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First carbon-neutral cab service launched

A group of forward-thinking entrepreneurs have established South Africa's first carbon-neutral transport service, Media Club South Africa reports. Cape Town-based initiative The Green Cab is the brainchild of a group of women who decided to pool their expertise to help lower vehicle emissions and make transport services more sustainable.

The project has attracted much attention from businesses looking to green their operations, eco-conscious individuals and the local tourism sector. Green Cab was also named the 2010/2011 provincial winners for the Western Cape in the Emerging Tourism Entrepreneur Award competition.

According to Lynn Maggott, Green Cab MD, the company's fleet has been modified to run on liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and a biodiesel blend of diesel used cooking oil. A 20/80 ratio of biodiesel to diesel is used. "LPG is a flammable mixture of hydrocarbon gases used as fuel in vehicles," Maggot told Media Club South Africa, "It burns more cleanly than petrol." According to the UK Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, LPG used in taxi, limousine or shuttle services can achieve carbon dioxide savings of up to 12%, compared to normal petrol-driven vehicles, she added.

Most of The Green Cab's vehicles are supplied by Hyundai South Africa. This is the only vehicle manufacturer in South Africa that will extend warranties on new vehicles once they have been converted to run on a dual fuel system. "Looking after the environment is something everyone needs to do. We are destroying our planet and we all have a responsibility to do something. We owe it to future generations," Maggott said.

Read the full article on www.mediaclubsouthafrica.com.

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