As a nation, the UK has set an ambitious goal to tackle the climate crisis by reaching net zero carbon emissions by 2050. Currently, we are not on track to meet this goal.
Yet, according to research from the University of Salford and The Energy Saving Trust, if every household took energy efficiency measures now, we could achieve 11 per cent of the UK's 2050 carbon target.
A recent poll showed that there is a huge appetite among Scots to be more environmentally friendly, with 93% saying that they care about protecting the environment and are keen to do more. In addition, 61% believe it is individuals’ responsibility to tackle climate change and are already playing their part, with the most common action being recycling or reusing products (76%).
However, 58% of the Scottish public would be more inclined to try and prevent climate change if they better understood what they could do, and this is where energy efficiency comes in. Despite the hugely positive impact that energy efficiency can have, it is missing from the climate change conversation. In fact, less than 3% of all media and social media conversations on climate change over the past two years have mentioned energy efficiency at all.
It's time to talk about energy efficiency - but talking alone is not enough. It is also about more than turning off our lights or washing our clothes on a cooler setting. It is about taking small steps that will add up to a big difference, such as getting a smart meter.
Upgrading the nation's outdated analogue energy infrastructure to a smarter energy system will help Great Britain deliver reliable, clean and affordable energy. By using the information from our smart meters, this decarbonised, flexible energy system can prevent waste at source by making far better assessments of the nation’s energy needs. This reduces our carbon footprint and helps battle climate change.
There are so many reasons why we all need to do our bit to help tackle the climate crisis and live more sustainably. People who have already taken small steps towards living a more environmentally-friendly lifestyle, such as having a smart meter installed, are not only helping Scotland to achieve our environmental targets but are laying the foundations for a greener energy system.
This article was paid for by Smart Energy GB. Smart Energy GB is a government backed organisation tasked with informing Great Britain about the benefits of the smart meter rollout.
For more information please visit www.smartenergygb.org
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