'Click for the Climate': make a big change during National Science Week

12.00.00am GMT Thu 16th Mar 2006

West Midlands Liberal Democrats MP,Lorely Burt today invited others to join her in pledging to take action to tackle climate change. And they will be in good company - they will be joined by Prime Minister Tony Blair, Olympic athlete Colin Jackson and TV scientist Professor Robert Winston. Lorely has already pledged to reduce her personal carbon emissions by 25% by the end of 2010 as part of a Parliamentary challenge launched last year.

As part of this year's National Science Week (10-19 March), the ten day celebration of science, people across the UK are being invited to pledge to make a small change to their lives during the week - and make a big difference to climate change.

To help reduce her own energy usage and carbon dioxide emissions, Lorely has chosen to turn the thermostat down by 1oC and put her jumper on if she gets cold!

"Click for the Climate", launched by the BA (British Association for the Advancement of Science) and the Economic & Social Research Council in association with CRed (the Carbon Reduction Programme at the University of East Anglia), is an online pledge, allowing people to see how much they will reduce their carbon dioxide emission by and how much has been pledged across the country.

Lorely Burt MP said "Climate change is already happening and we must take immediate action to reduce our energy consumption if we are to stop potential catastrophe.

"People don't always realise that even the smallest of actions can make a difference. Just as "pennies make pounds", so switching off your TV at the button instead of leaving it on standby, or walking to school instead of getting a lift, could help save thousands of tonnes of carbon dioxide if everyone took similar steps."

Reducing the amount of carbon dioxide produced either directly by ourselves or by our power stations can help reduce the amount of 'greenhouse gases' which contribute towards climate change.

"Last year, over half a million people took part in National Science Week," said Roland Jackson, Chief Executive of the BA, which coordinates National Science Week. "If they all just replaced one ordinary light bulb in their home with an energy saving bulb, then National Science Week would have cut down carbon dioxide emissions by over 240 tonnes. People say they can't make a difference - this shows that they clearly can!"

At the end of the week, everyone who has participated in 'Click for the Climate' will be invited to join CRed so that they may continue - and develop further - their carbon dioxide reductions.

"'Click for the Climate' is an excellent way to make people realise how they can reduce their carbon dioxide emissions," said Dr Simon Gerrard, Manager of CRed. "We see it as the start of their own personal journey to a lower carbon future. CRed will offer them support and advice along this journey. Significantly reducing our carbon dioxide emissions is something we can achieve if we try."

To 'Click for the Climate', go online now at http://www.the-ba.net/climatechange and make your pledge.

National Science Week 2006, which this year incorporates ESRC Social Science Week, will take place from 10-19 March. Over 500,000 people are expected to take part in 1,500 events throughout the UK. For more information about National Science Week and Social Science Week 2006, including free activity packs and an online programme, visit http://www.the-ba.net/nsw.

National Science Week is organised by the BA (British Association for the Advancement of Science). It is funded by the Department of Trade & Industry and is sponsored by BP and the Economic & Social Research Council.