As I noted in the previous post, I have been lately quite a lot in trains to go to Paris and Besançon for my job research and leisure.
Using the train enabled me to avoid the emissions of nearly 240 kilograms of carbon dioxide as if I had been going by car. I have to admit that I am quite satisfied with myself.
Climate change mitigation is easy once one have understood how to achieve significant results. My use of the train is but one.
240 kilograms, that is indeed quite a lot and I am simply amazed of how much cars emits greenhouse gases and the fact that the Ademe estimates that transport is the main greenhouse gases emitter in France doesn’t surprise me at all.
Here are the calculations for you to know how I came to such a figure :
I drive (but don’t own) a Toyota Yaris that emits on average 130 grams of carbon dioxide. This is not much compared to gas guzzlers which can emit up to 260 grams per kilometer? but it is to me still way to much.
I wish the Citroen C Cactus was already available as it would produce only 78 grams of carbon dioxide per kilometer thanks to its hybrid motorization.
Knowing that Paris is 400 kilometers from my place and Besançon 60 kilometers, I arrive to a staggering figure of 1840 kilometers.
By multiplying these figures, I have :
1840 * 130 = 239,200 grams
239 kilograms and 200 grams.
To be complete, I have to take into account the emissions of the train. As I stated there :
By having a look at www.manicore.com, Jean-Marc Jancovici’s website, trains emits 35 times less CO2 than small cars. So my 1840 kms by TGV emitted less than seven kilograms.
But, since I wasn’t alone in these trains, I don’t take into account this figure. Furthermore, this train would have been working without my riding it.
For those of you which use the imperial systems, that make 480 pounds of carbon dioxide emissions less.
This makes that I avoided more than 300 kilograms of carbon dioxide emissions since the beginning of the year. This makes almost 50 kg per week.
A staggering figure that really enables me to understand climate change, its mitigation and most importantly how our daily actions are important, and this even if they seem at first benign.
I will keep on writing on how I mitigate climate change and will soon write articles to help you in doing so, so stay tuned and please don’t hesitate to write a comment as I would gladly read you.