Browsing by Author "Ryömä, Maura"

The aim of the study was to explore the impact of commuting and location of the residence on a consumer's total emission of greenhouse gases. The subject was chosen because many Finns move to a dwelling that is situated far away from their place of work. The research questions were: 1. How big a proportion of the total emission of consumers' greenhouse gases is due to the passenger traffic? 2. What would be the increase of greenhouse gas emission if an employee moved from Helsinki (Finland's capital city) to Nurmijärvi (a municipality located 37 km from Helsinki) assuming that the employee works in Helsinki and the commuting mode is switched from the metro to a private car. (There is no metro nor train connection between Helsinki and Nurmijärvi.) Passenger traffic forms with its estimated 33% the biggest source of consumption caused greenhouse gas emissions in Finland. Private car use is the main source of greenhouse gas emissions deriving from passenger traffic. If an employee moved to an electrically heated single-family house located about 40 km from the place of work the emission rate would increase by 75% assuming that the commuting mode is switched from the metro to a private car. Most of the increase would be due to the change of commuting mode. Most public transport in Helsinki takes place by rail (metro, tram, and train). Metro is the most favorable transportation mode in regard to greenhouse gas emission. Automobiles are the most damaging commuting alternative. A car with driver and no passengers on a motorway emits about 8 times more greenhouse gas (21.84 kg per 100 km or 62.5 miles) than travel by metro in Helsinki (2.87 kg per 100 km or 62.5 miles). A car moving in city streets emits about 10 times more greenhouse gas (27.3 kg per 100 km or 62.5 miles) than does metro travel. Substituting diesel for gasoline reduces emissions by very little. The use of diesel on a motorway decreases emissions by only 7% whereas diesel driving in a city increases emissions by 4%. Travel distances between home and work in Finland increased by about 80% between 1980 and 2003. In the same period the number of private cars increased by 86% and kilometers driven per year per car increased by 92%. The results are based on statistics and calculations based on these statistics concerning traffic, housing, heating, and electrical use. Also previous studies dealing with residential sprawl, traffic, energy production, and greenhouse gas emissions produced by Finnish consumers were referred to.