Stagecoach today (31 October 2008) launched an innovative eco-partnership to offer a free bus travel incentive to new parents using real nappies for their babies.
The Perth-based transport group is offering a week’s free bus travel to encourage new parents to sign up to the Perth and Kinross Real Nappy Network (PKRNN).
PKRNN, a partnership between local parents, Perth and Kinross Council and healthcare professionals, provides information, advice and support about real (washable) nappies.
Parents and carers wishing to give real nappies a go can hire a full kit of nappies and accessories to try at home on their own baby. This lets them see just how easy they are to use and can help with deciding which system to purchase.
Some 8 million disposable nappies are thrown away in the UK every day with 90% going to landfill – a total of 3 billion nappies every year. One baby will use a tonne of nappies each year and will be in nappies for an average of two-and-a-half years.
Real nappies have around half the carbon footprint of disposables, which are believed to take hundreds of years to decompose. As well as the huge environmental benefit, using home laundered nappies could save parents around £500 on the cost of keeping a baby in disposables.
A typical five-mile trip to work by car emits more than 2kg of CO2 compared to 1.5g if you take the bus, which can result in significant CO2 savings over a year. A recent Stagecoach survey showed that bus travel in Perth can be up to 69% cheaper than commuting by car, offering savings of around £700 a year.
Brian Souter, Stagecoach Group Chief Executive, said: “Climate change is an issue that is of real concern to our customers and local authorities face tough new environmental targets on landfill, air quality and recycling.
“Stagecoach has invested £7.75 million in new buses for the region over the past year, with child-friendly low floors, plenty of space for shopping and high-frequency services that make catching the bus hassle free.
“This is a perfect partnership. Real nappies and sustainable bus travel are both better for the environment. They can also save families hundreds of pounds of year, which in the current economic climate is a real incentive for people to go green.”
Sue Terras, Project Officer for PKRNN, said: “We are delighted to work in partnership with Stagecoach to launch this exciting new initiative. Having a baby is an important time in life and we want to make it easy for families to make green choices. As a local not-for-profit organization, we are keen to link up with local companies to promote our message.”
Perth & Kinross Council’s Vice-Convener of Environment Services, Councillor Lorraine Caddell, commented: “Using real nappies can make a significant difference to the amount of waste produced by families with babies and young children. Environmentally and financially they are a more effective option and we would encourage families expecting a new arrival to give real nappies a try.”
Stagecoach, one of the UK’s biggest bus operators, operates around 80 buses across Perth and Kinross, covering locations such as Perth, Crieff, Pitlochry and Dunkeld and offering weekly travel from just £5 per week.
The Group is continuing a major drive to make its own business more sustainable and attract more people to travel by bus, coach, train and tram. The Group’s wide-ranging strategy includes investment in renewable fuels and cleaner engines, state-of-the-art energy efficient facilities, water and waste recycling initiatives and offering businesses green travel incentives for their employees.
