Off-roaders often get the end of the stick when the discussion turns to environmental issues - wasting fossil fuel, generating exhaust pollution, killing fauna, and all for just selfish personal entertainment. It's too much of a disastrous carbon footprint to justify the ego trip of motoring over natural terrain for no good reason, some people scream.
Well, guilty as charged, I suppose. I love the rumble of a petrol V8 engine, especially up a quiet mountain trail. I don't mind a smoke-belching diesel, either, especially through deep mud and water passages. And I absolutely reach motoring heaven on my two-stroke, 350cc quad bike on the sand dunes.
There is no doubt compromises need to be made and, indeed, will be forced upon us eventually. Hopefully we will soon be offered zero-emission, solar-powered 4x4 vehicles with comparable torque, and we can play the sound of rally car engines on our audio systems if we miss the sound stimulation of a roaring combustion engine.
In the meantime, here are some things we can do to minimise our effect on the environment.
Petrol consumption is normally quite dramatic off-road, but staying out of the low gearset is a useful step: the engine will rev less in the high gears and the gears will range longer, requiring less frequent shifts. Engage low only when really needed, such as when escaping from a stuck situation, or on a steep descent, then shift back into high gear right away.
On soft sand, tyres are deflated to increase footprint, and when the drive ends back on tarmac a decision is taken whether to inflate with a portable compressor (slow, and has you standing in the sun) or to just drive slowly to a nearby petrol station. If you carry an air compressor, better use it, to save both gas and wear on the tyres; driving with deflated tyres on tarmac is also dangerous. Heavy acceleration, and subsequent braking, make a big difference to the economy you'll get out of your vehicle; on remote expeditions, where the amount of fuel is limited, one of the golden rules is to maintain a steady speed.
If you're out to play on the dunes, you'll likely not want to be too gentle with your right foot, but saving it for when it's required by the terrain is a fair compromise: avoid spinning wheels unnecessarily when on the flat.
Littering, I believe, we can do away with immediately, as there can be no valid reason for dumping rubbish in natural surroundings.
Most desert animals stay far away from loud vehicles and hide in the bushes and underground, so there is little chance of killing them. But plants definitely can be damaged, even killed, by heavy-duty off-road wheels, so staying off the green stuff as much as possible is a fair rule. If you've ever driven on the sand dunes after rain, you'll know that wherever tyres pass, the fresh green grasses don't survive.
Are our off-road trips defensible in a world of dwindling resources and delicate ecological survival? I'll let you decide that one, but they can definitely be made easier on our environment without losing all the fun.
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COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Almnssa
Started: August 2020
Founder: Areej Selmi
Based: Gaza
Sectors: Internet, e-commerce
Investments: Grants/private funding
The specs
Engine: 3.8-litre twin-turbo flat-six
Power: 650hp at 6,750rpm
Torque: 800Nm from 2,500-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch auto
Fuel consumption: 11.12L/100km
Price: From Dh796,600
On sale: now
The biog
Favourite colour: Brown
Favourite Movie: Resident Evil
Hobbies: Painting, Cooking, Imitating Voices
Favourite food: Pizza
Trivia: Was the voice of three characters in the Emirati animation, Shaabiyat Al Cartoon
SPECS%3A%20Polestar%203
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Eyasses squad
Charlie Preston (captain) – goal shooter/ goalkeeper (Dubai College)
Arushi Holt (vice-captain) – wing defence / centre (Jumeriah English Speaking School)
Olivia Petricola (vice-captain) – centre / wing attack (Dubai English Speaking College)
Isabel Affley – goalkeeper / goal defence (Dubai English Speaking College)
Jemma Eley – goal attack / wing attack (Dubai College)
Alana Farrell-Morton – centre / wing / defence / wing attack (Nord Anglia International School)
Molly Fuller – goal attack / wing attack (Dubai College)
Caitlin Gowdy – goal defence / wing defence (Dubai English Speaking College)
Noorulain Hussain – goal defence / wing defence (Dubai College)
Zahra Hussain-Gillani – goal defence / goalkeeper (British School Al Khubairat)
Claire Janssen – goal shooter / goal attack (Jumeriah English Speaking School)
Eliza Petricola – wing attack / centre (Dubai English Speaking College)
Thank You for Banking with Us
Director: Laila Abbas
Starring: Yasmine Al Massri, Clara Khoury, Kamel El Basha, Ashraf Barhoum
Rating: 4/5
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How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
Winners
Best Men's Player of the Year: Kylian Mbappe (PSG)
Maradona Award for Best Goal Scorer of the Year: Robert Lewandowski (Bayern Munich)
TikTok Fans’ Player of the Year: Robert Lewandowski
Top Goal Scorer of All Time: Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United)
Best Women's Player of the Year: Alexia Putellas (Barcelona)
Best Men's Club of the Year: Chelsea
Best Women's Club of the Year: Barcelona
Best Defender of the Year: Leonardo Bonucci (Juventus/Italy)
Best Goalkeeper of the Year: Gianluigi Donnarumma (PSG/Italy)
Best Coach of the Year: Roberto Mancini (Italy)
Best National Team of the Year: Italy
Best Agent of the Year: Federico Pastorello
Best Sporting Director of the Year: Txiki Begiristain (Manchester City)
Player Career Award: Ronaldinho
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CHINESE GRAND PRIX STARTING GRID
1st row
Sebastian Vettel (Ferrari)
Kimi Raikkonen (Ferrari)
2nd row
Valtteri Bottas (Mercedes-GP)
Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes-GP)
3rd row
Max Verstappen (Red Bull Racing)
Daniel Ricciardo (Red Bull Racing)
4th row
Nico Hulkenberg (Renault)
Sergio Perez (Force India)
5th row
Carlos Sainz Jr (Renault)
Romain Grosjean (Haas)
6th row
Kevin Magnussen (Haas)
Esteban Ocon (Force India)
7th row
Fernando Alonso (McLaren)
Stoffel Vandoorne (McLaren)
8th row
Brendon Hartley (Toro Rosso)
Sergey Sirotkin (Williams)
9th row
Pierre Gasly (Toro Rosso)
Lance Stroll (Williams)
10th row
Charles Leclerc (Sauber)
arcus Ericsson (Sauber)
JOKE'S%20ON%20YOU
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