last updated 1st December 05
by 4ecotips.com

Some "high-flyers" produce 100 tonnes of carbon a year

Despite the never-ending debate amongst energy suppliers about who can best supply the most satisfactory option to "green" power, there's much to be done by all of us at home and in our work places. So while they are sorting out their differences of opinion every one of us can start right now to make a major contribution by implementing ways to reduce our personal carbon emissions.

With the right advice and guidance we can all help save the planet and lighten our energy burdens by hundreds of pounds and without compromising our current lifestyles

According to leading Carbon Coach, Dave Hampton: "The average total (for home and personal transport) is about 5 tonnes of CO2 emissions per person, per year. But that's modest by comparison with high-achieving captains of industry and others who could be up to 40 or even 80 tonnes each year.

Dave emphasises: "We have to cut down to an average of about 1 tonne each by 2050 or we're all stuffed!"

One analogy he draws is: "It's like a boardroom with a dead polar bear's head in the middle of the table. Everybody comes in, talks about the weather or the football, sips tea and gets on with the day's business, but ignore the central issue. It really is as if the effects of carbon emissions, right there in front of us, are strictly not to be mentioned."

In his day-to-day dealings with individual householders, business people and establishment leaders, Dave Hampton spells out the truth about the serious consequences of our blinkered lives and our general disregard for our planet's future prospects. Through careful calculations and observations, plus the use of technology such as the Electrisave meter that monitors electricity consumption, he can quickly assess a situation and arrive at a workable solution.

In his latest newsletter, co2communiquŽ, he mentions coaching his first Knight of the Realm, his First MBE, his first BBC executive and his first female media person. And, no names mentioned, the "heaviest" so far had a lifestyle generating just over 100 tonnes of carbon emissions each year.

They were all great people doing great work but, as Dave points out: "They have a far greater opportunity to reduce CO2, if they decide to, than anyone else."

Under Dave's professional guidance it's always possible to come up with an action plan that will make a significant hole in anybody's carbon footprint. As he says: "Lightweight or heavyweight, once you've started down the carbon conscious track there is no way back! You cannot become carbon unconscious once you've seen the light!"

And being one to practice exactly what he preaches, Dave Hampton has just embarked on his own family excursion down the road to higher efficiency. "My wife, four children and I have begun a token 14-day fossil-fuel-fast, a carbon-detox, a voluntary power cut! We are totally savouring every Kwh, every pint of diesel and every therm of gas saved.

"Not to the point of misery but more to the point of optimum joy. It feels amazingly good to 'come off' grid dependency, albeit partially. Candles, wood-burning stove, less tv, less travel, but more stories. In fact, the stuff that children's dreams are still made of. Ah, happy days!"

When it comes to advising householders he knows the score. He asks some relatively simple questions but gives some equally straightforward answers. Invariably they end up identifying annual running cost savings of between £250 and £500 a year and reducing tonnes of CO2. And there have been a couple of surveys involving car switching where as much as a £3000 saving has been at stake.

In the broader context of carbon savings, Carbon Coach, Dave Hampton, is often asked to address formal meetings. For instance next Monday (5th December) he'll be talking to the Civic Trust at Essex Hall in London's Essex Street. As well as giving the talk, he will also hold a "speed coach" session to provide a rough idea of people's current carbon footprint.

But it's not only individuals that David coaches. At Chew Magna, just south of Bristol, he's very closely involved with the entire village which, amongst other plans, aims to become zero waste community.

Find out more about Dave Hampton's unique crusade at www.carboncoach.com