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The green energy magazine for you
Issue 03 | Autumn 2007 | www.scottishpower.co.uk/green
How green are you?
Find out with our fun quiz
Click to conserve
Go on-line for eco-friendly
information
Bio-buying
Shopping that doesn’t cost
the earth
MATTER OF TRUST
Going for
Gold
Young athletes helped to
harness their energy
UPDATE ON TRUST PROJECTS
PAST AND PRESENT
02 GREEN AUTUMN 2007
www.scottishpower.co.uk/green 03
EDITORIAL
CONTENTS
04
SECC’s appeal:
Top venue cuts emissions
06
Top ten triumph:
Green business awards
08
HOW GREEN ARE YOU?:
Try our testing eco-quiz
featured
Winds of change:
Taking over a turbine
16
GREEN LIGHT FOR SPORT:
Youngsters going for gold
featured
11
18
Shopping sense:
Tips for better buying
green is written and designed
for the Green Energy Trust by
The BIG Partnership, Scotland.
Opportunities to advertise in green are
available occasionally, subject to approval contact 0141 568 3492 or email
greenenergytrust@scottishpower.com
On all things green...
Martin Mathers , Head of
Community Relations for
ScottishPower Renewables.
W
Q. How long have you worked for
ScottishPower?
A. I have worked for ScottishPower for three and a
half years.
elcome to another edition of Green– and
you may notice that this one comes with
a royal seal of approval!
We are still celebrating the success of
ScottishPower at this year’s Business in the
Community (BITC) Awards which took place in July.
They were attended by HRH Prince Charles who
presented our top team with their awards.
These awards are very important to us as they
enable companies to show how behaving in a
responsible way really does create successful and
sustainable businesses. Independently assessed, the
Big Tick is only awarded to those companies that
have demonstrated leadership and the positive,
measurable impacts of their corporate responsibility
programmes (read more about it on pages 6 and 7)
ScottishPower Renewables received the UK’s
leading business accolade - a Queen’s Award for
Enterprise - on Her Majesty the
Queen’s 80th birthday.
The company was awarded
the honour in the Sustainable
Development
category for its
collaborative
and responsible
approach to
windfarm
development –
just seven out of the 145 Queen’s Awards bestowed
in 2006 were for Sustainable Development so we
are absolutely delighted.
One of the GET projects which has received
funding this year is the Lower Moor Farm new
nature reserve, which is run by the Wiltshire Wildlife
Trust. As Patron of the Trust, Prince Charles and his
wife, the Duchess of Cornwall, both attended the
opening alongside some of our staff.
Since our last edition was distributed
ScottishPower has now merged with the Spanish
company Iberdrola – which you can read more
about over the page.
It has certainly been another busy few months
and we have many more projects which you have
helped fund through the Green Energy Trust to
highlight in this edition.
As ever we are also bringing you the latest in new
innovative environmentally-friendly products and
other interesting and, in some cases, unusual ways
of going that little bit greener.
We would love to hear from you so please don’t
hesitate to get in touch with us by emailing me at
greenenergytrust@scottishpower.com or calling
0141 568 3492.
With very best wishes,
Angela Martin,
Secretary, ScottishPower’s Green Energy Trust.
The Trust at a glance
What’s the Green Energy Trust?
Established in 1998, the independent charitable
trust supports the development of new
renewable energy sources in the UK, helping to
reduce our reliance on fossil fuels and combat
climate change.
Who decides where the money goes?
The trustees are:
What does it do?
It can provide up to 50 per cent of the project
cost, up to a maximum of £25,000.
– Energy Action Scotland
Which technologies does it support?
It supports projects that advance renewable
energy and support communities through
education and public engagement. Renewable
technologies supported so far include smallscale hydro, wind power, biomass, landfill gas,
solar energy and ground source heat pumps.
How does it do this?
Every year the trust generates an income of
around £150,000 with between £50,000 and
£60,000 available at each trustees’ meeting.
Jim Skea
– UK Energy Research Centre
Christine Davis
Dr Robin Wallace
– Energy Systems Research Institute
Willie McGhee
– Borders Forest Trust
Alison McKean
– Head of Environment for ScottishPower
Martin Mathers
– Head of Community Relations for ScottishPower
Renewables
Q. What do you look for in awarding
Green Energy Trust grants?
A. Two things: Value for money and that little bit
of magic that makes a project stand out from all
the others.
Q. Do you have a message for Green
News readers?
A. It would have to be ‘thank you’. Without them
we would not be able to support any of these
projects.
Q. Is renewable energy the answer to
our future energy needs?
A. Renewable energy isn’t the only answer
because we all have to be more efficient in how
we use energy. But, without renewable, we
cannot successfully target climate change.
Q. Which Green Energy Trust project
stands out the most to you?
A. Definitely the New Cumnock open-air
swimming pool, where we funded energyefficient heat-store air pumps. This project was
a bit different and it became more special when
you could see how important the pool is to the
villagers.
Q. Do you live a ‘green’ life at home?
A. I try, but you really can never be green
enough.
Q. What’s the one ‘green’ thing that
everyone should do?
A. We can switch our TVs off standby and switch
off our lights when we aren’t using them. Mony
a mickel maks a muckle – in other words, lots of
little things add up to something big!
to tackling climate change and also helping to
deliver wider social objectives.
Q. If you could have one green wish
granted, what would it be?
A. I would like to stop polar bears from becoming
extinct. Nobody is sure exactly how many are left
in the world and
their decline is
all down to
the loss of
sea ice due
to climate
change.
Q. What does being a Green Energy
Trust trustee mean to you?
A. Firstly, I feel I am trying to deliver what all the
people who choose the Green tariff want us to
do, and representing them in the best possible
way. I also think I am trying to identify those
projects that can make a significant contribution
POWERFUL PARTNERSHIP
April 2007 saw the birth of a world energy
leader, following the merger of Iberdrola and
ScottishPower.
The new integrated group will consolidate
Iberdrola’s world leadership in renewable energy
– including large-scale hydroelectric power – with
installed capacity of 16,500 MW that in the coming
years the Company expects to exceed 20,000 MW.
The combination of Iberdrola and ScottishPower
will at the same time reinforce the group’s world
leadership in wind power, adding almost 2,000 MW
of ScottishPower capacity.
The geographical footprint of Iberdrola and
ScottishPower is now of significant proportions,
creating an Atlantic platform. It has operations in
Spain, the UK, the United States, Mexico, Brazil,
Greece, Portugal, France, Germany, Italy, Poland,
Guatemala, Bolivia and Chile. The group also has
a substantial project pipeline that will enable it to
continue growing in the future.
Iberdrola and ScottishPower have one of the
world’s largest energy generating capacities with a
combined enterprise value of some €70 billion and
almost 22 million customers worldwide.
Iberdrola Chairman and CEO Ignacio Galán
welcomed the integration and said: “A new ship has
set sail with a clear objective of growth and creating
value. We are taking part in an innovative and
exciting project, with enormous potential.
Leading the way:
ScottishPower CEO
José Luis del Valle,
right, and Iberdrola’s
Chairman and CEO
Ignacio Galan.
“We want to become the leading world player
in terms of our commitment to clean energy and
respect for the environment, our quality of service
and security of supply.
“We want to be a great company that will make us
all proud to be a part of.”
Ignacio Galán joined Iberdrola as Executive ViceChairman and Managing Director in May 2001.
Also on the ScottishPower board is José Luis
del Valle, who was brought in as the CEO of the
company.
Del Valle, who is also Director of Strategy and
Development of Iberdrola, said the integration
“represents an exciting challenge in the context
of the creation of one of the largest electricity
companies in the world.
“Without doubt, the integration of the two
companies is a magnificent opportunity for
all interest groups: employees, customers and
suppliers.”
José Luis del Valle joined Iberdrola in 2002 as
Director of Strategy and Development.
The paper used in this newsletter is made from 75% recycled post-consumer waste.
The remaining 25% being virgin fibre and saw mill residues. It is totally chlorine free.
04 GREEN AUTUMN 2007
www.scottishpower.co.uk/green 05
RENEWABLE ENERGY 100% GREEN
Green deal for council
E
ScottishPower’s Account Manager for West Dunbartonshire Council
Gerry McGlone (left) and Cllr William Hendrie, Convener of Housing,
Environment and Economic Development, at West Dunbartonshire
Council, join Kilbowie Primary School’s Eco Committee to celebrate the
award.
nvironmentally-friendly West
Dunbartonshire Council has been
given a prestigious green award
by ScottishPower.
The local authority boosted its eco
credentials by signing a 100 per cent
“green deal” with the energy company.
This means that every KW of power
used by the Council comes from
electricity supplied entirely from
renewable resources.
ScottishPower’s Account Manager
for West Dunbartonshire Council, Gerry
McGlone said: “We are delighted to
acknowledge West Dunbartonshire
Council’s commitment to the
environment and we wanted to mark
this achievement by awarding it with
the Green Certificate.
“We have been working very closely
with Steven Thomson, the Energy
Officer at the Council to try to find
the best deal for them and for the
environment.”
Cllr William Hendrie, Convener of
Housing, Environment and Economic
Development at West Dunbartonshire
Council, added: ”We are delighted
to have gained this award from
ScottishPower.
“Earlier this year, West Dunbartonshire
Council was one of the first local
authorities to sign Scotland’s Climate
Change Declaration.
“Since then we have introduced many
energy saving initiatives to our schools
and building stock to reduce our carbon
footprint.
“We have also created a sustainable
development strategy and set up a
Corporate Energy Efficiency Team to
look at ways to reduce emissions and
ensure we deliver greener and more
efficient services to the public.
“We remain committed to tackling
the impact of climate change and
believe by signing this ‘green deal’ with
ScottishPower, we are again leading by
example.”
ScottishPower Business Sales
Marketing Manager Jacqueline
Kay said: “The increasing impact of
global warming has emphasised the
importance for all of us of using energy
more effectively.
“We are delighted to be able to
announce this green deal with West
Dunbartonshire Council which
recognises the commitment the council
has made.
“ScottishPower’s Green Energy options
aim to raise awareness of climate
change, reduce the carbon impact of
electricity and promote education in
the community on renewable energy.
“The options also aim to position
ScottishPower as an environmentally
conscious energy supplier while helping
acquire and retain customers through
offering a diverse product range.”
SECC signs up to ScottishPower’s 100% Green Energy deal
From Westlife to Justin Timberlake, the
Scottish Exhibition and Conference
Centre (SECC) plays host to many highprofile events, attracting over 1.5million
visitors a year.
As part of its developing green policy,
the SECC has recently signed up to
ScottishPower’s 100% Green option,
where only renewable sources of
electricity generation are used, helping
to minimise CO2 emissions.
The SECC, which is the UKs largest
integrated exhibition and conference
centre, now encourages all contractors
that operate in the centre to adopt
more environmentally friendly policies.
Scotland’s national venue for public
events boasts five large main exhibition
halls which host numerous music
concerts, exhibitions and professional
conferences. The venue also has its own
railway station on the Argyle line of
Glasgow’s suburban railway network.
Nowadays, companies such as the
SECC are realising they all have a part to
play in protecting the environment and
combating climate change.
ScottishPower launched its first Green
Energy option in 1998 and since then
200 businesses – some with multiple
sites and branches – and thousands of
domestic customers across the UK have
signed up.
ScottishPower, business sales
marketing manager, Jacqueline Kay,
said: “The deal we have with the
SECC is one way in which we are
helping businesses do their bit for the
environment and become efficient
with energy. Being environmentally
responsible isn’t just common sense, it
makes good business sense too.”
As well as signing up to
ScottishPower’s 100% Green Energy
deal, the SECC is minimising energy
wastage, introducing recycling
wherever possible and using
environmentally friendly or fully
biodegradable
materials for cleaning
as well as many other
measures.
Mike
Closier, Group Chief Executive of the
SECC, said: “Our main objective is to
reduce the impact that the SECC and
the business we stage has on the
environment, through energy efficient
measures and using only electricity
from renewable sources.”
Green Energy powers
Co-0perative Group
ScottishPower launched its first Green Energy option in 1998 and,
since then, 200 businesses – some with multiple sites and branches
– and thousands of domestic customers across the UK have signed
up.
The company is at the forefront of helping businesses to deliver
major cost efficiencies through green energy contracts and to
demonstrate their support for the environment.
In one of the biggest deals of its kind, ScottishPower signed a
three-year contract with the Co-operative Group to supply Green
Energy to 4,500 of its sites throughout the UK.
These include corner shops, funeral parlours, pharmacies, travel
agencies and CIS Co-operative Insurance outlets.
ScottishPower Business Sales Marketing Manager Jacqueline
Kay said: “At ScottishPower we’re proud of our reputation as ‘The
Energy People’ and have made a long-term commitment to the
environment by pledging our support for the Government’s target
of achieving a 20% reduction in CO2 emissions by 2010.
“The deal with the Co-op is just one way in which we are helping
businesses to make major efficiencies.
“ScottishPower’s Green Energy options aim to raise awareness
of climate change, reduce the carbon impact of electricity and
promote education in the community on renewable energy. The
options also aim to position ScottishPower as an environmentally
conscious energy supplier while helping acquire and retain
customers through offering a diverse product range.”
Businesses invited to enter for
renewable technology award
The ScottishPower Energy Award will once again recognise the
achievements of a Scottish business that has implemented new
renewable technologies.
Sustainable development is a cornerstone of ScottishPower’s
business strategy and it is increasingly becoming part of the wider
business agenda.
The company is looking to reward companies who can
demonstrate that they have successfully deployed this technology
within the workplace.
All sizes of firms, from the smallest right through to the largest, are
invited to enter and apply for this award.
ScottishPower was very impressed with last year’s winner – Fife
Council – which demonstrated these technologies through the Fife
Landfill Gas and Dunfermline Community Energy schemes.
The Fife Landfill Gas Project involves effective management of the
methane gas being produced at its landfill sites at Lochhead near
Dunfermline, through generators producing electricity for export.
The Dunfermline Community Energy Scheme captures the waste
heat energy from the Lochhead landfill gas generators and uses it to
heat homes and public buildings in the town.
A team of experts from Business Sales, Renewables and
Environment at ScottishPower will judge the projects on a variety
of aspects, including degree of innovation, sustainability, CO2
reductions and financial impact on the company.
DID YOU KnOW?
surprising facts and figures to inspire more
eco-friendly energy use
Did you know you could save
over £100 every year by drying your
washing outside, or in a well-ventilated
room, rather than using your tumble
drier? The money saved could be used
to buy washing powder for over a year!
(A ‘C’ rated tumble dryer which dries a full
load that has spun at 1400rpm will use
approx 3kWh of electrical supply. At today’s
prices this equates to £119.21 assuming
the average usage is once per day over
a year. A box of washing powder costs
around £3.50 and does 20 washes.)
Did you know that a plasma
television uses four times more energy
than a large screen CRT (cathode ray
tube) television? The money saved
over a year could buy two trips to the
cinema for a family of four.
(Plasma – 390 W, CRT – 98 W. If you assume
five hours TV for 365 days a year the costs
are as follows:1.95 @ 10.887p/kWh = £0.21/
day = £77.49, 0.49 @ 10.887p/kWh ==
£0.05/day = £19.47)
Did you know that, in the UK,
television set-top boxes left on standby
waste £11 million of energy a year?
This is enough energy to run the
London Eye for 85 years.
(The London Eye does an average of 8000
revolutions per year, costing £130,644 in
electricity. One 30-minute rotation uses
150kw of energy.)
Did you know that if around 400
households changed just one 100W
light bulb to a 20W low energy bulb,
enough energy could be saved to
run the City of Edinburgh Christmas
decorations and festive lighting for one
season?
(A 100w TFL bulb on for an average of 5
hours per day for 365 days per year uses
182.5 kWh. A 20w CFL on for an average
of 5 hours per day for 365 days per year
uses 36.5. So the saving if one household
changes one ordinary light for a CFl is
146kWh (182.5 – 36.5 = 146). Total energy
usage for the City of Edinburgh Council
Christmas decorations festive lighting for
2005/2006 is 62,415 kWh. So if you divide
the total energy usage 62,415 by the
savings 146 you get 427.5, which is the
number of households who would need
to switch.)
New years resolutions costing
you a fortune? Did you know that
there is an easy way to feel good
about yourself and do your bit for the
environment at the same time? By
replacing your gas boiler with an A++
condensing boiler you could save up
to £250 a year, enough to pay for 6
months’ gym membership.
Did you know that if around
100,000 school children switched
off just one non-essential light for
five hours every day for a year, they
would save £23 million? This would be
enough money to buy Wayne Rooney
for your favourite football team!
(A 100W TFL bulb on for an average of
5 hours per day for 365 days a year uses
182.5kWh costing £198.70 (182.5kWh x
10.887p/kWh). Wayne Rooney’s transfer
fee: £23 million. Equivalent number of
households: 115,753.)
Did you know that on average,
Glastonbury Festival uses enough
power for 12,000 homes to run a 1 bar
electric fire for 1.5 days?
(Total estimated electricity consumption
for Glastonbury Festival = 420,000 kWh /
12,000 or 35 kWh per house for three days,
or 11.667 kWh per house per day.)
Did you know if someone uses
their games console for one hour less
per day, the saving on their annual fuel
bill would pay for a child to see their
favourite Premier League football team
play at least four times a year?
(Xbox 360 uses 160 watts which is 0.16kWh.
Cost per hour is 0.16 kWh x 10.887 pence
which is 17.4 pence per day. So the saving
for a year is 17.4 x 365 = £63.51. The cost of
a child’s ticket to Glasgow Rangers was £12
and Celtic £14 as at 28 February.)
06 GREEN AUTUMN 2007
www.scottishpower.co.uk/green 07
awards
Business in the community
AWARDS ceremony
Ten for ScottishPower
P
rince Charles was on hand to give the
royal seal of approval when ScottishPower
scooped a fantastic ten Business in the
Community Awards.
HRH presented the company with their
prestigious Large Company of the Year Award
which made up one of their ten “Big Tick” awards.
The awards enable companies to show how
behaving in a responsible way really does
create successful and sustainable businesses.
Independently assessed, the Big Tick is only
awarded to companies that have demonstrated
leadership and the positive, measurable impacts
of their corporate responsibility programmes.
ScottishPower, now part of the Spanish
Iberdrola group, was crowned Large Company
of the Year for its commitment to responsible
business practice.
During 2005/06 the energy giant reduced CO2
emissions per unit of electricity produced by
7.1% across the group and internal energy usage
by 11.4%.
The company is the largest developer of
onshore wind in the UK, adding 704MW of new
wind generation capacity over the same period.
Commenting on the awards sweep, José Luis
del Valle, ScottishPower Chief Executive, said:
“I am delighted that ScottishPower has been
recognised as Large Company of the Year by
Business in the Community.
“Responsible business practice is embedded
into the fabric of ScottishPower’s operations as
demonstrated by the ten Big Ticks awarded to a
broad range of our activities.
“This award reflects the commitment to our
communities by the team at ScottishPower.”
Iberdrola and ScottishPower have one of the
world’s largest energy generating capacities
with a combined enterprise value of
€70billion and almost 22million
customers worldwide.
The combination of Iberdrola
and ScottishPower has
reinforced its world
leadership in wind energy,
with a combined wind
power capacity of
6,238MW. Together
Iberdrola and
ScottishPower now has
an installed capacity of
some 39,000MW.
Royal flush: Willie
MacDiarmid,
ScottishPower’s
Managing Director of
Energy Retail, receives
one of the company’s
ten Business in the
Community Awards from
The Prince of Wales
Impact Awards – Big Tick Awards
ScottishPower – Sustainable Approach
to Windfarms (Reaccreditation)
1. BUPA Healthy Communities - For companies
that are helping to tackle deprivation and create
sustainable, dynamic and inclusive communities
– including positive impact on health, enterprise,
crime and regeneration.
6,7,8. Merrill Lynch Raising Achievement in Young
People – recognising companies that help to
inspire young people to achieve their potential
and raise levels of attainment.
ScottishPower – ScottishPower Learning
(Reaccreditation)
ScottishPower – School to Work
Programme
2. Cause Related Marketing – For companies that
have delivered significant impact on a key social
issue through a commercial partnership with a
cause or charity based on mutual benefit.
ScottishPower – ScottishPower Learning
(Reaccreditation)
ScottishPower - Tackling Climate Change
Through Green Marketing (Reaccreditation)
3. EDF Energy Environmental Leadership Award
– For companies demonstrating leadership and
improved impact by integrating environmental
strategy into core business processes.
ScottishPower – Big Tick Shortlist
4. HBOS Responsible Marketing – For a company
that has addressed opportunities or concerns
around its products or services through
responsible marketing and, by so doing, has
achieved a positive impact on society.
ScottishPower – Commonsense from
ScottishPower – Big Tick Shortlist
5. Man Group International Climate Change – For
companies taking a strategic, comprehensive and
innovative approach to tackling climate change.
ScottishPower – Skillseeker Programme
(Reaccreditation)
Other Awards
9. Jubilee Award – in celebration of the 25th
anniversary of the founding of Business in
the Community and of the 10th year of the
Awards for Excellence this award will recognise
companies whose programmes have delivered a
long term positive impact on communities.
ScottishPower – ScottishPower Learning
Company of Year Awards
10. Large Company of the Year – A large SBC
Member Company whose CSR activity clearly
demonstrates outstanding business and society
benefits, and who have a leadership role in SBC.
ScottishPower
08 GREEN AUTUMN 2007
www.scottishpower.co.uk/green 09
you?
How green are
We know our Green readers
are all interested in doing
their bit for the environment,
but how green are you
really?
Take our just-for-fun green
quiz and find out if you are
a true eco-warrior or if you
need to be recycled.
Q1. Where are you most likely to go on
holiday?
a) A visit to an exclusive resort in the Caribbean.
b)A trip to Disneyland.
c) A jaunt to a tropical, but eco-friendly hotel.
d)A volunteer trip to help clean up your town
or city.
Q2. On a scale of one (not very) to ten
(extremely), how green is your
home?
Q5. When you vote, how important
are the candidate’s environmental
credentials?
a) One. I can’t be bothered with recycling.
b) Four. I recycle papers and bottles.
c) Seven. We recycle everything and I only use
green cleaning products, sign up for green
energy and use energy-saving lightbulbs.
d)Ten. I rely on solar and wind energy for my
house, recycle constantly, own a hybrid car
and only own eco-furniture.
a) Not at all. I want him or her to value jobs
more than trees.
b) Somewhat important, but I look for the
candidate with the best overall policies.
c) Very important, since the decisions we make
about the environment now will affect our
children.
d) It’s the number-one factor in deciding whom
I vote for.
Q3. Do you encourage your friends and
family to become more eco-savvy?
How did you score?
a) No, I have more important things to worry
about.
b)Actually, they are the ones encouraging me.
c) Somewhat, I have done things like show
people how my eco-light bulbs save money
on the electric bill.
d)Absolutely, all the time. Protecting our
environment is the most important thing we
can do.
Mainly a’s
Q4. How important are a business’
environmental policies to you?
Mainly c’s
a) Not at all. The bottom line is who can get me
the cheapest product.
b)Not much, I don’t really think about it
particularly.
c) Fairly. If I have the choice between two stores,
I make a point to choose the one that is
locally owned or uses organic products.
d) Very. I will boycott a company that doesn’t
meet high standards for its eco-purposes.
Oh dear. Try introducing some small measures
to your routine like switching off your TV set
and video rather than leaving it on stand-by.
Mainly b’s
Could do better, really! Find out about recycling
from your local authority. Many of them will
provide you will special bins to recycle your
rubbish.
You really do your bit and are well on your way
to being Super-Green.
Mainly d’s
Congratulations! You are a number one ecowarrior. You make all the right choices and you
are one of our leading lights. Keep up the good
work.
Check out ScottishPower website for some
handy hints on energy efficiency by logging on
to www.scottishpower.com
Magical
mountain
Ever wondered how our country produces its
energy or wanted to see the world’s highest head
reversible pumped storage hydro scheme?
ScottishPower’s Cruachan Visitor Centre is
one of Scotland’s most remarkable engineering
achievements, situated amongst some of the
country’s most beautiful scenery, deep within Ben
Cruachan.
More than 50,000 visitors from across the UK and
beyond travel deep within the hollow mountain to
hear all about how ScottishPower’s power stations
work.
Elaine Roger, Visitor Centre Manager, and her tour
guides all have the passion and determination to
ensure the centre is one of the best attractions in
the area.
The tour guides are responsible for transporting
the visitors to the viewing gallery deep within the
mountain to explain how it all works.
The centre itself also covers other aspects of our
business including information on ScottishPower’s
windfarms and Green Energy commitment.
Accolades include the VisitScotland Quality
Assurance Scheme Award, which has bestowed
them a five-star status, as well as securing the Gold
Award for the Green Tourism Business Scheme
excellence in environmental practice.
Elaine said: “While it’s great to receive these
awards, I know only too well that they are not
handed out readily and the assessors wish to see
continual improvements.”
If you’re keen to hear all about ScottishPower’s
energy, adult ticket prices for the tour are £5,
senior citizens / students are £4.50 and children
between 6–16 years are £2. Youngsters under six
years get in free. There is also a free exhibition area
within the centre. The Visitor Centre is open from
late January to mid-December, seven days a week.
Winter hours are available on request. During
the summer months Easter to October, it is open
9.30am – 5.00pm.
For more information telephone 01866 822 618
or log on to www.visitcruachan.co.uk.
National award for healthier choices
Staff at ScottishPower’s Cathcart site are
swapping pizza and chips for healthy stirfries after the workplace restaurant received
a major award for introducing healthier
options.
The Healthyliving Award, which was
launched by the Scottish Consumer Council
in August 2006, aims to make it easier for
people to choose healthy options when
they eat out. The Award is particularly aimed
at places where people eat regularly, such
as workplace restaurants, High Street food
outlets, sandwich shops and universities.
The staff restaurant, managed by catering
firm Eurest, serves almost 3000 employees
every day and achieved the award after
adopting a range of healthier practices,
including reducing levels of fat, salt
and sugar in food and making fruit and
vegetables more easily available.
Chefs decided to keep lunchtime favourites
like lasagna and macaroni cheese but made
them healthier by using low-fat cheese
and vegetables. Staff can also tuck into
vegetable-packed stir-fries and multigrain
baguettes with low-fat fillings.
Janis Wade, Eurest general manager, said:
“There is a growing demand for healthier
food and I am proud that we have met this
challenge and achieved the Healthyliving
Award.
“Despite the reputation that canteens
have for serving things like pies and beans,
there are lots of changes which can be made
to offer healthier food. It’s not just about
providing a token healthy option on the
menu. We have adopted healthy practices
across the board, from the ingredients we
use to the way we cook things.
“We were surprised that we didn’t have
to make too many changes to the foods we
provide. We just looked at ways of making
them healthier, for example grilling food
instead of frying it.
“The feedback we have had from staff
eating here is fantastic. They may not go
for the healthy option every time but they
appreciate having the choice.”
Staff from the restaurant were formally
presented with the award at a ceremony at
the Piping Centre in Glasgow on August 14.
The national Healthyliving Award has been
an unprecedented success, with more than
550 public and private sector food outlets
across Scotland already signed up in the first
year.
The award is open to most foodserving outlets in Scotland and uses the
recognisable apple symbol within the
logo, which is displayed on menus and
in the premises of food outlets to allow
Janis Wade, General Manager at the
Cathcart staff restaurant, was presented
with the Healthyliving Award by George
McIvor, Chairman of the Master Chefs of
Great Britain.
people to see at a glance what healthy
options are available.
Claire Brown, project manager of the
Healthyliving Award, said: “We are delighted
with the response we have received from big
employers like ScottishPower keen to get
behind this award.
“Workplace restaurants are one of our main
targets as people eat there regularly and this
is where we will hopefully see a real impact.
“Consumer demand for healthier options
has grown in recent years and caterers and
food outlets across Scotland have risen to
the challenge.
“The award is good news for the food
outlets themselves, who have had fantastic
feedback from customers and increased
sales, and also for consumers, who will now
find it easier to pick up something healthy
when they eat out.”
To qualify for the award, caterers need to
meet a set of key criteria, which includes a
commitment to providing and supporting
healthier eating, as demonstrated on the
menu selection, the way they prepare food,
marketing and promotional activities and
the way in which food is presented and sold.
At least half of the food they serve needs
to be a Healthyliving choice, prepared
using both healthier ingredients and
healthier cooking methods, and healthy and
nutritious food is required to be available for
children in places where they are served.
10 GREEN AUTUMN 2007
www.scottishpower.co.uk/green 11
perfectly
grounded
Historic stable block gallops into the future
H
istoric stables visited by Mary Queen
of Scots have been brought bang
up to date with help from the
ScottishPower Green Energy Trust.
Castlemilk stable block
was an integral part of
Castlemilk House, an
impressive estate
belonging to the
Stuart Family, which
dates back to the
mid 15th century.
A massive
renovation of
the building
has taken place
over the last few
years, including
the installation of a new
renewable energy heating
system.
The stable block was used for many years by
Glasgow City Council until it fell into complete
disrepair in 1999.
Glasgow Building and Preservation Trust
began the restoration work in 2005 and was
awarded a grant from the Green Energy Trust
last year.
Following its completion in July 2007, the
building is now owned by the community
through the specially-created Cassiltoun Trust.
Anne McChlery, Director of Glasgow Building
Preservation Trust, said: “Castlemilk Stables
is about using our historic environment as a
catalyst to regeneration.
“We were particularly delighted to have
received funding from the ScottishPower
Green Energy Trust which enabled the restored
building to have a ground source heat pump
system. This recycles the energy below ground
and uses it to heat the building giving it the
lowest possible carbon footprint.
“Achieving this sustainability goal was very
important as the building is aspirational in
every possible way, creating a better
future from the past.”
“Our organisation believes that
saving and re-using existing
buildings is the greenest possible
thing you
can do in the
built environment”.
The new system uses
renewable energy and provides
all the heating for the
building through radiators
and under-floor heating.
It will reduce the cost of
heating the building by 50
per cent, which provides
the Trust with reduced
CO2 emissions and an
estimated saving of £5,480
a year.
Alison McKean, Head of
Environment at ScottishPower,
said: “It was a real joy for
ScottishPower to be able to help
in the restoration of such a historically
significant building, which has been a part
of Glasgow’s landscape for centuries.
“We are so pleased that the heating pump
we contributed towards will not only help
Cassiltoun Trust keep their costs down but
are also environmentally friendly and, with
the introduction of the display panel, they
will provide all the users of the building with
a chance to understand how the pump really
works.”
The heat pump will be a colossal asset to the
building, which is used as a nursery, offices and
for adult learning classes. In keeping the
running costs down, it increases the
long-term viability of the building.
A permanent display panel
is being developed which will
explain to the many users of
the building about this type of
sustainable technology.
Lower Moor Farm
The Wiltshire Wildlife Trust new nature
reserve at Lower Moor Farm was
given the royal seal of approval by
Prince Charles and the Duchess of
Cornwall.
Prince Charles, Patron of the Trust,
visited the project, which has been
partly funded by the Green Energy
Trust.
Wiltshire Wildlife Trust is one of
the UK’s leading environmental
charities, which recognises that
the conservation of wildlife and
preservation of the planet are
inextricably linked, and works to
promote a sustainable future for
wildlife and people.
The Trust has more than 18,000
members and supporters, and
more than a thousand volunteers
working on a range of projects from
promoting energy efficiency in the
home as a step towards slowing
climate change, to waste prevention
programmes that reduce the rubbish
going to landfill sites, to working on
one of the Trust’s nature reserves to
conserve the Wiltshire countryside
and the rich variety of plants and
animals that live there.
The official opening of the Lower
Moor Farm nature reserve took
place in May and was also attended
by members of the Environmental
team at ScottishPower.
Head of Environment, Alison
McKean, said: “We are delighted to
have been able to support this project
and it was good for our staff to be
able to visit and see it for themselves.”
Trust Director Dr Gary Mantle
said: “The purchase of this reserve
is a really important step towards
addressing the needs of wildlife in the
face of climate change.”
The Trust owns or manages 2,000
acres of nature reserves that provide
havens for plants and animals.
It advises landowners on how to
manage their land with wildlife in
mind and comments on
planning applications that
affect sites of wildlife interest.
The Trust also actively promotes
community wildlife programmes and
environmental education.
Trust Director Dr Gary Mantle
looks on as Prince Charles and the
Duchess of Cornwall get some
hands-on experience of the work
at Lower Moor Farm.
Local residents are blown away by their turbine
Local residents and members of Bro
Dyfi Community Renewables Ltd
are now the majority shareholders
in the Dyfi Valley’s clean energy cooperative.
The group’s first wind turbine has
been successfully generating power
to run the Centre for Alternative
Technology, at Machynlleth in Mid
Wales, for over two years.
The turbine at Cilgwyn in the Dulas
valley was funded by a £10,000 grant
from ScottishPower’s Green Energy
Trust and a grant from the European
Commission over two and a half years
ago.
Andy Rowland of Ecodyfi (the
local community regeneration
organisation) was instrumental
in attaining the grant from
ScottishPower.
He said: “The Co-op has gone from
strength to strength and the original
58 shareholders investing in the
company have now become 206
members, the majority of which are
local residents.
“The project has been a great
achievement. Not only is it powering
CAT’s site but it is also putting the
surplus energy back into the national
grid so that more people can benefit.
I think the community’s development
of a second turbine confirms the
success of the project.”
It has been such a success that
plans for a second wind turbine in
the area have been welcomed by
ScottishPower.
Alison McKean, Head of Environment
at ScottishPower, said: “We were
delighted to be involved with this
and to be able to fund this initiative.
We are especially pleased to see how
well the project has progressed two
years on.
“The whole community has really
got behind the project – even to
the extent of buying shares in the
company.
“The plans for a second wind turbine
confirm this valley’s commitment to
renewable energy.”
More information can be found on
www.scottishpower.co.uk/green
and www.bdcr.org.uk
www.scottishpower.co.uk/green 13
12 GREEN AUTUMN 2007
Earthship’s day of summer fun
F
ife became the centre of the earth
recently when crowds of visitors flocked
to the Earthship summer fair.
The fete was held to celebrate the success
of the Kinghorn educational centre which has
benefited from funding from ScottishPower’s
Green Energy Trust.
The Earthship Fife Visitor Centre is entirely selfsufficient. It’s not connected to the mains, but
creates its own electricity and even the water is
recycled – on average about four times.
Paula Cowie, the development manager for
the centre, said: “The Earthship Fife Visitor
Centre attracts 4000 visitors from all over the
world each year. The grant from ScottishPower
will make the centre more user-friendly for its
many visitors and ensure that people will get
the most out of it.
“The grant funding has been used to
provide energy meters in the centre. The
meter monitors the amount of
renewable energy
used by the centre and displays it in kilowatt
hours (kWh) – the same unit used to calculate
electricity bills.
“The day of summer fun was called the
Earthship Fair and included a waste
treasure hunt, a puppet show, and
practical classes where children
learned to make things from waste.
A storyteller was also there to keep
children entertained.”
Earthships were first developed in
South Western USA in the 1970s. Since
then they have evolved tremendously
and now exist in virtually every climate.
Earthship Fife Visitor Centre is the UK’s first
Earthship. The construction programme started
in July 2002 during an intensive eight-day
building programme with American Earthship
builders, including Earthship pioneer Michael
Reynolds, and 11 trainees from across Scotland
and England.
Since July 2002, more
than 200 volunteers have
helped to complete
the Earthship over
weekends and work
experience days.
Alison McKean,
Head of
Environment at
Funded projects
Loddiswell Project, Devon: A joint venture
between the Playing Field and Village Hall Trust
and Loddiswell Pre-School, the project aims
to refurbish and extend the pavilion building
at the playing fields to meet the needs of the
community. The grant will allow them to install
solar PV panels as a local example of how
everyone can contribute to reducing carbon
emissions.
Proper Job Centre Renewables, Devon:
Proper Job significantly reduces waste to landfill
from the local area through recycling, reuse and
reduction facilities. The funding awarded to them
means that they can go ahead with their plans
to introduce a 4kW solar PV array at the site to
integrate renewables into community training and
education programmes.
ScottishPower,
said: “This was a really good initiative for the
Green Energy Trust to be part of and we are
pleased that it has been such a great local
attraction.
“The fete gave local residents
a really good chance to
experience it fully as well as
joining in the with all the
festivities.”
Project Navitas, Birmingham: The project
aims to install a Proven 6kW wind turbine and a
2kW array of flat-roof mounted solar panels to
The latest round of projects to benefit from funding from the Green Energy
Trust are, as always, a varied mixture. Here are some of the innovative
schemes that we have given funding to this time around:
combine sustainable energy and modern day
delivery of ICT in the classroom. Data will be
extracted for lessons and made available to the
local community.
St Mary and St Paul School, Petersfield:
The school is situated in one of three rural
communities within West Sussex to be
awarded free consultation and facilitation for
a green makeover. This project aims to install
a Sunpowered 8.424kWp system to provide
30-40% of the school’s total usage. The project
seeks to engage with pupils, staff and the local
community.
Colston Girls School in Bristol: The school
was given a grant to help them install a 5kWp PV
array on a prominent building within the school.
This will provide a working demonstration of
renewable energy, material for classes, reduction
in energy bills and raise awareness in the
community.
Apply online
You can now make your application to
the Green Energy Trust online. The forms
and the guidelines are all available at
www.scottishpower.co.uk/green
It’s really straightforward, but if you
need any more help please phone 0141
568 3492 or email greenenergytrust@
scottishpower.com
Green Energy
0800 027 7776
0845 279 7070
Energy EFFICIENCY LINE
0800 33 22 33
0800 027 1002
Take a dip
Hardy swimmers can now enjoy a dip in
comfort, thanks to ScottishPower’s Green Energy
Trust.
New Cumnock is one of the last Scottish
communities to boast an outdoor swimming
pool.
And now, for the first time, patrons will be
taking the plunge into warm water.
The pool is heated by new energy-efficient
heat-store air pumps, funded by a £20,000 grant
from the Green Energy Trust.
The new feature was welcomed when the pool
opened its summer season in May.
Jimmy Carmichael, of the New Cumnock
Environmental Regeneration Volunteers (NERV),
said: “The outdoor swimming pool here means
so much to the entire village that NERV took
over the running of it from the Council in 2001.
“It had been earmarked for closure, but we
were determined to keep it open and residents
have been behind all our efforts.
Jimmy said villagers – many of them out of
work – joined forces keep the pool open by
raising over £50,000.
“Gestures like that show just how much this
pool means to the community,” he continued.
“ScottishPower’s involvement has been really
significant.
“Our running costs were very high due
to rises in energy costs, but the grant from
ScottishPower has meant that not only are we
able to run it much more effectively, we are also
able to do our bit for the environment, as there
Derelict school reborn
Glenkens Community and Arts Trust have
turned a derelict primary school into a hub
of activity thanks to £20,000 provided by the
ScottishPower Green Energy Trust.
The school, which is a grade A listed
building, had been lying empty for the past
ten years, but has now been transformed into
The Catstrand – a multi-purpose facility for the
whole area.
The building, situated in New Galloway,
now houses a cinema, public art projects, a
conference centre and a heritage and tourism
facility.
The grant from ScottishPower’s Green
are less emissions.”
Every youngster in New Cumnock has a season
ticket for the pool, paid for by philanthropist Sir
Tom Hunter who hails from the village.
Alison McKean, ScottishPower’s Head of
Environment, said: “This is exactly the kind of
community project that the ScottishPower
Green Energy Trust likes to get involved in.
“We were delighted to be able to help fund
this initiative and do our bit to ensure that the
community is able to enjoy this great resource.”
Energy Trust will be used to install a woodpellet boiler to heat the building. It will also
contribute towards the energy garden where
scale models will demonstrate energy systems.
The Glenkens in South West Scotland is an
isolated rural community covering 300 square
miles.
14 GREEN AUTUMN 2007
www.scottishpower.co.uk/green 15
Click to connect with environmental advice
Solar walkway is
runaway success
Lessons are much more interesting for
youngsters at Ysgol Craig yr Wylfa (Borth Primary
School) thanks to a grant from the ScottishPower
Green Energy Trust.
Five years ago the Trust donated £1,000 to the
school to install solar cells into their walkway
which has transformed the classroom.
Andy Rowland is the manager of Ecodyfi, a
community regeneration organisation, which
was instrumental in securing the grant for the
school.
He said: “The grant from ScottishPower has
enabled us to install these solar cells, which have
been of great educational benefit to the school.
“This has been a practical way of introducing
environmental projects to the curriculum. The
children have really enjoyed learning more about
the cells in maths, science and technology and
geography lessons.”
The energy generated from the new solar
panels allows the school to record and store
all the readings on a computer ready for them
to be used in the classroom. The figures from
the computer are then used in everyday maths
lessons. In geography the children discover the
environmental implications of being eco friendly,
and the study of electricity is brought to life in
science and technology lessons.
Turbine fans
A wind turbine which initially received a frosty
reception from locals is now a gigantic hit.
The turbine was installed on the Green Giant
educational site in Kilgetty, Pembrokeshire,
thanks to a £10,000 grant from the ScottishPower
Green Energy Trust.
The turbine has been in place for 18 months
now and the local community has really been
blown away by it.
Local school-children have been reaping the
benefits of the wind turbine to help them learn
all about environmental issues. And, the adults in
the local area are also seeing the benefits.
Joe Dowdall, Co-ordinator of the Green Giant
Educational site, said: “The turbine runs light to
the Lamphey Primary School’s outdoor classroom
and any left-over electricity is fed back into the
national grid. Parents are also really excited about
the new addition to the village and the turbine
has acted like a practical demonstrator for
everyone to see how they work.”
Local farmers have also been taking an active
interest in the turbine, with many now exploring
the possibility of installing one in their fields.
ScotAsh BITC award
Going green on-line
Looking to ease your
impact on planet earth?
Click on these sites for
pointers to a greener
future.
www.realclimate.org
ScotAsh, a joint venture between
ScottishPower-Iberdrola and Lafarge
Cement, received the TCS Marketplace
Innovation Award from HRH The Prince
Charles at a glittering event in the Royal
Albert Hall to mark 25 years of Business in
the Community
Scotland’s leading manufacturer of
Unsure who to believe in the great global warming
debate? Check out this informative site, written by
climate scientists. Although the content is penned
by experts, it’s very much aimed at the interested
layperson, and its simple layout crams a load of
information into a small space.
www.treehugger.com
Queen’s award for renewables
Vivid and vivacious outlet with the declared aim
of driving sustainability into the mainstream. The
site strives to be a one-stop shop for green news,
solutions, and product information, and does
so with good splashes of wit and wisdom. Look
out for its Hugg section, where readers submit
their own environmental news snippets. It’s a
real hotch-potch, but it’s entertaining and there’s
always something new to read.
ScottishPower Renewables received the UK’s
leading business accolade – a Queen’s Award
for Enterprise – on Her Majesty the Queen’s
80th birthday.
The company was awarded the honour in
the Sustainable Development category for
its collaborative and responsible approach
to windfarm development.
The award is the only one in the
www.worldchanging.com
A serious site, pointing visitors to tools and ideas
for building a greener future. It doesn’t do negative
reviews, choosing instead to concentrate on
what’s useful and constructive for readers and the
environment. Worldchanging draws together news
from across the globe and, while it takes itself very
seriously, it’s informative and less USA-centred than
other websites.
www.seat61.com
An incredibly comprehensive site designed for
travellers determined to stay firmly on terra firma.
Whether your destination is in Britain or abroad,
this one-man, labour-of-love creation is a treasure
trove of tips on rail and ferry travel. So, whether it’s
Brighton or Beijing, stay off those environmentallyunfriendly planes and consult the man in seat 61.
uk.freecycle.org
The ultimate recycling site for all those unwanted
items you’re sure someone, somewhere would be
grateful for. Local groups post Items Offered and
Items Wanted ads, and no money is ever allowed
to change hands. It’s a friendly way to keep items
out of landfill sites and one in the eye for global
consumerism.
green construction products fended off
competition from Barclays, Lloyds TSB,
Redrow and Accenture to scoop the award.
The firm, based at Longannet Power
Station, Kincardine-on-Forth, won the award
for manufacturing environmentally-friendly
cements, grouts and stabilisation products
from power station ash.
Sustainable Development category received
in Scotland this year.
The award commends ScottishPower for
adopting a highly sustainable and inclusive
approach to project development, going
beyond standard practice and regulatory
requirements and highlights two green
projects – Beinn an Tuirc and Black Law
windfarms.
Prestigious green appointment
www.liftshare.com
www.recyclenow.com
Why drive to work alone when you can share the
costs and the journey with others? Liftshare’s free
service links travellers with a common destination,
reducing congestion and pollution on the roads.
You can hook up with cycling or walking buddies,
and there’s a wealth of information on public
transport. With nearly 200,000 UK members, it’s
a superb way to make a real contribution to the
environment while saving some money at the
same time.
So, you have three old fluorescent tubes but no
idea of how to recycle them. Recyclenow.com will
not only tell you how, but will even draw you a map
pointing you to the nearest recycling point which
will accept them. This is a practical guide to all
things recycling, and a superb starting-off point for
anyone looking to ease the pressure on landfills.
www.grist.org
Environmental news and commentary presented
in a colourful and entertaining style without falling
into the trap of ‘dumbing down’ the issues. A great
starting point for discovering what’s new in the
environmental movement.
www.planetark.com
Created by an international environmental
group, Planet Ark exists to show people the
many ways they can reduce their day-to-day
impact on the environment - at home, at work
and in the community. It hosts up-to-the-minute
environmental news, and runs a range of laudable
green campaigns. As a daily guide to helping the
planet, it’s well worth a visit.
A senior staff member at ScottishPower has
been appointed chairman of the Industry
body Scottish Renewables.
Energy Wholesale’s Head of Renewables
Business Development, Andrew Jamieson,
took over the position from Ocean Power
Delivery founder Richard Yemm.
Andrew said: “I am honoured to be chosen
for this role as the sector strives to grow and
develop. Scotland has tremendous potential
resources of renewable energy such as wind,
hydro, biomass, wave and tidal power. The
industry has issues to overcome but it is
vital we do so to fully capture all social and
environmental benefits while delivering our
climate change targets.”
ScottishPower joins forces with WWF
ScottishPower has joined with the World
Wildlife Fund (WWF) to help fund a new
project, “Local Footprints”, which is helping
schools and local authorities cut their
environmental impact.
Alison McKean, Head of Environment
at ScottishPower said: “Capturing the
imagination of our young people, to make
them more aware of the world around us, is
something that has always been close to our
hearts at ScottishPower.
“We are working with children in a number
of ways to encourage them to be more
conscious of our energy consumption and to
become much more energy efficient.
“We are delighted to be working in
partnership with the WWF on the footprints
project and we can already see the tangible
benefits with participating school Kildrum
Primary in Cumbernauld. This is something
we would really hope will encourage other
schools to follow in their lead.”
16 GREEN AUTUMN 2007
www.scottishpower.co.uk/green 17
Hurdling towards
the 2012 Olympics
environment
Fit for the
Kids across the country nowadays
love playing computer games and
watching the latest episode of The
Simpsons on TV. Unfortunately, what
they maybe don’t realise is that these
gadgets are energy-draining and
unhealthy for our environment.
ScottishPower’s sponsorship with
scottishathletics and the Scottish
Schools Athletics Association is
aiming to get youngsters to swap
the indoors for the outdoors,
L
encouraging them to power up
the tracks by competing in various
athletic events across the country.
During the three-year sponsorship,
many individual athletes look to have
a promising career ahead of them –
some hoping to compete in the 2012
Olympics. Thanks to ScottishPower,
these athletes are not only doing
their bit for the environment, they
may also represent our country at the
highest level.
Sylvia sets her sights on gold
Teenage dynamo Sylvia Kamya is going for gold
thanks to her powering determination and
ScottishPower.
The Aberdeen AAC 400m hurdler won a highly
coveted place at an exclusive sports clinic last
year sponsored by the energy giant.
Commonwealth superstar Allan Scott put the
up and coming athlete through her paces giving
her top tips on performance, diet, training and
attitude.
Sylvia was delighted at winning the opportunity
to train with her sporting idol and, almost a year
on, she has really felt the benefits of the clinic
and of taking part in other ScottishPower events.
The 18-year-old said: “My training session with
Allan was fantastic. As soon as I was back out on
the track, I put everything he advised me on into
practice.
“I’ve competed in many of the ScottishPowersponsored events and because of the personal
training with Allan, my personal best has come
down by a massive six seconds, which I’m
delighted about.
“It’s only made me more dedicated to the sport
and I hope in another year, my time will only get
better.”
Sylvia was one of four young athletes who were
chosen last year to take part in the exclusive
sporting clinic which was held at the Kelvin Hall
and which also featured hurdler Chris Baillie and
sprinter Lee McConnell.
Jim Paterson, sales and marketing director of
ScottishPower said: “Over the past two years,
through our events, we are proud to have
witnessed these kids develop into professional,
young athletes, using their own energy on
the track, rather than wasting energy using
computers and televisions.
“Sylvia is a great example of how our
sponsorship is helping young, talented athletes
at the grass roots level and we’re delighted to
be encouraging youngsters who might even
represent our country at a professional level in
the near future.”
On track
to success!
Motherwell Athletic Club starlet Lewis Gibb
– currently ranked third in the Scottish under
15 60m – is aiming for gold at the 2014
Commonwealth Games.
Although the 13-year-old has only been
competing for two years, he already has a
trophy cabinet to be proud of after achieving
top position in the Scottish under 13
rankings last year for the 60m and 100m, as
well as securing third place in the UK for the
60m.
The promising sprinter reached the top of
his game in the under-13 category and
now runs in the under-15
section. This year
has been
especially
victorious
with
him
scooping silver in the Scottish
under 15 60m as well as being the
Scottish Schools under 14 100m
gold medallist.
It’s a bit of a family affair, with
Lewis’ dad Robert, who is a former
athlete, recently qualifying as a
coach specifically to help his son
achieve his dreams.
Lewis said: “For the past two
years, I’ve had a huge amount
of support from my coach at
Motherwell AC, Bob McCrum, as
well as my dad, who’s been a great
help to me as he’s driven me all
over the country in the past two
years to make sure I can compete
in as many events as possible.”
Lewis’ success began when he
was just 11 when he competed
in many of the ScottishPowersponsored athletic events,
including the ScottishPower Track
and Field Championships, held at
Grangemouth Sports Stadium.
These events see thousands of
young athletes from across the
country battle it out on the tracks
for pole position.
The sponsorship between
ScottishPower, scottishathletics
and the Scottish Schools Athletics
Association (SSAA) is aimed at
building on the grassroots level of
the sport, encouraging children
to make the most of the outdoors
instead of wasting energy on
power-guzzling televisions or PCs.
Jim Paterson, sales and marketing
director of ScottishPower said:
“ScottishPower is trying to get
the point across that all you really
need to get involved in athletics
is a pair of trainers and a spark of
enthusiasm. It’s also important to
highlight that saving energy by
turning off TVs in favour of the
track is a positive approach.
“Encouraging this at a young age
is fantastic, especially since this
generation will be the future of our
country.”
ike her idol Lee McConnell, hurdling hopeful Eilidh Child is aiming to
be a phenomenal name in Scotland – even if it does mean training
extensively for the next five years.
The promising athlete, born and bred in Perth, deservedly has
high hopes for her future in athletics and is looking
to compete in the prestigious 2012 Olympics.
Eilidh’s glittering athletic career
began with Pitreavie AAC
when she was just
nine years old at the
Primary School’s
Cross Country
Championships,
which has been
sponsored by
ScottishPower for
the past two years.
This year has
been the highlight
of her athletic career
as she was selected to
represent Britain at the
European under-23s and
took gold in the AAA under23s, Scottish and British Universities
Championships.
Last year, Eilidh got to meet Lee McConnell
when she won a place at an exclusive sports clinic at
Kelvin Hall, sponsored by ScottishPower.
Eilidh added: “The sports clinic was a great opportunity for me to gain
tips from one of the top athletes in Scotland. After the training session with
Lee, I really put her advice into practice and have noticed improvements
since.
“My older sister, Iona, is also a huge inspiration as she was the one who
taught me how to hurdle, as well as my family and friends who support me
every step of the way.”
Jim Paterson, sales and marketing director of ScottishPower said: “Eilidh
is a great example of how our sponsorship is helping young, talented
athletes at the grass roots level and we’re delighted to be encouraging
youngsters who might even represent our country at a professional level in
the near future.”
Eilidh (20) has had many achievements to be proud of, including
smashing the under-17 Scottish and British record for the 300m hurdles.
When Eilidh isn’t training, she is studying to be a PE teacher at Edinburgh
University, where she will be able to make good use of those tips and
expertise she has gained from over ten years of competing on the tracks.
Eilidh said: “The best piece of advice I could give to youngsters who are
looking to take up athletics, or any kind of sport, is to have fun.
“It’s really beneficial that companies such as ScottishPower are
supporting athletics at a grassroots level as kids are given the chance to
make a go of the sport and have the assistance to do so”
“It’s also important to be dedicated if you’re looking to make a career of
athletics. I train intensively six times a week, which is hard going but made
easier by listening to music or training alongside someone – that way
you’re not the only one doing all the hard work!”
18 GREEN AUTUMN 2007
www.scottishpower.co.uk/green 19
let the environment shape your shopping
Save some energy for shopping
M
ost of us like to shop till we drop, but
should the environment suffer while we
have a good time?
‘Retail therapy’ is arguably the UK’s top leisure
pursuit, and both customers and stores are
beginning to appreciate the value of eco-friendly
shopping.
The High Street’s green revolution begins with
the stores themselves. Shopping centre developers
are building malls designed to harness natural heat
and light, often using renewable energy sources
such as wind and solar power.
Increasingly, stores are demanding that their
suppliers have a small carbon footprint, and one
garden centre chain has already stopped stocking
patio heaters and peat because of their potential to
damage the environment.
Meanwhile, High Street favourites Marks &
Spencer have followed pioneers such as Oxfam into
embracing Fairtrade products.
Leading the way is the EnviroMall, a new industrywide benchmark for building greener shopping
centres.
The Mall – a company which owns 23 UK
shopping centres – joined forces in the project
with Envirowise, The Carbon Trust and the Energy
Efficiency Accreditation Scheme to create the new
standard and push forward a greener future for the
industry.
The campaign also extends to customers, who
are encouraged to do their bit to help ease global
warming.
And there are plenty more ways to shop sensibly
without taking too much of a toll on our planet’s
limited resources.
Why not do some of your buying on-line? Internet
retailers don’t have to heat a network of stores, and
shopping from your own home reduces the
need for all those car journeys to out-of-town
supermarkets and retail parks.
Or you could take a lower-tech approach,
enjoying a rummage through charity shops or
local auction houses to sniff out bargains you
won’t find in the chain stores.
After all, what could be more friendly to recycling
than buying second-hand?
Sweet, salt ... or soap?! Your very own sun trap
A British firm has come up with
a tasty solution to the problem
of excess packaging.
Cosmetics specialist Lush is
protecting its boxed bath
bombs, soaps and shampoos
with popcorn.
The edible filler is clean,
light and strong, and
allows products to be
mailed out without
extra protective
packaging, saving
on transport
costs and cutting
paper waste.
Lush reckons
plumping for popcorn
will save some 4.6 million
bags a year and, best of all, the
discarded popcorn can be put straight
into customers’ compost heaps.
“Packaging is rubbish and it’s choking the planet,” says Lush environmental
campaigner Ruth Andrade.
“As a retailer, it’s our responsibility to come up with innovative ways to help
the environment and we are proud of our latest efforts.”
Find out more at: www.lush.co.uk
Shoppers say strip away junk packaging
How do you capture a sunbeam in a jar?
Well, British firm SUCK UK have come up with an ingenious night light
which effortlessly harnesses solar power.
Leave the Sun Jar on your windowsill or in your garden – anywhere in
direct sunlight – and, when the light fades, it automatically exudes a warm
glow which can be used as a kids’ night light or simply as an ambient
illumination for any room in the house.
The simple but elegant design combines a traditional Mason jar with a
highly-efficient solar cell, rechargeable battery and low-energy LED lamps.
The light is diffused by the frosted jar to give the appearance of sunlight
beaming out from the container.
There are no visible switches and, when the internal battery eventually
expires, it can be replaced with an easily-available AA rechargeable battery.
For more information, visit: www.suck.uk.com
Customers want retailers to dump pointless
packaging.
A MORI survey of 1000 supermarket shoppers
revealed nine out of ten wanted less packaging on
products, while a similar number called for a rise in
recyclable containers.
Three in five customers said they would take
environmental and social performance into
account when deciding where to shop.
And nearly eight out of ten expected to pay more
as retailers became more eco-friendly.
Meanwhile, the Women’s Institute is continuing its
campaign to cut wasteful packaging across the UK.
The organisation wants supermarkets to use
only recyclable and compostable materials where
packaging is needed, and give customers financial
incentives to cut the use of plastic bags.
The WI is also calling for food waste to be
composted or donated to charities, and argues that
supermarkets should source local foods so that
supply journeys are kept to a minimum.
For their part, the UK’s major retailers and
manufacturers are taking steps towards greener
shopping.
Morrisons has promised a 15 per cent
reduction in packaging by 2010, while nine major
manufacturers – including Nestle and Coca-Cola –
have pledged a five per cent cut.
For more information on the WI’s campaign, visit
www.thewi.org.uk/packaging.
Fish fingers, for cod’s sake
There’s something fishy about the latest green
revolution in British food.
Makers of the humble fish finger – a tasty and
traditional favourite across the UK – are now
helping to ease the plight of the cod.
Bird’s Eye, which makes most of Britain’s fish
fingers, has launched a sustainable version made
entirely from Alaskan pollock.
The pollock is reckoned to belong to the largest
remaining stocks of palatable fish in the world –
in sharp contrast to its cousin the cod, which is
becoming an increasingly rare catch.
Bird’s Eyes Pollock is sourced from sustainable
fisheries, and the development has been welcomed
by the conservation group WWF.
“It’s a brilliant move,” said Tom Pickerell, WWF’s
fisheries policy officer, who explained that Britain’s
cod stocks were under a great deal of pressure.
“It’s taken years for people to realise that fish
stocks are renewable for ever if they are managed
properly, and it seems that message is finally
getting through.”
Plastic
plonk
pilot
project
The reassuring clink of wine bottle on glass
could become a thing of the past, if a new
environmentally-friendly idea takes off.
Supermarket giant Sainsbury’s is selling wine in
plastic bottles.
And, if the pilot project is successful, the new
container could become a familiar feature on
supermarket shelves.
The plastic bottle looks just like its glass
equivalent but weighs around an eighth of the
traditional container.
The UK consumes a billion bottles of wine a
year, using around half a million tonnes of glass,
so switching to plastic could reduce carbon
emissions by some 90,000 tonnes.
Sainsbury’s plastic bottles are recyclable,
and the Australian and New Zealand wine is
bottled in the UK rather than at source, reducing
transportation emissions.
The supermarket chain aims to reduce the
distance its fleet and suppliers travel by 5 million
kilometres by 2010.
Switch to energy saving light bulbs
and you could save up to £100 over
the lifetime of each bulb.*
Ooooh Laura ...
you look radiant
At ScottishPower we like to keep things simple. That’s why we always
try to provide our customers with gas and electricity services that
are based on common sense. Whether it’s the savings we offer or the
energy efficiency advice we provide, we put your needs first.
That’s common sense after all.
For more energy efficiency tips that could help save money on
your bills visit www.scottishpower.co.uk
* Source: Energy Saving Trust