Adessi 10:10 - Earth Hour

Earth 2011 will be taking place on 26^th March at 8.30pm – are you taking part?

Earth Hour is organised by the WWF and first started in 2007 when 2.2 million individuals and more than 2,000 businesses in Sydney, Australia turned their lights off for one hour to take a stand against climate change.

People across the world came together in 2010 to protect our planet by turning their lights off. Darkness fell across 128 countries and iconic buildings in Europe, Asia, Africa and America were switched off.

Why not join the Earth Hour sign up challenge online, where a map of the UK indicates which areas have the most sign ups – with the Shetland Islands out in front, will you sign up to the challenge and get your hometown to the top?

You can find more information about Earth Hour and sign up here.

Adessi 10:10 - How does our behaviour affect our energy use?

An article on the BBC News website has suggested that the way people use and live in their homes has been largely ignored by existing efforts to improve energy efficiency.

The article which quotes research conducted by Katy Janda, a senior researcher for the UK Energy Research Centre's (UKERC) Energy Demand theme, suggests that we need to remember that there is a human side to how we live in our homes and use energy, and not everything can be addressed simply by technology.

The energy from people’s homes accounts for one quarter of the energy so it is essential that we fully understand the best to way to reduce our usage, and provide a solution which is easy for people to understand and action.

Quoting the ‘Information Deficit Model’, Janda compares our energy use to supermarket shopping, by quoting research that suggests that when people are not given prices for individual items when they shop, but just a total amount at the end of each month, they find it difficult to know where to make savings. The same principle can be applied to energy use. Many people find it difficult to reduce their energy as they don’t know where they can make savings.

One suggestion for improving this is ‘information gap’ is the use of feedback monitors, such as smart meters, which can show a homeowner can see how they are using energy, which is more important for reduction than the amount of energy being used.

Do you use a smart meter in your home? If not, do you think it would help to reduce your energy use?

Click here to read the full article.

Adessi 10:10 - Recycling on the Rise

Last week, Defra revealed that 40% of rubbish was recycled during the 12 months before June 2010, which is a 0.4% rise on the year before March 2010, and although this rise is small, it indicates 2.3% less waste.

How much do you recycle?

Websites such as www.recyclethis.co.uk give lots of tips and advice for reusing and recycling, and even offer help with reducing how much power you use. At Adessi we are all doing our bit to recycle all our paper, crisp packets and plastic bottles, but I think the focus should not only be on recyling, but reducing and reusing too.

If you have any tips for reducing and reusing in an office we would love to hear them!

Adessi 10:10 - Climate Change Awareness

How aware of climate change are you? According to recent surveys around 70% of Britons believe that global warming is caused by human activity, compared to less than half of Americans, but 80% of Brazilians. Brazilians also seem to be on par with Europeans in their belief that global warming is happening and is important, with only 10% disagreeing in both cases.  It has commonly been assumed that there is a lack of understanding of climate change in the developing world, but these results suggest otherwise.

“Brazilians remain upbeat about the future. Almost half of the interviewees said it was possible to reconcile environmental concerns and development, and more than a third agreed that all countries should contribute equally to emissions reductions — regardless of whether they are rich or poor.” (from http://www.scidev.net/en/news/brazil-beats-us-in-climate-change-awareness.html)

More than 2,000 Brazilians responded to the survey published December 2010, conducted by the National Confederation of Industries.

Our understanding of climate change and our belief in its effects on the world were further highlighted in the BBC documentary: Meet the Climate Sceptics, which aired Monday 31^st January on BBC4. The film featured Lord Christopher Monckton touring the world, and broadcasting the key arguments against man-made global warming: Do we have evidence that we are heating up the atmosphere or are we dealing with science we don’t fully understand? 

In the end Mr Monckton’s claims were found to have significant gaps in evidence and were not scientifically accurate.

You can watch Meet the Climate Sceptics on BBC iPlayer here.

So after an increasingly turbulent year in global weather patterns what do you think about climate change?

Adessi 10:10 - A Very Green Christmas

It is difficult to forget about our green pledges and 10:10 activity at this time of year, the snow and ice outside makes it ever so tempting to turn the heating on full blast all day long, and the importance placed on presents and cards mean we buy (and often forget to recycle) tons of wrapping paper and cards.

However, Children's ITV have taken full advantage of the excitement of Santa visiting to teach children about green issues. The site 'Mission Green Santa' is a fun and interactive website which runs alongside a TV programme for 5-11 year olds. Kids are encouraged to make daily, monthly and yearly pledges to help stop Santa's runway from melting. The pledges range from 'Have a shower instead of a bath' to 'Have a big chat with your family about how you can save energy' and 'Ask your parents to help you grow your own veg'. By making pledges children can earn 'greenies' which they can spend in the virtual shop on green items to help the elves and Santa. I think this is a fantastic idea, as it makes being green and saving energy really fun for kids, and it will also result in a strong emotional reaction because every kid wants to make sure Santa can bring them their presents on Christmas day!

A way of being green for us adults this Christmas is recycling Christmas cards, it can be so tempting just to throw them all away with the huge amount of Christmas rubbish, but this year it is easier than ever! The Woodland Trust are looking for you to recycle your Christmas cards so they can plant more trees. Recycle your cards this January in special bins in TK Maxx, M&S and HomeSense stores and the stores will donate money to the Woodland Trust which we will use for planting trees.

Happy Christmas Everyone!

Adessi 10:10 - Baby it's cold inside the office

The staff at the Newcastle Adessi office proved North East residents have a high tolerance towards the cold when we survived a day without any heating, despite the plummeting temperatures outside.

As we sat at our desks in several layers and even fingerless gloves there were similarities between our office and that of Scrooge and Bob Cratchit’s. However unlike Bob we weren’t the victims of a cruel boss trying to save money, we were showing our promise to be more environmentally friendly.

The measure was prompted after we felt we had been using the heating excessively and had neglected any targets we had set as part of the 10/10 initiative.
It wasn’t an easy task, there was some complaining and lots of cold fingers but we have hopefully reduced our carbon footprint, if only for one day.

Now we braved the cold we want businesses to follow our example and get involved in the 10/10 initiative. Perhaps they can incorporate it into their 2011 New Year’s resolutions.

So have a go, if you think you are hard enough.

Adessi 10:10 - Living in the Future

I saw this story in the Metro on my way to work this morning and thought I'd share it with all of you:

A couple are living one hour ahead of the rest of the nation to improve their health - and wallets. For the past four years, Janys and John Warren have set their clocks to British Summertime. The retired couple from Weston-super-Mare, Somerset, began the experiment to ease Mr Warren's cluster headaches - a condition thought to be triggered by a change in the clocks. Besides better health, we have 'lower fuel bills and far more usable daylight hours', said Mrs Warren, 66.

 - Metro, Tuesday, December 14th, 2010 (Page 11)

I'm assuming the story has come from 10:10 and the Lighter Later campaign, and it is great to highlight how people can benefit from not changing the clocks in ways that are not immediately obvious.

Laura

Adessi 10:10 - Support for Lighter Later

As firm supporters of the 10:10 initiative and their Lighter Later campaign we were delighted to hear last week that the Daylight Savings Bill had passed it's second reading.

The legislation could lead to a trial shift of the UK's clocks forward by an hour, which would result in us having an extra hour of daylight in the evenings all year round. The bill passed its second reading by 92 votes to 10 and will now proceed to the committee stage. Conservative MP Rebecca Harris made a rousing speech highlighting the amount of support the bill has from a wide variety of people, organisations and businesses: ""The fact that daylight saving has been championed by people all over the country and across the political spectrum suggests that it is not a party political issue. Honourable members will note the remarkable range of more than 300 organisations backing the bill as part of the Lighter Later coalition".

Lighter Later campaign manager Daniel Vockins said: "Britain may be blanketed in snow today, but the nation is one giant step closer to having more sunshine in our lives. This bill is proof that you can tackle climate change whilst making society better and happier."

Adessi 10:10 - Tell Mexico not to make the same mistakes...

Yesterday, Monday 29th November, global climate talks started in Cancun, Mexico and Friends of the Earth are urging us to send a clear message to the leader of the talks not to repeat the mistakes made in Copenhagen.

The last round of talks in Copenhagen attracted over 100 world leaders to discuss global climate change, however, only 25 are expected to attened the talks over the next two weeks as it is being described as a 'stepping stone' to a global deal, and not a situation where heads of state must be present. This may not come as a surprise to anyone who remembers the disappointing end to the talks in Copenhagen, where many countries dismissed the agreed climate change deal. The talks in Cancun are expected to cover funds, approaches to preserve rainforests and formalise targets to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and are being led by Patricia Espinosa, Mexico’s Foreign Minister.

Friends of the Earth are encouraging us to contact Minister Espinosa to express our concerns that Cancun should be productive, fair and open, and have offered a draft message on their website for us to send to the Minister.

This is something Jude has been encouraging us all to do here at Adessi as it is very important that these global climate change talks are successful. It's hard to think about global warming while it's snowing outside across most of the UK, but (as Jude taught us this morning) the warmer climate will actually work to cool the UK down as the polar ice caps will melt into gulf stream, and the gulf stream from the Caribbean keeps our isle warm.

So, if you're thinking about climate change and what should be done to combat it then maybe start by sending a message to Patricia Espinosa, and hopefully the Cancun climate talks will be a success.

Adessi 10:10 - Lighter Later Update

I went to see my local MP (Stuart Andrew) last week to discuss the Lighter Later campaign and ask him to vote for the Daylight Savings Bill.  However, he wont be in Parliament on the day that the bill is being heard so wont be able to vote on it, unfortunately. 

In my opinion it seemed that his views on the subject were a little misguided to me but he said he agreed in principle for a trial if it gets to the next stage of voting.  I left him some additional information from the handy lobbying kit from 10:10 which can be downloaded here. I’d urge everyone to read the lobby kit, it only takes 2 minutes and is really interesting.  

Who else is going to go and see their MP?  

Give it a try - it will only take you ten minutes and you could be part of something really important.

Jude

That’s not my name

So the long wait is over and we finally have a regular visitor to our Newcastle office’s birdfeeder, in the form of a little blue tit who has already visited at least four times today, but we desperately need a name for him/her.

All name suggestions are welcome so please post them below.

Cheers,

Alex D

Actual photos of our visiting blue tit:

Adessi 10:10 - We have blue tits!

No, I'm not referring to the temperature in the Newcastle office as we continue to make sure the heating is on as little as possible...

In fact, we're finally getting visitors to our bird feeder, six months after I first attached it to our first floor window.

This isn't going to reduce our carbon footprint, I realise, but I was keen to help Adessi get back to nature slightly. Our office isn't just surrounded by a railway line, a cement works and a tyre pile - the area is also teeming with wildlife.

I've seen rabbits in our car park, and the snow last winter revealed fox tracks, while there is loads of birdlife - in the past few months I've seen blue tits, long-tailed tits, goldfinches, and this morning, a wren.

They're obviously growing desperate as the temperature drops and are now frequently visiting the feeder. It's a cute, feathery, close-to-home reminder of one of the many reasons we really ought to be doing our bit to help the planet.

Adessi 10:10 - Do you reuse your plastic bags?

Reusing plastic bags is one of the simplest ways to be 'greener' and now most supermarkets will make you ask for their normal disposable bags and encourage you to buy a 'bag for life'.

From http://www.packagingnews.co.uk

Now Sainsburys has gone one step further to illustrate how plastic bags can be reused with a marketing campaign led by a dress made completely out of recycled Sainsburys bags. The flamenco style dress designed by Adnan Bayyat is part of a campaign to encourage shoppers to reuse bags during the busy holiday season.

As well as the dress, Sainsburys have been offering free 'bags for life' and giving away double nectar points for those who reuse bags.Would these incentives encourage you to reuse bags if you don't already? Do you find it difficult to remember your bags like I do?

I think this is a great idea, and it's definitely encouraged people to talk about the use of plastic bags. Even though I'll admit I often forget to take recycled bags with me to the supermarket I completely agree that you should pay for them (like in WHSmiths) or have to ask for them (like in Asda), they should not just be there waiting to be used.

What do you think?

Laura

Adessi 10:10 - A solution to our bottled water dilemma!

I know it has been mentioned a few times on this blog before about the consumption of bottled water at Adessi opposed to good old tap water.

There are many reasons for people justifying buying bottled water rather than turning the tap: It’s convenient, it tastes better, it’s cleaner…

There is now a product called the ‘bobble’ sold at Harvey Nichols that removes all these excuses - http://www.harveynichols.com/food-wine/categories/homeware-store/lifestyle/s338232-water-bottle-red.html

Now I know it’s only a water bottle BUT it’s pretty and most importantly can help reduce your carbon footprint . The bobble is made from recycled plastic and has a specially designed filter to remove impurities and contaminants from tap water as you drink giving you that bottled water taste.

So no more excuses! 

Sally

Adessi 10:10 - Our September Readings

Well done Adessi Leeds and Newcastle! Excellent news that we are well on target in all areas! 

Leeds’ Gas readings for July and August were just estimations but the September reading is an actual reading and it shows that we’ve beaten the monthly target.

Our Average monthly targets are as follows:

Electricity (Total): 2441 KwH

Electricity (Newcastle): 1821 KwH

Electricity (Leeds): 0619 KwH

Gas (Leeds): 1172 KwH

And the figures from September are:

Electricity (Total): 

September 2010: 2286 KwH

Electricity (Newcastle)          
September 2010: 1716 KwH

         

Electricity (Leeds)                 
September 2010: 0570 KwH 

        

Gas (Leeds)                             
September 2010: 0880 KwH         

Well done Adessi!

Debs

Adessi 10:10 - A Celebration of Apples

Faced with a glut of apples on the allotment my mates and I decided to make some apple juice...  

We borrowed a press, collected a load of apples, blasted them in the food processor and then pressed them to make the most amazing tasting apple juice I have ever tasted, move over Mr Del Monte!

Anyway... as it won't last long in it's raw untreated form we thought we should preserve it.  

Unfortunately, the only easy way to do this is to make it into alcoholic cider, it's a shame I know but it's the only option we had.  So, we whacked it in a couple of demijohns and now have 2 gallons of cider on the go. Apparently it only takes a few days to brew and then you need to leave it for a few weeks before you drink it. How alcoholic will it be is anyone's guess but I'll  let you know in a few weeks!

Jude aka "old scrumpy"

The PR Team’s got orange fingers!

The Newcastle PR team are extremely proud to be able to shout about the progress of their carrots. Back in July, when we were first set the vegetable growing challenge during the Adessi Green Day, we were all novice veggie growers and we’d be the first to admit we didn’t have high hopes to begin with. However, after an unsure start and an unbelievable fly infestation, which left us all a little uncomfortable to say the least, we transferred the little seedlings outside and three months on they are still going strong!

It won’t be long now until our very first harvest and we can’t wait to taste our crops which we’ve grown from seeds using no energy and absolutely no nasty chemicals – we don’t even need to travel to the shops to get them – now that’s got to be better than anything you can buy at the supermarket!

Any suggestions for delicious carrot recipes are extremely welcome!

Alex D, Alex R and Steve M

Blog Action Day - What's Your Water Footprint?

One thing I've discussed multiple times on this blog, and is important to all of my colleagues at Adessi, is the issue of water. Whether it be bottled water or saving energy through boiling more water at once, we are definitely thinking about how we deal with our need for water and our need to cut our carbon footprint by 10%.

But did anyone tell us about a product's 'Water Footprint'? No.

Maybe I'm just naive, but surely I can't be the only person who didn't know that it takes 39,090 gallons of water to make a car? Just one car. Plus, to make each tyre alone uses 518 gallons of water. Even my own 'pet peeve' of bottled water is a prolific water footrpint criminal, using 1.85 gallons of water to manufacture the plastic for the bottle.

This water footprint doesn't just apply to products like these, it also applies to every day foods such as bread (one slice is 40 litres), milk (one glass is 200 litres) and the worst offender, the hamburger used 2400 litres of water!

Even ignoring Adessi's 10:10 campaign, there are so many people in the world without access to clean and safe water, but we are using gallons upon gallons for technology, fashion and food. There are so many charities out there doing an amazing job of raising awareness of the need for clean water especially in the Third World, but we also need to be told the facts about how much water we are using every day, minute, and even second, to fund our lifestyles. Could there be other ways of making products so we use less water? I'm no scientist, but I hope we see advances in technology in the near future so that less of our water supply is used in this way.

Laura

Adessi 10:10:10 - An Update From Debs

As I sit in the office wearing my body warmer and scarf, dying to turn on the lights because its so bloody dark as we all wait for that Indian Summer to kick in, I contemplate  a distant time before 10:10, with a naïve affection!

Ah yes, those giddy, guilt free days of throwing all the rubbish in the bin, willy nilly; turning the fire on when you were cold; driving to the shops just up the road, for some milk and something nice for tea, obviously, the something would be beautifully packaged and flown in from some exotic far reaching corner of the world. Yes, I could even look back on the daily home chores with a sense of contentment. Ah yes, my dishwasher, my washing machine, the tumble dryer they all were my friends. Pledge was just a quality brand of furniture polish to make people think I had dusted and cleaned the house! But that’s all gone now! My life has changed so much! After all, I am on a mission to save the planet.

So my first 10:10 blog post so how am I doing? Let’s start with my Pledges. My initial pledges were to “make packed lunches rather than buy them”, and “to ride to work on my bike, most of the time”.  - Bugger! Ok, not going so well, thus far! Although I have used the car less and I am making more packed lunches than I used to. (Does that count as a success? Am I making that all important difference to the planet)

At work, it’s easy to make a difference… sit in the cold, wear 3 jumpers and a body warmer, with the lights switched off. There’s always Aston’s solar light if it gets too dark!!! Anyway, to keep warm you could always play catch the little black fly. Those lovable little bugs, I guess they are just enjoying being part of our planet too, waiting for the Adessi harvest to ripen! Then there’s the communal coffee break, where you patiently wait your turn to say in the loudest whisper, “anyone want a tea or a coffee”? To your horror everyone says yes, so you have to spend an absolute age, taking cups to be washed, dried and filled with that refreshing brew, which of course you deliver to all with a smile on your face. -  See that wasn’t as hard was it? Oh, I mustn’t forget, I did pledge to always “print friendly” and “only when I need to” – Success! It’s working. (I did hide a 6 page document in my top drawer which came out of the printer by accident, but don’t worry no one will find it – I shred it!)

Most of you know that at 3 o’clock I have to leave the confines of Adessi and pick up Molly (our 6 yr old daughter) from school. At ten minutes passed 3 o’clock I am usually flying out of work, late again. I ridiculously rev the engine thinking it will get me there faster! Well it would if the 20 other cars in front would get a move on!!  I arrive at school to pick up Molly, whose first words are, “are we on the bikes Mum?” I reply, “not today, but we will tomorrow”, and at that point I really mean it. I am determined to reduce our family’s carbon footprint. But here’s where it all gets hard. Molly somehow seems to have eaten her packed lunch, from off her pinafore dress and has glued it together with some sticky stuff, for luck. As I pack the washing machine I know Molly’s clothes will never, ever, ever get clean on that 30º cycle, so I hang my head in shame and put it on a higher setting. Then guess what, I need to get her to ballet (just up the street)… and now I’m running late again, “Molly get in the car quickly!” I sit for 45 minutes feeling guilty about using the car and knowing that when I get back I need to dry her clothes for tomorrow – the tumble dryer is smiling! It knows I haven’t got a clothes line and even if I had I’m still waiting for that Indian Summer. The weather man said it will be here when the rain stops! The tumble dryer it is then! - Ok I do feel guilty! Not doing so well here!

After tea Mark bathes Molly and I pop to the shops for our groceries. I would do it on-line but we have no milk, bread or indeed anything for the breakfast or packed lunch for tomorrow. So off I go, remembering my everlasting bags! (See I’m not such a complete failure at helping to save this planet!) Now where once I trudged the aisles, scanning products for calories, fat content and salt levels, I now look for, where does it come from, how was it made and can you re-cycle the packaging? I return home happy in the knowledge my choices have as low an impact on the environment as they can. Indeed even my Heinz Beans Fridge pack makes me feel happy.

I put away the shopping, check on Molly, and turn her light off (she’s scared of the dark so we have to leave her light on until she’s asleep.... I know!) and then sit down. It’s a bit cold but do you know what? I couldn’t possibly suggest putting the heating on – it’s only October after all. Add another layer or better still I’ll just go to bed! At this point I remind Mark to turn everything off… except the Sky box of course, which looses signal and seemingly the ability to work for two days if you switch it off at the plug.

Anyway,

 I’ll be better tomorrow. I have to be the planet is counting on me!

So how am I doing? At work I have made a big effort to lessen my impact and cut Adessi’s carbon footprint, as I think we all have. At home I have made some major changes to my purchasing choices and we all have increased our re-cycling efforts. No more rubbish thrown, willy nilly in the green bin. That’s almost empty at the end of the week. It’s the blue recycling bin which is overflowing. Pan lids on, Lights off, Heating off, Plugs off when not on!  I’m even looking to try to insulate the orangery, people in glass houses and the like..!

Like most of us I lead a very busy and hectic life. I am trying to make a difference but you know I’m not perfect, and some days I don’t seem to be helping the planet at all, but every single day I am aware of how my actions, good and bad are contributing to changes within our environment. I know where I need to make improvements and I will. I know I don’t get on my bike as much as I should, but driving my Mazda RX8 can’t help the environment much. I may not be ready to give up my car completely but I am seriously thinking about trading it in for a small environmentally friendly beastie and that’s a big change for me. Watch this space

So in summary, some successful efforts and some disastrous efforts, I think. One thing I can say very clearly is that I am completely committed to the 10:10 initiative and I will continue to make the necessary changes to make a difference to our planet. Although life with a six year old is hectic, it’s for her that I need to make sure that I do the right thing. After all, it’s not our planet, we just borrow it for a short time it. Let’s give it back to our children in a better condition than we got it and teach them to respect it so they can do the same for their children. Keep up the good work everyone and if you feel the guilt, do not wilt just try harder tomorrow! (Sorry that was really cheesy!)

Debs

Ps If there are any examples of spelling mistakes or bad grammar, know that I left them there on purpose. It would take to long to edit it so I decided to save on the electricity and leave them in!!

Adessi 10:10:10 - An Update From Mark

I started with great enthusiasm and cycled to work each week at least once for the first 4 weeks. In the last couple of weeks a mixture of a cold, horrible weather and inhospitable clients who require me to visit them, have hampered my efforts but I still keep the faith, that I will be able to do this more frequently.

Throughout September, the top floor of the Newcastle office operated daily with no use of any lighting, with the exception of one client meeting. Everyone on the top floor supported the effort, and in real terms this meant we saved on average 9 full spot lights being on 9 hours a day for 20 days on average. This equates to a total light saving of over 1,000 hours of a very environmentally unfriendly light being switched off. Aston even bought a rubbish solar powered desk lamp from Ikea, which has made us all laugh.

At home I am definitely making much greater efforts to recycle, and have noticed just how much packaging we seem to get on our weekly shop, and even started at looking at buying products which are less wasteful in terms of unnecessary packaging.

Mark