Talk urges quick action - Redditch Standard
Printed on page 2 of the Redditch
Standard on Fri 29th June 2007
AS BRITAIN found itself in the eye of some of the worst storms in years this week, Redditch Borough Council has been urged to reduce its own environmental impact to help alleviate the effects of climate change.
Kevin White, of the Redditch Alliance of Greens, spoke to councillors during the full council meeting at the Town Hall on Monday night (June 25) warning them of the dangers of climate change.
In April 2006 Redditch Borough Council joined 230 other authorities across the country in signing up to the Nottingham Declaration, drawn up by the Energy Saving Trust, which committed them to reduce their environmental impact.
But while Mr White applauded the council for supporting the declaration, he added not enough had been done since to fulfil those commitments.
He said: “The local authority can make a real difference by revising their usage of resources, waste collection schemes, and their own energy needs.
“And while they are using solar panels on the Town Hall, more needs to be done if they are to make a difference to the local environment.
“People think climate change won’t affect us but I would argue it already has, only this week we have seen the effects of climate change, all as a result of our actions.”
Mr White added the terms of the declaration stated authorities that signed up to it needed to be making real progress on these issues within two years.
He also claimed other councils across the country had already greatly reduced their environmental impact proving measures could be done without spending vast amounts of cash.
However, Abbey Ward councillor Colin Macmillan said that while everyone should be concerned with the issues of climate change it should not be the most important issue on the council’s agenda.
He added: “These measures are often very costly and I am not in favour of spending £1 now on something that will take 100 years for us to notice a difference.”
The Redditch Alliance of Greens is inviting councillors to a screening of former US vice president Al Gore’s movie about climate change called, ‘An Inconvenient Truth’, at the Palace Theatre in September.
AS BRITAIN found itself in the eye of some of the worst storms in years this week, Redditch Borough Council has been urged to reduce its own environmental impact to help alleviate the effects of climate change.
Kevin White, of the Redditch Alliance of Greens, spoke to councillors during the full council meeting at the Town Hall on Monday night (June 25) warning them of the dangers of climate change.
In April 2006 Redditch Borough Council joined 230 other authorities across the country in signing up to the Nottingham Declaration, drawn up by the Energy Saving Trust, which committed them to reduce their environmental impact.
But while Mr White applauded the council for supporting the declaration, he added not enough had been done since to fulfil those commitments.
He said: “The local authority can make a real difference by revising their usage of resources, waste collection schemes, and their own energy needs.
“And while they are using solar panels on the Town Hall, more needs to be done if they are to make a difference to the local environment.
“People think climate change won’t affect us but I would argue it already has, only this week we have seen the effects of climate change, all as a result of our actions.”
Mr White added the terms of the declaration stated authorities that signed up to it needed to be making real progress on these issues within two years.
He also claimed other councils across the country had already greatly reduced their environmental impact proving measures could be done without spending vast amounts of cash.
However, Abbey Ward councillor Colin Macmillan said that while everyone should be concerned with the issues of climate change it should not be the most important issue on the council’s agenda.
He added: “These measures are often very costly and I am not in favour of spending £1 now on something that will take 100 years for us to notice a difference.”
The Redditch Alliance of Greens is inviting councillors to a screening of former US vice president Al Gore’s movie about climate change called, ‘An Inconvenient Truth’, at the Palace Theatre in September.