Climate Change - What EHDC is doing
We are taking the problems seriously and working to reduce carbon emissions and adapt to the impact of climate change.
We will:
- reduce the amount of greenhouse gas we release as a result of the many services we provide
- explore the use of appropriate alternative sources of energy, such as solar panels, wind turbines and ground sourced heat
- encourage our partners to follow Drum Housing Association’s good track record on reducing energy. We will encourage private home owners to do the same
- support businesses in combating climate change
- help you recycle. In 1999 the recycling rate was just 8%; in 2005/06 it was an impressive 33.7%. The 25.7% increase in just six years puts us amongst the UK’s top recyclers.
The environment is already one of our three priorities in our Council Strategy, and we have won accolades for our recycling and waste projects.
Some of our actions so far:
Nationally, we have signed up to the Nottingham Declaration, which commits us to developing concrete plans with our partners and local communities to address the causes and impacts of climate change. Councils up and down the country are signing it.
We have agreed a broad action plan to tackle the effects of climate change and to help our community to adapt. We have engaged the services of the Energy Savings Trust to help develop our plan further.
Staff at the council’s offices in Petersfield are doing their bit, with a Penns Place Travel Plan to promote greener transport options. Includes pool bikes provided for staff by the council, and a car sharing scheme. We have reduced electricity consumption in Penns Place by over 30% in the last 5 years.
All EHDC staff are encouraged to put forward ideas to the council's Environmental Group at Penns Place - some so far included timers to turn photocopiers off overnight and reducing the hot water temperature.