Staff at the British embassy in Guatemala celebrate their 33% carbon saving

Last year we joined other British embassies around the world in signing up for the 10:10 project, an ambitious commitment to reduce our carbon emissions by at least 10% in one year.

It was a big challenge because we had already made substantial energy savings and carbon reductions in 2009. But after getting the results this week from the carbon tool, we are happy to announce that we have surpassed all expectations by reducing our 2010 carbon footprint in by 33%! Here's how we did it...

A breakdown of our savings

The 33% figure takes into account the following:  a 18% reduction in electricity usage, achieved by fitting motion sensors on lights in most areas and keeping appliances and air conditioning on only when necessary. A 44% reduction in emissions from air travel, achieved by maximising the use of telephone and videoconferencing for training and meetings, and when it was really necessary to fly, we did so only in economy class. A 10% reduction in emissions from vehicles came from more efficient use of our official transport, and reducing the size of our fleet and replacing one vehicle with a hybrid model. We also started buying organic cleaning products, recycled paper, and using paper and water efficiently.

Behaviour change

To support our efforts, we have held many activities at the embassy to raise awareness and encourage green actions from the staff, their families and friends, and our contacts. Many of the biggest savings resulted from behavioural change. These actions were often implemented at either no or low-cost, and led to significant savings to our utility bills and travel budgets. 

We know that we can still improve things, but today we're happy with our achievement

We know that we can still improve things, to become more environmental friendly and to encourage others to follow suit. But today, we’re happy with our achievement, which is part of our continuing and long-term commitment to the environment. 

Any individual, family and organisation can take actions to reduce their emissions, and together we can make a big difference!