‘Little Changes Can Have Big Impact’ ; PS Public Sector’s Local Heroes

THE prophets of doom say we are heading for environmental Armageddon but Sandy Clark reckons we can turn things around by making small lifestyle changes. Sandy, 54, of Galashiels, is Scottish Borders Council’s energy efficiency adviser.

SANDY spent 33 years with ScottishPower before joining the public sector to use his experience for the benefit of residents.

He travels round the Borders giving advice to householders on how they can make the most of their energy needs and at the same time minimising their impact on the environment.

He also advises people on the grants available for renewable energy sources such as solar power or wind turbines.

He said: “There is a lot of interest in renewable energy but the start-up costs are still quite high.

“Help is available but it is something I hope Gordon Brown will look at when he comes into power.

“However, just making little changes to our way of life can have a positive impact on the environment and save money.” Sandy says that householders can save up to pounds 50 a year just by turning their heating down by one degree.

He also points out that leaving lights on or keeping the television on standby needlessly drains large amounts of energy.

He said: “We all live busy lives but it only takes a few seconds to make a difference.

“I carry out energy surveys to assess how efficient a home is and offer independent advice to get people the best value for money.

“The Executive has a number of grants available for people who want to improve the energy efficiency of their homes whether it is through better insulation or more efficient heating.

“Working for ScottishPower for all those years means I have been on both sides of the fence but I am really enjoying working in my home patch in the Borders.”

(c) 2007 Sunday Mail; Glasgow (UK). Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning. All rights Reserved.