Merton Council's Climate Action Group, launching on 27 January, provides a framework to develop community-led projects that will reduce Merton's carbon emissions and bring people together from all parts of the borough.
As the recently appointed Community Lead for Buildings and Energy, we asked Ramya Venkataraman to share her thoughts on why the energy climate action agenda is so important and the change she wants to see...
"Climate change needs no introduction. All of us, individuals and businesses are vulnerable to the impact of climate change as it is rapidly and visibly affecting the environment and natural resources we all depend on. It is therefore vital that each and every one of us thinks about the role we can play to mitigate the effects of the climate emergency.
81% of Merton’s 708,000 tonnes of CO2 equivalent emissions every year come from its buildings – the energy used to heat and power them. We can all do the little things straight away to start lowering our carbon footprints like not overfilling kettles, switching off-unwanted appliances and lights, turning the heating down by 1°C and washing clothes at 30 °C. You can receive free advice on how to lower your energy bill whilst switching to a green energy supplier from local non-profit organizations like Crew Energy. Over the course of the year, we will also provide guidance on how to implement some of the bigger measures like installing solar PV systems and heat pumps- all of which play a huge part in reaching Merton’s net-zero carbon target by 2050 (or earlier)!"
Ramya Venkataraman
Business and Energy Community Lead, Merton's Climate Action Group