Bristol, Bath and the West

Get on board, support The Chipper and cut your own carbon emissions

On World Environment Day (5 June) Bristol's biggest bus operator, First, is calling on more businesses and residents in the city to get on board to support its innovative Chipper project which sees the company operating a bus on 100% biodiesel made from recycled cooking oil as part of an innovative six month trial.

The project was launched at the beginning of May and residents were urged to 'chip in' to support it, but so far donations of waste oil at the city's Household Waste Recycling Centre have been low.

John Bickerton, Engineering Project Manager, First UK Bus says: "The Chipper has been attracting a great deal of attention since its introduction and its performance so far has been in line with expectations; the level of smoke emissions shows promise with a reduction on the previous month's figures, when the vehicle was operated on 'normal' diesel. There is still clearly a way to go before we can determine whether this trend will continue, but we hope it will. Certainly looking at the amount of fuel we have used over the past month, we can confidently say that we have already reduced the vehicles carbon emissions by 1.75 tonnes (1750kg); this in itself should be celebrated.

"We'd still like more people to get on board though, donating their waste cooking oils. If businesses in the region are interested in working with us, wed encourage them to get in touch. We can arrange for oils to be collected for free, and our partners can even supply fresh oils at competitive prices."

The news comes on the same day that FirstGroup " the parent company " urged its 136,000 workforce and 2.5 billion worldwide passengers to think green too. Through its internal and external websites and its publications, the company is encouraging everyone to do what they can to 'Cut a Kilo of CO2'. C arbon dioxide emissions from trains and buses are respectively 53% and 47% lower per passenger kilometre than those from cars , so leaving the car at home is a key message in First's campaign.

Travelling around 12 miles by bus' for instance from Cribbs Causeway to the city centre - the same journey that that The Chipper makes - would save just over 1kg of CO2, compared to making the same journey by car.

Justin Davies, Managing Director of First in Bristol, Somerset & Avon, said: "World Environment Day is a fantastic opportunity for those who normally drive to seriously consider public transport, cycling or walking. At First we see ourselves as part of the solution to the climate change problem. I hope that on June 5 people will not just try to ‘Cut out a Kilo of Co2 but will also consider long term alternatives to the car."

In 2007, FirstGroup published its industry leading Climate Change Strategy that set out ambitious targets to reduce emissions from its UK Bus Division by 25% and Rail Division by 20% both by 2020. In line with these goals, in the past 12 months the company has:

· Achieved a 3% reduction in energy usage in its UK Bus and UK Rail operations compared to 2006/07.
· Achieved a 6% increase in waste recycling in UK Bus compared to 2006/07.
· Cut its own CO2 emissions from business travel by 11%.
· Gained ISO14001 (environmental management system standard) accreditation for all of its bus and train operating companies in England and Scotland
· Become the first transport company to be accredited under the Energy Efficiency Accreditation Scheme (EEAS). This leading independent emission reduction award scheme recognises organisations that demonstrate energy savings through management commitment and investment in energy efficiency measures.
· Established a way to monitor energy and water consumption at all its properties in North America.
· Established total waste management contracts in its rail division and its North America operations that allow the company to monitor waste and recycling rates across the business.
· Won a Gold Award in recognition of its industry leading Climate Change Strategy at the 2008 Green Apple Awards, in the Transport, Freight and Highways Category.
· Established a partnership with a transport recycling company that sees the material from its bus seats transformed into some of the greenest footwear available.

To find out how you can get on board to cut your own carbon emissions by using the bus, log onto: www.firstgroup.com. To find out more about the Chipper Project and how your business can support it by donating waste cooking oils, email: Karen.Baxter@firstgroup.com.



Notes to Editors
· For more information contact: Karen Baxter, PR Manager (South West & Wales), First Bus, on 07894 785155 or email: Karen.Baxter@firstgroup.com .
· Through the company's internal campaign 'Small Changes Big Difference', First has been raising awareness of climate change amongst its employees for some time. This campaign highlights that a few small changes to individual behaviour can make a big difference to the companys carbon footprint.
First Bristol, Somerset & Avon carries around 55 million passengers each year on a network of more than 100 routes. It has depots in Bristol, Bath, Taunton, Bridgwater, Yeovil and Wells. As a company, First is committed to delivering a safe, reliable and punctual service for its customers. The company operates 750 vehicles and employs 2000 people.
· FirstGroup plc is the worlds leading transport company with revenues of over £6 billion a year. It employs over 136,000 staff throughout the UK and North America and transports more than 2.5 billion passengers a year.
· The Group is Britains largest bus operator running more than one in five of all local bus services. A fleet of nearly 9,000 buses carries 3 million passengers a day in more than 40 major towns and cities.