I am delighted to announce Helen and John Taylor, world experts on fuel efficiency, as the latest Clean Air Champions.
Clean Air Champions are a select group of representatives from industry, community and academia who help to raise awareness and knowledge of air quality and initiatives being undertaken to support a clean air future for Australia.
Today the Taylors set off on the Caltex Vortex Fuel Efficiency Challenge – a 38 day figure of eight drive across Australia.
The challenge will address recent research by Caltex showing that 96 per cent of Australians believe they drive inefficiently with 53 per cent wanting to learn about ways to use less fuel.
The Taylors will stop at various rural and metropolitan locations along their journey to hold workshops demonstrating the techniques that can reduce fuel consumption, thereby lowering emissions and reducing air pollution.
The Clean Air Champions initiative supports work towards establishing a National Clean Air Agreement by bringing industry and communities together to support this important environmental objective.
The National Clean Air Agreement will focus actions to reduce air pollution and improve air quality through cooperative action between industry and government at the national, state and local level.
Other Clean Air Champions include the Hyundai Motor Company Australia, Mr Gary Fooks from the marine outboard motor sector and Professor Peter Rayner, the leader of the Clean Air and Urban Landscapes Hub at the University of Melbourne.
For more information on the National Clean Air Agreement and the Clean Air Champions initiative go to: http://www.environment.gov.au/protection/air-quality/clean-air-champions
(ENDS)