BY CONOR SHARKEY

STRABANE has been named and shamed in the top 20 list of biggest carbon footprints in the UK.

Figures released recently by the Energy Saving Trust saw 19 of the North's Council areas listed in the top 20 of the worst carbon wasters.

It is the first time the Trust has ranked people living in local authority areas by their household and domestic car emissions. The research is contained in their Green Barometer report.

The biggest carbon footprints - CO2 emissions - were found to be in Down, while Omagh, Magherafelt, Ballymena and Antrim made up the remaining top five. Strabane fared slightly better at number 18 on the list. Flying the cleanest flag for Northern Ireland was Belfast which came out at 157th on the 435 strong list.

Following the publication of its findings, The Energy Saving Trust announced it would be targetting households with information and advice which would help them cut home energy consumption, related to the type of property they live in and their individual needs.

Offering some hints on reducing carbon footprints, Strabane District Council's Chief Environmental Officer Paddy Cosgrove said: "One disadvantage we have compared to other areas is that we don't have natural gas. But the fact we have reduced the amount of solid fuels we burn and increased the amount of central heating systems across the District has greatly helped reduce our own carbon footprint.

"Another step we can take to towards carbon reduction is recycling. The more rubbish that has to be sent to landfill means more lorries on the road and more pollution in the air.

"From a business point of view, businesses should be looking at greater use of information technology. They should looking at storing information on computers as opposed to filing cabinets and sending more emails instead of paper. The less paper, the lower the carbon footprint," Mr Cosgrove explained.

Urging people not to be embarrassed by the findings, but to act to change them, head of the Energy Saving Trust in Northern Ireland, Noel Williams added: "Each ares is unique and has its own challenges and opportunities. We can tailor advice to local authorities and the individuals who live within their areas.

"This wealth of information at our fingertips means householders are more likely to receive the information they need to act to curb their carbon emissions," he said.

WHAT is a carbon footprint?

Simply put, our individual carbon footprint is the measure of the impact we have on the environment by the amount of greenhouse gases we produce.

The following is ten easy ways to reduce your carbon footprint:

1 Fit energy saving light bulbs. The typical light bulb has not changed its design in over a hundred years. Its outdated and costs you money and wastes energy. The European union would like to phase out the use of common incandescent light bulbs for domestic use within two years as part of its strategy to combat climate change. The initiative could cut carbon emissions by about 20-25 million tons a year.

2 Replace your old fridge or dryer and ensure that it has the energy efficient A rating. Old equipment does not conserve energy – it costs you money and wastes energy.

3 Turn down you central heating by one degree. A one degree reduction can mean a 10 percent reduction in your heating bill. You wont notice a one degree drop in temperature but you will notice a 10 percent drop in your heating bills.

4 When you go to the shops make sure you have a shopping list that will cover you for the next week. You won't have to drive to the shops everyday, making a big contribution to reducing your carbon output.

5 Buy local produce. When your steak is flown to your local supermarket its going to have one hell of a carbon footprint. Your local producer may be marginally more expensive but if you want to make a contribution then buy local.

6 Plant trees in your own garden or sponsor trees to be planted in you or your family's name. There is a reason trees are the referred to as the earth's lungs. Planting a tree in your garden can save 2,268 kg CO2 per year.

7 As often as possible take the option to walk. Walk rather than drive and keep the planet and your body healthy.

8 Take shorter showers. Showers account for two thirds of all water heating costs. Using less water in your shower means using less energy to heat the water which means less pollution.

9 At work turn off your computer at the end of the day. You don't need to have it on 24/7 to do your job.

10 When it comes to replacing your car think of going with diesel. Its cheaper and you still get a high level of performance.