Categories: uncategorized
Date: 08 November 2006 15:16:55
Following the publication of the Stern Report last week we have begun to see the first opinion polls released here.
For those in non-civilised countries who may not know what this is I'll give you a quick overview. In a nutshell it says:
STOP WASTING ENERGY AND CREATING CO2 OR WE'RE ALL DOOMED
Today's poll in The Times http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2-2442948.html highlights the difference between personal responses and government figures. This shows that there is a vast difference between personal perception and government figures. One of them has to be wrong.
As an example:
76% of households are recycling everything they can. The government says that the UK recycles 22.5% of its waste. Maybe our figures include all the items we put out but the governments includes everything that ends up in landfills. Why? Well, a lot of plastic that is put out for recycling is not recycled but buried as the UK has no facilities to recycle it.
54% make a conscious effort to take fewer flights. The number of passengers last year was 27% (48m) higher than in 2000. Now I know that my family haven't made that many between us...
Maybe people think that they are doing enough but aren't really aware of how often they don't. Just take a look at your own house some nights. Don't you sometimes forget to turn a light off? Maybe the government and the polls are both wrong. How can the government know that precisely 8% of all domestic energy use is down to the standby facility on electrical equiptment?
That's the problem with averaging out statistics, you'll never really get the correct answer. Just ask the Labour leadership in the 1992 election!
However, as Christians, we have a duty to lead by example. Is it really too much trouble to turn the light off when we leave a room? Are we really too lazy to walk to the shop? I know there's the hill but its supposedly good for you to have a minor heartattack.
The UK only contributes 2% of the world's CO2 but the example has to start somewhere. Maybe the new Democratic Party representatives in the US will finally get something done!