TURN IT OFF!
The International Energy Agency estimates that standby mode could be causing a full one percent of the world's greenhouse gas emissions, close to what the entire aviation industry emits. A typical European, Japanese, Australian or American home is likely to have 20 devices constantly drawing standby power. A standard TV set, DVD or CD player wastes up to 50 per cent of the energy it consumes while in standby mode. As a result, standby power is responsible for 5-10 percent of total electricity use in most homes and an unknown amount in commercial buildings and factories.
A simple way to reduce power consumption and the resulting emissions is to use a multi-plug rail with a power switch and turn it off overnight. A complementary approach is for industry to aim at reducing electricity consumption in new appliances when they are on standby. The IEA has launched a campaign aiming to reduce standby consumption to one watt. www.iea.org/textbase/papers/2005/standby_fact.pdf
LIGHTEN UP!
Fifty percent of emissions related to lighting in a house can be reduced by replacing old incandescent lights with the lowest energy versions available. Optimized design to make the best use of daylight cuts the remaining 50 percent in half again. Those who have no access to any form of modern energy, about a third of the world's population, burn fossil fuels directly, representing about 1 percent of the world's lighting and about 20 percent of lighting-related GHG emissions. This is just one example of how money and knowledge could very well be invested to improve people's living situations and create a positive impact for the whole world.
ECO-DRIVING
Changing the way they treat their car is a step that every driver can take to improve their climate footprint. One of the findings of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) on how to tackle transport-related greenhouse gas emissions was to promote improved driving practices. Results from studies conducted in Europe and the USA suggested possible improvement of 5-20% in fuel economy from eco-driving training. The mitigation costs of CO2 by eco-driving were mostly estimated to be negative. From shifting to a higher gear at the right time to checking the tyre pressure regularly, there are plenty of carbon-saving tips available from the Greener Driving website developed by UNEP. www.greener-driving.net
CARPOOLING
Websites where people announce where they are going and when, offering a lift to those with the same destination, have become very popular over the last few years in many places. In Germany and its neighbours the system is quite successful, and apart from a cheap ride between almost all medium-sized towns (for about 5 Euro per 100 km) it is a social meeting-point and a bit of an adventure for those who like it.
BUY GREEN!
Green procurement means a concious buying policy based on ecological principles, where financial aspects alone do not determine the choice of one product over another, or where a contract is given not to the lowest bidder but to the one with the least impact on the environment. Higher purchasing prices are in many cases compensated by lower operating costs. Many city and business administrations have turned to green procurement policies in the process of introducing sustainable management systems. Public procurement accounts for 16 percent of EU GDP, so greening public procurement can become a powerful economic driver for environmental technologies. A guide to green procurement for public authorities is available in 22 languages from the EU: http//ec.europa.eu/environment/gpp/guideline_en.htm
KICK THE CO2 HABIT!
Did you know that if every airline passenger reduced to below 20Kg the weight of goods and items carried and bought what they needed on arrival at a duty-free lounge, this could cut global greenhouse gas emissions by two million tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO2) a year?