How procrastination can cost the environment

I can be the Queen of procrastination and now I’ve realised how bad for the environment it can be!

You might remember we’ve been backwards and forwards with our conscience when it comes to choosing a car.

For years we’ve run a 4×4. It might seem counter intuitive when you think we’re a ‘green’ family, but it’s a working vehicle.

We use it to collect wood to burn to heat our home.

But it isn’t the greatest vehicle for the environment!

So then we bought a people carrier which did 60 miles to the gallon. This felt much easier on the conscience when driving about (the 4×4 does about 23 mpg!).

But you can’t stick a tonne of wood in a people carrier or drive it up a muddy field without getting into trouble…

So the people carrier sat on the side of the drive for YEARS while we drove the 4×4.

We didn’t want to get rid of it because the mpg was so good.

My left logical brain said “Get rid of it, you’re using the other vehicle!” but then the “But it does 60 miles to the gallon!” argument would kick in.

So I left it and left it; unable to make a decision, and I’m ashamed to say it’s now no longer road worthy.

The other day we decided to clean it out to sell and found the footwell full of water. *face palm*

I know! How shocking is that?

Apparently 2 million cars reach the end of their useful life every year but fortunately they don’t all end up polluting the atmosphere.

As this infographic from Sell The Car shows, the 2003 end of life vehicle act means that cars must be de-polluted before they are recycled.

Sell The Car are the UK’s biggest and best scrap car buyers who aim to provide motorists with a simple way to sell their car and generate the most money in return.

They explain the scrap car process simply: To de-pollute a car means all the oil, coolants and fluids are removed. Then the car is dismantled into component parts; many of which have a useful second life. Hazardous materials are removed then the remaining shell of the car is shredded into scrap metal.

Realising all the component parts of the people carrier can be put to good use helps ease my burden somewhat.

What about you – has procrastination ever cost you heavily?