Eco-friendly - how your carbon footprint is affecting the world
The world has limited resources, and we are burning fossil fuels every day, creating greenhouse gases. All of these harmful gases have a negative effect on our environment and this is what is known as our carbon footprint which can ultimately lead to climate change.
We can all help reduce these effects by making small changes to the way we use energy which can have a dramatic effect on the environment and significantly reduce your energy costs.
A global problem
The negative effects on the environment are becoming increasingly apparent and thus we have seen a rise in the political agendas for making our nations more eco-friendly.
Key scientists have encouraged an international agreement that action is essential to eliminate the dramatic changes to our climate.
In 1997 the Kyoto protocol was formed by the UN in Japan which is an international treaty aimed at achieving a balance in the atmospheric concentration of greenhouse gases. The treaty was endorsed by 187 countries, and was viewed by many as a key step towards tackling global warming.
The world has limited resources, and we are burning fossil fuels every day, creating greenhouse gases. All of these harmful gases have a negative effect on our environment and this is what is known as our carbon footprint which can ultimately lead to climate change.
We can all help reduce these effects by making small changes to the way we use energy which can have a dramatic effect on the environment and significantly reduce your energy costs.
A global problem
The negative effects on the environment are becoming increasingly apparent and thus we have seen a rise in the political agendas for making our nations more eco-friendly.
Key scientists have encouraged an international agreement that action is essential to eliminate the dramatic changes to our climate.
In 1997 the Kyoto protocol was formed by the UN in Japan which is an international treaty aimed at achieving a balance in the atmospheric concentration of greenhouse gases. The treaty was endorsed by 187 countries, and was viewed by many as a key step towards tackling global warming.
In the UK
The UK committed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 20% by 2010 and a long term goal of 60% by 2050 under the Kyoto protocol. To do this our Government created a range of legislations and campaigns across the nation.
In 2008 The Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) was created to manage and combine both Energy and Climate Change Policy.
The DECC has taken three Bills through Parliament, called the Energy Act 2008, the Climate Change Act 2008 and the Energy Act 2010.
Some of the campaigns were designed to encourage businesses to do their bit for the environment such as the Carbon Reduction Commitment Scheme.
What is the Carbon Reduction Commitment (CRC) scheme?
The UK's climate change and energy reduction scheme is called the Carbon Reduction Commitment Scheme. The scheme was introduced in 2010 by the DECC under the Climate Change Act.
At the end of each tax year, participants are required to buy carbon allowances based on the total electricity consumption your business has made during that year, which is initially capped at £12 per tonne.
Organisations who qualify for the scheme have to monitor their greenhouse gas production and purchase allowances or permits to emit carbon dioxide. The more emissions each corporation produces, the more carbon allowance they will be required to buy the following year.
There are monetary rewards for reducing your emissions and likewise there are fines for businesses who do not make the required energy saving.
The Carbon Reduction Commitment scheme covers both public and private sector organisations. It's expected that approximately 5,000 businesses in the UK will be a part of the scheme.
Businesses with annual electricity bills of around £500,000, or those using more than 6,000MWh per year, are affected by the Carbon Reduction Commitment scheme.
You are also eligible for the scheme if you, and any subsidiaries you may have, have at least one half-hourly electricity meter (HHM) settled on the half-hourly market.
How to reduce energy consumption
Not leaving electrical equipment on standby is one way to potentially cut your energy consumption.
Motion-sensitive lights will save energy, but the key to effective energy management is monitoring and reducing. Electricity can be monitored with sub-monitoring equipment, and a voltage optimiser will ensure you only use the voltage your equipment requires.
In 1997 the Kyoto protocol was formed by the UN in Japan which is an international treaty aimed at achieving a balance in the atmospheric concentration of greenhouse gases. The protocol was supported by 187 countries, and was seen by many to be a key step towards reducing climate change.
UXBs up to 5 metres, and smaller items which are buried up to 2 metres deep. The most common areas for World War II UXBs to be found are London and Portsmouth; the area most heavily targeted by air raids.
