Hounslow Borough Residents 'Have Nation's Highest Carbon Footprint’
Report claims this is due high number of long distance flights taken
Lots of long haul flights have boosted Hounslow's carbon footprint
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A new online carbon footprint calculator has ranked Hounslow Borough residents as having the highest carbon footprint of any in the country.
The calculator, which was developed by SEI York and the WWF, is based on feedback from 300,000 respondents. SEI York is a unit of the Stockholm Environment Institute based at the University of York.
Hounslow had 15.08 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) per person, compared with the greenest area in the country Ceredigion in Wales for which the corresponding number was 10.8.
The factor that boosted Hounslow to the top was the amount of long distance flights taken by residents. 16% of the population took them, however the amount of carbon issued from the borough was mitigated by a relatively low level of food wastage.
The top five local authority areas in the country were all London boroughs.
People were asked 24 questions covering a range of lifestyle habits under the four main categories of 'food', 'travel', 'home' and 'stuff'.
The calculator takes into account factors such as whether you have solar panels, how often you buy new clothes, if you are a vegetarian, if you have loft insulation and the type of boiler you have.
The report did show an overall improvement in the average person's carbon footprint with a 17 per cent drop from February 2019 and October 2020. There was a substantial number of people switching to renewable energy tariffs during the year resulting in a saving of saves 2.9 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent per person. Travel was the largest contributor to an person’s carbon footprint comprising 30% on average but this dropped significantly during lockdown.
Sustainability expert Chris West of SEI York said, 'The carbon calculator analysis showed people’s desire for a lower-carbon future.
'Meeting our climate targets will require a combination of small and big changes, such as maintaining a reduction in international travel, which is needed to bring down personal footprints.
'Changing consumer behaviours are a very important component of moving towards a low-carbon future, but these must also be complemented by a rapid transition towards renewable energy and a circular economy.'
WWF's chief climate advisor Stephen Cornelius, 'This analysis shows an encouraging trend towards lower carbon footprints across the UK.
'The doubling in take-up of 100 per cent renewable energy tariffs is particularly positive as this can be a cheap and easy way for people to make a real cut in their emissions,' he explained.
'Travel is another important area for carbon savings and as we come out of lockdown, making deliberate decisions to walk, cycle and safely use public transport are small choices that make a big difference.'
You can find out how to reduce your carbon footprint by using the carbon counter on the WWF website.
Hounslow Council have been asked for a comment.
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April 23, 2021
