Whose responsibility is it?
The government has committed to ensuring that every new home built in Britain from 2016 will be zero carbon. In addition, a report by the UK Green Building Council has concluded that all non-domestic buildings could be zero carbon by 2020.
Buildings are currently much the biggest source of pollution, contributing around 27% of all the country’s carbon dioxide emissions. Only a few hundred homes, and very few other buildings, are currently zero carbon. Half the country’s homes have less than a third of the adequate amount of loft insulation at present, despite two-thirds of Britons claiming that they are willing to pay more for an energy-efficient home.
The government has also laid down intermediate measures to ensure an improvement in energy efficiency of 25% by 2010 and 44% by 2012. However, Britain has lagged behind other countries in its commitment to reduce carbon dioxide emissions in non-domestic buildings, which contribute 18% of the country’s total carbon dioxide emissions.
 11–14s: Tackling the country’s carbon emissions
14–16s: Climate change
Source: Independent: 24/2/08; UK Green Building Council website
Grants to help schools go green
By 2020, the amount of UK electricity generated by renewable technologies will have to rise to around 40%, from the current level of 5%, under ambitious plans put forward by the European Commission. The target, which is part of the wide-ranging EU climate and energy strategy, is double what the government had in mind until recently. The European Community as a whole is committed to sourcing 20% of its total energy demand from renewable sources by 2020.
Much of the expansion in Britain is likely to be met by wind energy, as wind technology is more advanced than other renewable technologies. Estimates suggest that the number of wind turbines on land in Britain is likely to increase from 2,000 to 5,000 and offshore turbines may have to increase from just under 150 to around 7,500.
However, figures published by the British Wind Energy Association have shown that a record number of wind farm projects were refused planning permission in Britain last year. Soaring costs, and objections from the Ministry of Defence that the turbines interfere with its radar, seem to be deterring developers from submitting new applications.
Students can learn more about wind power with the following activity:
11–14s: The power generator
Source: Observer 25/2/08; Independent 24/1/08
Energy Saving Day disappoints
The UK’s first Energy Saving Day failed to register a noticeable reduction in electricity usage around the country. The day was organised by E-Day, which asked people to switch off electrical devices that they did not need over a 24-hour period starting at 6pm on 27 February.
National Grid monitored consumption over the 24 hours and found that electricity usage was almost exactly what they would have expected without Energy Saving Day. It is thought that a lack of publicity may have contributed to low participation levels. In addition, colder weather than forecast resulting in higher heating usage may have masked any small savings.
Use the following activities to encourage your students to consider energy-saving techniques around the home.
11–14s: Carbon emissions and you
14–16s: Electricity in your home
Source: BBC website 28/2/08
The new toy in town
The toymaker Corgi International has produced a revolutionary fuel-cell-powered remote-control car. The onboard hydrogen fuel cell powers the H2Go car, which only requires plain tap water to refuel it. The energy is achieved by electrolysis that splits the water into oxygen and hydrogen, which are captured and used to power the car.
The car also has a solar power panel and its packaging is made from recycled materials, which reduces the toy’s carbon footprint.
The makers say that this new generation of toy should lead the way for other industries to use opportunities to use clean energy fuel technology.
Find out other ways that energy can be produced, by looking at this activity:
11–14s: The energy company
Help your students understand how energy can be transformed from different energy sources using the following activity:
14–16s: Energy transformations
Source: http://www.energy-daily.com/
How Green is the Valley?
The Welsh Environmental Minister, Jane Davidson, has released plans that could make Wales self-sufficient in renewable energy within 20 years.
She said that wind, marine and biomass energy would be ‘sensitively, but extensively exploited’ in a similar way that Welsh coal powered the industrial revolution in the 18th and 19th Century.
The launch of the ‘Route Map’ towards a low carbon energy economy contains ideas to use wave and tidal energy with minimal disturbance to the environment.
Your students can understand how a country can reduce emissions, with a focus on wind farms, by undertaking the following activity:
11–14s: The Carbon Tsar
Help your students understand how different countries around the world have different options for renewable energy let them complete the following activity:
14–16s: Renewable and non-renewable – Where can we use it?
source: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/7251549.stm | 
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