The 10:10 Challenge – Be warm & cosy, and save too!

by Joc Sanders, Nenagh Carbon Watchers

‘By gum’, said my friend, ‘I’m glad the cold snap is over. The house was so cold the wife threatened to go back to her Mam, so I turned up the thermostat. The central heating gulped the oil and I had to order an extra fill. But at least the water tank in the attic didn’t freeze.’

We all want to be warm and cosy at home. But we also know we need to cut down carbon emissions to halt global warming. Increasing numbers of us are taking the 10:10 pledge, to cut 10% of emissions in 2010, as a first step. To succeed we need to reduce the amount of fossil fuel we use to heat our houses and water, because for the average family this accounts for around a third of carbon emissions.

So must we freeze and shiver? Not at all! By making a few simple changes at modest cost most of us can easily reduce our heating emissions by 10%, while staying warm and cosy - and cutting our bills too! Sounds like win-win all round, doesn’t it?

• Try turning your thermostat down a notch and put on another pullover if you feel cold – many homes are warmer than the 18-20 oC recommended for comfort and health. 1oC less will likely save 10% on annual space heating!


• Shut doors and turn off radiators in rooms you don’t use. Set your boiler timer to turn on only when you need it.


• Have your boiler serviced annually. This could improve its efficiency by up to10%, more than paying for itself and saving emissions.


• Lag exposed heating pipes and the hot water cylinder, if not already done.


• Attack draughts! Check doors, windows and letter boxes and fix suitable seals. Seal unused chimneys or consider getting a baffle fitted. This may be a DIY job, but for a draughty, exposed house employing a contractor can pay for itself in months rather than years, while improving comfort and cutting emissions.


• Monitor annual heating bills to confirm the savings you make.

But why stop at 10%? If your house was built before 2008 you can get no better return on your money than by upgrading your insulation and heating to current standards. As you save emissions, you will be warmer and cosier, reduced bills will pay for the work within a few years - and a tradesman neighbour will have work during hard times. What’s more, you can get grants to do it!

SEI gives grants throughout the State under the Home Energy Saving (HES) scheme to improve roof and wall insulation, to install high efficiency boilers and to upgrade heating controls, potentially reducing both emissions and bills by up to 40%, depending upon the starting energy rating of your home. To find out more phone lo-call 1850 927 000, email hes@sei.ie, or visit the Power of One website www.sei.ie/Power_of_One, which also gives a wealth of tips on how to reduce emissions and bills.

If you live in Nenagh and some surrounding areas, you can get EU grants on top of the HES scheme. The SERVE project, managed by the County Council and Tipperary Energy Agency, gives grants for renewable energy systems like wood-burning stoves and solar panels with improved insulation, boilers and heating controls. Over 100 homeowners so far have combined HES and SERVE, typically receiving grants for 60% of the investment to save 40% of their emissions and bills To find out more contact the County Council on 067 44671 or visit the SERVE website http://www.servecommunity.ie/.

It’s a good idea to get a Building Energy Rating (BER) assessment before getting major work done. As well as giving you a rating, the assessor will advise you on what improvements are worth while, likely costs, and what grants you can get. This is required for SERVE and is grant aided by both HES and SERVE.

For more information and to take the 10:10 pledge see www.1010.ie or contact Nenagh Carbon Watchers (nenaghcarbonwatchers@gmail.com, or phone Joc on 087 699 6775).

The 10:10 Challenge – Cut 10% in 2010

‘Global warming, my eye! I’ve just been for a walk on the frozen Shannon’, said my friend. But while we freeze here, temperatures in the Arctic are up to 7 degC higher than normal this winter, say scientists. Local weather is naturally variable, but climate is about long timescales and the planet as a whole. Don’t be misled; global warming is continuing and real.

World leaders failed to agree in Copenhagen last December what to do about it. Let’s hope and pray they do agree effective and just action soon, before it is too late. But their failure to agree now shows it’s time for ordinary people to step in to defend our children’s futures. We now know for certain that unless we act quickly to reduce our emissions of greenhouse gases, they will face terrible problems in years to come.

The first step is to take personal responsibility – if we don’t, no one else will. Just suppose each one of us made a pledge to cut 10% of our greenhouse gas emissions in 2010? What if we got everyone we know to do the same? And what if all this made governments sit up and take notice? That could be the first step towards a brighter future for us all.

Cutting 10% in one year is a bold target, but for most of us it’s achievable – and saves us money too! Here are some ideas for what you and your family can do. Future monthly articles will look at each in more detail.

1 Save 10% on heating – and bills
Turn down your thermostat, turn off radiators in hallways, more jumpers and warm underwear all round. Fix those draughts. Then apply for a grant to insulate your loft and walls. You’ll be warm & cosy!

2 Drive less – be healthier
Think before you make that short drive. Walk, cycle or take public transport when you can. Leave your car at home one day a week. Join a car-club rather than owning your own, or share a ride to work with a colleague or two. You’ll feel healthier too!

3 Save 10% on electricity
Save big cash by changing light bulbs, replacing old fridges and freezers and always turning stuff off. Be intelligent – be bright!

4 Fly less, holiday more
Swap plane for boat and train, holiday nearer to home and take fewer but longer trips – same tanning time, dramatically less carbon emissions!

5 Eat better
In-season fruit & veg produce the least emissions – and the less processed the better. Buy locally produced food when you can, to support your neighbour and save food miles. Grow your own – nothing tastes like it!

6 Buy good stuff
Less stuff made = less emissions = less climate change. So buy high-quality things that last, repair if possible rather than chucking, buy and sell second hand. And borrow your neighbour’s mower!

7 Dump less
Avoid excess packaging and buying pointless stuff that goes straight in the bin, recycle everything possible. Compost your scraps – the garden will love you!

8 Don’t waste food…
The average Irish family throws away loads of food every month. So don’t buy or cook more than you need. And eat up those tasty leftovers with a smile on your face!

9 …or water
Your tap water uses lots of energy – and heating it uses loads more – so take showers rather than baths, and only run full dishwashers & washing machines. Harvest rainwater in a butt to water garden plants – they prefer it!

10 Pass on the word
Tell family and friends you plan to save 10% in 2010 – persuade them to join you. Suggest your employer might too. Sign up for the 10:10 pledge – governments will act if they see voters mean business!

For more information and to take the 10:10 pledge see www.1010.ie or contact Nenagh Carbon Watchers (nenaghcarbonwatchers@gmail.com, or phone Joc on 087 699 6775).

The 10:10 Pledge – Cut 10% in 2010

It's easy to feel overwhelmed by climate change -
But we shouldn’t be! What if we each resolved to cut 10% of our greenhouse gas emissions in 2010? That’s a good start. What if we got everyone we know to do the same? And what if all this made governments sit up and take notice? Maybe this could be the first step towards a brighter future. Time to stop imagining. We can make it happen.

10% in 2010 can be done
Cutting 10% in one year is a bold target, but for most of us it’s an achievable one. We now know for certain that unless we act quickly to reduce our use of fossil fuels, humanity will face terrible problems in the years to come. Politicians have so far failed to do what needs to be done, so it’s time for ordinary people to step in and show that we’re ready to defend our children’s futures. It’s now or never for the climate.

We can make a difference
By working individually to a 10% target, in our homes, in our workplaces, our schools and our hospitals, our farms and clubs and universities, we’ll be backing each other up as we take the first steps on the road to becoming a zero-carbon society. It’s easy to feel powerless in the face of a huge problem like climate change, but by uniting everyone behind immediate, effective and achievable action, we can make a meaningful difference.

To find out more and take the pledge visit www.1010.ie

A 10:10 Family Checklist

1 Fly less, holiday more
Swap plane for boat and train, holiday nearer to home and take fewer but longer trips – same tanning time, dramatically less carbon emissions.


2 Save 10% on heating
Turn down your thermostat, turn off radiators in hallways and more jumpers all round. Then apply for a grant to insulate your loft and walls. Use your bill to see whether you cut 10% in 2010.

3 Save 10% on electricity
Save big cash by changing light bulbs, replacing old fridges and freezers and always turning stuff off. Use your bill to compare 2009 usage to 2010.


4 Drive less
Leave your car at home one day a week. Walk, cycle or take public transport when you can. Join a car-club rather than owning your own and share a ride to work with a colleague or two. You’ll feel healthier too.

5 Eat better
In-season fruit & veg produce the least emissions – and the less processed the better. Buy locally produced food when you can, and support your neighbour. Grow your own.

6 Buy good stuff
Less stuff made = less emissions = less climate change. So buy high-quality things that last, repair broken stuff rather than chucking, buy and sell second hand and borrow your neighbour’s mower.

7 Dump less
Avoid excess packaging and buying pointless stuff that goes straight in the bin, recycle everything possible. Compost your scraps – the garden will love you.

8 Don’t waste food…
The average Irish family throws away €50 worth of food every month. So don’t buy or cook more than you need and eat up those tasty leftovers. With a smile on your face.

9 …or water
Your tap water uses lots of energy – and then heating it in your home uses loads more – so take showers rather than baths, be careful when watering plants and only run full dishwashers & washing machines.

10 Feel happier
It’s December 2010… you’re healthier for walking and cycling, you’ve made new friends from swapping stuff & car-pooling, you’ve saved a big chunk of cash… and you know you are part of the global effort to prevent catastrophic climate change.