Frequently Asked Questions

General
Q. What can I do to help reduce my carbon footprint ?
A. Check out the Getting Started section of the website. It has links to some on-line videos, and also carbon calculators for you to estimate how much CO2 your household generates. The UK average is about 10 tonnes of CO2 per year. Think of what you could do to reduce this by 10-50%.

Q. What are greenhouse gases ?
A. www.ghgonline.org is an excellent website by local lad, Dave Reay, Senior Lecturer on the Carbon Management MSc at Edin Uni., It explains all about the greenhouses gases and not just CO2 as many people focus on Carbon Dioxide, and in actual fact we need to look at Methane and more potent gases too.

Q. Can I join or help the Linlithgow Climate Challenge group, and what if I live outside Linlithgow ?
A. Anyone from the town or surrounding districts is welcome to join our group. We have a wide range of active sub-groups, so if you are interested in anything like : reducing bills by saving energy, growing veg, recycling, renewables, campaigning or many other green topics, just click on the Contact button on the menu, and let us know who you are and what you are interested in.

Q. Could someone do a Home Energy Assessment for me ?
A. Please contact us using the form above, and we will arrange to visit and review options to improve your carbon footprint.

Q. What is currently going on in Linlithgow to reduce C02 and increase local awareness of Climate Change ?
A. We have a permanent Activity page on this very topic.

Q. Is the group affiliated to any political party or campaigning organisation ?
A. No. We strive to be independent at all times. We are in the process of looking at having a constitution created and becoming a 'not for profit' community group. No membership fees are charged, but we do ask for donations at main meetings to cover the cost of hiring the room.

Q. How much CO2 is being produced by Linlithgow right now ?
A. We are working to get this answer for you. There are approx. 7000 households in Linlithow at time of writing. Simple maths put that in the 50,000-100,000 tonnes per year easily. More accurate figures to follow, and that doesn't include factories, offices, through traffic, farming, waste dumping, etc.

Q. How big is 12.5 tonnes of C02 ?
A. On average, a UK citizen produces about 12.5 tonnes per year. That's like a 1 meter Square column but extending 7km into the air ! - Or to look at it another way, In one year the population of UK produces enough CO2 to cover the entire UK with a blanket about 2m thick.

Topic Specific FAQ's
Energy Saving:
Q. How much roof insulation should I have ?
A. New Building Standards recommend 270mm (1 foot) of rockwool insulation [or equiv]. That's about 2-3 times the depth of the joists.

Q. What is a smart meter ?
A. These are small portable electronic boxes that display your electricity consumption. Seeing live readings prompts you to think about how you use/waste electricity. Something that's often forgotten when the meter is hidden in a box or under the stairs!. The group have one if you would like to rent it for a week or two. They cost about £40, and a few electricity/gas suppliers are starting to supply them for free.

Q. Can I find out how efficient my existing boiler is ?
A. Visit http://www.sedbuk.com/ This website has a list of oil/gas & LPG boilers and shows their efficiency rating.

Q. How can I lower my car fuel bills ?
A. Take a look at the AA Drive Smart advice. Remove Roof Racks, Reduce your use of Air Conditioning, Drop your speed to 60mph on motorway, empty the boot, Keep tyres properly inflated to the right pressure, car share with others, or best of all, take public transport or a bike on selected journeys.

Waste & Recycling
Q. Where can I recycle my waste in Linlithgow ?
A.. Use Sort It to find local recycling centres, chairty shops and bins at supermarkets etc. Simply enter your postcode, or select the type of item you want to recycle and your local authority.

Q. Can I recycle Tetra-Pak and textiles in my Blue Bin ?
A. Yes - West Lothian Council say that you can now add these cartons, but give them a quick rinse. Some textiles might be better donated to charity shops or charity bins at your local recycling centre.

Food
Q. I'd like to grow my own veg., but don't know how to start.
A. If you want to use your own garden, then there are several people in the Linlithgow Climate Challenge group who would be happy to give advice. If you'ld like to start an allotment, then we have supported the start of a local Allotments group that are working with the Council to find suitable land.

Q. Where can I buy local food ?
A. BonnyToun Farm, Linlithgow
Pardovan Farm Shop, 15a Pardovan Holdings, EH49 7RX
Natures Way Natural Produce, Birch Tree Farm, Church Road, California, Falkirk, FK1 2BD
West Craigie Farm Shop, South Queensferry, EH30 9TR
Farmers Market, The Venel10-2pm [see linlithgow.com]
www.growwild.co.uk - company in bathgate providing organic food delivered.
More venues to follow.

Transport
Q. Where do I find information about buses or trains going to/from Linlithgow ?
A. Start with linlithgow.com which has a list of bus companies, train operators, taxis, etc.