Articles inside « Green actions » category
Energy-saving escalators February 11, 2009
Have you noticed? When no one uses the escalator in the metro for a while, it slows down. And as soon as someone steps onto it, his presence is detected, signalling for a gradual return to the escalator’s normal operating speed.
Several specially marked metro escalators are fitted with this energy-saving device, as it is designed to extend its service life, while lowering maintenance and electricity costs.
All escalators will eventually be energy-saving escalators. Another smart thought, another small action.
Learn more: about Energy-saving escalators:
Retreading tires February 11, 2009
Are you familiar with the process for retreading tires? The worn tire tread is sanded off and a new tread is applied to the casing. Depending on the tire’s condition, it can be retread up to three times.
A new tire is good for about 120,000 km; retreading can add another 60,000 km to its service life. Better still, manufacturing a bus tire requires almost 84 litres of oil, while retreading one only takes about 27.
Once the tires have exhausted their service life, they are sent to Recyc-Québec, who will make sure they are recycled by all means. And metro tires? Thanks to an STM initiative, the 110 tons of metro tires worn out each year are shipped to rubber recycling plants where they are turned into carpets, and to cement factories who convert them into energy. A small action that goes a long way!
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Adopting green driving techniques February 11, 2009
Determined to fight against deteriorating air quality in Montreal as well as global warming, three years ago, the STM undertook the task of teaching green driving techniques to its drivers. Today, the majority of them have embraced the new approach.
Green driving rests on a basic principle: the quantity of CO2 emissions, the primary greenhouse gas responsible for global warming, and of other polluting emissions are proportional to fuel consumption.
Green driving focuses mainly on anticipating traffic movements and traffic light changes to slow down and speed up smoothly. And this results in a reduction in fuel consumption and in greenhouse gas emissions.
In a little over three years, introducing this programme has lead to fuel savings of over two million litres. No doubt about it: the more you ease up on the gas pedal, the greener the drive!
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Recovering waste water February 11, 2009
Did you know that many of the STM buses are washed every day with recycled water? In the end, up to 15 million litres of drinking water will be saved each year.
In the same vein as that clearly environmental action, the STM calls upon multiple leading-edge technologies to prevent contamination of industrial waste water, as well as to recover and purify waste water from bus and metro garages, either caused by oil leaks on metro cars or by spills when bus fuel tanks are refilled or by oily water from washing buses.
Mindful of being environmentally responsible, the STM only uses natural, fully biodegradable soap for metro maintenance. Now that’s clean!
