Memorandum submitted by Glenn Buckingham
(CRED 35)
I am sure it is to late to take part in the
CRed meeting with ministers but if anyone wishes to use any of
the following for the common good I am more than happy for that
to happen with due acknowledgement . Also if any further thoughts
are required I am more than happy to help. My thoughts are as
follows.
I believe simple messages to encourage people
to think about energy use are necessary, for example when fuel
is purchased at the filling station the receipt should show the
amount of carbon that will be released when it is consumed ie
x litres of petrol multiplied by the carbon value approx 2.3 I
believe so therefore 40 litres of fuel used would result in 92
kgs of carbon released. Messages like use wisely etc could be
added. Could cars be fitted with a carbon meter? Large fuel consuming
cars should be taxed heavily at every opportunity, purchase tax,
road tax, and scrap tax. Fuel tax is difficult.
This same carbon accounting could appear on
all energy bills, gas, electric, heating oil, coal. And every
appliance, vehicle with figures for embedded carbon.
Encouragement for increased interest in public
transport is vital and its carbon benefits could be advertised
on timetables/tickets.
Where organisations organise meetings of people
for leisure or business, now that many people use email facilities
then vehicle sharing should be encouraged to get to the event
by emailing delegate/participants lists so that shared use of
vehicles takes place.
Carbon auditing software/calculators should
be freely available.
Easy access to home energy advisors, creation
of this service (thermal imaging cameras/electrisaves for hire)?
Air transport should carry statutory carbon
offset charges per flight divided per passenger so that low occupancy
is not encouraged.
Air flights should not be allowed less than
one hour in the UK.
As is already happening local food is being
encouraged, and local stores should allow farmers/producers access,
farmers markets should be used wisely. Air freighted food should
be treated in the same way as passenger air traffic but do we
need (spring onions from Mexico are not necessary in January)
Local power generation should be encouraged
in all forms that are carbon efficient; the power system will
then be rather like the internet.
Packaging by legislation should be made from
recyclable materials that are easily sorted by colour coding,
type, embossing, difficult to recycle sort should be dis-encouraged/banned.
Reuse should always come first. Plastic shopping bags to be banned
immediately.
My main thoughts are that energy should be thought
of as a finite resource and that action is required soon,this
in turn will help climate change and carbon reduction. It is an
issue that people are looking for leadership in.
It is good that at last the likes of Tesco,
BT, Shell and BA are doing something but it is not just about
business preservation and profit, this is corporate social responsibility.
BACKGROUND
We live in Suffolk, I work as a farm manager,
at home we have a small wind and solar grid connected power system
and a solar water heating panel, low energy light bulbs throughout
the house and use power with respect. We are members of Greenpeace
and Friends of the Earth, involved with our Parish Council and
Parish Plan.
Jeannie works as a community development officer
in Suffolk, I am a school governor for the local primary.
The farm bears in mind conservation in its work
I am currently attempting to create a carbon account for the business,
at the moment I think the ratio of carbon created in product and
sequestration is around 6,500 tons for a carbon input of around
1,500 tons but it is difficult to get accurate figures for everything
and few places are able to help.
Glenn Buckingham
January 2007
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