Throughout 2010 three Mole Valley District Councillors and eight residents were busy recording their household energy use, their car mileage and their flights on the carbon account website which calculated their carbon footprint resulting from these activities. 

Saturday January 29th at 11am

Dorking Friends Meeting House, off Butter Hill, South Street Dorking, RH4 2LE

the result of the contest will be announced and a prize presented to the winner by James Friend, the leader of Mole Valley District Council. 

Who will win a Councillor or a resident?  How have they all done compared to the average UK value for this footprint? 

Come along to the event and find out. No charge!

'Green' refreshments available.

1. Greenhouse gases from human activities are changing the climate.  Name two significant greenhouse gases.
2. The global average temperature rise since 1850 is 0.8°C.  If emissions dropped to zero now, the predicted further temperature rise is 0.3 to 1.0°C. (making total rise 1.1 to 1.8°C.).  What have scientists from the UK and other countries decided is the maximum global average temperature rise we should permit or we risk a very serious catastrophe?
3. What are 4 of the forecast catastrophic effects if we exceed this maximum global average temperature rise?
4. The present world population is 6.7 billion. What is the forecast world population in 2050?
5. Driving more efficiently can reduce your emissions and fuel consumption by up to 25%. Name 3 ways you can increase your driving efficiency.
6. Put the following in emissions size order for an average UK family (biggest first):
   • Car travel
   • Air travel
   • Electricity use
   • Home heating.
7. List 3 ways you could insulate your house to reduce emissions from heating by up to 30% altogether.
8. Can you put the following sources for heating your home in order of increasing overall emissions (i.e. best first) caused for the same amount of heating using the most efficient appropriate boiler?
   • Gas
   • Electricity
   • Coal
   • Oil
   • Wood (from sustainable source)
9. If you have solar panels (which supply hot water in bright sunny weather) by how much would that reduce your emissions due to heating water?
   • One quarter
   • One third, or
   • One half
10. In the average UK home what percentage of the pure, drinkable water we use is flushed down the loo?
    • One quarter
    • One third, or
    • One half
11. Can you name a good use for urine other than flushing it down the loo?
12. Emissions per person associated with a typical British diet, 38% animal-based, 2400kcal/day are 2 tons per year. What do you think are the emissions per person per year for lacto-vegetarians (meat in typical diet replaced with dairy)?
    • Less
    • The same
    • More
13. And what about emissions per year for a vegan? (0% animal-based).  Try and guess which of these is about right.
    • 1 ton
    • 1.5 tons
    • 2.0 tons
14. Suppose you ate only organically produced food how could this affect your emissions due to your food consumption?
    • Make no difference
    • Increase them
    • Reduce them
15. List 3 ways you can reduce the emissions due to the waste produced by your household.

For answers see here.