Reducing the Footprint
The aim of ‘Reducing the Footprint’ is to encourage behavioural change to minimise the impact on natural resources and to tackle climate change.
The South East is multifaceted, with a complex concoction of issues. For instance:
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The South East has the second highest population in the country
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We are the driest region in the country, with most pressure on our limited water resources, complicated by drought in some places and flooding in others.
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We have limited landfill capacity, which is running out fast;
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Recycling rates are good in the South East, but collection and disposal of cardboard, green and food waste is sporadic
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The region has poor inter-urban public transport links, which encourages high car usage, contributing to climate change
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We have a huge number of poorly insulated houses, many with cavity walls, that waste vast amounts of energy, contributing to climate change
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We are targeted to build over 600,000 new homes in the region
The pressures on the region mean that we need to make better use of the resources we currently have and do more to minimise wastage and emissions. Through a series of pro-environmental activities, delivered in a community setting, by members of that community, is the only way that we will truly affect behavioural change.
In response to those pressures, the Groundwork regional team, committed to developing a programme of work related to tackling resource efficiency and climate change. The following 2 ‘products’ are either in regional delivery, active development or early stage development:
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Water Education Project is in active development – funded by Southern Water, United Utilities and 4Delivery – For full details please see case study
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Green Doctor is in early stage development – Groundwork Leicester and Leicestershire have delivered Green Doctor over the last few years and it is a way of promoting a change in behaviour in the home. The Green Doctor visits householders, often in areas with the highest fuel poverty, after they have had insulation installed, providing advice and simple measures. A proven reduction in emissions, water use and costs for the householder has meant this project has been very successful.
We have been working to bring Green Doctor to the South East and are talking with Slough ALMO about developing a Green Doctor service that can work with their residents after their homes have been fitted to decent homes standard. The ALMO are committing funding and Groundwork are in discussions with a range of other potential funders about matching that investment.
In addition to the main Green Doctor product, which is effectively bought off the shelf by a partner, Groundwork South East is looking to extend the Green Doctor model to include income generators. The concept is simple, if Green Doctor actually fitted the insulation and other measures to people that can afford to pay for, it could deliver the service free or at a reduced rate in fuel poor areas. Groundwork is currently bidding to our National Development pot to fund a feasibility study into this idea.
In terms of other supporting activities, Joe McIndoe represents Groundwork on the South East Forum for Sustainability (SEFS) Policy and Executive Committee. He is an active member of the behavioural change working group, pulling together a suite of messages around the key issues of Transport, Energy, Water, Waste and Food. We are actively searching for opportunities to test out community level behavioural change campaigning methods to measure their effectiveness, and have been working with a range of partners to do that.
Sustainable Development is at the heart of what Groundwork does. We aim for the highest standards of environmental quality in all our projects. Groundwork has also committed to drive down its own carbon footprint.