Switch to a greener energy supplier
A little bit of effort on your part could go a long way towards reducing emissions if you switch to a greener energy supplier. The more consumers who demand greener energy, the more the major power suppliers will have to increase their investment in renewable energy sources.
The problem
The single biggest cause of carbon dioxide emissions in the UK is burning fossil fuels (such as coal, gas and oil) at power stations.
These power stations supply us with most of the electricity we use in our homes and workplaces.
At present only around 5% of UK energy is produced from green energy sources such as wind turbines - but the more people who switch over, the more green energy the suppliers will need to generate. You can use your power as a consumer to press for positive change.
What you can do
The Environment Agency suggests that if the UK is to have a low carbon economy, energy will have to be supplied through a low carbon generating source of electricity.
Low carbon technology is both clean and sustainable. And the more we invest in green energy, the cheaper it will become.
You can support green energy today, by switching to a green energy electricity supplier.
The process of switching to a green energy supply is relatively simple and straightforward, and is an immediate way to cut carbon emissions - an average household could save 1.5 tonnes of carbon dioxide every year.
As part of Plan A, M&S will be switching the power in all of our shops and offices to green energy sources. We have already secured enough energy to power all of our Scottish stores, our head office, and all of our Simply Food stores. This will save 31,000 tonnes of CO2 each year.
How to do it
There are a variety of different green energy tariffs for you to choose from. You can switch to a supplier that provides renewable electricity, where the energy will probably come from wind power or hydroelectric power. Or you can choose a scheme that supplies an equivalent amount of renewable energy into the national grid for the amount you consume, although the energy you use may come from a traditional energy source. Other schemes still make contributions to environmental projects on a regular basis.
You can find out more about switching to a green energy supplier at www.uswitch.com
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