Join the Gloucestershire 10:10 campaign today
Today The Citizen, Echo, Forester, Stroud Life and Thisisgloucestershire are issuing a rallying cry to the people of Gloucestershire.
Will you pledge to cut 10 per cent of your carbon emissions in 2010?
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Sarah Daly of Heath Avery architects
A national campaign is underway to encourage people, businesses and organisations to make 2010 the year they start thinking about - and operating - in a more sustainable way.
We can't change the world but we can change Gloucestershire and bring economic, social and health benefits for the county today and for future generations.
As part of our campaign, we will be producing 10 dedicated supplements throughout 2010 and regular coverage on TiG and in our newspapers about how you can get involved.
Yesterday saw the official launch of the campaign at the University of Gloucestershire’s Oxstalls Campus, where four top names in the field of sustainability addressed politicians, residents and business leaders from across the county.
One of the speakers was Heath Avery Architects managing director – and green champion – Sarah Daly, who wants to make Gloucestershire a low-carbon county.
Sarah said: “The idea for this really came about after I realised nothing was happening at the Copenhagen talks.
“This is about us making things happen in our county.
“The whole thing is about communication. There’s no formal group or organisation, it’s about tapping in to groups as part of this amazing national campaign.
“There’s an amazing amount of talent in this county, and that’s what we need to tap into to get things done.
“We’ve got to start working together. I think change can happen, but we need local action.”
The gathering also heard from Amy Fetzer, a consultant, freelance journalist and co-author of “Climb the Green Ladder: Make Your Company and Career More Sustainable”.
She said: “I believe we all have the power to make changes here in Gloucestershire.
“I’m looking forward to finding out how it goes, so you go out there and change Gloucestershire.”
Eugenie Harvey, director of the national 10:10 campaign, has also praised Gloucestershire’s effort.
She said: “I really just wanted to thank you for your support and wish you luck, on behalf of my small team. We were so pleased to hear that Gloucestershire was signing up.”
Environmental campaigner Jonathon Porritt is backing the Gloucestershire 10:10 Campaign.
The environmentalist, writer and popular blogger, who attended yesterday’s launch, said the county should focus on the positive impacts of sustainable living
He said: “We don’t have to justify what we need to do, we just need to do it.
“It’s not that we have to turn ourselves into mad anti-growth activists. What we are talking about it bounded growth.
“We’ve got to get better at reminding people that this is an agenda driven by its upside, not by its bad side.”
He also described the recent failure to reach a significant agreement at the Copenhagen talks as “shocking”.
Taking questions at the launch, Mr Porritt was asked why there was no support in place for the construction industry, with more and more pressure to make existing homes more efficient.
He explained the process of “retrofitting” older homes and government support for carrying it out, was being overshadowed by an “obsession” with new housing.
He said: “It’s amazing that the Government seems to still be obsessed with new build, when there’s the issue of the existing homes.
“The thing is, we had this £12.5billion VAT saving last year, and what I want to know it why that wasn’t used to carry out £12.5billion worth of retrofitting?
“Instead, we’ve got absolutely nothing.”
Individuals, businesses, schools and community groups can all sign up to the campaign online at www.thisisgloucestershire.co.uk/1010.
We want to hear from anyone who has signed up, or any business which has already seen successes and savings from cutting out the CO2, for case studies in the supplements.
There will also be more coverage over the next two days in The Citizen and Gloucestershire Echo.
Contact Environment Reporter Freddie Whittaker on 01452 420687 or freddie.whittaker@glosmedia.co.uk or editorial co-ordinator Matt Holmes on 01452 420601, matt.holmes@glosmedia.co.uk
35 Comments
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by Chris, Gloucester
Friday, January 29 2010, 4:39PM
“Cassandra, Cheltenham,
Nearly forgot.
Even if you still disagree about the boiler I recommend you go buy more house insulation. There can be no dispute about the cost effectiveness of that?”
by Chris, Gloucester
Friday, January 29 2010, 4:32PM
“Cassandra, Cheltenham,
I partly agree, if you have a working boiler up to 7 or 8 years old with an efficiency of say 70% to 75% then spending out on a 90% condenser is not cost effective unless your boiler goes "pop" of course. This is especially so because condensers are not so reliable or long lived.
But there are still plenty of old 40% 45% back boilers blowing half thier owners money up the flue.
Working or not I'd get rid of these because the payback is much shorter and you will save money.”
by Cassandra, Cheltenham
Wednesday, January 27 2010, 3:24PM
“You won't save any money by changing your boiler though Chris. It will cost you money - a considerable amount! I have got some energy installers to agree with this and have recently written to Energy Saving Trust challenging them to remove such a claim.”
by Chris, Gloucester
Tuesday, January 26 2010, 12:21AM
“The average global temperature is rising and this probably is the result of increased greenhouse gases. Thing is the vast majority of those gases, Co2 from volcanos and methane from the seabed for example, make up a very high percentage of the emissions total.
If we reduce the much smaller percentage of man made emissions will it make any difference? I don't know and I'm not yet really convinced anyone else does for sure either.
However the supply of fossil fuel is finite, no question there, and it ain't going to get cheaper, especially as reserves reduce.
Therefore reducing my energy bill by 10% in 2010 is a rather good idea.
I'll save about £125, perhaps more, and in the unlikely chance this also helps save the planet, well that's a bonus.
I do just wish we didn't have to put up with the tedious new religion of the "carbon footprint fanatic"”
by Mark Barber, Prince of Wales Pub writing this on my Blackberry
Friday, January 22 2010, 7:43AM
“I do all I can to cut global warming down the Prince. I make sure all the windows are shut and the Frostys keeps us warm.”
by China First, Fed up with setting a pointless example
Friday, January 22 2010, 4:14AM
“"Will you pledge to cut 10 per cent of your carbon emissions in 2010?"
No.”
by Chris, Gloucester
Friday, January 22 2010, 12:40AM
“I see we have plenty of global warning sceptics and a few over the top "true believer" "eco-evangelists".
I'm no tree hugger but I know like most of us that the price I'm paying for gas and electricity has been getting silly over recent years, and will most likely to get much worse over coming years.
No one wants to sit in the dark with the heating off so the trick is to live as well as we do now but more efficiently and therefore at lower cost.
We need to insulate our homes much better. We need to make sure our heating systems are well maintained or if old and very inefficient are replaced. Change your aging Baxi Bermuda back boiler for a modern condensing boiler and you will half your gas bill. We need to go easy on high consumption appliances like tumble dryers. We need to just turn off things we're not actually using.
Just basic measures will easily save us 10% on our energy bills, much more if you go for one of the most modern heating systems, This will also therefore reduce our carbon footprint by 10% (or more) which should help keep the tree huggers a bit happier.
So, global warming, whether fact or fiction, we all win.
10% of the average domestic energy bill for a year is a good £125, and that's only at today's price. Better in your pocket than British Gas, Scottish power, Eon or whoever?”
by John, Glos City
Friday, January 22 2010, 12:27AM
“Wise man Jeremy, Hucclecote; This move towards a ¿Dominating World Government¿ has been long predicted and the ¿Significant Trillions¿ suggested as a universal remedy will also cost millions of Jobs. All it requires is one very large ¿Volcanic Eruption¿ which can be expected to send a plume of ash high enough into the stratosphere as would blot out the Sun and set up an ¿Ice Age¿. Those ¿Trillions¿ of pounds would be emaciated forever. So What about feeding the starving children of the world and working towards treating children who are dying of Aids? The worldwide alarm over global warming and the disastrous impact it could have on the Earth is the biggest con trick and as to be expected a gullible woman should present that case”
by Alien Life UK, Here and There
Thursday, January 21 2010, 11:46PM
“No. It's all flawed science, climate changes, naturally. It's the con of the century and organisations/companies are making millions out of it.”
by John Stevens, Cheltenham
Thursday, January 21 2010, 11:04PM
“10 ways to cut your carbon footprint.
1. Fly Less. some of us can't afford to fly.
2. Save on Heating. if I turn my heating down any more I will go cold, can't afford it now.
3. Changing your old fridge & freezers is NOT very green and is wrong advice.
4. Drive less, tell the local councils to stop building out of town bussiness and industrial estates like Ashchurch and Quedgley, who without cars public transport could not cope.
5. Eat local produce. The main growing area of Evesham could not satisfy demand, anyway
don't we suposed to have fair trade with African farmers.
6.Buy good stuff. That supose's we have the money to buy good stuff, we all don't earn your salaries.
7. Dump less. tell the Echo not to keep giving me supplements I don't need and never asked for, like the Home Byer.
8. Don't waste food. I can't afford to waste food, and if I did an thats my bussiness I paid for it.
9. Don't waste water. Dishwashers Whats a dishwashers? This County gets more than its fair share of water.
10.Climate Change. Global Warming, Climate Change, Climate Science,what will you call it in 2011, I know how about Climate Variation.
This is a load of middle class rubbish and an insult to the ever day working man/woman trying to make ends meet.
Sorry but you know what to do with your 10:10 idea, I've got a real job to do.”