We have all heard the warnings of the dire consequences of continuing climate change and the increasing calls for action to reduce mankinds impact on the changes. But most are puzzled about how they can make any sort of contribution that really can make a difference We all hear about the coal fired power stations that China is reputedly building every week and learn that the UK only contributes 2% to global warming. The cry is, we want to do something but what can we do that does not involve changing our livestyles totally and would make a difference.

The 10:10 campaign is an answer to that cry and gives direction and a real contribution to carbon reduction.

The principle is simple it is a commitment to reduce the carbon footprint by 10% during 2010 on a personal and organisational level. Since its inception the idea has taken off and I suppose shows the power of the internet. Councils of all political persuasions have endorsed the project as have organisations, celebrities, political figures and ordinary people across the planet.

In the 48hrs before the debate in parliament in October 2009 nearly 10,000 people contacted their local MPs in support of the proposal. Since then over 50 Councils have signed up to the Campaign 13 Labour, 14 Liberal Democrat and 11 Tory controlled showing very strong cross party support. 

• Despite this when the Liberal Democrats at County Hall moved a motion that North Yorkshire County Council sign up to the campaign the Tories moved an amendment to strike that from the motion. The claim was that it would be difficult to acheive and quite cynically the DeputyLeader said that if they signed up and failed the Lib Dems would use it against them. So much for a “Can do” approach! 

Many websites (including the Governments) contain easy to follow ways to calculate your carbon footprint over a year and the commitment to reduce that footprint by 10% can be achieved relatively easily, it is a small amount but combined with thousands or even millions of others would achieve much.

For those sceptics who do not believe that climate change is effected by mankinds actions I think most would agree that we should not continue to waste the worlds limited resources anyway so it is sensible to do this anyway.