South West's greenest MEP 'Clicks for Climate Change'

12.00.00am GMT Fri 10th Mar 2006

South West Lib Dem MEP Graham Watson today signed up to National Science Week's 'Click for Climate Change' campaign, supporting carbon reduction and pledging, amongst others, to fit three low energy light bulbs, take short five minute showers and switching appliances off at the button rather than leaving them on standby.

Graham, declared the South West's greenest MEP by Friends of the Earth, commented:

"I recently signed up to a green energy supplier and found I was not only reducing my ecological footprint, but reducing my electricity bills as well. Having made the switch already I was amazed to discover that even sticking to a number of small pledges such as unplugging my mobile phone charger when not in use for just one week would prevent nearly 30kg of carbon dioxide being released into the atmosphere."

Liberal Democrat controlled councils in Somerset are showing the way in cutting domestic energy use, in partnership with South West Eco Homes Ltd, which has built a dozen eco-homes in Mr Watson's home town of Langport. A supporter of the project from its inception, Mr Watson continued:

"The Langport Eco Homes have been built with a minimal environmental footprint. This standard should be made obligatory for all new builds: it is much more rigorous than the government's new requirements. The expense of fitting solar panels can be very offputting, often costing in the region of £3000. Limited funding may be given to help subsidise solar installations but with only an average of £400 going to each household the government needs to make more money available and sooner, rather than later."

Notes:

1. National Science Week takes place 10th - 19th March 2006.

2. To pledge support for the 'Click for Climate Change' Campaign, visit http://www.the-ba.net/the-ba/.

3. To calculate your ecological footprint visit http://www.myfootprint.org/.