Massive reduction in council’s footprint

CHESHIRE East Council has reduced its carbon footprint by a massive 1,276 tonnes in a single year – the equivalent amount of CO2 produced by a single car driving 3.8 million miles.

The reduction in CO2 emissions has helped to limit the impact on the council of the government’s climate change tax, the Carbon Reduction Commitment (CRC).

This year the council has had to cough up £313,000 but lower emissions mean this is £20,543 less than it would have been.

Colin Farrelly, Cheshire East Council’s energy manager, said: “This is an impressive annual reduction in carbon emissions which has been achieved by being more efficient in the way we use gas and electricity.

“Carbon is the gas released into the atmosphere when we burn fossil fuels – and is one of the key causes of climate change. If you were to plant an area of forest big enough for its trees to absorb the 1,276 tonnes of carbon which we’ve saved this year, it would need to be the size of 205 football pitches.”

Coun Peter Groves, cabinet member for finance and assets said: “Our year-on-year investments in moneysaving energy efficiency measures continue to bear fruit – both in terms of reducing our environmental impact and cutting our costs.

“We now have a proven track record on sustained carbon reduction we can be proud of.

“Every penny we save means more money for frontline services.

“The key to our success has been sustained investment in energy efficiency measures as part of our ongoing building refurbishment work. If we replace a building’s windows, new better-insulated alternatives are sourced; where we have to fit new boilers, we install more energy efficient models.”