Read the full story in Forbes.
Much attention has been paid to how the energy we use is generated, and rightly so. The energy industry is one of the world’s largest producers of carbon emissions. However, by focusing our attention so heavily on transitioning towards renewable energy production (something I wholeheartedly support), we risk ignoring the million-tonne elephant in the room.
In 2017 the UK produced 366.9 million tonnes of CO2 greenhouse gases. Only 29 per cent can be directly attributed to traditional utilities and power stations. By far the biggest culprits were ordinary businesses and consumers like you and I.
If we’re serious about tackling climate change, simply switching to renewable generation won’t be enough. We also need to reduce our energy consumption, something that can only be achieved by eliminating energy waste. It’s time for us to take a long, hard look in the mirror and re-evaluate our relationship with energy.
