Campaign highlights 'green' caravanning

CARAVANNERS now have access to a website that will calculate CO2 emissions for a journey and compare them to flying the same distance.

The aim of the website is to demonstrate the green credentials of caravanning as a leisure pursuit.

It has been created by the National Caravan Council (NCC), with support from manufacturers Bailey and Swift, and could encourage more people to choose caravanning for their next holiday.

As an example, the NCC says that emissions for a 1,100 mile journey from London to Inverness with a family of four in a Ford Focus towing a small caravan produces only 38% (0.36 tonnes) of the C0² output of a similar distance flight, which would produce emissions of nearly a ton (0.96 tonnes).

Speaking at the site’s launch, NCC Director General John Lally said: “We want to highlight the many ‘green’ aspects of a taking a touring caravan holiday, thus encouraging people to take up caravanning by enabling them to make an informed choice.

“And we are sure committed caravanners, the majority of whom are very environmentally aware, will rush to the site to calculate their journey’s carbon footprint.”

Mr Lally said that caravanning meets the needs of many holidaymakers - to enjoy the environment while minimising their carbon footprint.

He added: “Not only does it compare favourably with flying in the majority of instances, but also can compare well with taking a coach or train journey.”

To calculate emissions, the site uses as a Ford Focus as the small car, a Vauxhall Vectra as the medium-sized car and a Kia Sorrento as a large car.

The site can be accessed at www.greencaravanning.co.uk

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