Gymnasio Palouriotissas

CYMEPA | Spring ‘09

Article:

Reporting on the “IQ Mobility Project” findings

Saving health risks, energy and money by reducing air pollution

Young Reporters for the Environment:

Anastasia Christoforou (C’5),

Andreas Papageorgiou (B’6),

Elena Vasileiou (C’7)

Student guidance: Polis Aniftos

Project Owner: IQ 2in Ltd

Rationale
Considering the recent increases in oil prices, and the new-coming economic
crisis, the need to disengage our economies from the dependency on oil
production, has become more inevitable than ever before; especially when
the production of oil is inherently problematic since it is subjected to
uncontrollable marketing strategies and unpredictable geopolitical
parameters.

The effects of car exhaust gases are the greatest contributor in urban air
pollution becoming extremely dangerous to public health. Annual deaths
from these effects are estimated to be greater than those attributed to road
accidents1.

Radical measures can be taken by governments to minimize car driving by

raising the efficiency of the commune system and citizens’ satisfaction,
while saving money and the environment at the same time!

Proposal

Our proposal is based on the principle of active participation of the public. In

particular, we propose the establishment of community based cooperative-
transport-companies spread on a national scale, the shareholders of which
will be the local community members, in merit of share purchases. These
coop companies will base their public transport services on clean energy
consumption, such as hydrogen buses, electric railroads and trams, hybrid
and electric cars and motorbikes, bicycles and tri-cycles.

Method

Our research was conducted in 3 distinct suburbs of Nicosia with a total

population of 20000. The methodology was based on small random groups,
and some interviews. Results collected by prior groups participating in the
project from other years were also utilized, as well as internet based
research fruited useful data to inform wisely our projections, estimations and
approximations; which although may not be scientifically justifiable, still
possess a valid weight. Reserving a 20% statistical error provides us with a
safe-net of accountability. Nevertheless, the research does not aim at this
point to provide exact results but to sketch the possibilities of this idea.

• The project could be endorsed and funded by the Cyprus government

and the EU.

• Supported by an integrated advertising campaign aiming to modify

the current driving culture and enabling the public to make informed
decision making on the benefits of the reform.

1
International Bicycle Fund, http://www.ibike.org/environment/air-pollution.htm, last accessed: 5/4/2009
Findings

The proportions of the problem can better be understood in the light of our
research results:

• There correspond 0.85 cars per capita.

• An average family living under the same roof owns approximately 3

cars.

• The annual cost of each car (considering all possible expenses-fuel,

maintenance, licenses, insurance, etc- including value depreciation)
sums up on an average 3500 euro. Thus each family spends more
than 10500 euro per year for having their cars.

Then we considered how we could better the situation described above:

• We calculated that the equivalent cost of a driving license ownership

outrageously corresponds to 200000 euro.

• One could suggest that half of this amount could be used to pay for
the study fees to obtain up to 8 university degrees if the same person,
instead of wasting their time in driving, was taking the bus or the train
and utilised that same time to read text books!

• By sacrificing the ownership only of 1 of their cars, and relocating that

money to buy shares of the local coop company, every family could
benefit from reduced costs for work commune of up to 50% per
annum.

• Even in the extreme scenario in which 100% of the population are

shareholders and customers as well, if we consider the fact that yet, a
large amount of the customers will be visitors to the country (such as
seasonal workers and tourists, estimated at an average 30% of the
population spread over the whole year) the coop companies will still
make annual profit, hence, there will be also a fund return to the
shareholders, from the share merits every fiscal year.

• The estimated benefits are dependent on the percentage of the

population that will participate in the project. Yet, our wild projection
of 50% project implementation suggests that about 55% of the GNP
could be saved or about 75% of the annual foreign expenditure.

• The calculated 2.5 billions euro to be saved (corresponding to the

aforementioned 50% implementation of the project), will be
distributed accordingly:
 o 40% to the consumers (shareholders),

o 20% to the government,

o 25% to the state (indirectly to the general public, causing an

increase to the annual income per capita),

o 15% to affected professions (such as insurance companies,

mechanics etc.). The only negatively affect market groups will
be the car sales companies, even if they shift to clean energy
vehicles imports.

After brainstorming on other positive side effects of our idea, we found the
following:

• Thousands of new jobs will be created (in the public and private
sector), while some of the existing professions will slightly be affected
negatively, others will be benefited.

• Road accidents, injuries and deaths will be greatly reduced, resulting

ultimately reducing their financial and human capital cost.

• Considerable increase in national positive performance on the Euro-

barometer in a variety of parameters.