Wycombe District Council encourages residents to think about their footprint

18 August 2010

Between 21 August and 3 September, Buckinghamshire residents are being encouraged to find out more about cutting their carbon footprint and reducing their energy bills, as part of "Small Change,Big Difference", a county-wide energy efficiency awareness campaign.

The first event will be held in High Wycombe library on 21 August, when local energy champions Transition Town High Wycombe, together with the library service, will be launching the Energy Saving Kit Loan Scheme which will mean that five kits will be available to members of the public to loan free of charge. An energy efficiency exhibition will complement the launch of the kits. Other energy efficiency exhibitions will be held at the County Show on 26 August, at Sainsbury's in Chesham on 27 August and at Sainsbury's in Beaconsfield on 2 September.

Wycombe District Council is itself committed to energy efficiency and carbon reduction. Over the last year, measures such as movement sensitive lighting and energy efficient boilers have resulted in a four per cent reduction in electricity use and two per cent reduction in gas use across council owned buildings. Since joining the Carbon Trust's Local Authority Carbon Management Programme in 2004, the Council has reduced annual carbon emissions by 18 per cent.

The most recent example of the Council putting into practice the "Small Change, Big Difference ethos", is around the installation of LED lighting in the Swan multi-storey car park. While the new lighting cost £58,000 - which was part funded by Salix, a Carbon Trust grant scheme - it is achieving a monthly saving of £2,500 on the same period last year, giving a two year pay back and savings of around £30,000 a year thereafter and a reduction in carbon emissions of about 80 tonnes (roughly equivalent to the amount of carbon dioxide emitted by 50 cars over the course of a year*).

Find out more about Wycombe District Council's commitment to being green

*Source: http://www.epa.gov/cleanenergy/energy-resources/calculator.html#results (opens in a new window)