Carbon audits

Carbon audits sound like A Good Idea until you look a bit deeper and realise that it is nothing but hot air. The theory of checking every single home to determine their carbon footprint and improve efficiency can only help in the battle against global warming, but not by much.

There are already a number of these schemes on the go, for instance Tigh Blath in the Western Isles, but they need substantial inputs of cash to fund the improvements. The biggest single help to keep houses warm in the Western Isles is to have a porch to shelter the house. Unfortunately, when houses are being funded by Communities Scotland (and that means every single new public sector house) they is no financial provision for a porch, defeating all other energy efficiency measures.

The simplest solution would be to tax ordinary tungsten bulbs very highly, and use that money to subsidise energy efficient bulbs. The only way to persuade many people is financial, and the simple tools are the easiest.

Before Tony Blair gets too far onto his high horse, perhaps he should reconsider flying to the Carribean giving the heavily polluting nature of air travel. Oh, and get Prescott to give up his Jaguars.