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'Switch it off' campaign spreads its wings

Birmingham International Airport (BIA) has announced its support of Warwickshire County Council’s 'Switch it off' campaign, which aims to encourage people to save energy by switching off items when they are not in use.

BIA is introducing a series of initiatives, which will need the assistance of staff members in the process, to improve and sustain the airport’s environmental impact.

Energy Manager at the Airport, Kevin Turnbull, is displaying posters, home energy fact sheets and other energy saving advice material in staff areas around the Airport to support Warwickshire’s work in reducing the area’s impact on climate change.

During Warwickshire County Council’s ‘Switch it off’ week every worker at Birmingham International Airport will be asked to submit their best and most practical energy saving advice. The person with the best idea will receive a £200 iPod.

One small step the Airport is taking is implementing timers on its refreshment dispensing machines so they are not on at night, when out of use. This simple step reduces the amount of carbon dioxide emissions from each machine by 1,397kgs and saves the airport £325 in electricity costs for each one.

BIA Managing Director, Richard Heard, said: “The Airport is committed to finding practical solutions to local issues and to getting involved in initiatives such as the ‘Switch Off’ campaign to continue our process of environmentally-sustainable development.”

Warwickshire County Council is urging everyone to ‘Switch it off – don’t just stand by and waste energy’.

Cllr Martin Heatley, Warwickshire County Council’s Portfolio Holder for the Environment, said: “I’m delighted to see Birmingham International Airport recognising the work it can do in reducing its impact on the environment.

“We should all be thinking about the simple steps we can take in ensuring power is not being wasted, and turning things off, when they are otherwise on stand by, is key to this.

“If everyone in Warwickshire, Coventry and Worcestershire stopped leaving appliances on stand by it would prevent 86,322 tonnes of carbon dioxide being emitted into the atmosphere through wasted electricity and save more than £20m (enough to pay the annual electricity bill for 71,953 homes).”

For more information on taking steps to ‘Switch it off’ visit http://www.warwickshire.gov.uk/switchitoff or call the energy advice hotline on 0800 512012.