Sustainable Living
Whilst many more people within the UK and beyond can now enjoy the benefits of goods and services that were previously available to only a few, the impact upon our environment both locally and globally is severe.
Our current throw-away lifestyle, with high levels of consumption and waste, is having a negative effect not only on our environment but also on our economy.
It is clear that a new focus in the way we live day to day is needed to ensure that we continue to grow in a way that benefits all sectors of society but at the same time protecting the environment on which depend and live. This new focus is known as sustainable development.
Sustainable development can be defined as
"development which meets the needs of the present generation without comprising the ability of future generations to meet thier own needs"
Charnwood Borough Council works to ensure that its plans, policies and strategies all contribute to sustainable development.
However we all as individuals, organisations and businesses need to play our part in creating a future that protects our environment whilst still providing the quality of life we have come to enjoy. Whether its buying fairtrade products or simply turning the lights off when you leave a room we all have a part to play.
Climate Change
Climate change is one of the greatest threats that we face.
Climate change is with us. A decade ago, it was conjecture. Now the future is unfolding before our eyes. Canada's Inuit see it in disappearing Artic ice and permafrost
The shantytown dwellers of Latin America and Southern Asia see it in lethal storms and floods. Europeans see it in disappearing glaciers, forest fires and fatal heat waves.
Scientists see it in tree rings, ancient coral and bubbles trapped in ice cores. These reveal that the world has not been as warm as it is now for a millennium or more. The three warmest years on record have all occurred since 1998; 19 of the warmest 20 since 1980. And Earth has probably never warmed as fast as in the past 30 years.
Climatologists reporting for the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) say we are seeing global warming caused by human activities and there are growing fears of feedbacks that will accelerate this warming. [NewScientist]
We need to take action now to reduce our emissions of greenhouse gases and to prepare to live with the effects of climate change as a result of past emissions.
What you can do
What we are doing
What local action groups are doing
Sustainable Development - What does it mean for my business?
- Sustainable Development (PDF, 671K)
Information on what businesses in Leicestershire can do to improve their environmental performance and contribute to Sustainable Development