Environmental Statements | Carbon Footprint

Environmental Statemements

1 - Greenhouse gases are essential, they have a mean warming effect on the earth of around 33deg Celsius, without which the earth would be uninhabitable. The gases are 36-70% water vapour, carbon dioxide 9-26%, methane 4-9% & ozone 3-7%.

2 - Since the industrial revolution CO2 has risen 33% to the highest level in 400,000yrs

3 - 75% of this is from burning of fossil fuels and 25% from the change in land use i.e. deforestation, overgrazing, desalinization.

4 - 86% human produced energy comes from the burning of fossil fuels. Burning these produces 6.3billion metric tons of CO2, of which natural processes can absorb only ½ of.

5 - World population is 6 billion double that of 1959. Currently increases at 1.2% per year or 80million.

6 - The world fleet of motor cars was 830,000,000 in 2006.

7- Methane levels have doubled in the last 2 decades and nitrous oxide is up 15% again for the above reasons.

8 - CO2 emissions are projected to increase from current level of 368 parts per million (was 190ppm in ice age) to between 540-1000ppm over next 100 yrs-resulting in a temperature increase of 1.4 - 5.8^oC.

9 - Surface temperatures in the last 2 decades have risen to their highest levels in 140 yrs. The 20^th century was the highest in the last 1000 yrs. The average global temp rose by 0.6^oC in the 20^th century. 11 of the last 12 yrs are the warmest in 160 years.

10 - The damage we cause now will take 30 years to become apparent, the current changes are dictated by emissions from 1968.

11 - Global warming of greater than 3^oC for sustained millennia will lead to virtually the whole of Greenland ice sheet melting, resulting in a projected rise of the global sea levels of 7m. Global temps in Alaska and west Canada have risen twice the Global average according to the Climate Impact Assessment report 2000-2004.

12 - There will be much more extreme weather-with more hot days and heat waves, and fewer cold days & frosts over nearly all land mass. This will in turn lead to more draughts and floods, cyclones, tornados 7 hurricanes with more intensity and frequency. Leading to massive increases in population -displacement, disease- dysentery, and malaria etc, lack of water, resources and conflicts over such.

13 - The sea level has risen 10-25cms over the last 100yrs. Global average sea level is set to increase over 100yrs by 8.8cm.

14 - A 1m sea rise could flood 17% of Bangladesh (low lying) tens of millions of homeless people and reduce rice yields by 50%. A massive proportion of the world’s population live in coastal areas.

15 - The Arctic could have its first ice free summer by 2040.

16 - The El Nino effect will cause a mini ice age in Western Europe due to the ocean conveyer belt altering & loss of the Gulf Stream.

17 - This in turn will contribute to the positive feedback effect-which will be a release of trapped gases such as methane in the permafrost and CO2 in the ice causing increased water evaporation-70 million metric tonnes of methane in the Siberian peat bogs alone.

18 - More than 1 million species of creatures face extinction through loss of habitat, changing eco-systems and acidifying oceans.

19 - Coral reefs suffered worst bleaching -dyeing off in response to stress ever recorded in 1998. Some areas rates of 70% bleaching were recorded. This is set to increase in frequency and intensity in next 50 yrs.

20 - The Kyoto agreement goes some way to getting some shared responsibility for action-it includes 160 countries and covers 55% of global greenhouse emissions.

21 - If everybody in the UK turned off all of their appliances at home, instead of leaving them on stand-by - in a year, save 800,000 tonnes CO2 - and a typical household would save £38.00 per year on their energy bills based on 2006 prices. (Source: DEFRA)

22 - The UK wastes a total of £86.5 million per year by leaving TVs on standby, producing over 470,000 tonnes of CO2 per year. (Source: The Energy Saving Trust)

23 - If 20 people turn off their computer monitors during their lunch break - in a week, save 1kg CO2 - no cost

24 - Leaving a photocopier on overnight uses enough energy to print over 5,000 A4 copies.

25 - 12 people use a solar charger to charge their mobiles - in a week, save 1kg CO2

26 - Use a 3m2 solar panel - in a year, save 1 tonne CO2

27 - 10 offices of 30m x 30m reduced use of air con by 10% (open window!) - in a year, save 10 tonnes CO2 - no cost

28 - An office of 30m x 30m changes to green electricity tariff - over a year, save 100 tonnes CO2 - no cost/possible reductions

29 - An average home changes to green electricity tariff - over a year, save 2 tonnes CO2 - no cost/possible reductions

30 - Change a 100w light bulb for energy saving equivalent - in a month, save 7kg CO2 - no cost. Bulbs cost more but last longer

31 - Office changes 150 light bulbs for energy saving equivalents - in a month, save 1 tonne CO2 - no cost. Bulbs cost more but last longer

32 - 200 office staff turn off their PCs overnight - in a year, save 5 tonnes CO2 - no cost

33 - 40 lights in an office turned off overnight - in a year, save 10 tonnes CO2 - no cost

34 - Company changes 180 traditional VDUs for LCD screens - in a year, save 10 tonnes CO2

35 - 25 offices measuring 20m x 20m turn their heating down by 1° - save 100 tonnes CO2 - no cost

36 - 240 offices replace their old fridges (6 years plus) with new, energy efficient ones - in a year, save 100 tonnes CO2.

37 - Compost 10 kg waste - save 3kg CO2 - no cost (apart from compostable bags)

38 - Everyone in the UK used a reusable carrier bag - in a year, save 150,000 tonnes CO2

39 - Put a water saving device in the cistern of the toilet - save 1 litre per flush - no cost

40 - Wash 20 office mugs together in the sink, rather than each under a running tap - in a day save 135 litres water - no cost

41 - Use a sandwich box instead of sandwich bags - in year, save 50kg CO2 - no cost (lunch box v cost of bags)

42 - Use glasses and jug of water at meetings instead of plastic bottles and cups - per meeting, save 1kg CO2 - no cost (will save money)

43 - 100 workers use mugs instead of plastic or paper cups in office - in a year, save 10 tonnes CO2 - no cost (will save money)

44 - Change from petrol to diesel - over 20,000 miles, save 1.75 tonnes CO2

45 - A 20% cut in energy costs could equal a 5% increase in sales

46 - Heating costs rise by 8% for every 1°C rise in temperature

47 - Energy efficient lighting could save you £650 pa (and reduce CO2)

48 - A typical office wastes enough energy overnight to heat 1000 cups of tea

49 - 20% of energy used in an office is through equipment, and 50% of that through IT

50 - We produce 400 million tonnes of waste a year in the UK

51 - We produce more waste in the UK than any other country in Europe

52 - 73% of our waste goes to landfill

53 - 90% of our waste is recoverable - reused, recycled, composted or used to create energy

54 - We throw away our own body weight in waste every three weeks

55 - The UK’s target of 50% recycling by 2020 is only 15% of what the Dutch do already

56 - We put £400 worth of food into landfill each year, most of which is edible
We will become more liable to extreme weather, eg. floods

57 - 15% of fire, ambulance and petrol stations are at risk of flooding

58 - 40% of electricity sub stations are at risk of flooding

59 - In the UK, we each consume 150 litres of water a day, 30 litres more than the European average

60 - If we add in all the products we consume, we each use 3400 litres of water a day

61 -The UK has the worst energy habits in Europe

62 - Only boil as much water as you need and you will save 0.2% of energy use and 27kg of CO2

63 - Turning the thermostat down 1C will save you 4.3% of energy use and 352 of CO2

64 - Turn appliances off standby and you will save of energy use and 464kg of CO2

65 - Install cavity wall installation and you will save 13.9% of energy use and 1095kg of CO2

66 - Replace 3 light bulbs with energy saving recommended ones and save 17.6% of energy use and 1373kg of CO2

67 - Wash laundry at 30C and save 17.8% of energy use and 1416kg of CO2
Every 6psi (pounds per square inch) a tyre is under-inflated, fuel consumption can rise by 1%

68 - If everyone in the UK had loft insulation of 270mm thickness, the saving would pay the energy bills of over 640,000 families for a year

69 - If everyone in the UK had Energy Saving Recommended fridges & freezers, energy wastage would be cut by over 2/3 & CO2 to fill 24 million double-decker buses. There would also be enough electricity saved to run the UK's streetlights for 6 years

70 - If every household installed just one energy saving light bulb, the electricity saved in a year could power the Blackpool Illuminations for nearly 900 years and there would be enough carbon dioxide saved to fill the Royal Albert Hall 1,980 times

71 - Modern computer components tend to be more energy efficient than older equivalents, but because they are faster and more powerful, they can end up using more energy.

72 - A single computer and monitor left on 24 hours a day will cost c£45pa. Switching them off out of hours and enabling standby features could reduce this to less than £10pa each and prolong the lifespan of equipment.

73 - Emails are cheaper and save more energy efficient than sending a fax.

74 - It is cheaper & more energy efficient to provide a kettle for staff who work outside normal business hours than to continue to run a drinks vending machine during these times.