DACORUM ENVIRONMENTAL FORUM MARCH 2009 CLIMATE CHANGE & ECO TEAMS Cllr Garrick Stevens - Berkhamsted

DEF 19 Mar 092 ECO TEAMS WHAT ? WHAT THEY DO WHAT THEY ACHIEVE SUPPORT for PROPOSAL

DEF 19 Mar 093 What? An EcoTeam is a group of 6-8 households who would like to commit themselves for 4-5 months. Monitor their habits with regard to different environmental issues, including waste, gas, electricity, water, transport and shopping. Led by a facilitator

DEF 19 Mar 094 EcoTeams – what do they do? Supported by written materials that let them measure and monitor their actions Wide range of practical ideas on actions that could be undertaken

DEF 19 Mar 095 Eco Teams Results collected Database – analysed Individual and joint achievements fed back

DEF 19 Mar 096 Eco Teams Not simply a discussion group Practical workshop Thoughts translated into action

DEF 19 Mar 097 Eco Teams Project based on experience in Netherlands Key findings [U Leiden] participants 27.6% cut in waste immediately on completion of the programme. 39% waste reduction nine months after completing the programme. 27.2% saving in electricity consumption 23.1% reduction in gas consumption 9% increase in the installation of energy saving lamps

DEF 19 Mar 098 Eco Teams Started 1993 Now over 150,000 participants world- wide

DEF 19 Mar 099 Eco Teams UK experience has been assessed U East Anglia – report 2008 DEFRA funded study

DEF 19 Mar 0910 Eco Teams reduced their waste by an average of 20.0% increased their recycling as a proportion of total waste by an average of 5.1% reduced their electricity consumption by an average of 7.0%

DEF 19 Mar 0911 Eco Teams reduced their gas/ heating energy consumption by an average of 20.8% reduced their direct CO 2 emissions by an average of 16.6% reduced their water use by an average of 14.9%

DEF 19 Mar 0912 Eco Teams Context – helping DEF/Borough hit our goals Other Authorities are already using Eco Teams Process has already been tested Don’t re invent the wheel…!

DEF 19 Mar 0913 Eco Teams Video from GAP site Broxtowe BC Gedling BC - reduction of residual household waste by 23.7%, gas use reduced by 8.5% and electricity by 8.9%. The carbon dioxide per household has reduced by 515kg per year

DEF 19 Mar 0914 Eco Teams Any-one can form an Eco Team Neighbours, friends, in workplace or a community group Pensioners, mothers and toddlers, gardening clubs, Scouts,Cubs,Guides etc, Church Groups, WI

DEF 19 Mar 0915 Eco Teams Cross cutting work Impacts all the climate change objectives Has lasting impact on participants’ habits

DEF 19 Mar 0916 Eco Teams "The best organisation to engage people in environmental change is Global Action Plan." Jonathon Porritt, Chair, Sustainable Development Commission

DEF 19 Mar 0917 Eco Teams "If you think one person's actions won't do much to achieve change then the obvious answer is to team up." David Miliband MP, Foreign Minister on EcoTeams

DEF 19 Mar 0918 Eco Teams The benefits of strong, early action on climate change outweigh the costs Building and sustaining collective action is now an urgent challenge. There is still time to avoid the worst impacts of climate change if strong collective action starts now. From the Stern Report - summary

DEF 19 Mar 0919 Eco Teams Does Forum Support idea to set up Eco Teams locally? Next steps