVs aren’t as expensive as people think. Brand new they start from £22k but you can buy second hand cars for a fraction of that, so there’s a vehicle for every budget.
EVs can be bought through salary sacrifice schemes or lease agreements so ask if your company offers these options. EVs are far cheaper to run. They use far less energy than a petrol or diesel vehicle which can use one litre of fuel for every hour it’s sat in traffic alone.
Battery monitoring ensures you’ll receive a warning when your charge is getting low, and be alerted to chargers nearby. There are more than 68,000 charging points across the UK and there are plenty of apps, such as Zap Map, which will show the nearest ones. Many cars can travel over 250 miles on a single charge.
Considering the average car journey in the UK is 8.1 miles, range anxiety, where people worry they will run out of charge, is a thing of the past. They don’t damage the road more than large SUVs that are so popular and the tyres don’t wear down faster as EVs use regenerative breaking, where the battery is recharged when slowing down.
Advertisement Advertisement Many EV manufacturers have pledged to use sustainably sourced materials. There’s a Time Magazine report here which compares EV companies' efforts into being sustainable. Hydrogen isn’t the future of environmentally friendly vehicles for a multitude of reasons.
As a scientist it makes no sense from an efficiency point of view, to use renewable energy to create hydrogen from water (or worse oil or gas), then store it and transport it around the country. It’s far simpler and cheaper to use electricity at home to power your car. There’s no greater risk of fire with an EV than there is a petrol or diesel vehicle – both of which are highly combustible liquids.
In contrast, hydrogen is a volatile compound so it’s highly flammable and carries a big explosion risk and the infrastructure for storing hydrogen around the country isn’t there to refuel hydrogen cars, so EVs are definitely the future of private vehicles. The batteries last an incredibly long time, and many cars have a seven-year warranty. If you’re considering buying a car, there’s no reason to not buy electric.
Research found many had poor knowledge about EVs with 57 percent of UK drivers unable to answer eight out of ten questions on EVs correctly. During their trip to Indonesia, Pope Francis and Muslim faith leader Grand Imam Nasaruddin Umar issued a joint statement calling for decisive action against climate change to save the warming planet. They said: "The human exploitation of creation, our common home, has contributed to climate change, leading to various destructive consequences such as natural disasters, global warming and unpredictable weather patterns.
We sincerely call on all people of good will to take decisive action in order to maintain the integrity of the natural environment and its resources.” Advertisement Advertisement Swap steam for water. If you’re ironing and usually use the steam setting on your iron, simply spray some water from a spritzer onto your clothes and use the normal setting to press your clothes.
Not only will you use less energy but you’ll also stop your iron clogging up with lime scale. Sustainable Seafood September is a brilliant opportunity to look at how much fish and shellfish you eat and help support the UK fishing industry. If you shop sustainably you can do a huge amount for the planet, for UK businesses and put tasty, healthy, affordable food on the table too, so everyone wins.
The greenhouse gas footprint for cockles for example is 30 times lower than it is for beef – if everyone in the UK swapped out one beef recipe for a seafood one every week, imagine the difference it’d make? And the humble cockle can make a delicious meal. Advertisement Advertisement Whether you have a fishmonger near you or not, there’s no excuse not to indulge as there are convenient options in all supermarkets. If you shop for seafood with the MSC label on it, it’s also better for the environment.
New research found more than half of UK consumers recognise the Marine Stewardship Council label. The international non-profit organisation is on a mission to stop overfishing. When you buy fish and seafood with the blue MSC ecolabel, you're helping to protect the oceans.
There are some really simple swaps you can do to avoid the big five of tuna, salmon, cod, haddock and prawns. Swapping cod for hake is not only cheaper but more sustainable. Switching tuna for sardines isn’t only cost effective but the oily fish is rich in omega three which is beneficial for all sorts of processes including managing inflammation and building strength.
Switching salmon for trout and haddock for plaice are great swaps too both in terms of health and your wallet. Switching prawns for mussels is cheaper and mussels contain more protein per calorie than steak. Mussels are part of the group of shell fish called Bivalves, which include oysters, clams, and cockles that grow around the UK shores and are super seafoods.
The MSC have got some fantastic recipes on their website too. They have five great tinned fish recipes that even the most fish resistant fussy eater will enjoy so why not give it a go this month? Even swapping one or two meals throughout the month will be beneficial for your health and the environment. Advertisement Advertisement Research has found there have been 150 changes to fishing practices since 2001 and that’s in part down to increasing demand for sustainable sourcing from consumers.
These changes are evidence the way we shop and the habits we hold can make a difference so celebrate sustainable seafood month. Finally, if you want a night off cooking after a busy week, why not celebrate the weekend with fish and chips and support your local business, just ask before you order for place or other fish from sustainable sources. Five months The average British person spends discussing the weather during their life time.
FACT A new survey by Warner Bros Pictures found the average Brit spends nine minutes a day discussing the weather and checks the weather forecast 11 times a week..
