EDF Energy reveals celebrity supporters for Green Britain Day on 17th June 2010
17 June 2010
Green Britain Day returns on 17th June 2010, supported by a trio of celebrity Team Green Britain ambassadors to encourage people to come together to think and act greener. Backing the movement are model and presenter Danielle Lineker, broadcaster Lauren Laverne and singer Jamelia. They are joining forces with London 2012’s first sustainability partner, EDF Energy, as well as over 9,000 schools and hundreds of thousands of existing Team Green Britain members across the country to help Britain reduce its carbon footprint before the Olympic and Paralympic Games arrive in London in 2012.
To kick start the recruitment drive, the iconic ‘Your Country Needs You’ image has been recreated as a call for the nation to join Team Green Britain at www.teamgreenbritain.org and be a part of Green Britain Day on 17th June. Team Green Britain offers practical and effective ways to reduce carbon emissions and also save money across three key areas of focus identified as those in which individuals can make the biggest difference - Home, Travel and Food.
Leading the way, Danielle, Lauren and Jamelia have all been tasked with reducing their energy consumption through their own eco-challenges to inspire other Brits to follow in their footsteps. Model and presenter Danielle Lineker, Team Green Britain’s Home champion, is taking a closer look at her day-to-day energy use to reduce her family’s everyday household carbon footprint. Danielle says “I’m really proud to be a part of Team Green Britain and I want to inspire others to take on the challenge and join up. As a Mum I know time is a luxury, so my eco-challenges are all about making quick changes that can make a difference to both the planet and your pocket. If I can do it, anyone can!”
Lauren Laverne, Team Green Britain’s Food advocate, has been challenged to take a low-carbon approach to sourcing and cooking food, while spreading the word about sustainable, low carbon living. Singer Jamelia is Team Green Britain’s Travel hero. She’ll be encouraging families to dust off their bikes and to incorporate this more eco-friendly means of transport into their everyday lives. Jamelia says “Green Britain Day is a great opportunity to show how Brits can rise to the challenge of climate change and have fun at the same time. Hopping on the bike rather than taking the car helps my health, my finances and the environment. It’s also a fantastic way to get the family out and about together.”
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 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 Team Green Britain celebrity ambassadors have now stepped up to the challenge, so follow their example and sign up to be a part of the Team at teamgreenbritain.org.”
Last year’s inaugural Green Britain Day drove the 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 could change for the better. People can find out more and sign up to be part of the team at www.teamgreenbritain.org, a growing movement of people across Britain doing what they can to reduce their carbon footprint by changing their lives in ways which are better for them and the environment. Members of Team Green Britain receive advice on how to reduce their individual carbon footprints by up to 20%, which could help them save up to £166* per year on their energy bills in the process.
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.
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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 £4.25 million to 245 renewable energy projects since the Green Fund was launched in 2001, including £1.7 million to 103 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.