In this way there are many things each of us, and many of the groups we belong to, can do to have an indirect impact on reducing emissions. For ex-ample, consumers will push producers by the choices they make, and businesses can require their suppliers to provide them with climate-friendly products and services. At the same time cities can provide the infrastructure to get around town to fi nd products in the most climate effi cient way. Many potential decisions stem from political choices – individuals will follow market forces (e.g. decisions on home insulation, for instance, will be based on affordability, incentives and disincentives); business leaders are increasingly keen to have a political framework in which to operate.

It is crucial to be aware of how we infl uence others. We should remember that when we act and make sure our own record is exemplary before trying to teach others lessons. Particularly if we want any credibility.

Furthermore, what might seem insignifi cant in a global perspective may well considerably reduce your personal climate impact. In other words, your small contribution may only be a drop in the ocean, but all of our efforts taken together will defi nitely help to alleviate the GHG burden on the atmosphere.

The Credit Suisse bank aims to achieve climate neutrality by 2009. Three-quarters of its CO2 emissions come from the energy used to run its offices, so it has made a gradual switch to renewable power supplies, and is replacing oil and gas heating with heat pumps or district heating. In 2007 it was able to disconnect more than 2 000 of its servers, 10 per cent of the total. The waste heat generated by the computers used by Credit Suisse staff at its Zurich offi ce is diverted to heat nearby offi ces and homes. Its Hong Kong offi ces use network PCs without hard disk servers, which can cut electricity
consumption by 20 per cent. In 2006 the bank’s use of video conferencing was 30 per cent up on the previous year; it encourages staff to use trains rather than planes for short journeys, and has begun working towards using carbon-neutral fl ight tickets. By 2006 the bank’s Swiss operations were GHG-neutral, with some of the saving achieved by buying carbon offsets.

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