Stories 1 year on from the Climate Friendly Bradford on Avon 2050 Declaration Launch
Reducing our carbon footprint after signing the 2050 Declaration
A year ago, while concerned citizens all over the world waited in anticipation for their leaders to come to their senses and sign a meaningful declaration at Copenhagen to halt run away climate change, the Bradford on Avon area, led by Climate Friendly Bradford, made their own declaration – Bradford on Avon Carbon Neutral 2050. One year on I asked some of the people who have signed it what they'd done to reduce their individual carbon footprint since signing and got a wonderful and diverse range of replies. Here are a few to inspire you:
"I've gotten into cycling recently, and have cycled to Westonbirt (and back!) on a day trip, as well as cycled more regularly to both friends and shops in the local area, even 10 undulating miles away"
"Well, we HAVE stopped heating the pool "
" enjoying the Wiltshire countryside by using buses and learning to appreciate vegetarian food by cooking a couple of vegetarian meals a week."
"Try to only use the car 1-2 times a week and walk/cycle/train everywhere else (and manage to do so most weeks)"
"only just turned the heating on to-day (10th November)"
"try not to buy 'stuff' - particularly new stuff we don't really need";
"by finding a car share partner I car shared almost 3000 miles to work (in Bristol in the last 12 months, saving the environment and my pocket";
"investment in very large rain water storage tanks (tripling our capacity to around 2500 litres). Initially for garden and pond refill use, but we will looking at it for possible internal use, eg flushing loos. Hope to reduce our metered water bills and make better use than going to garden soak aways."
"Son is eco-monitor at school. Gardening club is doing well at getting kids to nag parents to grow their own veg";
" I haven't flown for over a year."
"In our kitchen we have removed our 4 high energy, halogen spotlights and replaced them with a single fitting with one low energy bulb and are delighted with the results - a much better, more effective and more soothing overall light";
"Through Ecotricity our gas is now supplied from a renewable source created by anaerobic digestion and we're on a dual fuel tariff which saves us money! We're paying the amount as when we were with a major supplier"
"have started cycling to the station on a regular basis ".
"using an energy monitor "
And one of my favourites that shows you can be stylish and green:
" one thing I have been consciously trying to do is to put more layers of clothing on when I get cold in the house rather than putting on extra heating. I occasionally go to Debenhams in Bristol for a (free!) Personal Shopper session and specifically told my shopper last autumn that I needed help in choosing nice but WARM winter clothes - so she started me off with black vests and leggings which are a great improvement fashionwise on what used to be available! Plus lots of polonecks, thick boucle wool cardigans in nice colours etc - and I keep a mohair rug beside my chair in the lounge and put it over my knees whenever I start to feel cold. I have turned the central heating thermostat down 1 degree and not yet noticed any adverse effect."
And a just a few other things that have been going on:
The Quaker Meeting House have: turned down the building's thermostat to 18; agreed to invest in more cycle parking; reprogrammed the hot water tank to come on for fewer hours each day; come up with a solution for how to keep the main outer door shut to retain heat, but still welcome people to come inside when they are open; set up a 'greening group' which is responsible for bringing forward proposals on modifying the building and users' behaviour that are then considered by the Meeting as a whole
Solar PV has been installed at Christchurch Also insulation at Holt and Fitzmaurice Primary Schools and insulation at the Lambert Rooms, Holt Village Hall and the United Church hall - all these as part of the British Gas Green Streets programme. All these buildings are feeling a real difference.
From Who Cares?: By using the energy meter provided by Bradford on Avon's climate friendly group, I worked out that we could change some of our lights, get rid of one of our fridges, turn another off when not in use, change to Good Energy the 100% sustainable energy provider and still save money! Thank you Climate Friendly Bradford.
" one thing I have been consciously trying to do is to put more layers of clothing on when I get cold in the house rather than putting on extra heating. I occasionally go to Debenhams in Bristol for a (free!) Personal Shopper session and specifically told my shopper last autumn that I needed help in choosing nice but WARM winter clothes - so she started me off with black vests and leggings which are a great improvement fashionwise on what used to be available! Plus lots of polonecks, thick boucle wool cardigans in nice colours etc - and I keep a mohair rug beside my chair in the lounge and put it over my knees whenever I start to feel cold. I have turned the central heating thermostat down 1 degree and not yet noticed any adverse effect."
And a just a few other things that have been going on:
The Quaker Meeting House have: turned down the building's thermostat to 18; agreed to invest in more cycle parking; reprogrammed the hot water tank to come on for fewer hours each day; come up with a solution for how to keep the main outer door shut to retain heat, but still welcome people to come inside when they are open; set up a 'greening group' which is responsible for bringing forward proposals on modifying the building and users' behaviour that are then considered by the Meeting as a whole
Solar PV has been installed at Christchurch Also insulation at Holt and Fitzmaurice Primary Schools and insulation at the Lambert Rooms, Holt Village Hall and the United Church hall - all these as part of the British Gas Green Streets programme. All these buildings are feeling a real difference.
From Who Cares?: By using the energy meter provided by Bradford on Avon's climate friendly group, I worked out that we could change some of our lights, get rid of one of our fridges, turn another off when not in use, change to Good Energy the 100% sustainable energy provider and still save money! Thank you Climate Friendly Bradford.
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