20 Mar 07
The therapy starts here. Get it all out in the open, say the mind experts, and the healing can begin. So here we go (deep breath): CO2 emissions from the exhaust are only part of the story.
From the moment the iron ore is first smelted in a coal-fired furnace, greenhouse gases are released - and they keep on coming. Manufacturing, transporting, fuelling, producing that fuel, scrapping: all these processes contribute CO2 to the atmosphere, creating what is referred to as a car's individual carbon debt.
But how exactly does that debt break down? Is the manufacturing debit the CO2 equivalent of the mortgage payment, or more like the phone bill? If we buy a UK-made car, will the transport savings substantially reduce the overall CO2 invoice?
The true cost might be painful, but already the makers, legislators and the drivers are taking steps to reduce that pain.
