Bury Council improves in national carbon reduction league table

Bury Council has been listed amongst the highest ranking companies and councils in the UK for its attempts to reduce carbon emissions in the carbon reduction league table published by the Environment Agency.

In the past year the council has saved over 5000 tonnes of CO2 emissions, last year reporting 23545 tonnes of emissions which reduced to 18156 tonnes in 2011/12.

Over 2,000 organisations are listed within the league table with Bury being named within the top quarter, beating half of its local authority neighbours. Previously the council was listed at 1064, and this year is listed number 306. 

The council’s reduction in carbon emissions is important not only for the environmental benefits, and obvious economic benefits but it will also make another difference to the bottom line as it affects how much money the council pays for the CRC tax allowance which is currently set at £12 per tonne - this year the Council paid £218,000 but the cost per tonne is set to rise to £16 in 2014- 15.

The council has taken huge steps to make things happen over the past year including the introduction of ‘Switch off fortnights’  and recruiting volunteer green champions who, in their own time, police the council buildings leaving reminders to staff who have left lights, printers and computers on whilst they are away from their desks. Those who remember are rewarded and the scheme has demonstrated an improvement in switch off rates. Other measures to reduce carbon emissions include the installation of motion sensitive lighting, low energy lighting, voltage optimisation, better energy control systems, photovoltaic panels, insulation and replacing old boilers

Councillor Campbell said, “We are really pleased with our efforts so far to reduce our carbon footprint – since the introduction of our carbon management plan in 2009 we have shown a steady decrease in emissions . We recognise that there is still more to do to save costs and tackle climate change but we are moving in the right direction and would like to thank the green champions, and staff who have helped us achieve the reduction so far”.

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