3. Energy is the engine of growth; therefore access to energy affects our social, economic and physical development.
4. The recent increase in energy prices has taken its toll on our pockets no matter who we may be, young or old, poor or rich.
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6. In 2001, the Government of Saint Lucia approved a national Sustainable Energy Plan. The plan is a strategy to guide the development and growth of the local energy sector paying, special attention to renewable energy and energy efficiency.
7. The car transportation sector has expanded considerably in the last decade. Experiences in other countries like Europe and the USA have shown that while there is a budding trend towards energy management in the transport sector that has been a very difficult area to manage largely because we are dealing with personal attitudes and behaviors.
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9. Major steps would be to improve the road networks in Saint Lucia and to provide a higher standard of public transportation.
10. These changes would achieve significant success in reducing fuel consumption but they more than likely require considerable investment and decisions at the policy level.
11. However as an individual there are some personal choices we can make. These choices will not only improve our financial and social circumstances but will also contribute to a healthy environment.
12. These include simple decisions like carpooling, biking, walking short distances, using public transport, and bundling errands so that fewer trips are made.
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15. The initial cost of an energy efficient car may be high but the operational cost will be lower, hence over time the total cost of the energy efficient vehicle will be less.
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18. It can lower your gas mileage by 33 percent at highway speeds and by 5 percent around town.
19. Gas mileage decreases rapidly at speeds above 60 mph, because higher speeds demand more fuel to overcome wind resistance.
20. It is also prudent to turn off the engine while parked for more than a minute.
21. Idling gets 0 miles per gallon. Cars with larger engines typically waste more gas at idle than do cars with smaller engines.
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24. That is of course dependent on the kind of repair and how well it is done.
25. Replacing a clogged air filter can improve your car's gas mileage by as much as 10 percent.
26. Your car's air filter keeps impurities from damaging the inside of your engine.
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29. You can improve your gas mileage by around 3.3 percent by keeping your tires inflated to the proper pressure.
![Energy Sustainability in the Transportation Sector ,[object Object]](data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7)