The first programme to meet a new BBC “green certificate” sourced costumes and props from local charity shops in order to meet the criteria.

And a BBC spokesman said that in documentation guiding organisations on how to meet the new environmental standards certification, albert+, it will suggest other programmes could also use charity shops as a way of cutting environmental impact.

On Thursday, the BBC launched the on-screen certificate, which will allow audiences to see TV programmes which meet higher environmental standards. The albert+ logo will be displayed during a programme's credits.

From There To Here, which is set in the aftermath of the IRA’s Manchester bomb blast, and was broadcast yesterday, used charity shops to source props and costumes for the production, which were then returned after filming.

From There to Here's environmental achievements include almost three-quarters of staff being local to the production base, a huge reduction in paper use and cuts in travel emissions due to vehicle sharing and the use of low-emission taxis. The team also used an online system to share work in progress rather than sending DVDs by courier.

BBC's director of television, Danny Cohen, said: "The BBC is proud to be an industry pioneer in tackling an issue our audiences care about. We encourage the industry to get on board to make albert+ the expected standard for all productions."