Happy New Year to you all.

How often do we jump in the car to do a local errand, when we could walk? It can be very tempting when the weather’s a bit cold and bleak and there’s a car sitting outside the house.

But not only does every car journey add to the toxic gases in the atmosphere, we may also be getting less exercise than we should to stay healthy.

Owning and maintaining a vehicle, getting it regularly serviced, MOTd and keeping the fuel topped up can be a costly exercise and also short journeys in urban areas are often not helpful to fuel efficiency.

Inevitably the value of a car will depreciates over time and because technological innovation is advancing so rapidly older cars are rarely as economical or fuel efficient as newer models.

If we are serious about reducing global warning and helping to reverse climate change, we may need to not only change our habits to ensure that we throw away less and recycle more, but we may have to re-think our attitudes to car ownership.

Obviously, there will be some people who cannot manage without a car, either for health or work-related reasons.

However, for those who can reconsider, there is always the option of renting a vehicle for those occasions when a longer journey is necessary, especially where there is inadequate public transport as an alternative.

Renting means you will have a newer, more fuel-efficient vehicle because vehicle rental companies like Robertsons generally upgrade their fleet after three years.

However, you will also be assured that the rental is well-maintained and regularly serviced.

It may actually save you money and improve your health – as well as the health of the planet – if you rethink owning a car and switch to rental!