The Scots are famous for their frugality. However, that may not be true anymore. Otherwise it is difficult to understand why the Scottish taxpayers have been paying £ 50.000 to the 1100 strong Edinburgh Hindu community to find out the carbon footprint of each member of the community.
The Edinburgh University based Carbon Masters consultancy carried out the study, the main findings of which are these:
The report revealed that the highest contributor to emissions was energy consumption, which accounted for 40% of each individual’s carbon footprint, transport and flights and food were both responsible for 24%, followed by consumables (8%), and leisure activities (4%).
Several cultural factors were evident in the Hindu community’s carbon footprint. A major contributor to high-energy use was the large number of bright, white lightbulbs popular in Hindu homes. The bulbs are not commonly available in the UK and most are bought in India where they are cheaper.
Food buying habits peculiar to the community also contributed. Most people buy fresh indigenous produce from local Asian stores rather than homegrown produce from supermarkets. A high number of international flights, most to India, but also to Africa, the Middle East and America had the effect of raising the community’s carbon footprint significantly.
The Edinburgh University based Carbon Masters consultancy carried out the study, the main findings of which are these:
The report revealed that the highest contributor to emissions was energy consumption, which accounted for 40% of each individual’s carbon footprint, transport and flights and food were both responsible for 24%, followed by consumables (8%), and leisure activities (4%).
Several cultural factors were evident in the Hindu community’s carbon footprint. A major contributor to high-energy use was the large number of bright, white lightbulbs popular in Hindu homes. The bulbs are not commonly available in the UK and most are bought in India where they are cheaper.
Food buying habits peculiar to the community also contributed. Most people buy fresh indigenous produce from local Asian stores rather than homegrown produce from supermarkets. A high number of international flights, most to India, but also to Africa, the Middle East and America had the effect of raising the community’s carbon footprint significantly.
These findings must have taken everyone with surprise. Who could have guessed that the Hindus in Edinburgh buy cheap light bulbs, shop Indian produce in Asian stores and visit their relatives and friends in India and elsewhere?
The next step "will be to focus on challenging people to change their lifestyle". So, no more cheap Indian light bulbs, no fresh Indian produce and no flights to India for the soon to be re-educated Hindu community in Edinburgh.
Kevin Houston, the chief of Carbon Masters, is excited:
“The carbon footprint report provides a baseline indication of the Edinburgh Hindu community’s emissions which demonstrates, clearly, the main areas that need attention.
“This is a great example of a community taking responsibility for helping to reduce climate change and a precedent for others throughout Scotland and the UK to follow.”
Read the entire article here
No wonder that Mr. Houston is smiling - after all, his consultancy must have pocketed the major share of the £50,000 so generously provided by the Scottish taxpayers. And now he is looking forward to many more similar payments. All in the name of fighting the non-existent problem of human-induced global warming.
PS
Here is one more reason why Mr. Houston and the climate alarmists at his university are smiling:
A University building, close to the Scottish Parliament, is to be refurbished to house the ECCC (Edinburgh Center on Climate Change)
"The £10 million refit, scheduled to open in 2012, will deliver a forum for collaboration and the development of professional skills on all matters related to climate change.
Award-winning Malcolm Fraser Architects has been appointed to design the facility".
As can be seen, no ordinary building is good enough for the University of Edinburgh climate change alarmists. Of course, saving Scotland and the world from (bogus) catastrophic human-induced climate change requires a world class working environment, courtesy of the Scottish taxpayers. (If you look close enough at the video, you will notice that the University of Edinburgh warmists even are going to be able to watch fellow warmist BBC on a huge flat screen in the cafeteria!)
And all this at a time when the reality for ordinary Scots looks somewhat different:
A University building, close to the Scottish Parliament, is to be refurbished to house the ECCC (Edinburgh Center on Climate Change)
"The £10 million refit, scheduled to open in 2012, will deliver a forum for collaboration and the development of professional skills on all matters related to climate change.
Award-winning Malcolm Fraser Architects has been appointed to design the facility".
As can be seen, no ordinary building is good enough for the University of Edinburgh climate change alarmists. Of course, saving Scotland and the world from (bogus) catastrophic human-induced climate change requires a world class working environment, courtesy of the Scottish taxpayers. (If you look close enough at the video, you will notice that the University of Edinburgh warmists even are going to be able to watch fellow warmist BBC on a huge flat screen in the cafeteria!)
And all this at a time when the reality for ordinary Scots looks somewhat different:
POVERTY campaigners have made an urgent call for more government support for poor families after a “shocking” new study showed their day-to-day living costs have risen 50% faster than richer households since the recession struck.
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