Oxfordshire enlists e.learning in the fight against climate change

11 Aug 2010

by: Margaret Snell

Oxfordshire County Council is using an e-learning tool developed by Inmarkets and Carbon Clear to help reduce the energy and resources it uses when providing services across the county.

Inmarkets and Carbon Clear were commissioned to create the course as part of the council’s ‘Future First’ programme. All Oxfordshire’s employees have been asked to use the e‐learning program which captures basic information about work and home activities to generate an individual’s carbon footprint.

At the end of the course, learners are given suggestions as to how they can reduce their impact by thinking carefully about their energy, transport and work activities. Users are encouraged to repeat the course in the future to track improvements to their carbon impact and the resulting cost savings.

Simon Truckle, head of e‐learning consultancy at Inmarkets, said: “It is of prime importance to us that learners are engaged with our programmes in order to create a demonstrable change in attitudes and behaviours. The challenge with this course was to provide a link between the concept of carbon emissions, Oxfordshire County Council’s carbon footprint as a whole, and how small individual acts could make a big difference.”

John Jackson, director for Social and Community Services and chair of the Climate Change Board at Oxfordshire County Council, said: "The need to reduce carbon emissions has become even more important recently with the introduction of new legislation which puts a tax on our carbon emissions. This new e-learning course will give individuals the opportunity to understand where they contribute to our carbon footprint, and how they can reduce their carbon emissions not only in the workplace, but in their home too. Reducing emissions will not only help us reach our Carbon Management Programme’s 18% carbon reduction target but will also help us save money, by reducing our gas, electricity, waste and transport costs.”

 

 

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