Just what the doctors ordered

ANYONE who believes tackling climate change has to be a major drain on the economy should take a look at Groundwork's Green Doctor service.

The environment charity's scheme has been running across Yorkshire for nearly three years now, with organisers rightly proud of the impressive "triple win" they are offering the region – reducing carbon emissions, creating job and training opportunities for unemployed young

people, and delivering significant cash savings for residents who need them most.

The concept is relatively simple. Young people are employed and trained up as "Green Doctors", offering energy-efficiency workshops and home visits to residents living in areas of particular deprivation.

The workshops cover practical, no-cost ways to save energy and money. On their home visits, the Green Doctors install energy-saving measures such as energy efficient light bulbs, draught-proofing and reflective radiator panels, free of charge. They also offer information about how to apply for further energy efficient grants and on

issues such as recycling and water usage.

Groundwork's senior climate change co-ordinator, Emma Rooney, said:

"This project has really been going from strength to strength. It's a really worthwhile service and really valuable to the people we've got out to so far.

"The CO2 savings from household emissions have been excellent and also

it's a huge help to people struggling with fuel poverty at this time of rising fuel prices. With the green jobs we've been able to provide,

it really is a win-win situation."

The service, which is funded by a number of bodies including Aire Valley Homes, Scottish Power Energy People Trust and Ebico currently operates across Leeds but has also been piloted in Bradford and was recently launched in Morley, south Leeds, and Calderdale.

Groundwork boasts of the "massive" impact the scheme has had on household emissions across Yorkshire so far. Between April 2007 and June 2009, the Green Doctors carried out 1,069 home visits.

The charity calculates the work carried out so far will have saved more than 1,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions over the lifetime of the equipment installed – translating to savings for Leeds's vulnerable residents of more than 865,000.

A statement said: "Overall, the Green Doctor produces strong, tangible results in tackling climate change in an innovative, useful, replicable and free-of-charge way.

"It also reaches further than that by helping those most in need to be warm in their homes, saving them vital money while providing employment opportunities."