Climate Week 2013 Partners

by Michael Smith (Veshengro)

Climate Week 2013’s Headline Partner is Andrex® Eco, Kimberly-Clark’s first truly pioneering sustainable toilet tissue product.

Climate Week’s Supporting Partners are Crown Paints, Ecotricity and Shields Environmental:
Crown Paints measures the carbon footprint of every product it manufactures.

Ecotricity is changing the way energy is made and used in Britain.

Shields Environmental is integrating the needs of business and the environment for the telecoms sector.

I must say that I cannot understand that such partners as Kimberly-Clark, a company who is responsible for the wholesale destruction of Canada's boreal forests, can even be allowed to be a partner in any climate change or environmental event.

Andrex too is but a British Brand now wholly owned by Kimberly-Clark and thus as tainted as the company and brand of Kimberly-Clark in itself.

Crown Pain, Ecotricity and Shields Environmental are companies the records of which one can live with but the headline partners are a bad choice and it would be best if they would never again appear on the list.

This shows that to the organizers of Climate Week the actions don't matter as long as the cash is forthcoming. No one can tell me that they have no idea of the environmentally destructive practices Kimberly-Clark. Ethics certainly are in very short supply when it comes to money, even in so-called green events, it would seem. Shame!

© 2013

Climate Week: people cut back on vehicle fuel but not air travel or gas

Households have cut back on vehicle fuel over the past decade, but not on gas and air travel, according to analysis published today by the Office for National Statistics.

The release, published to mark the start of Climate Week (4 to 8 March 2013), shows:

· Use of vehicle fuel remained relatively flat between 2002 and 2007 before falling 24% per head in the next five years.

· Air travel increased by 13% between Q3 2002 and Q3 2012.

· Electricity use fell 7.3% per head since 2003. Gas consumption went up 7% per head.

The analysis shows households are becoming greener in their use of vehicle fuel. Between Q3 2002 and Q3 2012 households consumption fell 18% per head.

This coincides with Department of Energy and Climate Change data showing that the annual price per litre of petrol and diesel almost doubled (an 85 and 88% rise respectively) between 2002 and 2012.

Households’ consumption of vehicle fuels is influenced by a number of factors including the price of fuel, household income, the price of vehicles and their fuel efficiency. Changes to road tax (cars with higher CO2 emissions incur a higher tax) and increasing fuel prices will have influenced consumers’ decisions on the use of fuel and greener, more efficient cars.

Air travel has continued to increase. Between Q1 2002 and Q4 2007 households’ consumption of air travel went up 42% per head. It then fell steeply by 23% in 2008. This shows that in the years before the recession the amount of air travel households undertook was growing, but has failed to recover from the fall in 2008. It has only increased by 3% per head in volume terms, but is still higher than in 2002, indicating households still favour going abroad to staying at home.

Consumption of gas per head has increased by 7% in the last decade as prices have increased. Household spending per head in Q3 2012 has almost tripled compared with Q3 2002.

One of the alternative energy sources to gas in the home is electricity. Between Q3 2002 and Q3 2012 household consumption of electricity fell by 7.3% per head. However, price changes have meant that spending per head has almost doubled.

Also published today is the short story Climate Week – Changing Spending Patterns of Households which can be found here:
http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/consumer-trends/consumer-trends/climate-change-week--changing-trends-of-household-spending-on-energy/index.html

Climate Week – Changing Spending Patterns of Households presents households’ consumption of vehicle fuel, air travel, gas and electricity. Estimates used are from Consumer Trends Q3 2012 published 21 December 2012, and are consistent with the UK National Accounts.

Full Disclosure Statement: The GREEN (LIVING) REVIEW received no compensation for any component of this article.

This article is for your information only and the GREEN (LIVING) REVIEW does not (necessarily) approve, endorse or recommend the product, service or company mentioned.

Climate Week to Showcase Eco Solutions for the Home

Ideal Home Show Joins Climate Week to Showcase Practical Eco Solutions for the Home

by Michael Smith (Veshengro)

The Ideal Home Show has teamed up with the organisers of the inaugural Climate Week to help home-owners go green. This year's Ideal Home Show, which runs from 11-27 March, will help address the challenges that consumers face with their homes' domestic energy consumption through a week of dedicated events.

Taking place from 21-27 March, Climate Week is the new national occasion backed by the Prime Minister and Sir Paul McCartney to inspire millions to help combat climate change. Thousands of events, highlighting real practical steps, will be run by organisations, businesses, schools and community groups throughout the week.

Climate Week's Headline Partner is Tesco and its Supporting Partners are Aviva, EDF Energy, Kelloggs and RBS, though I must say that the choice of partners is rather a dubious one seeing that one is a power generating company that mainly produces nuclear power, the other being a bank heavily involved in backing the destructive tar sand extractions in Canada and the main sponsor a supermarket that is often accused of putting undue pressure on farmers and other small suppliers.

This unique collaboration of the Ideal Home Show 2011 will highlight the importance of Climate Week to a mass consumer audience of an estimated 250,000 visitors, raising public awareness whilst demonstrating to consumers what they can do to reduce energy consumption and minimise their carbon footprints in the home, whilst keeping our costs down and maintaining our home comforts.

Group Marketing Director Rob Nathan Commented; "Our homes account for over 27% of the UK's carbon emissions and the government is looking for a dramatic reduction in our individual domestic footprints by 2050. But unless the mechanisms and advice are in place to help consumers, then there is no incentive for consumers to take action and make those changes.

"The Ideal Home Show is a national institution, loved and trusted by millions who have been visiting the show for decades. It is our aim to simplify the small steps that our visitors can take to reduce their homes' carbon footprint, as well as save them money on their energy bills in a fun and informative way.

"We are delighted to be working with Climate Week to support our activities this year, and raise further awareness of the need for change. Through our shared commitment to engage with our visitors Climate Week will offer another opportunity for us to reinforce our messages and those of Climate Week' events'.

Kevin Steele CEO of Climate Week added: "With 26 million homes accounting for more than a quarter of Britain's carbon footprint, the reward for helping home-owners reduce their emissions is huge. But as with many aspects of trying to lead a greener lifestyle, the biggest barrier is knowing what to do. That's why we're delighted to be teaming up with the Ideal Home Show as the nation's premier home owner exhibition.'

Visitors will have the chance to get involved with Climate Week at the Ideal Home Show, through a series of onsite activities in the final week of the show between the 21st -27th March, which will include Eco Trails, special Celebrity features, a dedicated Swap Shop, and special recycled fashion features across the Ideal Woman catwalk.

This includes a second home built and supported by the Prince's Foundation for the Built Environment which will offer a new concept in sustainable building and community living, featuring a range of green products and natural materials for the future, as well as a range of exhibitors including Siemens, Twyfords, Dulux, EDF Energy and Nissan all offering a wide variety of Green product launches for consumers to see at this year's event.

Climate Change officials and representatives will also be attending the event to deliver seminars, talks and discussions on the subject of domestic energy consumption, as well as offer advice on home improvements.

To participate in the Climate Week activities at this Year's Ideal Home Show running between the 21st - 27th March 2011, book tickets now the Ticket Hotline on 0844 415 4144, or for further information about the show visit the website www.idealhomeshow.co.uk. 50p per ticket sold goes to the Ideal Homes For Heroes appeal supporting ABF The Soldiers' Charity - see www.idealhomeshow.co.uk/ideal-homes-for-heroes/ for details.

Follow the Ideal Home Show on Twitter http://twitter.com/ideal_home_show

For more information on Climate Week see: www.climateweek.com

© 2011

The UK's Climate Week (March 21-27th) sponsors include..

...a nuclear energy company, a bank that provides massive funding for tar sand extraction and a supermarket that is often accused of putting undue pressure on small suppliers

by Michael Smith (Veshengro)

When talking about themselves they state that Climate Week is a new supercharged national occasion that offers an annual renewal of our ambition and confidence to combat climate change. It is for everyone wanting to do their bit to protect our planet and create a secure future.

Climate Week will shine a spotlight, they say, on the many positive steps already being taken in workplaces and communities across Britain. The power of these real, practical examples – the small improvements and the big innovations – will then inspire millions more people.

Climate Week claims to have support from every part of society and that thousands of businesses, charities, schools, councils and others will run events during Climate Week on 21-27 March 2011. They will show what can be achieved, share ideas and encourage thousands more to act during the rest of the year.

Other supporters apparently range from the Prime Minister to Paul McCartney, the NHS to the National Trust, Girlguiding UK to the CBI, the Big Lottery Fund to the National Association of Head Teachers.

However, what we do not know is who and what actually is behind this front of an organization that is putting on this week. Is is government, is it a quango or is it something else?

The PR agency used by Climate Week is Munro & Foster who specialize in healthcare, public sector and consumer communications. Hmm??? So who or what, as said, is behind Climate Week?

The truth is that this seems to be just another good example of those with the money making a splash rather than those who are most suited and would appear to be an exercise in serious greenwash and a promotional platform for the sponsors of dubious character.

The main sponsor is Tesco, the biggest, at least so they think and claim, supermarket chain in the UK and one that exploits its small suppliers, such as farmers, left, right and center. Not that other supermarket chains may not also do the same as to squeezing the farmers and small suppliers.

Then we have as additional sponsors for this event the likes of AVIVA, EDF, RBS, and Kellogg's... Oh dear!

EDF – Electricite de France – is a French utilities company that has bought up many of the old British electricity companies that were part of the Electricity Board, such as the LEB, the SEEBoard and others. In addition it also has many of the old gar supply boards in its portfolio.

EDF tries to paint itself, like some of it competitors, which are are also foreign companies, such as Eon and N-Power, as very green and environmentally friendly. However, EDF is the biggest nuclear power generating company in France and thus hardly green.

RBS, the Royal Bank of Scotland is a bank that provides massive funding for tar sand extraction and one of those banks that has been responsible for the downturn and the needs of heavy government intervention as to bank bail outs.

Aviva is the world's sixth largest insurance group and the largest in the UK and while I have no details at hand investments could be in dodgy places for sure.

Interesting sponsors for an event that begins to look more and more like something that is being imposed on the people rather than one that comes from the people. One can but wonder who the beneficiaries are from all the cash injections by the big sponsors.

I think it is here where I rest my case; it is beginning to get heavy.

© 2011