Bournemouth acts on climate change

In the Council’s first Go Green Bournemouth Survey last year, most respondents said they believe that man-made climate change is real - significantly more than nationally. In response, we are ramping up our effort to demonstrate this strength of local commitment to tackling climate change and its causes.

For an hour from 8.30pm on 26th March, Bournemouth Borough Council will be turning off flood and spot lighting at the Town Hall and other council buildings to mark Earth Hour, including the front of the Bournemouth International Centre and fountain lighting at the Pavilion. We will be joined on the night by community partners including J.P.Morgan, Abbey Life and RIAS who have also pledged to switch off at 8.30pm in their support of Earth Hour. This year we want more businesses and residents to switch off their lights for one hour to inspire many more people to take action on climate change.

This week also sees the launch of national Climate Week. You can be part of this new and widespread movement for change by making Climate Week happen where you are. Ask an organisation or group you know, such as your workplace or local school, to run an event. Or follow our 7 tips for 7 days on the Council’s website. www.bournemouth.gov.uk/Residents/Environment/ClimateWeekTips.asp

Angela Pooley, Chair of the Environment Forum said: “At a time when everyone needs to live more sustainably , Earth Hour and Climate Week provides residents and organisations with an opportunity to show that ‘Thinking Globally and Acting Locally’ doesn’t have to mean making difficult or expensive decisions, simple actions can and do make a difference.”

Residents, local communities and visitors can top it all by getting involved in our louder call for community action on climate change through the Bournemouth and Poole Big Green Fortnight. This runs from Friday 20 May and ends on World Environment Day, Sunday 5 June. The Big Green Fortnight is all about people showing how much they care about the environment and climate change in fun and exciting ways.

Lee Green, the Council’s Environment Strategy Manager, said: “The Big Green Fortnight Programme promises to be bigger and better than the first one we held back in 2009, with an amazing programme of family-friendly activities. This reflects the level of local concern about the climate change happening around us, and growing depth of local commitment in doing so much more to tackle that. It is only with the whole town working together like this that we can make the size of difference needed towards a sustainable way of future living in Bournemouth.”