The commission said it will be the first non-departmental public body to make a fully comprehensive report on carbon and ecological footprints.
 
CABE’s impact from direct energy and water use is less per staff member than comparable organisations, and how CABE staff travel to work is exemplary. The largest negative impact came from office materials and waste, business travel, office electricity use and publications. Air travel makes up 14% of CABE’s ecological footprint and 19% of its carbon emissions.  CABE’s publications contributed 9% of its carbon emissions but 14% of its ecological footprint. 
 
The findings are being launched at the Think 2007 conference in London tomorrow.
 
CABE Chief executive Richard Simmons said: "CABE's carbon footprint is 503 tonnes a year.  Our consultants say that we are average for the UK. We never like being average, but in this case it gives real cause for concern. Carbon emissions have to be stabilised worldwide at between one and two tonnes per person by 2030, and this shows we generate 4.6 tonnes each just from commuting and working. We want to share the learning from our efforts to reduce this footprint."
 
CABE is now looking at practical ways to significantly reduce its carbon and ecological footprints. A detailed plan of action will be published this summer.