CO2 Reduction - Lifestyle, Personal and Company emissions

Most well-informed people now accept that climate change is probably the greatest challenge facing humanity in the modern world, altering the ecology of the entire planet. Yet the forces accelerating and accentuating climate change – human emissions of greenhouse gases, including carbon dioxide from households, cars and flights, and ongoing deforestation - continue to rise. Every day this continues, the more drastic become the consequences of climate change on the natural world and the human population it supports.

Virtually everything we do has an impact on the climate but fortunately, and as reported by Sir Nicholas Stern, "there is still time to avoid the worst impacts of climate change, if we take strong action now". This means governments and industry, of course, but it also means that each and every one of us must take responsibility for our impact on the environment.

There are many things that we can do as an individual. WLT recommends three steps:

• Calculate your emissions - you can estimate your lifestyle emissions for your house, car, travel and flights using our calculators.
• Reduce your emissions as much as possible - in these pages we recommend websites which contain advice on how to reduce your carbon footprint and the impact your lifestyle has on the environment.
• Offset the remainder - offset your lifestyle emissions which cannot be avoided through the Carbon Balanced restoration ecology projects.

Why Carbon Balance?

The business sector is responsible for around 40% of the UK's annual carbon dioxide emissions and as climate change remains high on both the political and consumer agenda, businesses are under increasing pressure to address the environmental impact associated with their operations. Progressive businesses are concentrating on improving energy efficiency, gaining a competitive edge from reduced energy costs, increased profits, and demonstrable corporate responsibility.

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) encourages UK businesses to consider the economic, social and environmental impacts of their activities on the world. Studies show that nearly two thirds of UK consumers are more likely to buy from a business which they think is actively addressing the issue of climate change. By offsetting through WLT organisations are also contributing to biodiversity conservation as well as climate change mitigation, resulting in a much stronger and more compelling CSR story.

WLT recommends that businesses follow three steps:

• Calculate your business emissions - assess your emissions by submitting a free carbon emissions audit form to WLT online and discover the carbon footprint associated with your organisation's energy use.
• Reduce emissions at source - WLT recommends websites which provide advice on how to reduce your emissions and the impact your business has on the environment.
• Offset the remainder - offset your emissions which cannot be avoided through the Carbon Balanced restoration ecology projects.

By investing in the Environmental projects GSA offer on this website individuals and companies can make profit from commercial Forestry Plots, Land Leases, Biofuel Plantations and UK Farming Leases. Alternatively, we are able to provide Carbon Off-sets and certificates that are linked to accredited projects. For a quotation please call 0845 050 5371.