electricity

Twenty-eight miles west of Land’s End lies the UK’s southernmost point - the Isles of Scilly. Their remoteness and microclimate make the islands a popular holiday destination amongst British holidaymakers, who go in search of sun, solitude, and seal-watching. But their distance and relative isolation from the mainland extend beyond being a hidden tourist gem, and have enabled the isles to take part in a day-long energy-saving experiment.

In the ever-present bid to turn ourselves into a greener, cleaner species, there is perhaps no better place to start than the energy issue.

The UK government has of course got stuck in to the debate, forever setting new benchmarks and making inflated pledges about the move towards renewable energy. But according to the WWF, only 2.7% of UK electricity in the UK is renewable, and less than 1% of energy overall. In fact, carbon dioxide emissions have actually risen recently due to the rise in the price of gas, meaning more coal (which produces the greatest amount of CO2) being burned instead.

But while sometimes it seems that the government is all talk and no trousers, as individuals we can’t relinquish our own role in all of this.

The DIY store B & Q may be associated with brassy orange branding, but take a second look, and they are looking greener by the minute.

B&Q has recently set up a new initiative called ‘One Planet’, which is an initiative to promote things that are ‘good for you, good for the planet’. The One Planet section of their website informs us that if we continue to live in the way that the ‘average Brit’ lives we would need a whole three planets in order to support us, and provide suggestions to help the consumer to do their bit towards curbing this worrying trend, an a seemingly multi-faceted and thorough way.