A campaign to help businesses across the West of England reduce their reliance on dirty fossil fuels and embrace a greener future through simple, practical steps has been launched.
Bristol-based Action Net Zero’s Beacon of Hope initiative will reach out to firms, as well as communities and individuals, to offer them practical advice, guidance and support on how to reduce their carbon footprint.
Actions can be as simple as eating local and buying seasonal food, ditching single use plastics or using a timer plug when charging phones to automatically shut them off.
The campaign will have a particular focus on how energy is bought and used, promoting Be Energy Smart actions throughout this year and next.
Over the next 12 months Action Net Zero will gather best practice on the best ways to reduce energy use and make the energy used cleaner.
Action Net Zero founder Pamela Barbato said it aimed to support 400 firms and their employees a year to reduce their reliance on fossil fuels while supporting hundreds make simple changes to help reduce their usage too.
The campaign was launched by Metro Mayor Dan Norris, who leads the West of England Combined Authority. He urged businesses and individuals to sign up to take at least one simple step to reduce emissions.
Mayor Norris said the authority’s commitment to take the West of England to net-zero emissions by 2030 – 20 years ahead of the government’s target – required far reaching change in every part of the region.
“Everyone will need to do their bit. This campaign is important in helping us meet the challenge before us, and so safeguard our region, our way of life and our precious planet,” he said.
Pamela Barbato added: “We know many people want to be greener, to play their part to address the climate crisis but often don’t know how to.
“Our campaign focuses on supporting communities across the South West, individuals and businesses to act now: to reduce their reliance on costly fossil fuels and transition to renewable energy solutions.
“By providing them with the information, guidance and solution providers to act now, we are here to help people be energy smart, reducing their reliance on fossil fuels.”
The campaign kicked off with a roundtable discussion that brought together 10 subject matter experts with Mayor Norris to discuss how to accelerate the switch to cleaner, cheaper energy across the region.
Pictured at the Beacon of Hope campaign launch, above: Metro Mayor Dan Norris with Action Net Zero founder Pam Barbato.
Below: Alistair Greener (moderator), Pam Barbato (founder of Action Net Zero), Neil Mehta (Edwards), Stuart Urquart (TLT), Perri Ashworth (TLT), Lee Chadwick (Clarkson Evans Solar), Doug Sparrow (Clarkson Evans), Peter Capener (Bath and West Community Energy), Peter White (National Grid), Dave Edwards (FH Power Consultants) and Joanne Philpott (Weston College)
