How Green is Your Valley?

I had intended to talk about the environmental costs of flying in this article, but since my last article you have probably noticed that Mole Valley District Council (MVDC) has launched a big climate change initiative under the banner ‘How Green is Your Valley?’.  I’ve therefore moved flying to next month so I can comment here on How Green is Your Valley whilst it is topical.

Last month I explained how you can calculate your personal greenhouse gas emissions by recording your electricity, gas and transport fuel use and applying conversion simple factors to give the kg per year CO2.  This should give you an extra incentive to reducing your emissions.  Even better, if you do this in a group of people, you can start a local carbon trading system or CRAG (Carbon Rationing Action Group).  The group agrees a CO2 target or ration per person, and sets a CO2 price.  People who go over the ration have to pay for the extra they have emitted based on the agreed price, and the money collected may be distributed to the members who have emitted less than the target.  I am in a CRAG with a CO2 ration of 4 tons per year and a price of £100 per ton CO2, but most CRAGs are less demanding than this.

Looking into the future, the government could set up a national rationing and trading system along these lines to ensure that the UK meets its greenhouse gas emission targets.  This might seem like pie in the sky, but it has some influential supporters including the Royal Society of Arts (RSA) which is presently running a trial national carbon trading system

MVDC is clearly thinking along similar lines because the new green web pages on the MVDC web site include a carbon footprint calculator.  The calculator does not require you to take any measurements.  Instead you answer questions about your house and your lifestyle and you get an instant estimate of your footprint in terms of the number of earths needed to support your lifestyle, as well as your estimated CO2 emissions.  This type of calculator is not as accurate as one based on measurements of course, but is well worth trying out.

Even better as far as I’m concerned, Mole Valley has been selected as one of the areas that will run a three month trial of the RSA carbon trading system.  MVDC is looking for 100 volunteers to take part.  This is a great opportunity to try out carbon trading without any big commitment on your part, and there is a reward for the greenest person at the end of the trial.  You can register on the MVDC web site or by phone.

If you want to discuss any of the subjects raised, I am very happy to talk to groups of people.  My email address is derek.leatherhead@ntlworld.com.  I will also try and reply to emails from individuals, either directly or in a future article.

Derek Smith
Mole Valley Climate Change Awareness