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Page THE WEEKEND OUTLOOK Friday February l urn Modifying driving habits will help environment By JIM MD Its difficult to accept that one of my daily habits contributes to the greenhouse effect acid rain ozone depletion urban smog and crop damage Yet every time I drive my car this is what is hap pening On average a North American car bums eight hundred gallons of fuel per year This produces four tons of carbon dioxide In Ontario it Is estimated that per cent of carbon dioxide pollution is caused by automobiles Carbon dioxide is one of the most impor tant causes of greenhouse effect Other automobile emissions cause damage Sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxides form acid rain In Ontario it is estimated that cars produce about per cent of acid rain which harms buildings forests lakes soil and increases the suf fering of those with respiratory oxides and hydrocar bons react with sunlight and form ground level ozone which is toxic to crops and may cause lung damage Volatile hydrocarbons and particulate matter promote ur ban smog Cs are the coolants in air condi tioners Whenever CFCs are allowed to escape as in servicing the air conditioning units or when a vehicle is finally crushed in the wreckers yard stratospheric ozone is destroyed This destruc tion of ozone leads to an increase in exposure to ultraviolet radia tion which causes impairment of the immune system and increase in skin cancer and cataracts Scientists have estimated that if all available CFCs were sud denly released the entire ozone layer would be destroyed This is an unlikely but scenario There are approximately million cars in the world Eighty- one percent of these cars are in Canada America Europe and Japan Of interest these coun tries possess only 16 per cent of the worlds population As people in the Third World aspire to our standard of living and drive more cars automobileinduced pollu tion will increase dramatically Irreplaceable often prime agricultural land is taken over and paved so that we can drive our cars In America 60000 square miles of land have been paved over in the lower states an area equivalent to the entire state of Georgia in order to ac commodate Americas cars In addition 100 million lead automobile batteries are discard ed annually throughout the world Battery crushing stations release lead particles into the air When inhaled or ingested brain damage learning disabilities and anemia may result Children are particularly vulnerable the Hagersvilie fire reminds us of the problem of discarded tires If this litany has already en couraged you to buy a bicycle form a car pool or to scrap the old gas guzzler for a fuel efficient compact car you will be helping to preserve our environment If you are not yet convinced about reducing your dependency on the car remember that people were killed and another injured in traffic accidents across Canada in The known useable oil reserves throughout the world are expected to deplete by the year 2040 You can bet that will be an excellent year to buy a used Mercedes Oil is becoming harder to ex tract and the extracting process is inflicting greater damage on the environment As the North American oil supply dwindles the US is expected to run out of domestic supplies by 2020 more oil will be imported over greater distances The recen Exxon Valdez oil spill clearly illustrates the grave ecological dangers of transporting crude oil When Henry Ford invented the Model he was providing basic transport Over the years cars have become status symbols and support items for damaged egos We can help to reverse this trend by choosing small basic cars which are fuel efficient Despite the arguments against the car which has become such a basic part of our lives I doubt if anyone will give it up voluntarily However we can make a signifi cant contribution by modifying our driving habits We can walk or bike for close errands arrange car pools use public transportation take a job closer to home or move closer to work lobby for improved public transportation what a mistake to axe Via Rail lobby the federal government to increase the fuel efficiency of engines and to promote research and develop ment in alternative fuels such as alcohol and electricity recycle motor oil turn in the old battery when buying a new one keep our cars well tuned the tires proper ly inflated avoid quick accelera tions and decelerations and obey speed limits When buying a new car consider a model that gets good gas mileage at least 35 km per gallon doesnt have air con ditioner unless you need it for medical reasons and has radial tires with a high tread rating for longer use All of this reminds me of the other internal combustion engine that I own the horsepower outboard motor that is attached to my summer toy Thank you to all my knowing friends who ask ed good environmental questions about its polluting effects You made me fully aware that I re main a part of your problem Next year I am determined to do more canoeing Jim is a family physician and a contributing writer to The Medical Post on en vironmental Issues To contact him call Environment Ontario issues Directors Order to Matachewan Consolidated Mines Ltd The Ontario Ministry of the Environment recently issued a Directors Order to Matachewan Consolidated Mines Ltd under Section of the Environ mental Protection Act The Order follows the discharge of 130000 cubic metres of mine tailings from the companys property near into Davidson Creek and then into the Montreal River system on Oct 1990 The Order requires that several studies be undertaken by the company leading to remedial measures to prevent future dis charges of tailings from David son Creek and its delta to the Montreal River The remedial measures must be completed by April 1991 Other remedial measures include a study outlining short- term and potential longterm effects on aquatic life in Davidson Creek and the Mon treal River The study must be completed by November and indicate remedial measures that may be required of the The company must provide a report indicating how the per manent portable water supplies of the municipalities and indi vidual private supplies affected will be restored or how alter nate supplies will be provided The Order also instructs the company to conduct routine water sampling of Davidson Creek and the Montreal River throughout the winter season Sampling frequency will be increased during any winter thaw period and during the spring runoff period Residents and communities drawing water directly from the Montreal River are currently being supplied by the Ministry of the Environment with drink ing water and filtration units to reduce turbidity Further company discharges of tailings from Davidson Creek must be prevented and it is absolutely essential to restore normal water supplies to affect ed communities and individuals as soon as possible Env ironment Minister Ruth Gricr said TWO PIECE TOILET White Reg SALE 9995 SAVE 000 Bone and Grey available extra cost Salt 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