The Sun plays a pretty important part in all our lives – whether you’re considering its vital role as the primary source of energy on our planet, looking at its importance for growing food or simply hoping that it’ll shine for your weekend off! It’s always there and it’s always [...]
Smart meters are set to become an increasingly familiar item in our homes, as energy companies start a major campaign to roll out these devices across the country from 2015, as part of a Government mandated programme to install 53 million of them by 2020. Billed as the 'next generation' [...]
These days it is frowned on not to have the best insulation that you can possibly afford in as many places as possible in your home. Cavity wall insulation, loft insulation, double or triple glazed doors and windows; all have become the norm. When houses were less well insulated, the [...]
The last two winters have been the coldest that the UK has seen for several years and have coincided with a general hike in prices for oil, coal and gas for domestic heating. This has meant that rather than conserving energy for environmental reasons, some people have been forced to [...]
It is not just people here in the UK who are interested in preserving the environment for future generations. Every country in Europe is committed to environmental initiatives that conserve energy and reduce waste. The European Commission is running a major project called the Life Plus programme and one of [...]
Saving energy is a good thing for the environment and the government is very keen for every individual in the UK to adopt a lifestyle that has a lower carbon footprint. For people with their own house, saving energy is a priority for saving money on fuel bills, as these [...]
There are few homes left that do not have at least some energy saving light bulbs. As the availability of standard light bulbs dwindles, even the laziest of us will have no excuse for changing over to energy efficient lighting. Outside the house is a different story, however. Street lights, [...]
The Carbon Trust is an organisation that is often mentioned as the source of reliable information in press releases about issues related to climate change and carbon emissions. It is one of the foremost not-for-profit organisations in the UK and its main aim is to help the UK reduce its [...]
A piece of coal is around 440 million years old. All that time ago, it was part of a fern or primitive tree growing in a bog. When it died and was buried, it was eventually compacted into layers of rock. Natural gas formed from gases released from decaying matter [...]
Biofuels may be renewable sources of energy, but that does not necessarily mean they are environmentally sound. A key problem with biofuels – which have been more accurately named ‘agrofuels’ by some experts – is that they require large amounts of plant material to produce. This plant material requires an [...]
When someone dies, the close relatives are usually thrown into a turmoil, even if the death has been expected. In the midst of their grief, they must register the death, tell other relatives and arrange for a funeral. It can be a very stressful time. Burial traditions vary across different [...]
The government'is committed to making all new homes and house building carbon neutral in the ongoing fight to prevent climate change. This will mean that all the carbon released in the build and day to day living in a property is neutralised by sequestering the same amount, therefore offsetting the [...]
The current social and political climate has climate change CO2 emissions and doing our bit for the environment at the fore. But how has the UK fared so far in going green? With environmental issues covering nearly all facets of our lives – from where our energy comes from to [...]
It’s been impossible to avoid the green debate in the media and political arena – the world it seems, is waking up to the very real dangers and consequences of climate change. One particular report from economist Nicholas Stern in November 2006 offered an alternative and vitally important twist to [...]
The Habits of a Lifetime report was the first cross-European survey to try and understand how households use energy. It gave an insightful look into the habits that different nations have picked up and how good or bad different countries are at being efficient with energy. The survey – conducted [...]
The Kyoto treaty is heralded as one of the most significant pieces of global legislation in the fight against climate change helping to make the world a greener place. Having an understanding of the larger political movements taking place in the green debate helps contextualise smaller contributions we should be [...]
Europe is one of the biggest CO2 emitters but the continent is attempting to curb its bad habits with a series of commitments with the sole purpose of reducing emissions. The need to become greener is all too evident from the effects that climate change will have in Europe if [...]
With the growing concern over climate change there’s been pressure for the government to respond with targets aimed at combating the issue. Indeed, it’s become almost fashionable for political parties to add a green flavour to policies in order to show how socially responsible they are. There’s no doubt that [...]
A recent report by economist Nicholas Stern put the effects of climate change into hard monetary terms. The outcomes of the report were an eye opening indication of what the cost to the environment could be if we act now or what will happen if we don’t change out ways. [...]
We all know that it’s important to save energy. In fact it’s been impossible to ignore the headlines telling us to do our bit for the environment, reduce our carbon footprint, adopt a greener lifestyle, and so on. But how many of us know the hard facts as to why [...]
