A new pressure group has been launched in a bid to get people thinking green and slashing their carbon emissions.
The Basingstoke Transition Network is a regional branch of the Transition Town Initiative.
With the launch of Climate Week on March 21, the 30-strong group is urging residents and businesses in the borough to think about their carbon footprint.
Spearheading the group Martin Heath, from Brookvale, believes that small changes can make a difference to climate change.
The group calculated that every resident across the borough produces on average up to 22kg of carbon dioxide per day, the same as a bag of cement.
He said: “Have you ever picked up a bag of cement? It’s heavy. Every person in Basingstoke creates nearly that much carbon dioxide every single day.
“Its almost like we get up every morning, open the windows and shake out a bag of cement on to the street. And that’s every one of us, every morning.
“If we did that we’d soon be knee deep in cement dust and do something about it. Unfortunately carbon dioxide is invisible, but that does not mean it’s not dangerous.
“If we could all reduce the amount we produce by just one kilogramme a year that would make a big difference.”
Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council figures show that 1.3m tonnes of carbon dioxide is produced in the borough each year, the second highest level in the county.
About one-third comes from industry, homes and transport respectively. Chiefs in Westminster have also pledged to slash the amount of carbon pollution by 2020.
But for Mr Heath, the daunting national target can be met with small changes to people’s lives.
He said that by turning down the thermostat in homes by 1.5 degrees celsius then each household saves 1kg of carbon dioxide a day.
He said he was inspired to rethink his life five years ago after the birth of his grandchildren. He said: “When my grandchild was born I was doing things like every body else.
“But when they were born I began to ask what the world was going to be like in 40 years time. I had to make a change.”
The group are urging residents to take part in the World Wildlife Fund-sponsored Earth Hour on March 26 from 8.30pm to 9.30pm. People across the world are being asked to switch off their lights for the hour.
For more information, or to join the group, email info@
basingstoketransition.org
