Francis Maude pees on his compost. David Cameron rides a bike because it is "a lovely thing to do". But 54 MPs have pledged to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions by 25 per cent within five years. Some of them told us how
Susan Kramer
Liberal Democrat, Richmond Park
Aviation is my most carbon-intensive activity. My daughter lives in the US and is expecting a baby, my husband will have to go to the US for a clinical trial, and I have just been given the international development brief. At home, we will be replacing our car this year with a hybrid. We are going to have an energy audit of our house to work out how we are going to make it more energy efficient. Rather than heating the house as a whole, we are only heating the rooms we are in. We already tend to use public transport wherever possible, and are now trying to add some more walking to that. We are taking more care not to leave our equipment on standby. I am constantly nagging my children, who now have homes of their own, to get them to reduce their emissions, and we are trying to be much more energy aware in our offices.
Oliver Letwin
Conservative, West Dorset
Old boilers, normal (incandescent) light bulbs and driving a Land Rover are probably responsible for most of the carbon dioxide I emit. I am gradually replacing most of the bulbs with low-energy equivalents (not all, because - annoyingly - not all my lamps can accommodate them). I am going to replace the Land Rover with a hybrid 4x4. I will replace at least one of my two boilers with a modern combined heat and power one. I am investigating the installation of both a small wind turbine and solar panels in my constituency home. I will improve the insulation in the lofts. From this summer holiday I will offset all holiday air travel. I am more concerned to make savings myself than to preach to my friends.
Roberta Blackman Woods
Labour, City of Durham
I usually fly only when I am on parliamentary business and when it is absolutely necessary. I have added substantial additional insulation to my home. I have installed a combi-boiler. I make sure I turn off all appliances when they are not in use. All light bulbs in my house are low-energy. I got rid of my car when I was elected to parliament. My husband uses an electric bicycle most of the time so we don't use his car very often at all during the week. I travel between Durham and London by train rather than by plane. I want to use public transport and walk as much as possible. I will continue to fly as little as possible. My family usually holiday in the UK. I am looking at how to use micro-generation in my own home.
Gavin Strang
Labour, Edinburgh East
Travelling - from Edinburgh to the Commons, within the constituency and for leisure - is my most carbon-intensive activity. We recently moved to a flat that uses a lot less fuel than our previous, fairly large, house. I have lowered the thermostat, and am more assiduous about closing rooms off and not heating those we're not using. When equipment in our home becomes irreparable I will replace it with more fuel-efficient models. I use the bus much more now in Edinburgh, rather than my car or taxi. I now take the train rather than the plane between Edinburgh and London - though I still find that I have to fly sometimes. I will continue to need to take a number of flights to London, but the only holiday we have planned for this year involves travelling by ferry to the continent. As a politician, I take a strong stand on climate change, and chide my family from time to time.
Emily Thornberry
Labour, Islington South and Finsbury
I cycle to and from work (I am chair of the all-party cycling group) and drive a hybrid Toyota Prius, which replaced my old diesel estate. I recycle as much as possible. I plan to carry out a carbon audit to work out my carbon footprint and then develop a plan for reducing my emissions further. I will probably install some form of microgeneration in my house (if I can get planning permission!) and switch my electricity to a renewable energy supplier. I am on the environmental audit select committee and work to scrutinise the government's environmental record and suggest ways in which the government can reduce CO2 levels.
Read more from the New Statesman 'Heat and Light' energy supplement at
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