Do your bit
The amount of the earth's resources Londoners consume – our 'ecological footprint' - is three times what would be available to each individual if all the world’s resources were divided up equally. In other words, if everyone were to live like us, we would need three planets to support our lifestyles.
If we are to reduce carbon emissions to levels that do not threaten catastrophic climate change, then people in the richer parts of the world like the UK have to live more sustainably. This doesn’t need to be painful it just means we need to be less wasteful.
You can help London and the world tackle climate change by taking a few simple steps:
At work
- turn off monitors at lunchtime and when you leave work
- turn off printers and photocopiers
- recycle paper and food waste
- print double sided
- use a ceramic mug or a glass instead of a plastic cup
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At home
- Don't use standby, switch off your TV or any other appliances. Just by leaving appliances on standby, people in the UK waste the same amount of energy generated by two and a half power large coal or nuclear power stations every year.
- Buy low energy appliances. Every home should now use energy efficient light bulbs. They last for six to seven years so you’ll save money and they now come in all shapes and sizes. When you are buying new appliances, buy energy efficient models.
- Wash clothes at 30 degrees. This saves energy and modern detergents work just as well at low temperatures.
- Make sure your boiler is the most efficient available
- Investigate the possibilities of renewable energy in your home – such as solar water heating. Grants are available. Visit the Energy Saving Trust website for more information.
- Use your clothesline instead of a tumble dryer.
- Reduce the amount of waste you produce and recycle more rubbish. The volume of rubbish produced in the UK could fill Wembley Stadium in a week. Go to www.recycleforlondon.com to find out more about your local recycling facilities.
- Conserve water. The summer of 2005 was the second driest London has seen for 100 years and the warmest year on record. London faces serious water shortages if we do not conserve our supplies. One third of the drinking water we use is simply flushed down the toilet.
- Green your garden. Don’t waste purified drinking water on your garden, use water butts to collect rainwater, use plants that thrive in drier conditions and start composting.
- Choose locally produced food. What you choose to eat and the journey your food takes to your table are important in cutting emissions. Kilo for kilo, a kiwi fruit from New Zealand will have created five times its own weight in carbon dioxide emissions by the time it arrives in the UK.
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Out and about
- Avoid air travel if possible by taking UK-based holidays or taking the train or boat. A return flight to Florida produces the equivalent CO2 pollution as a year’s motoring.
- Leave your car at home - take the tube or the bus.
- Explore London on foot or by bike - reduce your carbon footprint and stay healthy at the same time. Cycling is great for the city as it reduces congestion, pollution and improves the health of Londoners who take it up.
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