August 2007

1st August 2007
by ecofriendlytourist.com

How to Live a Low-Carbon Life

The website www.ecofriendlytourist.com reviews an outstanding book that spells out how each of us can reduce our carbon emissions – with air travel high on the hit list


Author Chris Goodall takes a no-nonsense approach to climate change and what must be done about it in his outstanding book “How to Live a Low-Carbon Life: The Individual's Guide to Stopping Climate Change”.

There is a constant barrage of stories, stunts, books and articles on the subject but this book is special. It is a clear, concise, persuasive and useful action plan for helping to save the planet.

Goodall argues that governments and businesses have failed to tackle the problem effectively in recent years. Despite all the promises carbon emissions in the UK have actually been rising. So his answer is clear. It is up to us - each one of us here in the UK – to take matters into our own hands and reduce our carbon footprint.

He backs up his case with a wealth of evidence which is presented in an extremely readable and accessible style. Then he goes on to outline the steps to take in our daily lives to cut our CO2 emissions and itemizes the savings that can be made for each measure. These practical “to do” lists are woven throughout the book.

He says small changes won’t do. In the UK we need to cut emissions by 75% and this means self restraint and a change of lifestyle. A cut of this order sounds drastic and unattainable but Goodall assures the reader that it can be done and even that the medicine might not be too unpleasant.

According to him, if you divide UK greenhouse gas emissions by the number of people in the country you get a figure of about 12.5 tonnes of carbon dioxide, or equivalent, per person. He believes this figure must fall drastically to 3 tonnes or less if we are really serious about tackling global warming.

He says that 6 of the 12.5 tonnes result from our direct emissions: how we heat and light our homes, what we eat, how we launder our clothes and so on. Transport is, of course, a key source of direct emissions and Goodall takes a pretty uncompromising line on air travel: he says we should only fly when necessary, and probably never. This alone will cut a big chunk of CO2 (1.8 tonnes) and is probably the easiest and “the most important step” we can take.

The other 6.5 tonnes come from indirect emissions by producers making stuff on our behalf. He thinks we could get this figure down to zero and claims that the food industry is the largest indirect contributor to the UK’s emissions, over five times more than the most energy intensive industry, iron and steel production. Its emissions cover the whole supply chain, from the fossil fuel used for fertilisers to our cars travelling to supermarkets. He estimates the food industry alone adds 2 tonnes of greenhouse gases to each individual’s tally. This is why, he says, it is vital to buy organic, buy local and avoid processed and packaged foods.

Chris Goodall is a Green Party candidate, so clearly an environmental evangelist, but his tone is reasoned and he avoids the hectoring approach so common among the Greens and so off-putting for many of the rest of us. In fact he is remarkably upbeat. His appeal is to our innate altruism which he says is growing, and the evidence for this is the booming sales of Fairtrade and organic produce and the increasing numbers of people recycling.

In political terms he equates the climate change debate to earlier inspirational movements for social change such as the abolition both of slavery and of child labour, and the introduction of the universal franchise and of universal primary education. All started with campaigns by individuals and small groups. He argues, therefore, that if individuals lead the way politicians in search of votes will surely follow.

Goodall is intriguingly also a venture capitalist and he believes businesses will spot - are spotting - a big and growing market for energy efficient goods and services. So, all in all, there is hope – if we act now.

Highly recommended.


ENDS

NOTES FOR EDITORS

“How to Live a Low-Carbon Life: The Individual's Guide to Stopping Climate Change” is by Chris Goodall (published by Earthscan)
Paperback £14.99 ISBN 1844074269 / 9781844074266
Publication date: February 2007
320 pages; 216 x 170mm; Figures, tables, index

For more information about Chris Goodall and to visit his website at www.lowcarbonlife.net/

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