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Energy & Lifestyle: latest news |
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This section keeps you up to date with the latest news on energy & lifestyle issues.
 | Green tipping point
The Times - 30 December 2006
Scientists have been warning about global warming for years, but it was only in 2006 that climate change became a big issue for the British public - and the transformation felt as though it was happening at warp speed. A Populus poll found 74 per cent agreed that "Environmental issues like climate change are very important to me and will influence how I vote at the next election".
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 | Gadgets drive up energy bills and emissions
The Guardian - 19 December 2006
Consumer appetites for electrical gadgets will push up UK energy consumption by 82% over the next five years, a report warned today. A survey commissioned by the Energy Saving Trust (EST) has shown that British consumers now consider a whole new list of gadgets "essential."
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| Green power generators who spout a lot of hot air
The Guardian - 17 December 2006
People signing up to green energy tariffs in an effort to do their bit for the environment are being misled by many of the companies offering them. Of the 12 'green' electricity tariffs available, only two are going further than the suppliers are required to by law. The highest-scoring supplier was Good Energy, a small independent company that offers its customers 100 per cent renewable electricity.
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 | Turning off the digital world
BBC News Online - 15 December 2006
The increasing energy demands of the digital world need to be addressed if we are to avoid severe global warming. According to research carried out by Canon, more than six million PCs will be left on over Christmas. Together with the printers and other hardware they will waste enough electricity to microwave 268 million mince pies, pumping 19,000 unnecessary tonnes of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, at a cost of around £8.6m.
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| Eco-tourism: A sustainable trade?
BBC News Online - 14 December 2006
Can eco-tourism do more harm than good? In the Green Room this week, James Mair argues that it can, and that development of tourism needs to be made sustainable.
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| Green vision for UK homes
The Guardian - 13 December 2006
Ruth Kelly has set out a timetable for making all new homes "zero carbon" within a decade. Under the proposed scheme, from 2008 all new homes will be given star ratings to reflect their energy efficiency, and the building regulations will be progressively tightened to force the construction of environmentally friendly homes.
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| Attenborough urges 'moral change'
BBC News Online - 13 December 2006
Television naturalist Sir David Attenborough has called for a "moral change" among energy consumers to cut waste and reduce pollution. Sir David told the Commons environment committee there was "no question" that global warming would worsen. He said "a general moral view" that wasting energy was wrong - such as there had been over wasting food during the Second World War - was needed.
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| Environmentalists hit government over Heathrow expansion
The Guardian - 12 December 2006
Opponents of the proposed Heathrow expansion accused the government of undermining the fight against climate change yesterday as environmental campaigners warned of a massive increase in pollution if a third runway gets the go-ahead. The government is expected to reaffirm plans on Thursday to expand one of the world's busiest airports.
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 | Rock stars plan Global Cool
Daily Telegraph - 11 December 2006
Bob Geldof tried it with Live Aid. U2 and Coldplay gave it a go with Make Poverty History. Now, the next generation of pop stars, including Scissor Sisters, Razorlight, the Killers and Kasabian are trying to save the planet by stopping global warming. Their campaign, Global Cool, plans five simultaneous concerts around the globe next summer ? one of them in London ? to encourage a billion people to cut carbon emissions and give to green causes.
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| Carbon 'credit card' considered
BBC News Online - 11 December 2006
Carbon "credit cards" could be issued as part of a nationwide carbon rationing scheme, Environment Secretary David Miliband has suggested. An annual allowance would be allocated, with the card being swiped on various items such as travel, energy or food. People who used less than their allowance could sell any surplus to those who wanted more.
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| Better still: reduce your carbon footprint
The Guardian - 10 December 2006
Lucy Siegle, The Observer's ethical expert, explains how to cut your emissions and still keep on travelling. Fly less, take the train or go by boat.
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| No duty for 'zero carbon' homes
Daily Telegraph - 7 December 2006
Newly built "zero carbon" homes will be exempt from stamp duty from next year. Chancellor Gordon Brown said it was the Government's ambition that by 2016 all new homes would be "zero carbon". Power should be provided by new woodchip boilers, wind or solar energy and there are several zero carbon housing schemes in the pipeline.
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| Brown to double taxes on flights
BBC News Online - 6 December 2006
Taxes on flights from the UK will double, Chancellor Gordon Brown has announced, in most cases a rise to £10. But long-haul flights beyond the European Economic Area will see taxes increase to as much as £80. Environmentalists had called for more drastic moves, saying only higher taxes would help to tackle climate change.
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| Pure approach on carbon emissions welcomed
The Times - 30 November 2006
Britain's first charity dedicated to combating climate change was launched yesterday with the aim of reducing carbon emissions by a million tonnes a year ? the equivalent of a medium-sized power station in Britain. The charity, Pure, will offset carbon dioxide emissions by buying the regulated carbon credits allocated to industry with funds given by the public.
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| An eco warrior's (wood) burning ambition
Daily Telegraph - 30 November 2006
Donnachadh McCarthy's Camberwell home is heated from a single wood-burning stove. The heat from the stove permeates the house and the two-storey building is as snug as you would want. The stove benefits from an ingenious device called an Eco Fan. This small device sits on the stove and, using the temperature gradient between the hot base and the cooler top, generates enough energy to propel the super-heated air from the stove through the house.
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| Stansted expansion plan refused
BBC News Online - 29 November 2006
Expansion plans for Stansted Airport which could boost passenger numbers have been rejected, amid objections including the effect on climate change. Uttlesford Council turned down BAA's planning application to increase passenger numbers to 35m a year. The impact of expansion on climate change and the local environment had concerned councillors.
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| Carbon emissions show sharp rise
BBC News Online - 27 November 2006
The rise in humanity's emissions of carbon dioxide has accelerated sharply, according to a new analysis. The Global Carbon Project says that emissions were rising by less than 1% annually up to the year 2000, but are now rising at 2.5% per year.
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| Why cut emissions if India's are on the up?
The Guardian - 26 November 2006
The subcontinent's boom has raised environmental alarms. But it could prove a wake-up call for the west. Although the footprint of the average Indian has risen to 1.3 tonnes of CO2 per person per year, this still doesn't really compare with the average 11 tonnes per UK citizen.
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| Business airline to go green on tickets
The Times - 26 November 2006
Silverjet, a business-class long-haul carrier, is to become the world's first carbon-neutral airline. Under the plan, Silverjet ? a tiny company that has yet to start flights ? will include a compulsory carbon charge in its ticket prices.
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| Eco-village people
Daily Telegraph - 23 November 2006
Mark Sayer is so concerned about the future of Planet Earth for his children that he plans to construct a green village and live there. A successful developer, he is building what he believes will be Britain's first eco-village. So strong is his belief in the £7million project, he intends to be one of the first occupants of the self-sufficient community in Ilkley, West Yorkshire.
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| Rich save (and waste) the most energy
The Times - 23 November 2006
Wealthy householders are doing more than anyone else to reduce their electricity bills, but they still use the most energy. Only 20 per cent of the population are making significant attempts to improve energy efficiency in the home, and the bulk of those are high-earners.
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| 'Smart' homes to eat their rubbish
The Guardian - 19 November 2006
A new generation of 'smart' buildings, which can consume their own rubbish and power themselves, is needed to help Britain withstand the shock of global warming, the government's chief scientist will warn in a call for an end to a culture of waste.
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| Coming soon - a green Bill Gates
The Times - 19 November 2006
I'm betting that the next Bill Gates, whoever she is, will be an environmental entrepreneur. Why? Because despite the recent focus on the potential costs to society of climate change, solving this challenge may also present the greatest economic opportunity of our time.
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| Green my ride
The Guardian - 16 November 2006
It guzzles gas and spews out particulates. So how can Dominic Murphy make his old Volvo more environmentally friendly?
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| Doomed to failure
The Guardian - 13 November 2006
The carbon reduction proposals in the Stern review are not enough to save the planet. We must recognise that there are limits to economic growth. Simply put, growth, of the wrong kind, no matter how decarbonised, will wreck the planet.
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| The wrong sort of radio adds to C02 emissions
The Guardian - 13 November 2006
Digital broadcasting is increasing the threat of global warming by pumping massive amounts of extra carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, official figures suggest. The millions of Britons who listen to the radio through their power-hungry digital televisions and computers together release an extra 190,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide a year.
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| Supermarkets urged to cut waste
The Guardian - 13 November 2006
Supermarkets need to do more to reduce the waste they create through unnecessary packaging, the government has said. While progress is being made, supermarkets are still not doing enough to help consumers reduce the environmental impact of their weekly shop. Unnecessary and excessive packaging and waste contributes to dangerous climate change.
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| Are you a carbon criminal?
The Times - 11 November 2006
Do you take a "normal" number of return flights every year? A skiing week in the winter, perhaps, and a longer villa holiday in the summer? Plus a couple of long weekends to the Continent? Maybe a shopping trip to New York? Then, whether you like it or not, you're a carbon criminal.
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| The green divide
The Times - 8 November 2006
Britons exaggerate how green they are, with most mistakenly believing that they are following energy-saving practices. The Populus poll shows that the majority of people believe they have already changed their habits to become green. However, the reality is that they are still burning energy unnecessarily.
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| Green issues 'concern shoppers'
BBC News Online - 6 November 2006
Consumers are becoming increasingly concerned about green issues when they are at the shops, research suggests. Almost two-thirds of shoppers are more likely to buy from businesses doing their bit to tackle climate change, a study by the Carbon Trust said.
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| Appeal to Londoners to switch off
BBC News Online - 4 November 2006
Londoners are being urged to switch off their lights and electric gadgets to support a campaign highlighting the dangers of climate change. Environmental group Blackout London wants lights to be turned off between 1630GMT and 1930GMT on Saturday. The appeal is a part of the events taking place on International Day of Climate Change Action.
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| A new dawn?
The Guardian - 31 October 2006
The world is having a green moment. From the Sun to the Economist, Al Gore to Arnold Schwarzenegger, the Stern report to celebrities in electric cars, we appear to have reached a global tipping point in eco-awareness. But is the carbon-guzzling west really prepared to change its behaviour? And has our epiphany come too late?
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| Here's the plan for action on climate change
The Guardian - 31 October 2006
At least almost everyone now agrees that we must act, if not at the necessary speed. If we're to have a high chance of preventing global temperatures from rising by 2C (3.6F) above preindustrial levels, we need, in the rich nations, a 90% reduction in greenhouse-gas emissions by 2030. So how do we do it without bringing civilisation crashing down?
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| 'Cut carbon emissions now or face economic calamity later'
The Times - 30 October 2006
A stark warning of the economic costs and damage to the world that could result from global warming will be set out today in a report to be submitted to the Government. Sir Nicholas Stern, the former chief economist at the World Bank, will advise that the costs of confronting climate change are far outweighed by those of failing to act in time.
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| Five ways to make a difference
The Guardian - 29 October 2006
So what are the effective things you can do to stop climate change? Here are five suggestions: have your own no fly zone, buy a green car, switch things off, go on a low-carbon diet, and make your own power.
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| Ten years to save the planet from mankind
The Guardian - 29 October 2006
The Stern Report will tomorrow reveal that if governments do nothing, climate change will cost more than both world wars and render swathes of the planet uninhabitable. Can the world find the will to act?
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| The smart money is going on 'clean' technologies
The Times - 28 October 2006
Is solar power the next Google? Is ethanol the next Amazon.com? All sorts of investors are turning their attention to climate change, including some of the smartest venture capitalists who made fortunes by backing dot-com successes in the early 1990s. Vinod Khosla, the co-founder of Sun Microsystems is investing millions of dollars in ethanol, which he believes is the fuel of the future.
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| Europe falling far short of climate targets
The Guardian - 28 October 2006
The European Union is falling woefully short of its targets for cutting greenhouse gas emissions. As the self-styled global champion in the battle against climate change, the EU will need to take radical measures to achieve them, new projections have shown.
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| Car ads 'should show emissions'
BBC News Online - 27 October 2006
A Labour MP has launched a bid to force car makers to display more information on carbon emissions in their adverts. Colin Challen, who chairs the Commons climate change group, says a quarter of the space in car ads should be given over to environmental impact data.
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| 'Gas guzzlers' face parking hike
BBC News Online - 25 October 2006
The cost of residents' parking permits could be linked to car emissions under plans being considered in one of the country's most affluent areas. Richmond-upon-Thames residents with two high-emission cars could pay £750 a year, compared with £200 now, but the greenest cars would be exempt. The council hopes other authorities will be encouraged to follow its lead.
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| Energy-wasting Britons fail to see the light
The Guardian - 23 October 2006
Britons are the worst energy wasters in Europe, according to a survey of 5,000 people across the continent. The study found UK citizens admitting to 32 energy-wasting actions a week on average, more than twice as many as the most efficient citizens polled, the Germans.
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| Saving energy on the home front
BBC News Online - 23 October 2006
"Are you doing your bit?" That has been the message to encourage households in the UK to be more energy savvy. Just a few simple actions can cut our demand for energy, while saving us money and easing the pressure on the planet.
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| Paying for our sins
The Guardian - 18 October 2006
Offsetting makes us feel better, allows us to consume more to the benefit of the polluters, deflects attention away from the real and present danger that is climate change and, George Monbiot finds, does little good.
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| UK 'must act' on plane emissions
BBC News Online - 17 October 2006
Britain will not be able to meet its goals on climate change without curbing the demand for air travel, according to an Oxford University report. The government is aiming for a 60% cut in carbon dioxide emissions by 2050. But the report's authors say the UK is becoming "air dependent" and government policies on increasing air travel contradict that stated aim.
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| The figures don't add up
The Guardian - 11 October 2006
The concept of BP's "targetneutral" scheme is that you make a voluntary donation proportionate to the carbon cost of your driving that will fund renewable energy projects. Except that I can't help feeling it's a completely token measure. In order to stabilise climate change short of catastrophe, we may need a 90% cut in carbon emissions by 2030.
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| Can planting trees really give you a clear carbon conscience?
The Guardian - 7 October 2006
Across the world, thousands of projects aim to cut carbon emissions through reduced energy use or conversion to renewable sources. The notional "carbon credits" such projects generate can be sold, and there is big money to be made. Land Rover, British Gas and Coldplay are all doing it, but experts warn that the benefits of carbon offsetting may be overstated.
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| You feel better, but is your carbon offset just hot air?
The Guardian - 7 October 2006
Green consumers who want to neutralise their carbon emissions face being ripped off by unscrupulous operators who exploit the growing market in carbon offset schemes. The surge in interest in such schemes, which invest millions of pounds in forestry and clean energy projects in the developing world, has created a lucrative market in carbon, which is unregulated and subject to little scrutiny.
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| Clampdown on air travel 'a must' for Britain to meet climate target
The Guardian - 6 October 2006
A severe clampdown on air travel will be necessary for the government to meet its stringent target to cut greenhouse gas emissions, climate experts warned yesterday. Calculations by researchers at the prestigious Tyndall Centre for Climate Change in Manchester reveal the number of flights will have to be frozen at today's levels or lower to avoid warming that could trigger catastrophic damage to ecosystems.
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 | The Energy Diet
New York Times - 5 October 2006
I've tried to be responsible. I've thought pro-green thoughts and occasionally even done pro-green things. I've run the dishwasher and washer-dryer only with full loads. I've recycled, as ordered, though like every New Yorker I've ever met, I suspect the system does more good for our feelings than for the environment. But after I saw Al Gore's "An Inconvenient Truth" it came to me. I should go on a diet.
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| Wind turbines and solar panels at B&Q
The Guardian - 29 September 2006
The do-it-yourself chain B&Q is to sell wind turbines and solar panels as home energy generation moves into the mass market. From next month, every one of B&Q's 320 UK stores will display the energy-saving turbines, which transmit electricity, and three types of solar panel, which produce hot water. Both will fit on domestic roofs.
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| Branson call for greener airlines
BBC News Online - 27 September 2006
The global aviation industry must work together to tackle climate change. Sir Richard Branson has said that up to 25% of the world's aviation carbon dioxide emissions could be cut if airlines, airports and governments worked together.
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| UK 'sleepwalking into catastrophe'
The Guardian - 27 September 2006
People are not concerned enough about the threat of climate change and the environment secretary has warned that the UK is in danger of "sleepwalking towards catastrophe" over the issue. Mr Miliband revealed that he had been "kidding himself" over the dangers of rising sea levels and temperatures when he took over the environment post five months ago.
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| Consumer test: boilers
The Guardian - 23 September 2006
The average conventional gas boiler is only 60% efficient, wasting 40% of its heat as hot gases. Millions of households across Britain are being encouraged to replace their ageing boilers with new, energy-efficient, condenser-style models. But which are the right ones to buy?
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| Branson pledges $3bn transport profits to fight global warming
The Guardian - 22 September 2006
Sir Richard Branson joined the growing ranks of global warming activists yesterday by committing $3bn (£1.6bn) to tackle climate change. The billionaire pledged all profits from his Virgin air and rail interests over the next 10 years to combating rising global temperatures.
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| On the flight path to global meltdown
The Guardian - 21 September 2006
There is no technofix to the disastrous impact of air travel on the environment, argues George Monbiot in the final extract from his new book - the only answer is to ground most of the aeroplanes flying today.
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| Saving power doesn't mean you're dim
The Telegraph - 21 September 2006
The average house now contains around 30 light bulbs, up from an average of 10 in the 1960s. Yet tungsten bulbs are hugely inefficient: only about five per cent of the energy used to power them actually creates light. If every house in Britain exchanged one conventional bulb for a fluorescent one, the country would need one less power station.
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| The threat of climate change
The Guardian - 21 September 2006
The threat is from those who accept climate change, not those who deny it. If the biosphere is ruined it will be done by people who know that emissions must be cut - but refuse to alter the way they live.
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| Rush-hour race to rescue climate
BBC News Online - 19 September 2006
Environmentally friendly council staff left their car keys at home to race to work and mark European Mobility Week. Volunteers travelled to Glasgow from the west end on foot, by motorcycle, pedal cycle and by bus. The challenge was to beat the peak hour traffic by the fastest and most environmentally-friendly method.
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| Warning: bigger carbon cut needed to avoid disaster
The Guardian - 15 September 2006
Leading researchers say government has misled public and call for 90% reduction in greenhouse gases by 2050. Drastic action is needed if Britain is to have any chance of avoiding catastrophic climate change, a ground-breaking environmental report warns.
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| How green is your supermarket? It could try harder
The Guardian - 14 September 2006
The UK's leading supermarkets must do more to help shoppers make green choices. A study by the National Consumer Council says that supermarkets have improved environmental policies, but need to ensure green options are not limited to a dedicated "eco-aware" elite who can afford higher prices.
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| Hope shines over solar panel boom
BBC News Online - 13 September 2006
The repeated hikes in gas and electricity prices by energy suppliers means solar energy is becoming more financially attractive. Lately the sector has had trouble meeting demand, with more people wanting panels than there are suppliers.
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| Sainsbury's in green packing push
BBC News Online - 8 September 2006
Supermarket Sainsbury's is to sell more than 500 of its own-brand products in compostable packs instead of plastic as it seeks to cut packaging waste. It says the scheme will save 3,550 tonnes of plastic a year.
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| Switching to green power is easy
The Telegraph - 7 September 2006
Getting panicked by all the end-of-the-world global-warming headlines? Then now's your chance to do something about it. If you spend just a few minutes' on paperwork, every time you boil the kettle, charge your phone or watch TV, your power could be coming from a wind farm or a hydro-electric plant.
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| We'd love to book a trip - but not if it costs the Earth
The Guardian - 3 September 2006
Holidays can still be fun without leaving a huge carbon footprint. Midnight trains, rafting, medieval villages... you can still have a great holiday without wrecking the planet or trampling on people's lives.
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| The war on hot air: green is the new black
The Times - 3 September 2006
In the 1980s it was the bomb, in the 1990s globalisation. Now CO2 is the enemy du jour. With clear signs that people are beginning to alter their lifestyles, green is becoming the new black.
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| Cameron intensifies battle for green vote
The Guardian - 1 September 2006
David Cameron will today step up his campaign for the green vote by joining with the Liberal Democrats and Friends of the Earth to demand a bill to commit the government to reducing carbon emissions.
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 | UK developers gearing up for age of eco-home
The Business - 27 August 2006
Eco-homes, designed to limit environmental impacts, are poised to enter the mainstream of UK property development, as the need to reduce carbon emissions hits home. In recent months, the government has announced a package of measures to further improve energy efficiency in homes as part of its programme to tackle climate change.
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| Good intent can prevent climate change catastrophe
The Guardian - 23 August 2006
Do you think you're doing enough about climate change? There is always more we can do - whoever we are and wherever we live. And the longer we wait, the more our options - along with the species on which our life-support systems depend - will disappear.
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| Carbon Accounting
The Guardian - 8 Aug 2006
Mr Blair's household carbon audit idea is a tentative step in the right direction. The energy performance certificates for housesellers, due next year, will accustom people to the idea of monitoring how much they burn.
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| Blair urges home pollution checks
BBC News Online - 7 Aug 2006
Tony Blair is urging people to measure how much global warming pollution is produced by their homes. Domestic energy use accounts for 27% of the UK's CO2 emissions. Mr Blair said people could take action against global warming themselves.
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| Raise air travel tax, report says
BBC News Online - 7 Aug 2006
Taxes on air travel and "gas guzzling" cars should be raised to cut greenhouse gas emissions, says a committee of MPs. Transport was the only sector of the UK economy where carbon emissions have risen consistently since 1990, said the committee.
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| World must race to develop green energy
The Guardian - 4 Aug 2006
An urgent project on the scale of the Apollo moon landings is needed to boost research into green energy sources and save the planet from environmental disaster, according to a top scientist. Without an international, focused programme it will be impossible to keep greenhouse gas emissions low enough to prevent catastrophic climate change.
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| We're all heading for the fiery furnace
The Times - 26 July 2006
When one 747 from London to New York spews out more CO2 emissions than a motorist does in the course of an entire year, destroying the planet's upper atmosphere, does this not add up to a most grievous offence against nature?
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| Wasteful homes 'risk eco-targets'
BBC News Online - 21 July 2006
Key environmental targets are "undeliverable" unless households cut the amount of resources they consume. The UK's 21 million domestic dwellings are responsible for 27% of CO2 emissions, consume half of water supplies, and produce 8% of all waste.
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| Go green, Miliband tells supermarket bosses
The Guardian - 21 July 2006
Environment secretary David Miliband yesterday summoned bosses from the big four supermarkets to demand they work harder to make their businesses more environmentally friendly. Food transported by air - mainly fresh fruit and vegetables - generates 13% of total food transport CO2 emissions.
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| Share car, make friends, save planet
BBC Online - 20 July 2006
Get out of your car, save money and the environment, and make some new friends along the way. Nearly a third of the UK's total greenhouse gas emissions come from transport, and it is the only sector in which those emissions are growing. It's obvious that we must reduce our travel needs, taking the train and getting on our bicycles.
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| Miliband unveils carbon swipe-card plan
The Guardian - 19 July 2006
The environment minister today unveiled a radical plan to cut greenhouse gas emissions by charging individuals for the amount of carbon they use. Consumers would carry bank cards that record their personal carbon usage. Those who use more energy would have to buy more carbon points, while those who consume less would be able to sell their carbon points.
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| Standby buttons face axe to curb energy waste
The Times - 9 July 2006
Heating, lighting and entertainment in households is responsible for 27% of the energy used in Britain. With purchases of low-price TVs, DVDs, computers and other products rising sharply, in five years gadgets will be responsible for a third of household energy use. Much of this is when they are on standby.
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| Ministers to give power to people
BBC News Online - 4 July 2006
Householders are set to be given the go-ahead on plans to install solar panels and miniature wind turbines. The government wants to outlaw the need for planning applications from those who want to use DIY power generation on their homes.
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| Gadgets drive up household energy use
The Guardian - 3 July 2006
Householders in the UK will double the amount of energy they use on consumer electronics by the year 2010. Despite a move to make many electronic appliances more energy-efficient, the number of electronic devices owned by an average household has increased greatly over recent decades.
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| Lighting the key to energy saving
BBC News Online - 29 June 2006
A global switch to efficient lighting systems would trim the world's electricity bill by nearly one-tenth. That is the conclusion of a study from the International Energy Agency (IEA). The carbon dioxide emissions saved by such a switch would dwarf cuts so far achieved by adopting wind and solar power.
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| Homes to be energy-saving rated
BBC News Online - 14 June 2006
Every house sold in England and Wales will be given an energy rating like those found on electrical goods. The reports, prepared by an independent inspector, will give houses an A to G rating, with A being the best. They will show energy efficiency and the impact of a house on the environment in terms of carbon dioxide.
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| Free parking for drivers who go green
The Guardian - 11 June 2006
Free parking or guaranteed spaces in town and city centres could be offered to drivers to encourage them to buy more environmentally friendly cars. Trials of Green Badge parking permits are being brought forward in Sheffield and Manchester and government advisors hope to persuade more councils to adopt the scheme to reduce Britain's carbon emissions, which are blamed for climate change.
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| Your home may be hurting the planet
The Guardian - 11 June 2006
Despite a decade of adverts reminding us not to boil too much water in the kettle and A-rated appliances everywhere you look, we are using more energy than ever. But this could change. Thanks to soaring power bills, we may all finally learn a collective lesson: that the era of cheap power is over.
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| How to go green without going broke
The Guardian - 11 June 2006
Consumers are more aware than ever of the impact their goods and services have on the planet. The problem is the cost; you want to do the 'right thing' but you believe it's not affordable. In fact you can make a lot of small changes to your life that a) won't take much effort if any, b) will have a positive impact on the environment and c) will save you some money.
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| Fly? I think I'll take the train
The Times - 10 June 2006
It's greener, and the scenery is better, too: Anna Shepard advocates the train over the plane to get to Marrakesh. Using planes like buses is not only unimaginative, but also highly polluting.
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| Green with energy: Saving the planet begins at home
The Guardian - 5 June 2006
Every year, on June 5, the UN marks environment day. The event, established in 1972, is meant to foster worldwide awareness of environmental issues and stimulate political action. The UN has urged people on environment day to "consider the actions which each of us must take and then address ourselves to our common task of preserving all life on earth". So how do we start making a difference?
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| The real cost of going green
BBC News Online - 2 June 2006
Is it really possible to cut your carbon emissions enough to save the planet? As part of the BBC's Climate Chaos week, The Money Programme conducted a unique experiment. It asked the Hutchinson family from Teesdale - the area in the UK with the highest carbon emissions per household - to try and cut back their energy use.
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| Europe urged to help save climate
BCC News Online - 29 May 2006
A campaign to convince Europeans they can help stop climate change has been launched by the European Commission. The campaign is called "You Control Climate Change" and aims to show how everyday actions can lead to cuts in greenhouse-gas emissions.
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| Energy producers getting greener - shame about the public
The Guardian - 26 May 2006
Want to reduce pollution? Stop blaming the emission problem on the energy industry, says Paul Golby. Anyone reading your front page about pollution would be entitled to wonder exactly what was going on in the UK, with headlines claiming that the five biggest polluters in Britain produced more CO2 than all motorists combined. In fact, this is only a tiny part of the story.
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| Your electricity choices revealed
BBC News Online - 25 May 2006
Renewables are the form of electricity generation favoured by users of the BBC News website's Electricity Calculator. Your responses indicate you would like more than a third of UK electricity to come from renewables such as wind and tidal turbines by the year 2020.
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| More Than cuts premium for hybrid drivers
The Guardian - 22 May 2006
More Than has become the first company to offer discounted insurance as an incentive for drivers to switch to hybrid cars. The firm, which says it has been prompted to act by worries about climate change, is offering new hybrid drivers a 13% discount in their annual premium from today.
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| Pop stars back new climate laws
BBC News Online - 1 May 2006
Some of the UK's top musicians are playing a concert in support of Friends of the Earth's Big Ask campaign. Thom Yorke and Jonny Greenwood from Radiohead and Gruff Rhys, of the Super Furry Animals, are taking part in the London gig. It is the first of a series of concerts designed to highlight the campaign to change the law on CO2 emissions.
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| Shop local, campaign group urges
BBC News Online - 28 April 2006
Friends of the Earth is urging people to buy food from local shops to cut greenhouse gases. FoE says government research shows the average supermarket produces as much carbon dioxide as 60 greengrocers. Supermarkets are less efficient and encourage people to produce more emissions by travelling further to shop - an average of 890 miles a year.
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| Shedding light on call to ban bulb
BBC News Online - 20 April 2006
Energy-saving light bulbs have been available for 30 years, and although they are quick and simple to use, require five times less electricity to do much the same job, cut greenhouse gas emissions by 60-70% and save users approximately £7 per bulb each year, they have not caught on. Dr Matt Prescott calls for the traditional light bulb to be banned.
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| Do nothing? You cannot be serious
The Times - 6 April 2006
Scepticism is good. But not when the sceptics are saying that the only sensible course is to wait and gather more evidence. That's not rational either. Given that greenhouse gases accumulate in the atmosphere long after we have put them there, it makes no sense to wait until the fertile land has moved north or the Siberian permafrost has melted.
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| Pollution threat as flights hit 500m a year
The Guardian - 2 April 2006
Britons are set to take more than half a billion flights a year by 2030, with thousands of homes across the country facing greater increases in noise and pollution than the government has forecast. The new growth figures mean the government faces an even tougher battle to curb greenhouse gas emissions blamed for climate change.
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| Thandie quits her 4x4 to be a green goddess
The Times - 2 April 2006
Thandie Newton, the British star of Crash, the Hollywood hit film, has become a crusader against gas-guzzling cars after a Greenpeace activist slapped stickers on her 4x4 accusing her of adding to global warming. This week, Newton will make her support for the anti-emissions campaign public by writing to fellow Hollywood stars and other celebrities asking them to join her in switching to greener forms of transport.
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| Giving micropower to the people
BBC News Online - 30 March 2006
Countering climate change should begin at home. A hands-on approach to energy generation gives people a sense of empowerment and the impetus to reduce their environmental footprints. If every household in the world reduced its CO2 ouput, the cumulative effect would be massive.
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| Blair demands green 'revolution'
BBC News Online - 29 March 2006
Tony Blair has called for a "technological revolution comparable to the internet" to slow global warming. Speaking in New Zealand, he said it was important to develop machines which produced fewer emissions, while maintaining economic growth.
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| Public called to reduce emissions
BBC News Online - 10 March 2006
The UK public are being invited to participate in a mass experiment to reduce climate change as part of National Science Week. "Click for the Climate" invites people to pledge to make a small change to their lifestyle during science week to reduce carbon dioxide emissions. Chief scientist, Sir David King, said cutting emissions is up to individuals, as well as government and industry.
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| Power from the people
BBC News Online - 9 March 2006
The energy minister is doing it. David Cameron's doing it. People are blogging it. Is DIY power generation going to be the next big thing? Solar panels and miniature wind turbines could soon become an officially-promoted part of the urban landscape.
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| Oops, we helped ruin the planet
The Guardian - 4 March 2006
The founders of the Rough Guides and Lonely Planet books, troubled that they have helped spread a casual attitude towards air travel that could trigger devastating climate change, are uniting to urge tourists to fly less. From next month, warnings will appear in all new editions of their guides about the impact of flying on global warming alongside alternative ways of reaching certain destinations.
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| Car makers shout about green credentials
BBC News Online - 1 March 2006
In a world where climate change is said to threaten the lives of future generations, the car industry is widely seen as the main villain. So at this year's motor show in Geneva, which opens its doors to the public on Thursday, there is an environmentally friendly solution on pretty much every stand.
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| Save the planet by taking your car on an alcohol-fuel jaunt
The Guardian - 26 February 2006
Some British cars will soon fill up with 'petrol' made from sugar cane. It's a modest first step on the road to cutting carbon emissions. In a few weeks, in Somerset, motorists will be able to fill up their cars with fuel that is made up almost entirely of ethanol fermented from sugar cane.
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| Energy's 'low hanging fruit'
BBC News Online - 24 January 2006
The UK's energy debate has been framed wrongly, argues analyst Kevin Anderson. He believes we should be looking at issues of demand and efficiency, and not so much at the problem of supply.
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| Hain puts 'green' panels on home
BBC News Online - 3 January 2006
Welsh Secretary Peter Hain has installed solar energy panels at his home after becoming "deeply disturbed about climate change". The £16,000 panels, generate electricity which can be used to cut bills or sold to the national grid.
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| Don't take no for an answer
The Guardian - 30 June 2005
What can we do? Global warming is such a mammoth problem it is hard to know where to start. Will turning down the heating, recycling rubbish and planting a tree be enough? Or are governments going to have to force us to count up our carbon emissions and change our energy-guzzling ways?
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| A few home truths
The Guardian - 30 June 2005
It is possible to save on fuel bills, and help the environment, but how much does it cost? Leo Hickman visits a house in Kent to find out.
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| Face the facts
The Guardian - 30 June 2005
For many people climate change is too depressing to think about, and some prefer to simply pretend it doesn't exist but, says Oliver James, this issue is too big to ignore.
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 | Switch off and save money
The Guardian - 24 June 2005
Consumers are wasting £200 a year on electricity bills for appliances they have not turned off properly. Televisions and electrical items use up to 85 per cent of their full power when left on standby. Environmentalists say this is pumping an estimated one million tonnes of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere and having a major effect on global warming.
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