Green Parliamment

How green in your Parliament?

Download the report here in two parts: part one (Word document, 649k) and part two (Word document, 561k).

Key findings of the report into practices on the parliamentary estate show:

Water consumption has risen by 58% since 1997.
Electricity consumption has risen by 45% since 1997.
Gas consumption has risen by 34% since 1997.
It would take enough trees to fill Green Park twice every year in order to offset the 10,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide produced to power the House of Commons.
Environmental damage of food purchasing: bottled water purchasing has risen 85% since 2001; 1 in 3 beers and ciders purchased are produced overseas; 1 in 3 fish species purchased are from threatened fish stocks.
Polluting Transport: MPs continue to drive whilst people are urged to take public transport; the parliamentary estate lacks a Green Transport Plan whilst businesses are urged to develop them.

Commenting on this, Norman Baker says:

"This report highlights the disturbing lack of action by the national parliament itself to clean up its act and lessen the environmental impact of its own activities. On a whole range of issues, from cutting energy use and water consumption to recycling waste and reducing food miles, our parliament is going the wrong way.

"It is all very well for us as MPs to call on the general public to act and take measures to protect the environment, but how can we expect them to listen if we do not do this ourselves? The time has come to back up the many words spoken with real and concerted action so that we can set an example for the rest of the country to follow.

"I hope that this report will help the parliamentary authorities to identify the areas that need rapid improvement in order to lessen the environmental impact of our activities here in parliament. Perhaps then the next time someone asks "How Green Is Your Parliament?" we do not have to respond 'Not Very.' "

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