By Nangamso Mabindla
19 October 2005

CITY staff are being urged to support national Car Free Day tomorrow by either walking to work, or using their bicycles or public transport.

The day is an initiative of the Department of Transport; it is aimed at cutting harmful emissions that are released into the environment.

Vuyani Dayimani, the acting manager of the City's integrated environmental and sustainable development unit, says the atmosphere is struggling to deal with the pollution caused by humanity.

It is this pollution that leads to global warming. Dayimani says global warming causes climate change, which is currently the environmental hot issue around the world.

"Greenhouse gases are partially to blame for this natural imbalance. The ultraviolet rays reach the earth's surface, which radiates them back to space. Thus the greenhouse gases trap the heat and make the troposphere habitable," he explains.

However, recent studies have shown that humanity is producing more gases than the atmosphere can contend with. "The result is that our environment becomes warmer and our biodiversity cannot cope."

Issues such as the burning of fossil fuels to generate power, play a major part in global warming. Coal used to produce power at electricity grids and diesel used by vehicles are some of the fuels that increase pollution in urban areas.

As the number of vehicles on the roads grows, air pollution worsens.

"In South Africa, transport accounts for about 30 percent of the total energy consumed and, of that, about 29 percent is carbon," Dayimani says.

"Diesel is a significant pollutant in urban areas. Its particles combine with sulphur to create a dangerous carcinogenic cocktail seen in the form of a brown haze."

Another challenge is traffic congestion in urban areas, which causes further damage to the atmosphere as cars emit harmful gases.

"Use of public transport not only reduces vehicle population on the roads, but also helps reduce emissions into the environment and reduces respiratory ailments caused by vehicle emissions," Dayimani adds.

"We challenge the people of Buffalo City and our staff to support this initiative."