The Problem with Transport
Cars, motorcycles, lorries, ships and aeroplanes mostly burn petrol or diesel. Their engines release carbon dioxide, which adds to global warming, together with gases and soot that cause air pollution and haze in cities. Because so many vehicles are on the road, transport is one of the largest sources of greenhouse gases. Green technology tackles this in two ways: cleaner vehicles and smarter travel choices.
Key idea
An electric vehicle (EV) has no exhaust pipe emissions. A hybrid uses both a petrol engine and an electric motor, so it burns less fuel than an ordinary car.
Cleaner Vehicles
- Electric and hybrid vehicles — use electricity to cut or remove exhaust emissions.
- Biofuel — Malaysia blends palm-based biodiesel (for example B10) into diesel to reduce fossil fuel use.
- Catalytic converters — fitted to petrol cars to change harmful exhaust gases into less harmful ones.
Smarter Travel
How we travel matters as much as what we drive. Using public transport such as the MRT, LRT and buses moves many people using far less fuel per person. Carpooling, cycling and walking cut emissions further. Well-maintained engines and correctly inflated tyres improve fuel efficiency, so less fuel is burned for each kilometre travelled.
Cleaner transport also reduces traffic haze and the health problems it causes, such as coughing and breathing difficulty. Cities that invest in trains and cycling lanes tend to have cleaner air and less congestion than those built only for cars.
Example
A worker in Kuala Lumpur leaves the car at home and takes the MRT to the office. One train carries hundreds of commuters, so the carbon released per person is far smaller than if each drove alone.
Remember
Cleaner engines (EV, hybrid, biodiesel) + smarter choices (public transport, carpooling) = lower transport emissions.