Campaigns

If we all make small lifestyle changes we can have a big effect. Whether you take a shower instead of a bath, reduce your energy use or use the car less, the benefits are big. Here are 12 suggestions to get you going:

• Visit the only website dedicated to tackling climate change in Medway - www.medwayourplanet.net - for great ideas about what you can do locally.
• Calculate your carbon footprint on the Directgov website and find out more about greener living at www.direct.gov.uk/greenerliving.
• Making energy from coal, oil and gas results in the production of carbon dioxide, the main greenhouse gas. Levels of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere are growing, adding to global climate change (www.bbc.co.uk/climate). Homes are responsible for 25 per cent of the carbon dioxide emissions in the UK and in Medway. Fill out the Kent Energy Centre’s online energy check (www.kentenergycentre.org.uk) or call a trained advisor on 0800 358 6669 to find out how you can make your home warmer and cheaper to run.
• Change light bulbs in your home to energy-efficient alternatives, available from all DIY stores in a variety of styles to fit most existing light fittings. They are more expensive to buy than traditional bulbs but they last much longer and use far less energy. In fact, spending £5 on an efficient bulb to replace an old tungsten one will provide a better return than investing the same amount in a high street savings account.
• Renewable energy (such as solar and wind power) provides a cleaner, sustainable alternative to the burning of fossil fuels, producing significantly less carbon dioxide than traditional methods of making energy. Look for a renewable energy tariff (www.uswitch.com/Energy/Green-Energy.html) for your home or business that will suit your property and pocket.
• The south-east is regularly faces severe water shortages. Flushing the toilet accounts for about a third of all the water we use in our homes. Install an easy to fit Save-a-Flush bag and you’ll save one litre of water each time you flush. Save-a-Flush bags are provided free of charge to Southern Water customers. To receive one, please email flushsavers@southernwater.co.uk or write to:
  FREEPOST (BR 1500)
  Worthing
  Sussex BN13 1BR.
• The growing waste problem means that reducing and recycling our waste has never been so important. Kitchen and garden waste can be composted to create an ideal organic soil conditioner for your garden. Waste Recycling Action Programme (WRAP) is offering compost bins to everyone in Medway at a reduced cost of £6. Visit Recyclenow (www.recyclenow.com/home_composting/index.html) or call 0845 6000323 to order.
• Pollution from traffic damages human health and is one of the main contributors towards man-made climate change. Using public transport reduces the number of cars on the road, lessening pollution, congestion, noise and travel time for all. Public transport also takes the stress out of driving longer distances. The Traveline service allows you to plan any journey in the UK by public transport easily. Visit Traveline (www.traveline.org.uk/index.htm) or call 0871 200 2233.
• 90 per cent of motorists would be ready to trade their car in for a greener model, according to a survey by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (www.smmt.co.uk/home). The fuel economy of similar-sized cars using the same type of fuel can vary by as much as 45 per cent. The Environmental Transport Association (ETA) (www.eta.co.uk) has a Car Buyer’s Guide that gives an accurate assessment of all cars on the market to make it easier to choose an efficient model. Visit ETA's website or call 0845 389 1010.
• More and more people are choosing environmentally-preferable products. Try to buy food, drink and other products that are produced in the UK or even better, produced seasonally in Kent (www.producedinkent.co.uk) to reduce the distance that your meal has travelled to your table.
• When buying tea, coffee and chocolate, consider Fairtrade (www.fairtrade.org.uk) products. The Fairtrade Mark is an independent consumer label that appears on products as an independent guarantee that disadvantaged producers in the developing world are getting a better deal. Producer organisations that supply Fairtrade products are inspected and certified. They receive a minimum price that covers the cost of sustainable production and an extra premium that is invested in social or economic development projects. Look for the Fairtrade logo.
• Lots of wooden products, particularly hardwood garden furniture, are made from timber that has been illegally logged, leading to the destruction of important wildlife habitats and the displacement of native people in areas such as Malaysia and South America. Look for the Forestry Stewardship Council (FSC) mark (www.fsc-uk.org) when buying items made from timber. This certifies that the wood has been grown and harvested in an environmentally responsible and socially beneficial way.

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