THOUSANDS of Scots have stepped up to the challenge of fighting climate change and are helping our country set a shining example to the rest of the world.
Six months have passed since The Scotsman and the Scottish Government launched the "Let's Go Green Together" campaign, and the results have been phenomenal.
All over Scotland, there are examples of individuals, groups and whole communities meetin
g the challenge to tackle the growing climate-change threat and preserve our planet for future generations.
Almost 3,000 people have signed up to some of ten pledges to lead a greener lifestyle, from using the car less to recycling more.
Nearly 100 groups, from schools to scouts, have been in touch with the Scottish Government after thinking of ways to help the environment, in an effort to get a share of its £18.8 million Climate Challenge Fund.
The huge response comes as the Scottish Government prepares a bill that will see this country aim to lead the way globally in its efforts to tackle climate change.
With plans to slash damaging greenhouse gas emissions by 80 per cent by 2050, it wants to set tougher targets than any other country in the world.
Environment groups have praised the response from Scotland in grasping the urgent need to change our behaviour.
Dr Richard Dixon, the director of WWF Scotland, thinks there is a real opportunity to lead the way across the world.
"On the international stage, Scotland has become a terribly important player, because we have got the most advanced climate targets in a legislative bill anywhere in the world," he said. "That will be the benchmark that every other industrialised country has to live up to."
He thinks all the thousands of people who have played their part in helping the environment in Scotland deserve praise.
"Anyone who has taken even a small action to help deserves praise, because it's the first step on a journey," he said. "Even if you leave your car at home one day a week, that's a 20 per cent reduction in your car use. Over a year, that's huge. If everyone did that, we would make a big difference to the amount of oil burned in people's cars."
The Scotsman changed the colour of its masthead to green for the day six months ago and challenged readers to go green too. Mike Gilson, the Editor, was hopeful of a strong response, and he has not been let down.
"I am amazed by the passion for the environment that is evident across Scotland, and the desire by thousands of people to take action to help preserve our fragile planet for future generations," he said. "Scotland is storming ahead in the challenge to tackle climate change, and I think all our readers should be proud of their achievements.
"It is, however, important to remember that far more needs to be done. Individual actions, such as increasing recycling, will not, on their own, save the planet and tough global targets need to be set."
Richard Lochhead, the environment secretary, praised the thousands of Scots who had pledged to go green.
He said: "We are currently using the resources of three planets. If we continue to put that much strain on our environment, future generations won't be able to enjoy the same quality of life as we do.
"The growing awareness of the consequences of our actions has already made many of us stop and think about what we can do to reduce our impact on the environment.
"Indeed, many Scots are already taking action – as a country we are recycling more, driving less, using energy-efficient light bulbs and buying seasonal and unpackaged produce. I want to thank the thousands of Scots who have already pledged to go green this year.
"Together, by making small changes to the way we lead our everyday lives, we can become more environmentally friendly and do our bit – locally and globally – for the planet."
Duncan McLaren, the chief executive of Friends of the Earth Scotland, thinks there is a "ladder" people can climb. If they start by using a car less, this can lead to giving up the vehicle completely. If they put in insulation, this can lead to installing a solar panel or turbine on their home.
A report by WWF has shown that, in the race to cut emissions, the UK is leading the G8 nations, with France in second place and Germany third. At the bottom of the rankings are Canada and the United States.
The WWF statistics show the UK has cut emissions by 15 per cent since 1990, compared with a 14 per increase in greenhouse gases in the US.
Among developing countries, China still produces fewer emissions per person than industrialised nations, but its greenhouse gas output has grown by 100 per cent since 1990 to 5.5 tonnes a year per person.
50 ways that Scotland has gone green over the past six months:1. 100 community groups keen to help the environment in their areas have made enquiries with the Scottish Government in the first month since the launch of the Climate Challenge Fund, keen to get a share of the £18.8 million cash pot.
2. Nearly 3,000 people have signed up to the Greener Scotland campaign launched by The Scotsman and The Scottish Government.
3. Thousands of people took part in Scottish Biodiversity Week in May, to help celebrate and preserve our natural environment.
4. The number of people living off local produce for a year in Fife as part of the Fife Diet campaign has grown from 14 to 300.
5. Selkirk in the Borders announced in April that it was going plastic bag free. Residents were issued with replacement canvas bags.
6. St Thomas' Primary School in Keith, Moray became the 600th Scottish school to be awarded the prestigious Green Flag in the Eco-Schools programme for its commitment to the environment.
7. The T in the Park festival at Balado near Loch Leven has become the largest carbon neutral festival in the world. Campers are encouraged to use phosphate free soap, recycling areas are being set up and energy efficient lightbulbs will be used.
8. More than 21,000 people responded to the consultation for the Scottish Climate Change Bill, calling for Scotland to take a tough stance, leading the way globally in the fight to reduce emissions.
9. The 83 people living on the Hebridean isle of Eigg switched from using environmentally unfriendly diesel generators for their power to getting all their energy from renewable sources.
10. A feasibility study is being carried out in remote Knoydart in the West Highlands to look into introducing electric vehicles, wood fuel for heating, carbon footprinting of households and offering a carbon offset service to visitors.
11. The world's largest single prize for innovation in marine renewable energy was announced by the Scottish Government in February. The £10 million Saltire Prize is designed to galvanise world scientists to innovate in clean, green energy.
12. Recycling rates have gone up in Scotland, according to figures published in May. Just over four per cent more waste was recycled or composted in 2007 compared to the previous year.
13. The largest wood-fired power station in the UK opened near Lockerbie in March. The Steven's Croft Power Station, a 44MW biomass power plant, is expected to save up to 140,000 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions a year.
14. Environment secretary Richard Lochhead ate just Scottish food for one week in May. It followed a similar effort by first minister Alex Salmond and television presenter Stephen Jardine's pledge to eat Scottish produce for a year.
15. More than £3 million was given by the Scottish Government to two haulage companies- Eddie Stobart and John G Russell- for the provision of two new freight rail services from the central belt to Inverness, to cut 400 lorry journeys a week.
16. Chief executives from all leading UK supermarkets agreed in May to take part in Scotland's first Supermarket Summit later this year, with the aim of finding ways to cut waste and using less packaging.
17. Up to £6 million is to be made available to fund projects to treat organic waste, it was announced in April. It is hoped the cash, from The Scottish Government, will help meet targets for 70 per cent of municipal waste to be recycled or composted by 2025.
18. Scottish scientists are leading the way with research into climate change at institutes such as the Macaulay Institute. They are focusing on slowing down release of carbon from soil and creating new fuels to reduce the burning of fossil fuels.
19. The Scottish Government announced in January it was going to cut down in its printed material and transfer to online publishing instead, in a bid to save £2 million and help the environment.
20. Measures that will mean people wanting to install home energy kit such as solar panels will no longer need planning permission were announced in March.
21. The Caledonian Environment Centre at Glasgow Caledonian University is leading the way in developing new markets for recycled products, and designing recycling strategies with local authorities.
22. A new Scottish European Green Energy Centre is to be established in Aberdeen, it was announced in February. The aim will be to develop partnerships with research bodies for green energy in other countries.
23. Up to 6,000 people are expected to flock to The Big Tent festival, an environmental festival in Fife, at the end of July. Speakers there will talk about ways everyone can get involved in helping the environment.
24. Scotland's third largest wind farm got consent in January. The 68-turbine Griffin wind farm near Aberfeldy in Perthshire will be capable of providing electricity for more than 100,000 homes.
15. Funding was tripled in March for people who want to install home energy kit such as solar panels and heat pumps on their homes. There is now £13.5 million available over three years.
26. A new biomass plant opened near Forfar in Angus in January. The new £1.2 million plant employing 20 people will supply the growing biomass energy market with woodchips harvested from sustainable forests.
27. Former computer programmer Alexander MacDonald has set up a business in Glasgow collecting fat from chip shops and restaurants and converting it to environmentally biodiesel.
28. The Scotsman has increased its recycling levels, is drawing up an energy policy, and is planning to reduce electricity consumption by five per cent this year. The Scotsman offices already have lighting linked to motion-sensors in offices.
29. Going Carbon Neutral Stirling was launched in June, and given £1m by the Scottish Government. Resident Rachel Nunn is determined it will become the first carbon neutral city in the UK.
30. The Scottish Government has signed up to take part in the Carbon Trust's Carbon Management Programme in a bid to reduce its environmental impact. The programme helps organisations reduce their carbon footprints over a 10 year period.
31. New travel targets were set by the Scottish Government, including reducing business travel-related emissions by 20 per cent between 2005 and 2010.
32. More than 20,000 volunteers took part in National Spring Clean 2008 in May. West Lothian Council won the top prize- with 3,131 people taking part in clean up events in the area.
33. The catering contract at the Scottish Government is being retendered to put more emphasis on fresh and seasonable produce and the use of recycled products.
34. Eco-friendly paper has been introduced for use of staff by the Scottish Government.
35. Local businesses in East Renfrewshire have been signing up to the Keep Scotland Beautiful initiative by agreeing to keep the outside of their premises free from litter. McDonalds in Thornliebank was the first to join up, in June.
36. Bottled water has been replaced with chilled tap water by the Scottish Government to cut down on waste plastic.
37. The number of towns, villages and cities in Scotland signing up to the Transition Town initiative, which aim to tackle climate change, has risen to five. They are Portobello, Dunbar, Biggar, North Howe and Dunbar.
38. Biggar is storming ahead with its aim to reduce its carbon footprint. Carbon Neutral Biggar held its fourth Eco Forum in April, reusable shopping bags have been created, cycle racks installed and a community car sharing scheme started.
39. The first NHS hospital biomass boiler was opened in May. It will provide heat to both the Crichton Royal Hospital and Dumfries Infirmary.
40. Two wind generators have been installed at Balfron High School, Stirling, after an environment committee run by prefects led an investigation into how suitable the site would be, and helped out with fundraising.
41. Whitmuir farm in Peebleshire won £4,000 for transforming the way it operates to reduce its environmental impacts. It changed from being a sheep farm into an organic farm producing beef, pork, lamb, fruit, vegetables, eggs and turkeys.
42. Steven MacKen, who lives in the small village of Gartocharn in Dunbartonshire, has set up a community action group to raise awareness among the 200 residents of renewable energy.
43. Europe's largest onshore wind farm could be about to grow even bigger after plans were announced by ScottishPower Renewables to build a further 36 turbines to add to the 140 already on Whitelee Wind Farm near Glasgow.
44. An Eco Committee has been set up at Stirling High School to oversee environmental activities such as recycling and litter prevention. The school has also been helping plant trees, flowers.
45. Tom Pendry from Barra on the Western Isles, kayaked the length of the Western Isles in May catching his own food, burning driftwood and using a solar panel to raise awareness of the environment.
46. Students at George Heriot's School, Edinburgh raised funds from sponsored events to install water saving taps for the school and to build a toilet and shower block at the Iyela Education Centre in Tanzania.
47. A geothermal heating source has been installed at Glaitness Primary School in Orkney. The 300ft deep borehole supplies all heating to the school.
48. Pupils from Inverkeithing High, Fife went to the Scottish Parliament in February to talk about their work as an Eco-School, explaining how they identified cold and hot spots in the school, and got heating regulators installed.
48. Eight households in Colington Mains Green, Edinburgh, are taking part in a British Gas competition to reduce their energy use more over a year than seven otheracross the UK. They have cut their energy use by almost 20 per cent in the past six months.
49. Shock tactics were used at Currie High in Edinburgh to crack down on litter. A day's worth of litter from the school grounds was emptied on the floor of their assembly hall to raise awareness of the problem.
50. The first tidal-power-driven electricity in Scotland was connected to the National Grid. OpenHydro's turbine, off the island of Eday in Orkney, is expected to pave the way for a huge tidal-power development next year in the Channel Islands.
The full article contains 2539 words and appears in The Scotsman newspaper.
