Lucy Care makes green promise on World Environment Day

5.32.45pm BST (GMT +0100) Tue 5th Jun 2007

Derby councillor, and East Midlands Climate Change Champion, Lucy Care is encouraging local people to make a promise to the environment to mark World Environment Day 2007.

Speaking on World Environment Day June 5th, Lucy Care said:

"Climate change is a global issue. But tackling it starts at home.

"Over a quarter of the UK's carbon emissions come from heating, lighting and running equipment in our homes.

"Small actions, such as saving water and switching off the lights can, when taken together, make a big difference.

"If everyone in the developed world makes even one small change to their daily life to reduce their energy use, such as not leaving the TV on stand-by or overfilling the kettle, it would make a real difference to our total energy use and the amount of carbon we emit.

"Of course there is more the government should be doing. The Liberal Democrats have set out plans for radically improving home energy efficiency, producing greener electricity and switching taxes from income to pollution and energy use. That is what we would do if we were in government.

"And on the Council we proposed opening a centre to provide independent advice to people in Derby on what everyone can do to make a difference.

"But there is action each of us can take now. Our house is already fitted out with low energy light bulbs and I make sure I don't leave the tap running while brushing my teeth. I have also nearly trained our children to always turn off the TV properly and not just zap it as they walk out of the room! While these may seem like pretty small things, if enough people do them we can save tremendous amounts of energy and water.

"And we've also saved money by doing this - and you could too.

"I hope other local people will join me in making differences like these to mark World Environment Day 2007."

15 ways in which you can save energy and reduce your 'carbon footprint'

1. Use energy-saving light bulbs

2. Turn down the thermostat by one degree

3. Take a shower instead of a bath

4. Put a water saving device in your toilet

5. Turn the tap off when brushing your teeth

6. Use rechargeable batteries instead of disposable ones

7. Use a reusable bag, rather than plastic carriers

8. Dry washing by hanging it, rather than tumble drying

9. Wash clothes at lower temperatures

10. Draught-proof windows and doors

11. Boil only the water you need, rather than filling the kettle every time

12. Switch off TVs and other electrical appliances at the mains rather than leaving them on stand-by, and unplug mobile phone chargers when they are not in use

13. Increase the amount you recycle - check with your council what they have recycling facilities for, it might be more than you think!

14. Share car journeys to work with a colleague, cycle or replace those car journeys with public transport at least once a week

15. Switch to a more environmentally friendly electricity supplier. E.g. Lib Dem HQ in Westminster gets its electricity from Good Energy, who supply only 100% renewable electricity from the natural energy of wind, sun, or running water.