Right royal example as new King continues green campaign

It is heartening to see the new King is setting a fine example in the battle to slow down climate change.

Midlands green expert Ron Fox was commenting on a report that Charles III has already started reducing the royal household’s energy use.

The 74-year-old lifelong environmentalist has installed solar panels on the roof of his Clarence House in London, and his Highgrove residence in Gloucestershire.

He also puts bath and wastewater on his flowerbeds for his plants and he also switches off lights.

Staff have also been asked to give a good reason why a fire was being lit or why a room was being heated beyond room temperature.

At Sandringham House in Norfolk he has transformed a lawn into an eco-friendly topiary garden with symmetrical beds laid out and trees planted.

Now the King, who is keen for the royal household to achieve net zero emissions before the government’s target date of 2050, is keeping an eye on Buckingham Palace’s publicly funded energy bills.

And he has even turned down the thermostat on the Palace swimming pool.

The pool was commissioned by George VI in 1938 and was subsequently rebuilt after a bomb landed nearby during the 1940 London blitz.

The young Princess Elizabeth and Princess Margaret became keen swimmers there and it was also where the King learnt to swim.

Diana, Princess of Wales swam there as did her children Prince William and Prince Harry and the King’s grandchildren, Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis before their move to Windsor.

Last year the utilities bill for the royal palaces, which is paid for by the taxpayer via the sovereign grant, was £3.2 million. It is monitored by a network of more than 60 smart meters.

Charles, who has been outspoken on environmental issues for more than 50 years, has been involved in a number of green campaigns.

In the 1980s, Charles began transforming Highgrove into an organic haven which eventually became the Duchy Organic business, which sells its produce in Waitrose with all profits going towards charitable causes via the King’s own foundation.

In 2010 as the Prince of Wales, Charles also helped launch the Campaign for Wool initiative. As its patron he wants to educate consumers about the benefits of wool, which biodegrades naturally.

In 2020 he established the Sustainable Markets Initiative encouraging the private sector, including more than 500 CEOs, to accelerate their efforts towards a greener future.

In 2021 he was a key figurehead at COP26, the United Nations Climate Change Conference held in Glasgow and spoke at the opening ceremony.

He has also reduced his own personal carbon footprint with one unusual project being to have his Aston Martin converted to run on bioethanol made from cheese and wine.

“It is very encouraging to see our new King involved in so many green initiatives,” said Ron, of Noreus Ltd on the University of Keele Science Innovation Park.

If you want any advice on green energy solutions, contact Ron on 0845 474 6641.

 

Caption: Green campaigner – King Charles III. Picture: Wikipedia