ONE of Europe’s largest transport companies has teamed up with energy efficiency organisation GoWarm to help its North-East employees reduce their carbon footprints.

The GoWarm Arriva project will help its 2,000 employees benefit from insulation measures in their homes, heavily subsidised by Go- Warm, reducing household carbon emissions by as much as one tonne each year, as well as saving each person up to £300 a year on their energy bills.

In addition, the scheme will provide employees with workfriendly appointment times which means that they will not need to take time to wait for surveyors and installers to carry out the work.

The GoWarm project was introduced in the North-East in 2007 and has helped more than 65,000 householders. It recently extended into North and West Yorkshire. Karen Hindhaugh, GoWarm director, said: “We want to help as many people as possible to insulate their homes. However, we recognise that many people need appointments that fit around their working hours, which is what we are aiming to do through this project.”

Making a pledge

ELECTRICAL and furniture retailer Buy As You View, which has its North-East base in Gateshead, is using World Environment Day as its trigger to commit to significantly reduce its carbon footprint.

The firm will invest £28,000 a year to lease specialist equipment to help recycle up to 80 per cent of its waste, including cardboard, plastic film and polystyrene.

Green standards raised

A TECHNOLOGY company in the region has received an award for reducing its carbon footprint in the UK.

3M, with sites in Newton Aycliffe, County Durham, and Northallerton, North Yorkshire, has been awarded the Carbon Trust Standard, which requires an organisation to measure, manage and reduce its carbon footprint year-on-year. Pip Frankish, 3M’s sustainability manager, said: “We have already cut our carbon emissions from our UK operations by 5.6 per cent over a three-year period and are committed to making further reductions.”

Worldwide, the company reduced its greenhouse gas emissions by 62 per cent from 1990 to 2007.

Helping others

A WORLD-LEADING specialist coatings firm from the North-East is to help the Far East become more environmentally- friendly after a Chinese state delegation visited the plant to establish how to clean up its waters.

International Paint, near Gateshead, is the leading supplier of marine coatings, and produces a range which prevents pollution from vessels passing on to marine life.

Hearing praise for its work

A PIONEERING North-East firm has been praised for its commitment to the environment through its work to eliminate mercury from hearing aid batteries.

Rayovac, in Washington, Wearside, is the world’s leading manufacturer in the field, and its research and development facilities are helping them lead the way in mercury elimination.

North-East MEP Martin Callanan, who sits on the European Environment Committee, visited the site and said the firm’s work was helping to create a cleaner environment.

He said: “This innovation shows the depth of talent and commitment to hi-tech research and development in the North-East.”

Vince Armitage, of Rayovac, said the firm hoped that future legislation will support the total elimination of mercury from hearing aid batteries.

Ethical winner

AN organic food delivery business in North Yorkshire has been named UK’s best ethical business in the Observer Ethical Awards.

Riverford, which grows produce on a farm near Northallerton, has won a string of awards recently, including best organic retailer from the Soil Association and its field kitchen was best ethical restaurant at the Observer monthly food awards.