South Africa’s first green transport service
Wilma den Hartigh
A group of forward-thinking entrepreneurs have established South Africa’s first carbon-neutral transport service.
The Green Cab is the idea of a group of women who decided to pool their expertise to help lower vehicle emissions and make transport services more sustainable.
The Cape Town-based initiative has attracted much attention from businesses looking to green their operations, eco-conscious individuals and the local tourism sector.
“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,” says Lynn Maggott, Green Cab MD.
Environment-friendly fuel
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. 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.
Biodiesel is a vegetable oil or animal fat-based diesel fuel. Vehicles running on biodiesel can achieve carbon dioxide savings of between 15% and 90%, compared to standard diesel vehicles.
Maggott explains that LPG’s percentage reduction in harmful emissions, as compared to petrol, is 75% less for carbon monoxide; 85% less for hydrocarbon; 40% less for oxide and nitrogen and about 10% less for carbon dioxide.
Biodiesel reduces carbon dioxide emissions between 30% and 50%, depending on the percentage of used cooking oil in the blend.
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.
The Green Cab petrol vehicles are fitted with a gas tank to store LPG that connects to the fuel system. Diesel vehicles are fitted with diesel particulate filters.
An accredited South African Bureau of Standards technician installed the LPG tanks. All Hyundai converted vehicles are signed off by the manufacturer’s technical director to ensure compliance with international standards.
Growing green industry in the Western Cape (YouTube)
A mini-documentary showcasing green business and industry at the southern tip of Africa.
Produced by GreenEdge in collaboration with The GreenCape Initiative, Reliance, CapeNature, PGWC, Climate Smart Cape Town and The City of Cape Town.
Green Carpet Experience for Kirstenbosch Summer Sunset Concerts
GreenCab has the honour of partnering with Old Mutual and Kirstenbosch to offer a Park & Ride experience from Cavendish Square Shopping Centre. This in an effort of the sponsor (Old Mutual) and the iconic garden to improve access to the concerts and at the same time lower the carbon footprint of the series.
Old Mutual & Cavendish offer an exciting The Green Carpet VIP Experience Competition whereby the lucky winner and 5 of their friends win concert tickets; a return transfer; a picnic hamper; a Cavendish Shopping Voucher worth R500 and, of cours, a return Green Cab transfer.
Complete the entry form online at http://www.oldmutual.co.za/music. You could stand a chance to be a winner. All entries must be submitted by no later than the Friday prior to the Sunday’s concert by 12h00 midday. The winner will be notified via e-mail and published on our website by close of business on the Friday.
COP 17 Climate Change Cab
GreenCab is offering a dedicated 12-hour chauffeur service in luxury 7-seater Hyundai H1 Wagons and other similar small people carriers for the duration of COP17. Vehicles are deploying emission-reduction technologies and you will be issued with a Green Transport Certificate where GreenCab, in conjunction with the SA Carbon Protocol, certifies that your transport was carbon neutral.
Services are offered in conjunction with Springbok Atlas who has joined GreenCab’s drive for sustainable mobility by going the extra mile to limit the carbon emissions of its fleet.
Transfer in GreenCab Branded Climate Change Cab
R2,500 per day.
Transfers in Your Company Branded Climate Change Cab
Customise your service to your delegates and communicate your green credentials by fully wrapping the vehicle in your branding.
1-5 Days @ R6,000 per day | 6-10 Days @R5,400 per day
11-15 Days @ R3,900 per day | 15-20 Days @ R3,500 per day
Chiefs Luxury Mobile Safari Camp
Chiefs Luxury Mobile Safari Camp goes to the wine lands in Paarl. In this joint venture with Rhebokskloof, Chiefs provides an innovative and unique wineland experience. Through Chiefs, the estate provides a number of exciting and interesting activities centred around the main activity which is wine making. The camp can accommodate up to 350 guests.
Green Cab on Pasella
Green Cab was featured on Pasella on 19 January 2011!
Video clip coming soon.
Emerging tourism entrepreneur of the year award winners
We are proud to share that Green Cab took top honours in the 2010/11 ETEYA competition by emerging as the Provincial Winners for the Western Cape.
Western Cape Minister for Finance, Economic Development and Tourism, Alan Winde, commented as follows in this regard: “Our economy is built on the energy and sustainability of our entrepreneurs and in the tourism industry the emphasis is on responding to demand in a sustainable manner. The Green Cab initiative speaks to growing tourism responsibly and on behalf of the Western Cape tourism industry I would like to commend their efforts.” Green Cab will also be travelling to ITB in 2011 as part of this Award!
Green Cab’s sequestration event
On 16 November 2010, Green Cab undertook its first carbon sequestration event where it planted 40 indigenous trees to off-set its residual emissions. It was done at the Old Mac Daddy Trailer Hotel in the Elgin Valley on the Fair Trade in Tourism accredited Vuki Farms. The carbon footprint of the event was kept to a minimum by purchasing trees from the local organisation Themba Trees. Representatives from a number of our Key Account Clients assisted with the planting. The CEO of Cape Town Routes Unlimited, Mr. Calvyn Gilfellan, presided over the ceremonial handing over of the Green Transport Certificates.
