Develop an Environmental Policy

Ever thought about an Environmental Policy?

It is possible to improve the day-to-day sustainability of your group by adopting and implementing a simple Environmental Policy. An Environmental Policy need not be complicated, and could include the following headings:

Efficient Use of Energy and Water

Example: 'This group will respond to the national need to reduce Carbon Dioxide emissions to help combat global climate change. It will seek to minimise energy use in every area of its activities including heating and lighting.'

Possible Actions

Even simple measures such as putting up posters and stickers to remind people to turn lights off can save energy. If your group does not own the building in which you meet, you can try to persuade the building managers to implement energy efficiency measures. Energy efficiency advice is freely available from the Energy Advice Line (0800 512 012). Items such as stickers, posters, videos etc. are a very cheap (often free) way of encouraging people to save energy. It may even be possible to get hold of free low-energy light bulbs and to get help with having a professional energy audit carried out.

More information: Sustainable Communities Factsheets 'Become More Energy Efficient' and 'Reduce Water Consumption'.

Reduction of Transport Impacts

Example: 'This group will seek to reduce its contribution to the growing problems of air pollution and traffic congestion.'

Possible Actions

This is likely to be one of the most difficult issues to tackle given our love affair with the car and the variable quality of public transport. However, there are still things which you as a community group can do to address transport issues:
Find out what buses (if any) people could use to come along to your meetings (phone the County Durham Public Transport Information Line on 0191 383 3337 to find out).

Make bus times available on any leaflets, posters etc.
Make copies of local bus timetables available at all of your meetings
Encourage your members to walk, cycle or to share lifts wherever possible

More information: Sustainable Communities Factsheets Encourage More People to Cycle and Seek Sustainable Solutions to Transport Problems.

Minimisation of Waste, Maximisation of Recycling

Example: 'This group will seek to minimise the amount of waste which it generates. It will also try to promote re-use and recycling wherever possible'

Possible Actions

If your group buys anything, try to choose products which are not 'over-packaged'. Remember, you are paying twice for the packaging - once when you buy the product and again for your local council to collect and dispose of it (through council taxes).

Also, there are an increasing number of products available which are made of recycled materials - why not consider switching to some of these? A searchable database of recycled products is available on the Web at: www.nrf.org.uk

Paper is something which many community groups buy regularly - either for leaflets, posters, photocopying or general office purposes. Fortunately, recycled paper is now very widely available and has improved in quality greatly over the past few years.

Any community group which uses a photocopier can easily help to produce less waste simply by using both sides of the paper. This is very easy to do on most photocopiers, and can literally halve the amount of paper which you consume and pay for. If someone else does your photocopying for you - insist on double-sided!

You might even want to try setting up a simple recycling collection scheme (for example, for aluminium foil, or tin cans).

More information: Sustainable Communities Factsheets 'Reduce and Recycle Waste ' and Start a Local Composting Scheme.

Sustainable Land Management

Example: 'In its management of land, this group will seek to minimise adverse impacts on, and take opportunities to enhance, wildlife and the natural environment.'

Possible Actions

If your community group is responsible for any land (such as a community garden, field etc.) it may be possible to manage them in a more sustainable way. This might include:

Reducing or eliminating the use of artificial pesticides and chemicals
Eliminating the use of peat-based compost
Composting any weeds/ clippings etc.
If there is to be any new planting, consider using native species which generally encourage wildlife more than introduced garden plants.

More information: Sustainable Communities Factsheets 'Encourage wildlife in your area'.

Raising Awareness

Example: 'This group will try to ensure that all of its members are familiar with this policy and get the opportunity to find out more about environmental sustainability issues.'

Possible Actions

Raising awareness of sustainability issues amongst your members is vital to the success of any environmental policy. All members of the group must be involved in the development and implementation of the policy from the outset, and should be given the opportunity to voice any concerns which they might have.
The Local Agenda 21 Team at County Hall will be happy to give advice on how to go about raising awareness of sustainability issues (Tel: 0191 383 3361 or email Local Agenda 21. In fact, the Local Agenda 21 Team can provide more detailed help and advice on any aspect of developing an Environmental Policy.

Developing an Environmental Policy is easy - the real challenge is to start turning the words into actions! Hopefully this factsheet (along with some of the other Sustainable Communities factsheets) will help you start turning the policy from words into actions.


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