A new online tool has been created to provide companies in Reading with a clear picture of the extent of their environmental impact.

Produced by Government-funded agency Envirowise, the specialist indicator allows the region's businesses to get a quick visual illustration of the carbon dioxide impact of the raw materials that they use - and the potential financial savings that can be made by reducing it.

By entering data on raw material and utility use, firms are given a visual diagram showing which aspects of their business generate the biggest carbon emissions.

Holly Firmin, Envirowise regional manager for the South East, said: "Each company in the region will know that they use a range of different resources on a day-to-day basis, but what they may not be so aware of is the extent to which each of these resources - be it gas used in heating or packaging cardboard - has a clear environmental impact.

"By using the tool, local businesses are not only able to better understand their own environmental impact and the potential savings they can make, but also help develop the tool for others to benefit from."

Companies can access the Indicator free of charge.