What is Climate change?
Climate change is the greatest environmental challenge facing the world today. Rising global temperatures will bring changes in weather patterns, rising sea levels and increased frequency and intensity of extreme weather events. The effects will be felt both here in the UK and internationally. The UK is acting now to adapt to climate change and to reduce the risk by reducing our contribution to the causes.

What is the greenhouse effect?
Some of the energy from the sun is trapped inside our atmosphere as it reflects back from Earth towards space. This natural process is called the greenhouse effect. The atmosphere acts like the glass walls of a greenhouse, allowing the sun’s rays to enter but keeping the heat in. 
   The gases that make this happen (greenhouse gases) are mainly water vapour and carbon dioxide. As humans emit more CO₂ and other greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, the greenhouse effect becomes stronger. This causes the earth's climate to change unnaturally.
   At present, just over 7 billion tonnes of CO₂ is emitted globally each year through fossil fuel use, with an additional 1.6billion tonnes emitted by land use change, largely by deforestation. The concentrations of these gases in the atmosphere have now reached levels unprecedented for tens of thousands of years.

What does this mean for us?
Mean global temperatures are likely to rise between 1.1 and 6.4°C (with a best estimate of 1.8 to 4°C) above 1990 levels by the end of this century depending on our emissions. This will result in a further rise in global sea levels of between 20 and 60cms by the end of this century, continued melting of ice caps, glaciers and sea ice, rainfall pattern changes and intensification of tropical cyclones.

How do we know climate change is linked to CO₂ in the atmosphere?
Over the last 650,000 years, the natural range for CO₂ concentrations in the atmosphere has been between 180 to 300 parts per million (ppm). This data has been found through ice core surveys, where air trapped as the ice froze hundreds of thousands of years ago has been carefully analysed. The amount of CO₂ in the atmosphere up until 1950 had never exceeded 300ppm. The atmospheric concentrations of CO₂ in 2005 was 370ppm, this far exceeds the natural range over the last 650,000 years (180 to 300 ppm) as determined from ice core surveys. Over the last 10 years, we have seen the fastest annual growth rate in the carbon dioxide concentration since the start of direct atmospheric measurements in 1960.

So what is a carbon footprint?
A carbon footprint is a measure of the impact our activities have on the environment in terms of the amount of green house gases produced, measured in units of carbon dioxide (CO₂).
   A carbon footprint is made up of the sum of two parts, the direct (primary) footprint and the indirect (secondary) footprint.
   The primary footprint is a measure of our direct emissions of CO₂ from the burning of fossil fuels, including domestic energy consumption and transportation (e.g. car and plane).
   The secondary footprint is a measure of the indirect CO₂ emissions from the whole lifecycle of products we use - those associated with their manufacture and eventual breakdown. The secondary footprint includes the energy used to manufacture items that a company such as Dial-a-Cab may use, but does not have direct control of, eg although a company is likely to use PCs, it would be very difficult to determine the carbon used in the manufacture and delivery process as the end user has no visibility of control of these items.

Dial-a-Cab and Carbon Reduction
In addition to offsetting carbon emissions, Dial-a-Cab is also reviewing the energy usage at Dial-a-Cab House to identify and then implement reduction measures. DaC recognises that the solution to climate change must first be through reducing carbon emissions.

How can we all help?
Lights turned off unless needed, replace filament style light bulbs with energy saving lights (you can save

up to £10 a year in electricity costs, by replacing just one bulb). Use heating only when needed and try turning it down by 1 or 2 degrees. Ensure your boiler is regularly maintained (can boost energy efficiency by over 20%). Ensure your hot water tank is well insulated and that you have 180mm thick loft insulation - you could stop about 25% of your heating escaping through the roof. Insulate your walls - 35% of heat generated in the house is lost through the walls. Repair any dripping taps.

What can Dial-a-Cab drivers do to reduce emissions?
Keep your taxi (and car) properly serviced. Check tyre pressure at least once a fortnight. Avoid carrying unnecessary weight in the boot. Try to avoid sudden acceleration, engine revving, and sudden breaking – harsh accelerating and breaking can use up to 30% more fuel and increase wear and tear of the vehicle. Avoid using aircon if possible as this uses more fuel. Drive with the windows closed - this reduces drag on the vehicle. Accelerate slower. Switch the engine off if you think you are likely to be stationary for more than 2 minutes. When starting up, there is no need to allow the engine to warm up; it is better to just drive off steadily. Keep a good distance from the car in front to avoid unnecessary breaking. If buying a new car, look for the most carbon efficient (i.e. with low kg CO₂/km) or with a high mpg.

What is Carbon Offsetting?
Each of our everyday actions consume energy and produce carbon dioxide emissions, e.g. taking holiday flights, driving our cars, heating or cooling our homes. Carbon Offsetting is a way of compensating for the emissions produced with an equivalent carbon dioxide saving. This is done by buying ‘carbon offset’ credits from emission reduction projects. Such projects will prevent or have already prevented or removed an equivalent amount of carbon dioxide elsewhere in the world.
   As CO₂ emissions are distributed across the world, it doesn’t matter whether you make the reduction in Manchester or Mumbai – the positive effect on the environment will be the same.

What has Dial-a-Cab chosen as their Offset Programme?
Dial-a-Cab has decided to offset their emissions into 3 different programmes provided by Carbon Footprint Ltd. 70% goes into the clean energy Fund, 20% into the Kenyan Reforestation and 10% into UK Trees.
The Clean Energy Fund
This programme provides carbon offsetting via Carbon Footprint’s handpicked portfolio of international projects that are all validated to the Voluntary Carbon Standard (VCS). Carbon Footprint sources only high quality international projects and consequently the exact content of the programme will vary from time to time as new projects come on stream.
   A typical example of a project that has been included in the Clean Energy Fund portfolio is a Wind Farm in India, which reduces CO₂ by supplying energy to the electricity grid from renewable sources and in doing so, reduces the amount of electricity being supplied from polluting coal-fired power stations.
Kenyan Reforestation
This project is a partnership with Kenya’s Escarpment Environment Conservation Network (ESCONET), geared towards sustainable rehabilitation and management of the natural forest ecosystem. In choosing this project, DaC’s business will be helping to raise funds to plant thousands of trees, provide education on sustainable land management skills and work to local communities. In this way, the Kenya tree voluntary emission reduction (VER) provides environmental benefits to reduce CO₂ emissions and also valuable and highly visible socio-economic benefits.
   ESCONET is a Red Cross backed organisation, started in October 2004, which aims to be a leading Community-Based Organisation, mitigating against environmental degradation through rehabilitation and conservation of the natural ecosystems in the Great Rift Valley area, Kenya.
   Over the past few years, the escarpment has been virtually
 

How else can we help?
We can all take small steps to reduce carbon emissions. Firstly, calculate your own carbon footprint so that you know your personal impact on the environment. This can be done at www.carbonfootprint.com.
   The items in this list will cost you nothing, but help save money and reduce global warming.
   Sign up to a green energy supplier who will supply electricity from renewable sources - eg wind and hydroelectric power. This will reduce your carbon footprint contribution from electricity to zero. Turn it off when not in use (lights, television, DVD player, computer etc).
   Turn down central heating slightly - try just 1 to 2 degrees C.
   Turn down the water heating setting (just 2 degrees will make a significant saving). Check the central heating timer setting – there’s no point heating the house after you have left for work.
Put a full load in your dishwasher and washing machine - this will save water, electricity and washing powder.
Fill the kettle with only as much water as you need.
Unplug your mobile phone as soon as it has finished charging.
Defrost your fridge/freezer regularly. Do your weekly shopping in a single trip.
Hang out the washing to dry rather than tumble drying it.

Who is Carbon Footprint Ltd?
Carbon Footprint Ltd is an independent company and leading brand in the environmental sector providing a full carbon management solution. They serve national and international businesses to appraise their carbon emissions, help them to reduce these emissions and provide a full portfolio of accredited projects to offset their impact on the environment. Carbon Footprint Ltd has a strong relationship with the national and international media including television, radio, newspapers and magazines.
   The www.carbonfootprint.com website receives well over one million hits per month and is home to the leading on-line carbon footprint calculator.
   Some laugh at the suggestion of planting a tree in another continent as helping to offset a carbon footprint in London, but as CO₂ emissions are distributed across the world, it doesn’t matter where the reduction is made, the positive effect on the environment will be the same.
   Call Sign would like to thank Carbon Footprint Ltd for the above information…