ECOLOGICAL FOOTPRINT PROJECT
THREE ‘GUINEA FIGS’ EMBARK ON ECOLOGICAL FOOTPRINT PROJECT AT DUNGANNON COUNCIL
Most of us feel overwhelmed by the scale of the world’s environmental problems. The media constantly bombard us with sensational stories of melting ice caps, scorched farmland and devastating storms. The dramatic pictures and statistics make it difficult for us to see how changes in our everyday lives can make a difference.
But it can be done!
Our actions can make a difference now and in the future. This exciting new project, the Community Eco-Challenge, shows us how simple, small changes in our everyday life can amount up to a BIG reduction of our ecological footprint.
Three volunteers or the ‘Guineas FIG’s’ (Footprint Implementation Group) at Dungannon & South Tyrone Borough Council have undertaken the task of demonstrating that it is possible to reduce our ecological footprints. Fiona McClements, Claire Linney and Jill Hamilton have been monitoring their actions in order to reduce their impact on the planet. Monitoring focuses on the four biggest components to the NI footprint - food, transport, energy and waste.
Jill Hamilton, Agenda 21 Co-ordinator, explains, “Being involved with this project has been so worthwhile, it makes you think through your every action and really highlights how we all can do more. Obviously, it would be great if we never had to use our cars or burn oil or use electricity, but we have a high standard of living and we don’t want to change that. This project shows how we can still enjoy our convenient lifestyles but by making improvements where possible we can reduce the nasty side effects on Northern Ireland and on the planet.”
By making improvements, such as buying local food to reduce food miles, turning off appliances normally left on standby, walking, cycling or using public transport where possible, otherwise environmentally considerate driving, recycling as much as possible, switching to energy efficient light bulbs, turning thermostats down and generally ‘thinking green’ on a daily basis, it is possible to make a difference.
“If everyone lived like we do in Northern Ireland, we would need three planets worth of resources to survive. We are currently taking far more than our fair share of the earth’s resources and it’s leaving our planet in a sorry state, depleting our natural resources, contributing to climate change and threatening species like the ora ng-utan and the polar bear with extinction. Locally, the recent floods are a timely reminder that the risk of extreme weather caused by climate change affects us all and we all need to take action to prevent it. Small steps can make a big difference,” said Anne Greene from the Community Eco-Challenge.
The Community Eco-Challenge is delivered by Southern Group Environmental Health Committee in partnership with WWF Northern Ireland and supported by the DOE (through the Secretary of State’s Environment and Renewable Energy Fund). The project is being piloted with volunteers across the Southern Group of councils before being extended out to five community groups, one in each council area. Through awareness raising and mentoring, the groups will be encouraged to make simple lifestyle changes in order to move towards a way of life which reduces their impact on the natural world.
This is an opportunity for YOUR Community Group to get involved in a very topical subject, assess the impact your Group has on the environment and see how your individual and collective actions can make a difference to the environment. Not only can you help limit the impact of your Community Groups lifestyle on the environment but you can take advantage of the health benefits it will bring to your members.
Start making a difference today! Get involved with this NEW environmental project to measure and reduce the impact your lifestyle has on the environment. Your community group needs to be in one of the following council areas: Armagh City & District Council, Banbridge District Council, Craigavon District Council, Dungannon & South Tyrone Borough Council and Newry & Mourne District Council.
Please contact either Lynn Morrow or Anne Greene on 028 37 515800 (a.greene@sgehc.com or l.morrow@sgehc.com) for further information.
About Ecological Footprints
Ecological Footprints calculate the amount of the earth’s resources (water, timber, carbon) that each of us uses and the waste we produce to sustain our lifestyles. To measure your Ecological Footprint, visit www.footprint.wwf.org.uk
For further information on the Community Eco-Challange, visitwww.communityecochallenge.com
