Reducing our energy use

You may say that any individual action will be a miniscule drop in the ocean of global solutions, but such an argument falls in the same category as casting a vote in elections.  By itself it may not count for much but collectively it is the most powerful expression of human will.

But what can we do to make a difference?   The 3-fold approach of Seeing, Judging, Acting could be our guide.  We look at our current life-style, decide what needs changing and then we get on and do it. 

My predecessor as the Diocesan Environmental Officer, Bishop Tony Foottit produced a  challenging document. He presented it to the Diocesan Synod in March and asked us to “ration our personal carbon emissions”.

Each individual in Norfolk emits on average 10 tonnes of carbon each year. We are lower than the national average for domestic use but understandably higher for transport.  The target is to reduce this usage to about 3 tonnes pa.

This figure can be reached by a) measuring our present use of power in the house, fuel for the car; b)deciding how these can be reduced and c) putting that into pratice.  The rationed usage would be 16 units of domestic power per person per day and 20 miles of car use per day.

To help us monitor our present  energy use at home, there is a newish  range of measuring products.  They cost from £35 “from all good retailers” and apparently pay for themselves within a year by helping us to save costs.

And then what is done at home can be repeated in a Church or hall.  Please let me know what you have achieved so that we can share Best Practice across the Diocese.   The Archbishop of Canterbury is holding a Shrinking the Carbon Foot-print day in June so I need to be able to tell him what the Diocese of Norwich is doing.   Send me information  at Friary Orchard, Blakeney, NR25 7NB, or cookehd@paston.co.uk or 01263 740320.  Thank you.