Green energy company Ecotricity have pledged to donate £40 to EJF every time one of our supporters in the UK switches their energy supplier to join them.

This money will provide much-needed support to EJF’s ‘No Place like Home’ campaign seeking to secure legal recognition, protection and assistance for climate refugees. Every year, millions of people are displaced by storms, flooding and other extreme weather. These people are forced out of their homes, often with nowhere to go and no means to survive. Most are from the world’s poorest countries and regions.

By switching supplier to Ecotricity you help us ensure that their voices are heard internationally and action is taken to protect and assist them. Today the generation of conventional, or brown, electricity is responsible for over 30% of our carbon dioxide emissions here in the UK. Switching to a green energy supplier is another way you can help reduce our impact on the planet and the increasing population of climate refugees.

EJF spoke to CEO and founder of Ecotricity Dale Vince about fighting climate change and protecting our future.

What inspired you to start Ecotricity?

Discovering that energy was the biggest single source of climate change. 30% of our carbon emissions come from how we generate and use energy.So it seemed that the logical place to start if we wanted to reduce our carbon emissions was to change the way our electricity is made.

What can business do for climate change?

The biggest single thing businesses can do is change where they get their electricity. Our big revelation is not really that big, it’s the revelation that it’s actually within our own power to change.Then you can look at all the other parts of your business and work out the complete carbon footprint of your business.

At Ecotricity we introduced an Environmental Management and Audit System (EMAS) and have been able to reduce our carbon footprint by 40%. But you need to look at your whole operation and take a rigorous approach to carbon reduction.

What else can people do to reduce their impact on the planet?

The three big issues we need to address are Energy, Transport and Food, which account for 80% of our personal carbon emissions. That’s 80% that comes from the choices we personally make and how we spend our money. The other 20% comes from government choices that it’s harder to influence.

Climate change is a big problem, but the solution is in our own hands and comes from the money in our own pockets. If we switched to a green energy supplier, drove our car less and walked more and eventually switched to electric vehicles, and finally changed our diet to be vegetarian, we would make a huge difference. Every time we take money out of our own pocket we should think – is it sustainable.

Why should people do it?

It’s a better way to be than just consuming carelessly. More satisfying and good for our souls. Money makes the world go round and it’s our choice which way round it goes.

What do you think other energy companies should be doing – what would be your challenge to them?

I would challenge them to adopt our business model for a decade, which would mean increasing their investment in building new sources of green energy by a factor of ten. This would help us to achieve energy independence, fight poverty and climate change.

EJF is working for the recognition of, assistance and protection for climate refugees – people forcibly displaced from their homes and land by deteriorating environmental conditions linked to climate change. What does home mean to you?

It’s a place where I can feel comfortable. I’ve live in so many different places, vehicles and structures. To me, home is just a place to keep warm, dry, relaxed and be comfortable.

TAKE ACTION NOW

Home is somewhere we all take for granted, it’s our roots, our culture but also, as Dale mentioned, it’s a place to be comfortable. The impacts of climate change are becoming increasingly apparent: storms and flooding are getting more violent, deserts are spreading, seas are rising and vulnerable people are being forced from their homes.

If you share our concerns about climate change and want to make a difference, if you support renewable energy and want to help EJF give a voice to the plight of millions of climate refugees, take a look at this fantastic new way of charitable giving and get switching.

For all information please call EJF on 0207 239 3310.

The source code is EJF1. If you would prefer to call Ecotricity please quote EJF1 on 08000 302 302.