What can I do?

11 August 2008

Put your local authority on the map, set an example to others!

Beyond the local authorities there are still many ways to take action locally. Individuals, schools, businesses and institutions can and should all be playing their part too.

How can I work with my local authority?

Before you do anything, it is important to know that you (the community) have the right to be heard in decisions which affect you. We have put together a resource pack that covers the three most important areas where people have rights in environmental decision-making:

• your right to know;
• your right to participate;
• your right to challenge.

For more information please look at our community rights resource pack.

Any council should be able to implement a similar scheme to the ones we have shown on the local climate solutions page. Don't think of these policies as a pinnacle to which your authority should aspire - instead think of them as the ground upon which your authority should develop stronger, more far-reaching policies.

How should I actually do this?

1. Contact your local authority. Find out what they are doing about climate change. Do they have a climate change strategy? What does the Local Development Framework include about climate change? When will these documents be reviewed?.
2. Read a few things from our reading list. There is a lot of information out there, but try not to get too bogged down with it all!
3. Draft your proposal: What do you want your local authority to do?
4. Prepare for the usual arguments: read Action Pack Five: Getting climate change targets into your Local Development Frameworks.
5. Also read our newer briefing on the implications of the Planning Policy Statement on Climate Change. Tackling climate change through the planning system - looking at the new planning policy statement on climate change
6. Meet with your local authority: Present your proposal.
7. Let us know how it went!

How can I work with schools, businesses and institutions?

• Working with schools: look at our learning pages.
• Energy Savings Trust: a not-for-profit organisation that runs several schemes and initiatives to help individuals, communities and local authorities improve energy efficiency.
• The Carbon Trust: a not-for-profit organisation which helps business and organisations reduce carbon dioxide emissions through energy efficiency and use of low carbon technology.

What can I do as an individual?

Our Climate Top Tips briefing provides 50 top tips on things you can do as an individual. Here are five of them:

1. Save energy and cash by swapping your ordinary light bulbs for energy saving ones. Some use a quarter of the energy and can last up to 12 times longer.
2. Support local farmers and cut down on food miles, by getting a vegetable box delivered to your home or buying produce at your local farmers market.
3. Share the school run with other parents or walk or cycle your children to school, helping to reduce congestion and save energy.
4. Install loft insulation - you can cut up to 20 per cent off your energy bills.
5. Sign up to receive Friends of the Earth's Tip of the day, by email. Each tip will tell you how to green your lifestyle just a little bit more - and most will save you cash too!

Download the full briefing for more!