Westbury-sub-Mendip

green links

GREEN LINKS

 AONB DARK SKIES GRANTS

Reduce the external lighting on buildings and receive a contribution towards the cost. Payments are available up to a maximum of 50% to replace existing light bulbs with reduced wattage light bulbs and or replace external lighting fixtures with lighting that reduces light spillage.

Funding is available from the Mendip Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) Sustainable Development Fund (SDF) until January 18th 2007. The lighting can be on a community, business or private building, including houses. Please use the link to go to the SDF page on our web site where you will find an information sheet and application form.

http://www.mendiphills.org.uk/cm_admin/sdf.php

 Renewable energy

 Green Electricity Information

Which tariffs are the best? How do they work? Do they lead to more electricity being generated from renewable sources? And how much do they cost?

This website gives you details of all of the 'green' tariffs on offer to UK domestic customers. which tariffs are the best? How do they work? Do they lead to more electricity being generated from renewable sources? And how much do they cost? This website gives you details of all of the 'green' tariffs on offer to UK domestic customers.
http://www.greenelectricity.org/index.html

 uSwitch – comparison and switching website

Switching to a green energy tariff is an easy way to make a difference to the planet. Find out how you can make the change and still save money with uSwitch.com
http://www.uswitch.com/Energy/Green-Energy.html?ref=gotoast%7egoog%7egreen+electricity

Renewable Energy Suppliers 

Good Energy

Good Energy is a green electricity company that was formed in 1999. All the electricity it supplies comes from wind and small scale hydro and solar power generators all over Britain. As an electricity supply company, Good Energy does not build renewable generation sites, but instead concentrates on building the demand for renewable electricity by increasing its customer numbers and creating a demand for generators and installers to develop new generation sites. The company currently supplies over 15,000 customers.
http://www.good-energy.co.uk/

Ecotricity

Ecotricity is a green electricity company, which has been building wind turbines and selling electricity across the country since 1996. It uses its income from customers to invest in clean forms of power such as wind energy. It is also the only green electricity company building these new renewable energy sources. In 2006 it is investing £7 million in wind energy. It supplies people like the Body Shop and Co-operative Bank and is recommended by the Soil Association and WWF.
http://www.ecotricity.co.uk/

Other suppliers

The companies below offer green tariffs alongside their standard ones. Some are 100% renewable electricity, others just make a contribution to renewable generation projects.

nPower http://www.npower.com 

Powergen http://www.Powergen.co.uk

Scottish Power http://www.ScottishPower.co.uk

Southern Electric http://www.house.co.uk

 Carbon Offsets 

CO2 Balance

co2balance.com can help you minimise your carbon emissions and offset the unavoidable residue. Offsetting works by investing funds in energy efficiency or forestry projects that absorb or prevent the release of a tonnage of CO2 equivalent to your Carbon Footprint.
http://www.co2balance.com/home.php

The Carbon Neutral Company

We help organisations to measure and reduce the CO2 from some or all of their operation, and then 'offset' unavoidable emissions.  When emissions are reduced to net zero, the organisation, product or service can carry the CarbonNeutral quality mark.  We also provide ways for individuals to offset their personal carbon emissions.
http://www.carbonneutral.com/shop/index.asp

CarbonFund

Carbonfund.org reduces the threat of climate change by making it easy and affordable for any individual or business to reduce their carbon footprint and support climate-friendly projects. Please take action today!
http://www.carbonfund.org/site/ 

Carbon Calculators

 A range of calculators which enable individuals and businesses to measure their carbon emissions resulting from various activities. 

http://www.carbonneutral.com/pages/businesscalc.asp
http://www.bestfootforward.com/carbonlife.htm
http://www.carboncalculator.co.uk/

Organisations

Centre for Sustainable Energy

CSE runs the Bristol & Somerset Energy Efficiency Advice Centre (EEAC). It is part of a national network of 52 centres across the UK which provide free, impartial and locally relevant energy efficiency advice to householders and small businesses. http://www.cse.org.uk/cgi-bin/whatwedo.cgi

 Go Zero, Chew Magna
Go Zero is a community project based in Chew Magna that raises awareness of the environmental and social impact of our everyday actions and provides suggestions for change towards a zero waste society.
http://www.gozero.org.uk/

SUSTAIN 

2020 Vision Energy
Community energy efficiency project in Wrington run by Sustain Ltd.
http://www.sustain.co.uk/categories/About-Us/News/2020-Vision-in-Wrington/

Community Choices for Sustainable Living

CCSL aims to give people and communities in Somerset, Dorset and Devon the support they need to choose a more sustainable way of living.  CCSL is a 3 year project funded by the Department of the Environment, Farming and Rural Affairs’ Environmental Action Fund.
http://www.sustainablehousing.org.uk/CommunityChoicesforSustainableLiving.html