We use a lot of energy shifting stuff from one place to another, including ourselves and official figures show that between 1990 and 2003, emissions from transport and communications in the UK rose by nearly 50%

The amount of energy it takes depends on three main things. How you travel, how fast you travel and how far you travel.

Simple things you can do to cut your transport emissions

• Travel less but walk more. Not only do you get to know your own neighbourhood it also gives you a bit of routine exercise. One way to travel less is to combine your journeys.
• Travel more efficiently. Full buses generally have lower emissions than trains and trains have lower emissions than all but the most efficient cars carrying a full load of passengers. Per km, cars have similar emissions per passenger to planes, but they don’t usually go as far.
• Travel more slowly. A car at 70mph uses 25% less fuel than one going at 80mph. A single horse can pull a 70 ton barge at 4mph but it takes over 1000hp to get a power boat to travel at 65mph. The main factors which influence journey time are a) when you leave and b) what route you take. Try to go quickly and you just join the next jam that little bit sooner.

The Dept for Transport issues advice on reducing emissions when you drive.

The Campaign for better Transport (formerly Transport 2000) campaigns to make it easier for us to walk, cycle and use more sustainable transport.

Sustrans have developed a nationwide network of paths for walkers and cyclists. These include the Old Scarborough to Whitby Railway Line which is part of Route 1 of the National Cycle Network.