How green is Number 10?

Gordon Brown has said that Britain must prepare for a low carbon future as more is done to protect the environment. We can all bring down our carbon footprints and help the planet by making small changes to our lifestyles - staff at Number 10 are doing their bit in the following ways.

All Number 10's electricity is now generated from renewable sources, cleaning is done using environmentally friendly products and any new furniture bought comes from a sustainable source.

The Number 10 offices use recycled paper for photocopying and general waste is sorted for recycling. There are also additional on-site recycling facilities and a wormery has been installed to compost waste from the Downing Street café. The café is further playing its part by supplying all ready-made sandwiches in biodegradable packaging.

To conserve energy, staff are encouraged to turn off lights and PCs when not in use and energy-saving light bulbs are used wherever possible. Number 10 has also worked with the Carbon Trust to look at ways of saving further energy and has been granted Energy Efficiency Accreditation, as has the whole of Cabinet Office.

The fleet of cars used by Number 10 includes hybrid fuel cars which run partly on electricity. All government flights made by the PM, ministers and officials are carbon-neutral.

In addition, as the world faces increasing water shortages which may be exacerbated by the effects of climate change, staff at Number 10 are also taking steps to save water.

The garden is watered less frequently and mains water is no longer used. In the future drought-tolerant plants will be planted in flowerbeds and displays.

Mulching - adding a protective layer on top of soil to conserve moisture - will further cut down on water use in the garden. More ways of reducing water consumption will be identified when water meters are soon installed.

And as well as all of the above, there is a sustainability working group to promote green issues and to keep thinking about how Number 10 can help save energy and water and therefore contribute to protecting the planet.

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