October progress report

Transition Westcombe Meeting
10:10 Initiative to save energy on
Wednesday 21st October, 7.30pm Mycenae House

Each person in the U.K. is on average responsible for the production of 14 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions. Two thirds of that amount are things we can do something about ourselves. The 10:10 initiative is a voluntary attempt by individuals and groups at a 10% reduction during 2010. This means finding a saving of about 1.5 tonnes each per year. Figures are from Chris Goodall’s article in the Guardian of 1st September 2009.

Transition Westcombe is helping to create small groups of friends and neighbours in each street who want to achieve a 10% target reduction in your energy footprint during 2010. You may develop other street projects such as trip sharing to supermarkets or schools, or getting together for bulk buying.
What has happened so far? The first groups have met in Foyle Road / Lyndale Close, and will be spreading the idea by word of mouth and flyers.

What can you do?
1. Come to the next Transition Westcombe meeting to discuss ways of making your 10% reductions and of forming a group. It is at 7.30pm on Wednesday 21st October in Mycenae House. If you want then meet in the bar from 6.30pm as usual for a 3rd Wednesday of the month.
2. Invite some friends and neighbours in your street to coffee and cake, when you can have fun and also discuss the idea of their signing up to energy reductions. The key steps are to measure your gas and electric use and your car and air travel. You can arrange to meet every month or so to discuss progress, and how best to achieve reductions.
3. Sign up to the 10:10 campaign at www.1010uk.org
4. Keep us informed. Email us transitionwestcombe@googlemail.com Transition Westcombe can help with tips, information and advice.
5. Come to a meeting at 7.30 on November 27th in Mycenae House, at which eco-auditor Donnachadh McCarthy will be talking about ways to reduce your home energy bills. More details will be posted on www.transitionwestcombe.blogspot, as well as in the Westcombe News.

By sector, the average potential reductions to be made are by using less gas (2 tonnes) and electricity (1 tonne), cutting your car use (1.5 tonnes) or air travel (1.2 tonnes), by various food savings (1.5 tonnes), using less water (0.3 tonnes) and using less paper (0.3 tonnes)

Some examples of the average annual impact of these reductions are:
Major improvement in your home’s insulation: 0.4 tonnes saving
New boiler if yours is more than 10 years old 0.3 tonnes saving
Reducing your thermostat temperature by 1 degree: 0.2 tonnes saving
Not using a tumble drier: 0.1 tonnes saving
Cutting your car’s annual mileage in half 0.7 tonnes saving
Cutting one return shorthaul flight to Mediterranean 1.2 tonnes saving
Cutting one return longhaul flight to Sydney 14.3 tonnes saving
Change to a largely vegetarian diet 0.5 tonnes saving
Cycling instead of public transport 0.3 tonnes saving

Edward and Irena Hill