Global Warming - only Ten Years left to save the world!

We've got 10 Years to save the World!

Scientists are warning us that we have just ten years, yes TEN YEARS, before it becomes too late to save the world. Global warming will at that point have probably passes its point of no return and then events will be far beyond our control. The scientists at the Met Office's Hadley Centre are telling us that if we don't get a grip and reduce our carbon emissions within the next ten years or else! After ten years it will become increasingly harder to reverse the impact of Global Warming. For more information you can visit the Met Office's web pages on Global Warming.

Polution and Cliamate Change Gases - where are they coming from?

Carbon emissions come from the burning of fossil fuels on domestic fires, and power stations which produce our electricity etc. Also from the fuels we use to power our motor vehicles.
 
Among the biggest polluters are the USA, India and China who at long last appear to have heeded warnings about climate change and carbon emissions. However, there are concerns that these major producers of climate changing pollutants do not have the will or incentive to change their ways and reduce emissions drastically.
The political will it seems will only come about once we start to loose lives and the economy suffers through the natural disasters which are forecast due to the ever changing and worsening weather conditions.
 
However, the future of the planet is not only down to what China, the USA and India do, we all have an impact on carbon emissions and consequently can all have our small part to play in the bigger picture. The carbon we emit is known as our Carbon Footprint.
 
If we can take the lead then others will surely follow.

Every business and every home in the UK should now be looking to reduce its "Carbon Footprint.

The amount of carbon we all emit to the atmosphere is known as our carbon footprint and we can all look at ways to reduce this.
 
We shouldn't be viewing this as a chore, more of a necessity and something which could save us money especially if we are in business.
 
By looking at how we produce carbon emissions and in what quantities we can all take action to reduce those emissions and in the process hopefully change the way we live and spend (or waste) money.
 
Much of the stuff we use in our daily lives and the pollution it produces can be reduced, items like packaging, fossil fuels, unnecessary car journeys, the number of time we fly, what we eat, all of this can have a marked impact on our carbon emissions if we take steps to change what we can.
 
For the business, carrying out an audit of its carbon footprint could lead to reducing costs and increasing profits. How often do we overlook the obvious in all our walks of life?
 
For example: - How we use fuels for manufacturing, what we can do to reduce fuel demands, and the simple things like wearing a cardigan or sweater in the office rather than turning up the heating thermostat.
 
The average amount of carbon each of us in the UK emits annually is 9.43 tonnes. Yes that's right – 9.43 tonnes per person. Yet if we all wore an additional item of clothing in the home or at school or work we could reduce demand on heating significantly and thereby reduce our carbon footprint.
 
It really is the simply things that can make the biggest changes to our footprint and you don't have to forego any of your treasured and "well deserved" creature comforts.
 
Here are some of the things we can all do at home or at work;

• Turn off lights as we leave rooms 
• Where possible switch appliances off "Standby Mode" 
• Only boil as much water as you need, if you are only making one cup of tea just boil enough for the one cup rather than a kettle full 
• Install energy saving light bulbs, they may cost a little more at first but the energy you save on your electricity bills more than pays for the investment and it saves the planet – this could save you approximately £100 over the lifetime of the bulb and they last longer than the standard high energy type bulbs even if they are cheaper. 
• Turn down your central heating thermostat by just 1 degree Celsius – this could save you as much as £40 a year  
• If you don't have it, install cavity wall insulation (there may be grants available to help you) It could save around £130 annually on your energy bills 
• Top up your loft insulation to 10 inches (270mm) and this could save you £180 a year 
• When you replace appliances buy the new Energy Saving appliances they carry an energy saving label, be it a TV or washing machine each energy saving device can save you around £40 – 50 a year 
• Stop using the car for short journeys, walk, cycle or take the bus if you have one 
• Washing – wash your clothes etc at 30ºC and save more on energy costs 
• When it comes time to renew your boiler, opt for one of the new condensing boilers which can save you around 30% on heating costs 

So there are short term gains for us all if we give it a go.
 
Here are some useful websites where you can read more for yourself and check your carbon footprint.

Check your Carbon Footprint

Look at the Big Picture - view the arguments for and against Climate Change

The Environmental Transport Association

The Energy Savings Trust