Northampton Lib Dem Parliamentary Candidate makes Green Promise on World Environment Day

9.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Tue 5th Jun 2007

Northampton North Lib Dem Parliamentary spokesperson Cllr Andrew Simpson is encouraging his constituents to join him in making a promise to the environment to mark World Environment Day 2007.

Speaking on World Environment Day (June 5th), Andrew Simpson said:

"Climate change is a global issue. But tackling it starts at home.

"Over a quarter of the UK's carbon emissions come from heating, lighting and running power supplies in our homes.

"Small actions, such as saving water and switching off the lights can, when taken together, make a big difference.

"If everyone in the developed world makes even one small change to their daily life to reduce their energy use, such as not leaving the TV on stand-by or overfilling the kettle, that would make a huge difference to our global energy use and the amount of carbon we emit.

"Of course there is more the government should be doing. The Liberal Democrats have set out plans for radically improving home energy efficiency, producing greener electricity and switching taxes from income to pollution and energy use. That is what we would do if we were in government.

"But there is action each of us can take now. This year I am making a personal commitment to walk more to work and switch all my remaining light bulbs to energy saving. While this may seem like a pretty small thing, if enough people do it we can save tremendous amounts of energy/water.

"I hope other local people will join me in making a green promise to mark World Environment Day 2007."

Notes to Editors

1. More information on Lib Dem proposals

For more information on the Liberal Democrat Climate Change Starts at Home plan see http://www.libdems.org.uk/news/climate-change-starts-at-home-campaign.12418.html

For more information on the Liberal Democrat Green Tax Switch see http://www.libdems.org.uk/media/documents/parliament/green_switch_180506.pdf