17 June 2010
- Energy and Climate Change Minister leads cross-party support for Team Green Britain
- Celebrities, Olympians and school kids share their promises for a greener future
Hundreds of Team Green Britain school children, Olympians and celebrities will today feedback their personal pledges and contributions for the environment in a symbolic and collective gesture for tackling climate change to remain a key focus for the future.
Topping the list of British school kids’ promises for the future are turning off computers and video games at night, encouraging parents to recycle more and walking to school more frequently. Team Green Britain celebrity ambassador, Danielle Lineker, also added her pledge to cut back on plastic shopping bags, the amount of football watched on TV at home as well as time in the shower. The hundreds of promises from across the country will be displayed on the back of environmentally friendly pedal-bikes and cycled into London where they will be presented to Greg Barker MP, Minister of State for DECC to mark the second annual Green Britain Day, created by London 2012 sustainability partner, EDF Energy.
Greg Barker MP comments “I’m thrilled to join Lauren, Danielle and Jamelia, as they go green to celebrate EDF Energy’s Green Britain Day. The work that they’ve done is testament to the simple and effective changes we can all make to save both energy and money.
Reducing our carbon footprints will make a positive difference to both the environment and our energy bills. Even small changes in our daily lives can add up to big differences so today I am happy to be supporting Team Green Britain.”
Other messages illustrating cross party support include:
“As well as being a fantastic sporting event the London Olympics are a great opportunity to inspire our communities across the UK into action. Climate change is the biggest challenge the world faces and even the smallest changes to our daily lives can add up to a big difference. I encourage everyone to do something green for the team by joining Team Green Britain.” – Ed Milliband MP, Shadow Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change.
“I welcome the second annual Green Britain Day and I hope that everyone uses it as an inspiration to start saving energy and tackle climate change. It is fantastic to see these events across the country encouraging people to reduce their carbon footprint.” - Don Foster, Liberal Democrat MP
The delivery and signing of the green union flags on pedal bikes will be followed by an action packed Green Britain Day consisting of Team Green Britain community events at 12 shopping centres or outdoor spaces across the country with fun activities related to food, home and travel for thousands of people to enjoy. Hundreds of schools will also be planting trees to ensure a lasting legacy for their environment in the future and dream bikes designed by celebrities will be auctioned off online and at the London Transport Museum for charity to demonstrate the benefits of low carbon travel. The day then kicks off a whole summer of inspiring activities from the Big Lunch to EcoTeams training events bringing friends, families and communities together to tackle climate change collectively in a fun, engaging and inspiring way.
Last year’s inaugural Green Britain Day drove membership of Team Green Britain into the hundreds of thousands and over 800 schools across the country pledged to hold events involving local communities to celebrate the day and learn how they can reduce their individual carbon footprints by up to 20%, with potential savings of up to £166* per year on energy bills, as a result.
Eva Eisenschimmel, Chief Operating Officer, EDF Energy says: “We can only tackle climate change effectively by working together as a team. As the UK’s largest producer of low carbon electricity and London 2012’s first
sustainability partner, EDF Energy has kicked off the second Team Green Britain to bring people together to reduce Britain’s carbon footprint.
Following the success of Green Britain Day in 2009, we’re once again using the power of the Games to inspire employees, our customers and all those interested, to save money and save energy. We believe that Green Britain Day and Team Green Britain will provide more schools and communities with the inspiration, the knowledge and the support they need to change today for a lower carbon tomorrow. The pledges and promises from Team Green Britain school kids, celebrities and Olympians today shows just how people can make simple changes that will reduce their carbon footprint in ways which are better for them and the environment. We want everyone to get involved too by signing up to be a part of the Team at www.teamgreenbritain.org”.
Green Britain Day was founded by EDF Energy, the UK’s largest producer of low carbon electricity, together with partners London 2012 and two leading environmental organisations, the Eden Project and Global Action Plan. It signals the launch of a fun-filled summer of inspirational events, bringing communities together to think and act greener. Throughout the summer, the Team Green Britain celebrity ambassadors and a number of Olympic and Paralympic athletes will be lending their support and getting involved with events across the UK.
Tim Smit, Chief Executive (and co-founder) of the Eden Project, commented: "The Eden Project is backing Team Green Britain because we believe in celebrating the small cultural changes that people are happy to make, but that collectively make a big difference. Green Britain Day is like a metaphorical New Year’s Day, to give people the chance to say, 'OK, it’s just one day; we’ll turn our lights off.' Once people have done it one day, they'll think, why not do it every day?"
Other celebrity, London 2012 and Olympian promises and signatures for a greener future include:
- Jamelia, singer and songwriter promises to offset her regular commute between London and Birmingham by getting on her bike more often
- Lauren Laverne, broadcaster, is going back to the ‘Good Life’ by growing her own vegetables
- Olympic Gold Medallist, Andrew Simpson pledged to use his car less and walk or use his bike instead
- Sebastian Coe, Chair of the London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games pledges to use more locally sourced produce and grow his own vegetables
Ends -
Images of and interviews with the celebrities, children and MP signing their promises will be available by contacting tgb@webershandwick.com
Team Green Britain’s Summer of Events
17th June – Green Britain Day – A day on which Team Green Britain, founded by EDF Energy, calls upon the nation to show the world its resilience and team spirit in the race against climate change.
19th – 27th June – Team Green Britain Bike Week is an annual event that aims to show how, by getting on our bikes, we can all play our part towards a greener future while exercising and saving time and money too.
2nd July – Global Action Plan EcoTeams Event – A showcase event held by EDF Energy in partnership with Global Action Plan (GAP) to showcase the EcoTeams initiative created to help inspire and train communities to work together and bring down energy consumption in the home, helping people save on their energy bills.
18th July – The Big Lunch: EDF Energy and the Eden Project will be serving up more fun and low carbon recipes at this year’s Big Lunch annual event on Sunday 18th July 2010.
For more information about each of these events, visit www.teamgreenbritain.org,
* We’ve based that saving on a typical EDF Energy customer with typical energy consumption, supplied on our standard tariffs, who reduces their household’s annual energy consumption by 20% through energy saving measures. ‘Typical energy consumption’ means an energy consumption of 3,300 kWh of electricity and 20,500 kWh of gas each year.
Note to editors:
For more information, please contact:
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Weber Shandwick contact Judy Ingber Ph: +44 (0) 207 067 0709 e-mail:jingber@webershandwick.com |
Mike Stuart Ph: +44 020 7089 0315 e-mail: michael.stuart@edfenergy.com |
The Carbon Emissions Reduction Target (CERT) - EDF Energy, like all other major energy suppliers, is working to deliver the Government led Carbon Emissions Reduction Target (CERT). CERT provides significant and permanent benefits to vulnerable consumers struggling to pay their fuel bills, while also reducing their carbon footprint. Over the course of the programme, EDF Energy is expected to invest over £250m, which provides nearly 300,000 insulation measures. Over £100m will be spent helping priority customers. The programme delivery has included free loft insulation and cavity wall insulation installations to customers either in receipt of certain benefits of or aged 70 years or over.
Community Energy Saving Programme (CESP) - EDF Energy, alongside all other major energy suppliers, is involved in the government led CESP programme. The company is expected to contribute £65 million over the lifetime of the programme. This programme means EDF Energy is delivering energy saving measures to domestic consumers in specific low income areas of Great Britain.
EDF Energy Green Fund – EDF Energy has awarded £4.4 million to 252 renewable energy projects since the Green Fund was launched in 2001, including £1.8 million to 107 projects in schools, nurseries and colleges. The fund supports renewable energy projects which produce power from the sun, wind, water and geothermal sources that reduce greenhouse gases linked to global warming. Awards of up to £30,000 are available for projects in Great Britain and such funds have helped schools, charities, local authorities, churches, water mills and other non-profit organisations to generate clean, green energy in their own community.
The Green Fund awards are possible through EDF Energy’s Green Tariff for consumers who decide to choose renewable energy for their home. Customers on the tariff contribute towards the Green Fund, which EDF Energy matches pound for pound. Customers can choose renewable energy for their home by calling 0800 096 9696 (calls may be recorded) and requesting information on EDF Energy’s Green Tariff. Each Green Tariff customer receives an energy efficiency pack including a free home energy survey, information on energy efficiency grants and energy efficiency advice.
EDF Energy Programme for Greener Schools - As well as reducing the carbon intensity of our emissions, EDF Energy has a social and ethical responsibility to encourage the next generation of environmental guardians to take action against climate change. This is why EDF Energy has worked with Eco-Schools to set up “the Pod”, which aims to educate 2.5 million school children about sustainable living by 2012. The Pod website www.jointhepod.org sits at the heart of EDF Energy’s Programme for Greener Schools and is designed to help schools become more sustainable. It provides teachers with the information they need to teach green issues, and a simple framework for them to help students run green activities and share their work with others. More than 9,000 primary and secondary schools are involved in the programme.
EcoRenew – Our EcoRenew product range can be useful for people wanting to start making their own renewable energy. Currently the EDF Energy range consists of three products: solar photovoltaic (PV), solar thermal and air source heat pumps.
About EDF Energy
EDF Energy is one of the UK’s largest energy companies, producing around one-fifth of the nation's electricity from its nuclear, coal and gas power stations, as well as combined heat and power plants and wind farms. The company provides power to a quarter of the UK’s population via its electricity distribution networks and supplies gas and electricity to more than 5.5 million business and residential customers. It is the largest supplier of electricity based on volume supplied to major business in Britain.
EDF Energy’s safe and secure operation of its eight existing nuclear power stations at sites across the country makes it the UK’s largest generator of low carbon electricity. EDF Energy is also leading the UK's nuclear renaissance and has published plans to build four new nuclear reactors, subject to the right investment framework. These new plants could generate enough low carbon electricity for about 40% of Britain’s homes. They would make an important contribution to the UK’s future needs for clean, secure and affordable energy. The project is already creating business and job opportunities for British companies and workers.
Through Our Sustainability Commitments, EDF Energy has launched one of the biggest environmental and social programmes of any UK energy company. EDF is the official energy utilities partner and sustainability partner of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. The company is also helping its customers and others use energy more sustainably through products and initiatives such as Team Green Britain.
EDF Energy is part of EDF Group, one of Europe’s largest power companies. Following the integration with British Energy in 2009, the company employs nearly 20,000 people at locations across the UK.