June 24th, 2010
Team Green Britain is the organisation that has been put together to bring awareness and education to everyone in Britain to inspire further moves towards doing everything possible to reduce Britain’s carbon footprint.
All of this week from Saturday 19th June to Sunday 27th June is Team Green Britain Bike Week. Team Green Britain Bike Week has been brought to the nation to provide awareness of how cycling can be a part of everyone’s lives and will benefit everyone physically for health benefits and environmentally by cutting down on the carbon footprint. Cycling is a healthy, practical and convenient lifestyle choice which can help to look after Britain and eveone individually.
Team Green Britain’s ongoing support has alreadybenefitted many across the nation by providing and funding 13 workshops and publishing cycling guides. You can visit www.bikeweek.org.uk
Team Green Britain have not only produced Bike Week and Green Britain Day but are constantly working towards combining a team that will work together to reduce the carbon footprint, use less energy, live healthier lives, save money and have fun doing it. Everyone has the opportunity to join the team and make a difference.
Join Team Green Britain now by clicking HERE!
Tags: bike week, carbon emissions, Carbon Footprint, cycling, healthy living, Team Green Britain, Team Green Britain Bike Week | Posted in Carbon Footprint, Events, Transport, carbon emissions
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June 14th, 2010
It was been said in a recent set of talks, that Britain could be adding a further 2,500 wind turbines to those that are already planned for the UK.
Chris Huhne, Environment minister, has urged the EU to get tougher on the climate change targets that have been set. The newly appointed Liberal democrat minister, Mr.Huhne has called for a 30% cut in carbon emissions across Europe by the year 2020. This is an additional 10% on top of the already agreed target of 20% decrease in emission by the EU to tackle global warming.
Making the switch over from classic coal, oil and gas power stations would mean increased strain on the UK to change to ‘green’ power. The extra electricity needed to fulfil the new target would have to come primarily from offshore wind farms, adding to the already scheduled 7,000 turbines due to be placed in and around the UK in the next decade.
The extra 10% for Europe to achieve means considerably more for the UK. Britain has already committed to cutting carbon emissions by 34% over the next 10 years. Emissions in Britain are higher and so only 9% of electricity is currently coming from renewable. This means Britain has to do more to help Europe raise its target.
The 30% target would mean Britain cutting carbon emissions by up to 42%. These numbers may seems little and hardly effective but to achieve that new target would mean an extra 10 to 12 gigawatts of green energy or around 2,500 extra wind turbines.
This encouragement to increase targets to help in the battle against global warming is a step in the right direction with the promotion of the 30% increase. While the Friend’s of the Earth campaigners are looking for a bit more “a 40% target would show a real international leadership and fast track the creation of new green jobs and business opportunities” commented Mike Childs, Friend’s of the earth Head of Climate.
More efforts need to be made to look to renewable and sustainable sources of energy and it looks like there is someone speaking the right tunes. The new proposal for the increased carbon emissions target is being put into place; watch this space for further news.
Tags: carbon emissions, gloabl warming | Posted in Carbon Footprint, Climate Change, carbon emissions
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May 24th, 2010
Who doesn’t love to go shopping? I for one am a closet shopping fan and love the excitement of getting home with some new treats, but my thoughts do go to shocking amount of plastic bags, wrapping and packaging I am also carrying around that is just going to get thrown away.
Going deeper than just the plastic bags and packaging are the embedded emissions which is the carbon that goes into producing, making, transporting the product. These embedded emissions are within a large majority of products, invisible to the eye at the till paying for them but something you cant change. However…….
There are many ways I, and many other shopping lovers can be carbon conscious when out buying something nice. 10:10 the group working towards reducing carbon emissions by 10% in 2010 and who have got the backing of the new government have produced a helpful hints and tips guide for those wanting to reduce their carbon-shopping-footprint.
10:10 have five simple rules for energy efficient shopping starting with; 1) Dont Be Cheap, if you buy something cheap you normally end up having to replace it or buy another one. The old adage of ‘you get what you pay for’ applies here too, so choose quality over quantity. 2) 2nd Hand Treasures, a form of recycling, bought and used by someone else can be re-used and loved by another. 3) Buy Efficient, check the energy efficiency label on all products to check it wont drain you dry when plugging it in at home. 4) Think About Wood, when having to buy any wood think of reclaimed wood, as it is carbon-emission friendly and can be better quality than the new stuff. And finally 5) Sit Back and Relax, home delivery options when buying online are the best bet as the overall emissions of the delivery truck and all it is transporting is spread out out among several people while you in your car collecting the new bed is all down to you.
For those of you who would like to know more about their shopping and how far things have to go to get in your basket have a read of How Bad Are Bananas: The Carbon Footprint of Everything written by Mike Berners-Lee. For all up to date news and info on 10:10 and their on-going project go to www.1010global.org
Tags: 10:10, carbon conscious, carbon emissions, Carbon Footprint, embedded emissions, shopping | Posted in Carbon Footprint, Recycling, carbon emissions
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