St Albans district needs massive decrease to carbon footprint

AS a community with one of the worst carbon footprints in the country, the St Albans district is aiming to reduce its carbon output by 60 per cent by 2025. To meet the goal, the district council is looking at a range of energy-saving measures including fu

AS a community with one of the worst carbon footprints in the country, the St Albans district is aiming to reduce its carbon output by 60 per cent by 2025.

To meet the goal, the district council is looking at a range of energy-saving measures including further pedestrianisation of the city centre and a 100 per cent parking concession for environmentally-friendly vehicles.

The measures are part of a plan introduced after the council signed up to the Nottingham Declaration on Climate Change in 2006. It sets out how the council is striving to reduce its carbon dioxide emissions by three per cent each year until 2025.

Other methods of lowering greenhouse gases included in the plan are establishing a car-hire scheme, introducing a car-sharing website, a fresh look at a mini park-and-ride scheme for the city centre, installing renewable energy measures on council-owned buildings, eco-driving lessons and a rebate on wind turbine installations.

The council has also teamed up with a number of local businesses and organisations with the aim of getting them to reduce their carbon outputs.

Portfolio holder for environment and sustainability Mike Ellis pointed out that if everyone lived like people in St Albans we would need three planet Earths.

Currently the average person in St Albans produces 14 tonnes of carbon dioxide a year compared to11.87 tonnes of the average person in the UK.

But the council believes that the target 60 per cent reduction can only be met with a number of changes to Government policy.