It is a common saying that, one should always practice what one preaches.

At the British High Commission we do not claim to be perfect with all our acts in place to reduce our carbon emissions, but, we can confidently say that we have made a start to reduce our Carbon footprint.

And to realise the end of having a low carbon footprint, we constantly think of measures in order to achieve this. Afterall, actions speak louder than words!

One of our initiatives is a 600ft long wall poster on our wall facing the Ashok, which is to spread awareness on climate change. The poster depicts two possible futures. One that is gloomy, dark with human activities leading to climate change like deforestation, pollution and also impacts of climate change like floods, drought, rising sea levels. The other half of the poster tells us about activities which we can take on an individual level like car pooling, using CFL bulbs, using CNG fuel for public transport etc. which will result in a bright, sustainable future. The two alternates in the poster guide us to choose the future we want for ourselves, and our planet.

Apart from the wall, which is used to spread climate change messages to the outside world, we have taken certain initiatives within the organisation at different posts, to decrease our carbon footprint.

British High Commission’s ‘Greening the FCO’ initiative is to improve the sustainability of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office’s operations, by ensuring that environmental footprint is considered in decision-making processes and we undertake a series of interventions/projects that will lead directly to measurable reductions in our environmental footprint.

This would help us work towards our goal of achieving “a low carbon sustainable growth” which provides a platform to reduce, substitute and enable BHC, New Delhi operations resulting in reduced environmental footprint of organisation.

The essence of the program is SMART: Standardise; Monitor; Account; Rethink; Transformational.

Under 'Greening the FCO', there is a Sustainable Operations team in SED (Security and Estates Directorate), who lead on delivering the Greening FCO change program.  

At BHC, New Delhi, we have a Greening Programme Manager, whose responsibilities include monitoring operations at the BHC compound, to ensure we are managed sustainably, and that environmental considerations are at the heart of the way the office is run.

We have evaluated the current carbon emissions on the compound and presented it to a review committee.  

Basis the findings, we have identified certain areas that we need to look at to lower carbon emissions. Some of them would require structural changes, with higher investments.

At BHC New Delhi, the initiatives that are already implemented towards Greening the compound are as follows:

• Solar water heaters: on compound and residence to save electricity consumption as a replacement to immersion heater and geysers

• Rain water harvesting: on compound and residence through soak pits for recharging ground water table

• Grey water collection system: backwash of swimming pool, bleed from chillers and wastewater from hand basins in staff quarters to meet the watering demand for gardening

• Recycling of paper, newspaper and magazines from offices, efficiency @90%.

• The internal communications team, is also working on reducing the subscription of magazines and newspapers by the BHC, by ensuring that we don’t subscribe to copies for individuals, instead we get single, couple of copies which get circulated within the department.

• Carbon Sink: more than 2/3 area of compound is under green cover

• Power factor control panel: installed on compound, staff quarters and residence, which provides efficient use of electricity in the electrical distribution system.

• Movement Sensors in bathrooms, for lights, sensor taps and sensor flushes on w/c to achieve water and energy savings  

• Energy saving fixtures: (CFL, T5, T8 lamps) widely used for saving on electricity consumption

• Automatic sprinkling system: for irrigation at compound and residence and watering of lawn during evening resulted in substantial water savings

• Installation of push taps: resulted in water savings as earlier hose pipes were used for car washings and cleaning

• Water closets: half capacity at residential properties to reduce water consumption

• Water less urinals: (20 nos) in office toilets an ideal opportunity to save water

• Solar timer: for street- lights and garden lighting to reduce energy consumption.

• Pulverised fly ash cement: which is an environmental friendly use of waste from thermal power plants

• Solar films: on windows to reflect heat gains from the sun

• Procurements: follow energy star rating for all white goods

We realise that these are only the initial steps and there is still potential to do much more.  And we are working towards the same, with proposed campaign plans, on energy efficiency, water efficiency and the 3 R's (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle) campaign.

Apart from what is being done at the official level it is the responsibility of each staff member as well to do their bit in contributing to greening our compound.

As individuals, we all need to be more aware and do our bit.  We consciously switch off lights and ACs when not in the room/ leaving office, turn off our computer monitors when not at our desks, print on two sides of paper, use rough sheets for printing documents for internal use.

These are a few things which each of you can, and should do to make a difference.

After all, each drop counts in an ocean!