Department of Environment and Conservation (NSW) |
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“Walking is not only good for your health but it is also good for the health of the environment, said Ms Lisa Corbyn, Director General of the Department of Environment and Conservation, today when she announced her support for the official Walk to Work Day.
“If everyone in Sydney walked, cycled or caught public transport just once a week, around 2,400 tonnes of smog forming chemical and 13 tonnes of fines particle pollution would be eliminated from the atmosphere each year in Sydney,” she said
“Motor vehicles are still the most significant source of urban air pollution in Sydney. By leaving the car at home you can help reduce potentially harmful emissions from the air.
Ms Corbyn said that the rising cost of petrol was forcing people to think about the way they were using their cars
“The cost to the environment might not always be top of mind for a lot of people as they drive to work, but the rising cost of petrol almost certainly is.
“More and more people are starting to consider walking to work or catching public transport, in order to save money. What many people might not realize is that these savings can be passed on to the environment.
Ms Corbyn said that if people thought that it was too far for them to walk to work, then catching public transport was just as beneficial to the environment.
“The NSW Government has the largest fleet of buses, around 400, fuelled by compressed natural gas in the southern hemisphere, providing another environmentally friendly alternative to the car.
“I would like to encourage everyone to consider the benefits of leaving the car at home on Friday the 7th October and consider walking or catching public transport to work instead,” said Ms Corbyn.
Media contact: Liza Cassidy
Ph: 02 9995 5334