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Sustainable energy
Bridget Walsh on 05 September, 2011 |

It’s a given that in London’s commercial, capitalistic and consumerism-driven society, we all have something that requires electricity to function. Electricity is a genius invention, one that revolutionised the world and the future of technology. But, along with petrol, plastic and steak, our soft-spot for the unsustainable is fast becoming our downfall. Clearly we’ve established that I am a vegan, an enviro-nerd and a bit of a hippy. I’m proud of all of those things, and I do my best to incorporate my values across the board of my lifestyle. Finding an energy provider with similar values to my own seemed like a big ask, but Ecotricity was only a Google-search away.

“Ecotricity is an electricity company with a difference - we're dedicated to changing the way electricity is made. We take the money our customers spend on electricity and invest it in clean forms of power like wind energy. What's more, we're the only green electricity company making any ground building these new renewable energy sources. In the last 7 years we've invested nearly £50million in wind energy.” (ecotricity.co.uk)

Slowly but surely large-scale mind-shifts integrate themselves into our collective psyche. Conserving water, buying free-range eggs, smoking is bad for you, etc. But some of our more sub-conscious choices can have just as much of an impact on our contribution to the world. I would guess that most people move into a new home and probably stick with the energy company that is already supplying their property. Get the names changed over on the bills and you’re away. But making the switch to a company like Ecotricity takes minimal effort (literally 1 email or phonecall!) and is a passive way to be actively aiding in saving the planet.

“Not many people realise that we can now all choose who supplies our electricity, and therefore how it's made, so wherever you live in the country you can actually choose to have your home or business supplied by clean energy. The funny thing is switching takes about five minutes but it's the biggest single step you can take to reduce your emissions and protect the environment.” (ecotricity.co.uk)

In it’s simplest form, Ecotricity is a provider of “Green Energy”.

“When we talk about Green Energy, we mean electricity and gas made from renewable sources – we mean Green Electricity; made from the elements, the Wind, The Sun and the Sea – and Green Gas; made from food waste and from algae. And we don't just supply Green Energy we make it ourselves. Green Energy can give the UK back its Energy Independence, create sustainable green jobs and industry and through that a Greener Britain. And all of this just from your energy bills – if you use them wisely…” (ecotricity.co.uk)

Ecotricity is a social enterprise, run by Dale Vince, a ‘Zerocarbonista’ championing the next industrial revolution, as he describes it “how to live without burning up the planet”. Here’s what Wiki has to say about Vince:

“Dale Vince is a Vegan, former New Age traveller and British industrialist who has become noteworthy as the outspoken owner of the Green electricity company Ecotricity. In 2010 he became a major shareholder of Forest Green Rovers F.C. Three months after joining the club as a majority shareholder, Vince became the club chairman. In February 2011, Rovers players were banned from eating red meat for health reasons, and a few weeks later the sale of all red meat products was banned at the club's football ground, leaving only vegetarian options as well as free-range poultry and fish from sustainable stocks. Vince received an OBE from the Queen for services to the environment in 2004.” (wikipedia.org, August 2011)

Dale’s heart is clearly in the right place, and for that reason alone, his company is worth supporting. However, a look at Ecotricity’s Environmental Policy should help to seal the deal for anyone with an ounce of concern for the wellbeing of the planet. Here are some highlights:

“Ecotricity’s purpose in life is to bring about environmental improvement by changing the way energy is made and used in the UK. In so doing we recognise that our activities will have an environmental impact of their own… In any apparent conflict between the environment and money – we put the environment first. We take into account ethical and social issues, biodiversity and sustainability when making all strategic and operational decisions...encouraging and pursuing behavioural change, from both within our organisation and from without… We will not work with organisations directly involved in factory farming, animal slaughter, animal testing, arms, tobacco, nuclear power, GMO’s or anything else we consider to be unethical, immoral or just plain wrong…” (ecotricity.co.uk)

I’d like to see an energy supplier come up with a more yogic business approach than that! I’m not sure if Dale is a yogi in practice, but he’s definitely got the right idea with Ecotricity. He sums it up nicely in his own words, taken from his blog:

“The idea for example, that you can fight Climate Change with your electricity bill, use your need for electricity to bring about new clean sources of it – sustainable ones. It’s not such a novel idea these days – that we can influence the way the world works, through the way we spend our money...I’m after change, by empowering people to bring it about themselves.”
(zerocarbonista.com)