Using the Choose Life website

Introduction

This page is intended for people who are members of a Choose Life group, and would like to use the web interface to submit their own meter readings to the scheme.

General introduction to Choose Life.

Contents

If you have any further questions please contact the administrator of your Choose Life group, or email chooselife@stjohns-edinburgh.org.uk.

Logging in

When you go to http://www.stjohns-edinburgh.org.uk/cgi-bin/chooselife.cgi you should see the form shown below:

If you have a password for the Choose Life system then enter your email address and password. Selecting the 'Remember me' option should ensure that you will not have to enter these details next time you access the site from the same computer. Once you have done this click on 'Log in' to continue.

If you do not have a password

If your email address is registered with Choose Life, but you do not have a password, or if you have forgotten your password, then enter your email address into the form and click on the 'Generate a new password' button. This will generate a new random password for you and sent it to your registered email address. Once you have received this email you will be able to log in as described above.

The password which is emailed to you will be a random sequence of letters. You will probably want to change this to something more memorable. You can do this using the Update user details page.

If your email address is not registered with Choose Life then you will need to contact the administrator of your Choose Life group.

Adding meter readings

This is the screen which you will need to use to record meter readings and view the summary of your household CO2 emissions. This the first page which you will see after logging in, and can be reached at any time by clicking on the 'Add meter readings' link at the bottom of each page within Choose Life.

Meter readings are entered using the form in the top half of this page. Put the meter readings in the appropriate spaces and the date on which the readings were taken (this defaults to today's date) and click on 'Add reading(s)'. It is not essential that you enter readings for all your meters at the same time. Any boxes left blank will be ignored.

Understanding the Emissions graph

The graph at the bottom of the page shows the total CO2 emissions due to your gas and electricity use, measured in kg of CO2 per day. This graph is updated whenever you enter a new meter reading.

The different colours in the graph divide this total to show the contribution of each of your electricity or gas meters. The key to these colours is shown at the bottom left of the graph.

More detail on how these numbers are calculated.

Adding and removing meters from your account

To add a new electricity or gas meter to your account, just click on the appropriate button.

For the purposes of Choose Life electricity accounts on a Green tariff are regarded as a separate meter type. If you switch to or from a green tariff then please follow the instructions below.

Please make sure that you select the correct type of gas meter (metric/imperial). Somewhere near the reading on your meter it should say 'cubic feet' for imperial or 'cubic meters' for metric or something similar

You can remove a meter from your account by clicking on 'remove' next to the appropriate meter. This will not delete any of the readings which you have already entered, it will just prevent any future readings from being added. If a meter is no longer in use, then it is essential that it is removed in this way (otherwise it causes problems in the calculation of the Choose Life group average)

My electricity or gas meter has been replaced

  1. Take the final reading from your old meter, and enter this as usual using the 'Add readings' form.
  2. Go to 'Add/remove meters'
  3. Click on 'remove' next to the meter which is being replaced.
  4. Add the appropriate meter type for your new meter
  5. Go back to the 'Add readings' form and add the initial reading for your new meter.

I have switched to or from a green electricity tariff

For the purposes of Choose Life electricity accounts on a Green tariff are regarded as a separate meter type.

  1. Record the meter reading when you switch tariff and enter this as usual using the 'Add readings' form.
  2. Go to 'Add/remove meters'
  3. Click on 'remove' next to the meter which is being switched to or from a green tariff
  4. Add the appropriate meter type for your new tariff
  5. Go back to the 'Add readings' form and add the same meter reading and date (from step 1) as the initial reading for your new meter.

Reviewing or editing previous meter readings

This page can be used to review the readings which you have already submitted, and to correct any errors.

Any of the readings or dates can be amended. To delete a reading select the box on the right of that reading. Once you have made any changes click on the 'Submit changes' button at the bottom of the page. Your changes will be lost if you leave the page without clicking on this button.

Updating user details

This screen is used to update your name, email address, password or the number of people in your household. Edit the details as required and then click on the 'Update' button.

Please make sure that you update your details if you change your email address. This address is used to send new passwords to you, as well as any necessary messages from your group administrator.

If you have any further questions please contact the administrator of your Choose Life group, or email chooselife@stjohns-edinburgh.org.uk.

S P Todd 2008