British firms join campaign to cut CO² emissions

Eight leading UK companies have signed up to the "We're in it Together" campaign to help shoppers cut their carbon dioxide emissions.

Cutting carbon emissions will protect glaciers like this one on Spitsbergen, a Norwegian island in the Arctic. (c) MorgueFile

Reducing household emissions

The move is designed to encourage families to reduce household emissions by one tonne – or 10 per cent - over the next few years.

Over the next year Tesco aims to sell 10 million of its energy-saving light bulbs at half the price – eight million more a year than are being sold currently. Marks and Spencer is re-labelling up to three-quarters of its clothes to encourage people to wash them at 30ºC, a more environmentally-friendly temperature which it is calculated will save 40 per cent of energy per wash.

Other signings

Other companies which have signed up to the campaign are B&Q, Barclaycard, British Gas, Royal & SunAlliance, O2 and BSkyB. Later this year National Express and HSBC are expected to join.

So far these companies have committed themselves to:

BSkyB: Automatically sending their set top boxes into "deep standby" after 11pm if they are not being used

B&Q: Putting more insulation products on sale and providing easier ways to plan and install them

MORE TH>N (the trading name of Royal &SunAlliance): A "smart box" which reports to motorists how green their driving is; and extending its hybrid car discount to all eco-friendly cars such as electrics and those running on Liquid Petroleum Gas

British Gas: An energy saver report which audits how energy efficient one's home is

O2: Persuading people to hang on to their old mobile phones and not upgrade so often

Barclaycard: Issuing a new credit card called Barclaycard Breathe which gives discounts and lower rates on green products and transport.

More ways to save energy

The campaign website has set up an ingenious totaliser, which not only monitors the effect of people using the energy saving company products and ideas, but also suggests other ways in which individuals can contribute:

•Turning thermostats down by 1ºC

•Only boiling the water you need in your kettle,

•Turning off the lights when you leave a room

•Turning off all appliances on standby

•Installing solar water heating

•Replacing an old boiler with a high efficiency condensing one.

Supported by the UK Government

The campaign, which has been welcomed by Prime Minister, Tony Blair, the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and the Energy Trust, is spearheaded by the Climate Group, a non-governmental organisation created in 2004 to act as a catalyst between business, the state and civil groups to tackle climate change.

Backing also comes from the National Consumer Council, the Church of England and Stop Climate Chaos.

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