The project will see five local community groups, comprising one hundred households, on a journey to reduce their ecological footprint and hence reduce their impact on the planet. The groups will be monitoring the food they buy, the transport they use and the waste they produce.
The Minister said: “Living more sustainably is both a personal issue and a community issue. The choices we make, whether as consumers, as businesses, or as a part of government, shape the energy, transport, food and waste decisions that impact on our environmental footprint, our health and our quality of life.”
All the community groups come from the Southern Group of Councils who are running the project in conjunction with World Wildlife Fund NI and the Department of the Environment. All participants will start by measuring their ecological footprint. This is a simple tool which takes account of the total area of productive land and sea required to feed us, provide the resources we need, heat our homes, fuel our cars and absorb our waste. The community groups will be taken through a questionnaire to give them their community and personal footprint. Participants will then make changes to their lifestyle relating to how much they recycle, how they travel and what they eat.
Arlene Foster praised the inclusivity of the Community Eco-Challenge Project. She said: “This project recognises that there is no 'one size fits all' answer. We need to find local workable solutions which address local issues and which contribute to our overall objective to move towards one planet living. We want to harness the innovation, the enthusiasm and the desire within communities to express their commitment to more sustainable living through practical everyday actions.”
Notes to Editors:
- Access further information on Community Eco-Challenge
. - One planet living is a joint campaign by World Wildlife Fund and Bio-Regional .
- For further media enquiries contact the DOE Press Office on 028 9054 0003.
- Out of office hours please contact the Duty Press Officer via pager number 07699 715 440 and your call will be returned.
