The carbon cops are coming...
2008-06-25 09:21
London - First there were the thought
police, then the surveillance society but now Britons fear that
the carbon cops are coming to ensure compliance with climate
change legislation, a survey showed on Wednesday.
And with warnings of global catastrophe ringing in their
ears some people fear that failure to cut personal carbon
emissions will eventually result in enforced carbon behaviour
re-education, the Energy Saving Trust said.
It said 41% of Britons think the country will need
its own Carbon Police Force by mid-century and one quarter
believe repeat offenders will have to go into carbon rehab and
take carbon addiction classes.
"The UK's perception is that by 2050 we could have the sort
of draconian infringements on our civil liberties that have been
highlighted in our research. This need not be the case," said
EST chief Philip Sellwood said.
"The carbon emissions we all produce from our homes and
travel amount to over 40% of the UK's total emissions so
we all have a part to play."
The survey coincides with the EST's "Emission Impossible, a
vision for a low carbon lifestyle by 2050."
EST, set up to help people to kick their carbon habit, wants
more home power generation, smart meters in homes to help cut
power consumption, less water wastage, more reuse and recycling
and more emphasis on efficient appliances.
"Our report outlines the Energy Saving Trust's vision for
achieving a low-carbon lifestyle by 2050 where we meet our 80%
reduction targets without adopting austere lifestyles
or making unpleasant personal sacrifices," Sellwood said.