Last month, MEG wrote about the importance of reducing your carbon footprint. This month they show how to calculate your footprint and tips on how to reduce it. They use the World Land Trust’s Carbon Dioxide Calculator which can be found at their web site www.worldlandtrust.org
This comprises the following four sections:
Flight Calculator: calculate the carbon dioxide emissions associated with your flights
Transport Calculator: calculate the carbon dioxide emissions associated with your transport use
Household Calculator: calculate the emissions associated with your domestic electricity and fuel use
Fixed Offsets: use our fixed offset options to offset the carbon dioxide emissions of an average UK individual, couple, family or event
If you donate to the World Land Trust directly you will not benefit from the chance to get a 50% contribution from Moortown Environmental Group’s business sponsors.
In 2007 Defra published an estimate that the average UK citizen is responsible for 4.48 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions every year and they suggest that individuals should aim to reduce their emissions by 20% . Due to the social demographics and housing stock pertaining to Moortown we believe 4.8 to 5.0 tonnes of Carbon Dioxide to be more accurate in the LS17 area of Leeds.
If you wanted to consider this then you should then aim for a realistic target footprint of not more than 4.0 tonnes of Carbon Dioxide emissions per individual per year.
You can find information on ways of reducing your carbon dioxide emissions on MEG’s main web pages or on WLT’s reduce your carbon footprint page.
Here are some useful energy reduction advice and greener living sites.
Reducing your emissions
www.energysavingtrust.org.uk – The Energy Saving Trust provides free advice on reducing carbon dioxide emissions in your home.
info.cat.org.uk – The Centre for Alternative Technology offers a free information service on sustainable living, with links to information sheets.
Green Energy
www.greenelectricity.org – Green Electricity Marketplace is a website providing information on ‘green’ tariffs offered by electricity companies in the UK.
www.good-energy.co.uk – Good Energy enables you to switch your energy supplier to one which uses renewable resources.
Recycling
www.recyclenow.com – Recycle Now provides information and advice on recycling.
www.recycling-guide.org.uk – Recycling Guide provides information and advice on recycling.
Travel
www.liftshare.com – Liftshare is a car-sharing network covering the whole of the UK.
www.greentraveller.co.uk – GreenTraveller provides advice on low-impact travelling.
To join the group or for more information please visit
www.imslconsulting.co.uk/joining-moortown-environmental-group