Carbon Footprint | News & Views

Majority of UK businesses ‘not measuring carbon footprint’

The majority of UK companies do not measure their carbon footprint yet, the Carbon Trust has claimed.

Britain’s largest business and public organisations now have less than 50 days to sign up to the Carbon Reduction Commitment (CRC) Energy Efficiency Scheme, which is intended to help the country meet its carbon reduction target.

However, a survey conducted by the trust revealed that just 26 per cent of firms make the effort to measure their emissions, Bloomberg reports.

Some 38 per cent of the 200 finance directors who took part in the poll said that they planned to begin monitoring their carbon footprint in the next five years.

Harry Morrison, general manager of the Carbon Trust, said that finance departments are playing a greater role in monitoring emissions. Earlier this year, Mr Morrison said that the key to implementing a successful CRC strategy lies within the internal audit and data collection processes.

“In many companies, the finance team in their internal audit function are best placed to have a robust view of carbon and environmental data than the energy and climate teams may have done in the past,” the news provider quoted him as saying.

>>> Please read the full article here

CITROËN DS3 ‘ECOMEDY TOUR’: TWO COMEDIANS, FIVE NIGHTS, FIVE HUNDRED MILES, ONE TANK OF FUEL

Citroën’s DS3 is going on tour – transporting comedians Dan Adams and Christian Ancliff to their first ever Edinburgh Fringe Festival (6th to 30th August). The Citroën DS3 Ecomedy Tour will see the two stand-ups piloting a DS3 DStyle 99g and gigging all the way from London to Edinburgh – a journey of over 500 miles – all on a single tank of fuel.

The pair will put in a performance each night during the tour, playing in London, Oxford, Stratford-upon-Avon, Manchester and Glasgow before reaching Edinburgh in time for the start of their Fringe run. The DS3 Ecomedy Tour runs from 1st to 6th August and is supporting Oxford-based hospice, Helen & Douglas House.

To allow members of the public to follow all the action, Dan and Christian will be updating a special tour microsite, www.ecomedytour.com every day with videos, images and words.

Christian Ancliff commented; “It’s our first Fringe appearance, so understandably we’re fantastically nervous and very excited at the same time. Trying out our show material right across the UK during the tour will give us a great warm-up and a brilliant experience.”

Dan Adams added; “We’re testing our humour against the public and Citroën’s technology against the elements. I only hope we can match audience laughs per gig with DS3’s miles per gallon. This should be a terrific adventure for a very worthwhile cause. We look forward to sharing it with the public.”

For more information on each performance or to follow the tour activity, visit www.ecomedytour.com.

Tour updates will also be published on Citroën’s official Twitter and Facebook pages: www.twitter.com/citroenuk & www.facebook.com/CitroenUK

>>> Details: Kicks off in London on the 1st August and finishes in Edinburgh on the 6th August

>>> Visit the website here for more information

>>> For information on Helen & Douglas House click here

Wind turbines ’set for increase’

In a Sunday Telegraph interview, the Lib Dem minister backed new onshore and offshore wind power over nuclear.

Mr Huhne, whose department is facing cuts of between 25% and 40%, said turbines were “incredibly competitive” but not always popular among locals.

Offshore sites had fewer planning issues and were “likely to be an important part” of energy independence.

There are currently around 250 wind farms operating in the UK, with a further 12 offshore, with 2,909 turbines in operation in total. A further 27 onshore and five offshore wind farms are currently under construction while plans for another 468 wind farms have been announced.

Speaking ahead of a key policy statement to the Commons, Mr Huhne identified Dogger Bank in the North Sea as a prime area for further offshore development.

“It’s relatively cheap to put wind turbines in that shallow area,” he said.

Mr Huhne said the UK needed to become more independent in energy production to allow it to withstand “shocks from the outside world”.

“The lights will not go out on my watch,” he said.

The Energy Secretary said it was feasible for Britain to be totally self-sufficient thanks to renewable sources, which also includes wave power and harnessing tidal streams.

“It implies quite a stretch as it implies we would be building an awful lot of turbines around our coasts. But the technology is changing. It is becoming substantially cheaper to generate from these renewable sources,” he said.

Plans for new nuclear plants won support from both the Tories and Labour in the previous parliament but Mr Huhne said the new coalition had “no money” to subsidise such a move.

Under the coalition agreement, Lib Dem MPs can register their long standing opposition to the issue by abstaining from any parliamentary vote.

Mr Huhne, however, told the Telegraph he expected new power stations would be built through private investment “given the framework we can put in place”.

>>> Please read the full article here

Emissions Equality – The need to improve air quality

VOLVO ANNOUNCES THREE-POINT PLAN TO HELP THE CAR INDUSTRY IMPROVE UK AIR QUALITY.

Volvo Car UK has launched a three-point plan aimed at providing all motorists with a broader range of emissions information when they buy their next car – irrespective of marque – to help combat the UK’s rising problem of poor air quality.

With the UK facing a fine of up to £300m for its poor air quality and the Environmental Audit Committee predicting 50,000 premature deaths* through air pollution, Volvo believes it’s time to educate drivers of a car’s complete emissions picture rather than just CO2 in isolation.

Automotive emissions other than CO2 (NOx, Hydrocarbons and Particulates**) are the key contributors to poor air quality, particularly in urban areas, and are one of the main reasons why the UK suffers from one of the highest recordable asthma rates in the world***.

Volvo is proposing:

1. Volvo Car UK will encourage the Department for Transport and the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders to mandate a second environmental label covering non-CO2 emissions for all new and used cars up to five years of age. This would sit alongside the current CO2 label on all cars displayed.

The CO2 and other emissions information shouldn’t be combined in one single label as drivers still need to understand CO2 emissions for tax purposes. All of this information is readily available on the VCA website but needs presenting in an easier to understand format such as www.CleanGreenCars.co.uk and be made more accessible to all drivers.

Volvo believes there is room for a new environmental label similar to the one in the United States of America, run by the US Environmental Protection Agency which scores the environmental impact of vehicles, including both air quality and CO2 emissions.

2. Volvo Car UK is launching a phone/PC App in the next few weeks to make all air pollution and CO2 emission information readily available to drivers for when they visit a showroom to choose their next car.

3. Volvo Car UK will create an Emissions Equality Automotive Air Pollution Think Tank to move the subject of emissions and air quality further up the agenda of the automotive industry over the coming 12-24 months.

The Think Tank already has a number of high-profile members covering all sides of the debate, including Environmental Protection UK’s Policy Officer Ed Dearnley, environmentalist andTV naturalist Chris Packham, Professor of Environmental Health from Kings College London Frank Kelly, the automotive environmental commentator Jay Nagley from www.CleanGreenCars.co.uk and Volvo’s own environmental consultant Don Potts.

To support the campaign they have developed a great animation which helps explain the issues in an easily to understand way. You can watch this great eco video here.

Further discussion and debate will also be directed to facebook and twitter, where conversation will be tagged #EmissionsEquality.

Additional Information;
*Source: Environmental Audit Committee
**The Vehicle Certification Agency’s description of non CO2 emissions is as follows:
CO – Carbon monoxide reduces the oxygen carrying capacity of the blood.
HC – Hydrocarbons contribute to ozone formation. Some kinds of HCs can also be carcinogens and are also indirect greenhouse gases.
NOx – Oxides of nitrogen react in the atmosphere to form nitrogen dioxide (NO2) which can have adverse effects on health, particularly among people with respiratory illness.
***http://www.asthma.org.uk/news_media/media_resources/for_journalists.html

Recession ‘created illusion of CO2 cuts

The reduction in carbon emissions seen over the past year were not due to improved implementation of climate change policy, an influential committee has claimed.

In its second progress report to parliament, the Committee on Climate Change indicated that the 8.6 per cent drop in greenhouse gas emissions seen over the past 12 months was due to a drop in economic activity and an increase in energy prices.  According to the group, there is a real risk that emissions will increase again as economic activity increases again.

Chair of the committee Lord Adair Turner said: “The recession has created the illusion that progress is being made to reduce emission.”  Lord Adair went on to explain that the analysis in the report shows that climate change measures has little effect on emissions, adding “we are repeating our call for new policy approaches to drive the required step change, in order that the UK can ensure a low-carbon recovery”.

The Committee on Climate Change also recently recommended to the government that it explores the option of employing carbon capture and storage technology at gas-fired power stations to ensure it meets its emissions targets.

>>> Please read the full article here

Changing clocks ‘would cut carbon emissions’

A new report has been released which suggests that altering the clocks in the UK by one hour could have a significant impact on carbon emissions.

The research was led by Dr Elizabeth Garnsey at Cambridge University and was based on the concept of putting the clocks forward by one hour, meaning the UK would be on GMT+1 in the winter and GMT+2 in the summer.

Such a move would save half a million tonnes of carbon emissions in the winter alone, the report published in Energy Policy suggested.

The study was carried out on behalf of the 10:10 climate change movement, which is currently running a Lighter Later campaign.

Dr Garnsey said: “The carbon savings associated with this clock change are significant, equivalent to the carbon footprint of the production of 1,800 plastic bags for every home in Britain every year, or taking around 200,000 cars off the road.”

To compile the study, researchers looked at half hourly electricity usage over the winter months and assessed how this was affected by the clocks changing.

The 10:10 campaign aims to current carbon emissions by ten percent this year, with the London Underground recently becoming the latest organisation to sign up.

>>> Please read the full article here

Eco-Fashion – a contradiction in terms?

The concept of eco-fashion can be confusing. In such a fast-paced transient world how can you possibly remain eco-conscious? To be on-trend yet aware of your carbon footprint, the pit-falls of consumerism are seemingly overwhelming. And I’m not talking about high-end couture fashion. These days designers are creating astonishing masterpieces out of everything from recycled bottles to car tyres. No, I mean everyday wear. I mean that little dress from People Tree you can’t bear to be without, I mean those Love Eco earrings that would go perfectly with your Green People top, I mean that cute Ascension lingerie that would put a spring in your step.

It is all a matter of planning. A matter of intelligent decision making and questioning your purchases. There is nothing wrong with treating yourself to a new dress or buying a new bikini for your holiday but there is a fine line between being a conscious shopper and an impulse purchaser.

For one, ask yourself ‘will I really wear this?’ and by ‘wear’ I don’t mean simply on one night out, to one dinner party or one interview. I mean will it make a useful addition to your wardrobe. If the answer is no then step away from the clothes rack. As you remove yourself from the vicinity of the item your heart rate will slow, your mind will stop believing that top will make you look like Kate Moss and you will realise how un-important that item of clothing is to your life.

However, if you genuinely believe this garment will become a staple, that it is a classic or something you will make the most of then go ahead. Make sure it fits well and is well made (buy sustainable wherever you can) and don’t feel guilty about it. Buy it if you are going to enjoy it.

Being eco-friendly is not about feeling guilty for every purchase you make. It is impossible (or at least no fun!) to live in an entirely frugal manner. Cutting out all palm oil, only wearing clothes from charity shops and cycling everywhere (even in the rain) is admirable but for many it is not an option. Surely it is just as important to inspire one million people to buy little but quality, to make well-informed decisions and support eco-fashion lines as it is to praise the brave few who live in a zero-carbon manner?

Eco-friendly fashion is not a contradiction in terms. If anything, being conscious of your decisions as a consumer allows you to make informed purchases that are more likely to last the seasons and transcend fair-weather trends to remain chic and classic. Fashion is a multi-million pound industry and it’s safe to say it’s not going anywhere. So why not support well-made sustainable clothing lines that will last the ages? You don’t have to dress in recycled potato sacks to be eco you know.

>>> For more information on eco-shopping and eco-living click here

>>> For more information on Carbon Footprint click here

>>> For Top Ten advice on eco shopping click here

>>> For more information on eco-shopping click here

UK companies reviewing transport arrangements

Businesses in the UK are rethinking their transportation arrangements in a bid to reduce their fuel bills.

According to the Transport Exchange Group, companies are considering the cost of every journey they make now that fuel prices are set to reach record highs.

Managing director Lyall Cresswell pointed out that diesel is already 123 pence per litre in some petrol stations.

“That coupled with the rise in fuel duty being phased over the next nine months is a double-whammy that will put some businesses in jeopardy,” he remarked.

To combat this, he claimed that businesses are showing increased interest in ensuring that lorries and vans are not running half empty and that journeys are completed in the most efficient way.

As well as saving money on fuel bills, this is also allowing firms to reduce their carbon footprint, he pointed out.

“It is in nobody’s interest to have vehicles driven around the country empty or near empty on return journeys,” Mr Cresswell stated. “It is not good for the company, the environment or the economy.”

In his 2010 Budget speech, chancellor Alistair Darling announced that the planned three pence increase in fuel duty would be phased, with the first one pence rise being introduced this month.

>>> Please read the full article here

New UK Government Signs-up to 10:10

10:10’s Duncan Clark reports on the government’s committment to cut 10% of its emissions over the next 12 months. To find out more <click here>

It’s been an amazing few days: on Wednesday, the 10:10 team were thrilled when the Conservative and Liberal Democrat coalition announced a commitment to reduce the entire carbon footprint of central government by 10% in a year. The pledge confirmed that both parties’ earlier manifesto pledges to do 10:10 had made it through the thorny negotiation process.

Then, yesterday evening, just as 10:10 were hosting one of their fortnightly 10:10 seminars, the phone rang. It was 10 Downing Street, inviting us down to the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) this morning to meet prime minister David Cameron, along with the new secretary for energy and climate change, Chris Huhne.

The government’s 10% announcement – equivalent to taking 200,000 cars off the road – is a monumental victory for 10:10 and testament to how far the campaign has come in the eight short months since its launch.

Best of all, when the 10:10 team interviewed him, Chris Huhne agreed to come to 10:10 HQ to give a seminar and discuss their plans – which include everything from a fridge scrappage scheme to turning off the lights overnight in some of the country’s biggest landmark buildings, as well as the biggest ever day of climate change action on 10/10/10.

How big will the carbon footprint of party leaders be during the election?

By Leo Hickman from the Guardian

We’ll never know for sure. It’s the only honest answer I can give for the simple reason that the three main parties won’t supply the necessary information to make such a calculation. Are they hiding something? Or do they just not care? It’s hard to say, but given how low down they have all placed the environment on their lists of manifesto priorities I would tend to favour the latter.

Personally, I think they are right to make an effort to travel to each and every corner of the land to press the flesh. It’s a quintessential part of a leader’s role during a general election campaign. Given the great distances required to hop around the regions during a long campaign it’s no surprise that the leaders have to take – volcanoes permitting – some flights between hustings. It would be nice, though, given their sporadic soundings on the environment, to see them at least make the gesture of saying that they will only take a flight when no other option is practicable.

However, we do have a good sense of the sorts of journeys the leaders of the three main parties have been making since the election began in earnest following the dissolution of parliament on April 6. Thanks to the on-going efforts of my colleagues Paul Torpey and Emma Sax, we can now view a Google Map of the leaders’ travels. What’s visually striking is how many of the visits have centred on or around the M1 corridor between London and the urban centres of the north-west. (Given that’s where the bulk of the population lives, this isn’t too surprising, but let’s hope they visit the rural fringes, too.) The odd flight to Scotland apart, all of these journeys to date are eminently achievable by train if, as we must assume, the leaders are leaving and returning to London each day.

Such journeys are dwarfed, though, by the epic distances put in by the US presidential candidates every four years. With some three thousand miles between the coasts (not including the occasional trip to Hawaii and Alaska), McCain and Obama each clocked up colossal mileage during their respective campaigns in 2008. Again, figures are hard to come by, but a US carbon offsetting firm called Carbon Standard did do the math that year.

It calculated the carbon footprint (PDF) of the whole “ground game”, as they say in America, of each presidential candidate’s campaign. That’s to say, the individual footprints of not just McCain and Obama, but all their campaign staff, too. But they had to base their calculations on campaign expenditure as opposed to odometer readings. It concluded that Obama’s travel-related carbon footprint was 39,178 tonnes of CO2, compared to McCain’s 26,499 tonnes. To put that into some kind of perspective, Carbon Standard said this would equate to Obama needing to plant 911,325 trees to stultify his emissions, and McCain would have to plant 616,395 trees. If you consider that there an estimated 500,000 trees in New York City it helps to give an extra sense of scale.

>>> Please read the full article here