Energy - Petrol

Not very much to report on the petrol front really, I have to say. We use petrol for the following:

1. the family car
2. the lawn mower
3. the whipper snipper/strimmer

It's more of a 'Guilt Secret' than a sustainability success. We should really get electrical powered tools, but we have a fair sized garden and the battery powered version struggle to manage everthing in one go.

Having said that, this is our story:

1. We only own one car, when we could often justify having two.
2. Instead I work from home and ride my bike or take public transport (tram, train, bus) whenever possible.
3. We walk the children to school whenever possible.
4. We use the car as little as possible generally, but do use it for weekend trips. Sometimes it can sit in the garage for a few days unused.
5. We cover around 12,000 km each year, which is probably 25% less than the average car in Australia. Bear in mind that most familes have two, too!
6. We did buy a larger car, because it has 7 seats and avoids the need for two cars when shipping friends, kids and familes around. More of a station wagon for people than a monster truck though.
7. We drive it as gently as possible to minimise fuel use and wear and tear. It's 8 years old already and we'll use it until it's worn out.

Honda Odyssey - similar to our own