Cutting your carbon
Most campaigns are aimed squarely at the People in Power - be it the G8, the IMF, the WTO, the UK Government or Leeds City Council. Stop Climate Chaos has another target in addition to the decision-makers. About half of the UK's carbon emissions are the direct result of the actions of people like you and me. Certainly, switching to a carbon-lean lifestyle and encouraging others to do the same can only reinforce our message to the policy-makers - but we need to do it anyway, regardless of whether anyone notices.
Here, we offer some ideas for making the changes that make a difference. And we need to hear your suggestions, too - post your comments on the TIDAL/SCC Forum page.
NEW!! try our Carbon calculator here.
Don't go it alone
Cutting your carbon is easier when you’re part of a group. You can get expert advice, encouragement and make friends. Leeds CRAG (Carbon Reduction Action Group) has been set up for this purpose. You can find out more here - or for a different approach, go to www.globalactionplan.org.uk to find out about EcoTeams.
Start counting
You won't know how big the challenge is until you've estimated your carbon footprint. There are hundreds of carbon calculators on the web - eg: Climate Care and Carbon Footprint. Now we have our own! Unlike many others, we’re not selling anything. We’re not trying to make it look easier or harder than it is just counting.
Once you know how many tonnes of CO2 you're responsible for producing each year, you'll need to set yourself a target. Stop Climate Chaos talks about a 3% year on year reduction. The Energy Saving Trust encourages you to cut 20% off your total. The latest science suggests that the UK as a whole needs to cut out 90% of our carbon emissions by 2030. This would mean an allowance of roughly a tonne each per year. At the moment the UK average is 11.81 tonnes.
Now you need to measure your cuts. The gas and electricity meters in your house and the mileometer (or 'odometer' if you're a pedant) in your car will give you a fairly easy way of gathering the most important data. And to help you process it, the Carbon Reduction Action Group website has a good supply of downloadable forms, spreadsheets and explanations.
Discovering the actual daily consumption for each of your electrical appliances is made dead easy with a wonderful gadget sold by Maplins and others. You plug it, like an adaptor, into a wall socket and it keeps a tally of the number of kilowatt hours used and the total elapsed time. Do a Google search for "Plug-In Mains Power & Energy Monitor" - prices vary considerably, but they're currently around £25.
Start making changes
Whether or not you’re part of a group, a wide-ranging list of practical ideas from the easiest to the most challenging is here. Decide which of these you could get started on right away.
Good luck! And don't forget to tell us how you get on. Make yourself at home in our MessageBoard and share any bright ideas, perplexing queries or pleas for help with others in Leeds who are attempting to get down to a fair and sustainable carbon allowance.
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