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Energy Efficiency

Each year, every household in the UK creates about 6 tonnes of carbon dioxide, which is enough to fill 6 hot air balloons, each 10m in diameter.

Carbon dioxide, the most significant greenhouse gas, is acknowledged as one of the leading contributors to climate change and is released whenever we use energy or burn fossil fuels, such as electricity, gas and petrol.

The Kyoto Protocol (1997) is an international treaty on global warming that came into effect on 16th February 2005 and for those industrialised countries that signed up, demands a 5.2% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2012.

Under the Kyoto Protocol the United Kingdom has committed to reducing carbon dioxide emissions by 12.5% of those levels recorded in 1990, by the deadline date of 2012.

How can I make a difference?

Carbon dioxide emissions from our homes and cars account for nearly 50% of the UK's total - so everyone has the opportunity to save energy and make a difference to the environment and pocket!

"£5 billion is wasted on energy in the UK each year. This is enough to give every man, woman and child £84 a year in the UK."
Source www.simplyswitch.com

The Energy Saving Trust gives the following information about cutting carbon emissions in the UK:

• The average household could save around two tonnes of carbon dioxide a year by making their home energy efficient
• If everyone with gas central heating installed a new condensing boiler, we'd cut emissions by 11.8 million tonnes. We'd also save £1.2 billion per year on our energy bills and enough energy to heat over 3 million homes for a year
• If everyone who could installed cavity wall insulation, we'd cut CO2 emissions by over eight million tonnes, enough to fill around 1.6 million hot air balloons
• If everyone installed 27cm loft insulation we'd save enough money to pay the energy bills of around 880,000 families for a year
• If everyone put an insulation jacket on their hot water tank, we'd cut CO2 emissions by 600,000 tonnes - enough to fill around 120,000 hot air balloons
• If everyone in the UK installed one energy saving light bulb, we'd save enough CO2 to fill the Albert Hall nearly 2,000 times.

Source: Energy Savings Trust

Please visit our energy saving tips page for further advice on saving energy at home and work.

Thurrock Council is committed to reducing home or domestic energy consumption by 30%, during the 15-year period 1996-2011, and works closely with schools to educate homeowners of the future how to value energy and the environment.

For advice on how you can save energy, or if you would like to share ways you feel would help us achieve national and international targets in carbon dioxide reduction, please contact the Private Housing Service and Adaptation Team on 01375 652385, or the Council's Energy Officer on 01375 652257, or email energy@thurrock.gov.uk

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