Behaviour of Individuals and Groups
From Lauraibm
Contents |
In the Press
- Working for the Earth: Green Companies and Green Jobs Attract Employees
- Manufacturing a Green Revolution (15-Oct-07)
- Anti-Poverty Index Scores U.S Last on Environment Policies (12-Oct-07)
- Britain Trails World League on Its Green Credentials
- Electronics Companies Green up Their Acts (19-Sep-07)
- What colour is the U.S dollar bill? (27-Sep-07)
- Emissions Targets for 2030 will only be reached by Banning Cars in London (12-Sep-07)
- Livingstone launches green office makeover plan (3-Sept-07)
- Sun Study Shows Being Green Stops at Work (6-Aug-07)
- Why WFH isn't always so green (4-Jul-07)
Full article: Emissions Targets for 2030 will only be reached by Banning Cars in London (12-Sep-07)
Unless the GLA takes radical steps, one of which could be the removal of all cars from both inner and outer London, it will not meet its goals for reducing carbon dioxide emissions, according to a new report.
The GLA is committed to reducing London's carbon dioxide emissions by 60% by 2025. A team of experts from the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) and the Transport Studies Unit (Oxford University Centre for the Environment) revealed that London is on course to reduce land transport emissions by only 10%-23%.
They do, however, offer a radical vision which could achieve a 72% drop in emissions by 2030 -- a figure that is 83% lower than the current UK average. The solution involves combining a car-free London with high levels of active transport (for example walking and cycling).
Calculations show that a car-free inner London scenario equates to a 49% reduction in emissions.
A separate paper uses London travel data to identify four archetypal car using groups in London: Claire, a 10-year-old girl; Lucy, a 40-year-old mother; Tom, a 50-year-old man living and working in outer London; and Derek, a 78 year old man. It calculates the increases in physical activity and energy expenditure that would result if they transferred their car journeys to walking, cycling and public transport, with occasional trips by taxi. By doing so, they would expend an average of 139,300 kJ of energy a year, equivalent to an average of 4.5 kg of fat. Lucy would reduce her risk of breast cancer by 25% and increase her life expectancy by between 1 and 2 years, while Tom would enjoy a 20-40% reduction in the risk of premature mortality and around a 30% reduction in risk of type 2 diabetes.
Sun Study Shows Being Green Stops at Work (6-Aug-07)
A poll of US employees reveals that 58% said they turn off home PCs when not using them, but only 34% did so when in the workplace. Strangely 73% said it was important to them that their employer is environmentally responsible.
Why WFH isn't always so green (4-Jul-07)
The electricity used by home PCs doubled between 2000 and 2005, according to the Energy Saving Trust. Consumption is forecast to grow a further 30% between 2006 and 2020 as users install higher-spec (and therefore more energy-intensive) machines. Home-working is often touted as a way of cutting CO2 emissions, but employees should take steps to reduce their power consumption. The difference between an energy-efficient PC with a ‘sleep’ mode and a PC left on 24x7 can be more than £100 per year in electricity. In 2005, 9% of the domestic electricity bill was due to PCs and their peripherals; by 2020, computers and other gadgets will account for 45% of electricity used in the home.
Full article: Green Power EMC Welcomes New Member (11-Sep-07)
Renewable energy use in Georgia, USA.
