Conference 2007
On 16 October 2007 Suffolk hosted the first Creating the Greenest County conference. Over 400 people and 30 exhibitors attended the conference which celebrated Suffolk’s “green” achievements and set out the aspirations, goals and actions for the future.
Creating the “Greenest County” is a shared vision for sustaining a new approach to environmental issues. Everybody in business, communities, school’s and as individuals has a part to play in improving our local environment.
Headline speakers included John Gummer and Michael Meacher MP’s and Dr Clare Goodess from the UEA’s Climate Change Centre. A series of innovating and inspirational seminars occurred on issues as diverse as alternative fuels, greening schools, landscape and biodiversity. The new Suffolk awards for Greenest Community, Business and Schools were launched at the event; an exciting opportunity to show case excellent sustainable best practice across Suffolk.
Please see below a link to the early day motion put forward by John Gummer and Michael Meacher:
http://edmi.parliament.uk/EDMi/EDMDetails.aspx?EDMID=34077&SESSION=885
A greener county will come from involving young people at all levels and creating better environments for learning that exemplify a sustainable approach. This session will enable managers, governors and headteachers to understand how to make greener schools – from case studies of success in the ecoschools initiative, to the Suffolk Building Schools for the Future capital programme and sustainable school design, how to involve youth in green projects and campaigns, funding and support, with insights from award-winning schools in the county.
Enabling local food production to be genuinely sustainable has benefits for consumers and the economy, but can be hard to achieve. This session will cover ways to source and procure local food for your business, school or organisations, build partnerships between suppliers and understand the marketing of local and organic food. It will also provide an update on new initiatives in the county that can help you find suppliers or distribute your project, including the proposed food hub for Suffolk.
Transport is responsible for over a quarter of our carbon emissions, yet behavioural change can radically alter this. Learn how to audit your business’s travel emissions and how to create green travel plans for businesses and communities, as well as how new technology can help you, and case studies of successful change at all levels.
Learn about the advantages and disadvantages of alternative fuel sources including fuel crops, biomass and anaerobic digestion; and the use of alternative fuels for business and community schemes, grants and start-up advice.
Green business is not only good for the environment, but helps create profit through reducing waste and resource use, growing customer relations and staff enthusiasm. Learn how to implement the Greenest County agenda as a positive commercial move within business – covering creating a sustainability strategy, achieving staff buy-in, waste reduction, procurement and sourcing, energy use, community relations and marketing your green credentials.
Waste is often under-recognised as a key part of the sustainability matrix, but more stringent legislation and increasing consumer awareness is changing this. Learn about better management of business waste and how to reduce the costs of waste handling; the WEEE directive and implications for Suffolk; community waste projects and how to implement a zero-waste system.
Suffolk is famous for its landscapes, and they also contain important economic resources in agriculture and tourism. Climate change will have a dramatic effect on this and land managers, farmers and businesses need to adapt. This session will highlight some of the initiatives that aim to address this, and the implications and opportunities for landowners, including rewilding, flood risk prevention and managed retreat, managing for biodiversity, and community landscape projects.
Buildings directly create over 40% of our carbon emissions – and whether housing, offices, new-build or existing buildings, they could be creating a lot less. This session will cover how to commission, renovate and use buildings more sustainably, including housing (private, social, tourist accommodation), community buildings and historic refurbishments.
Learn how to enable your community to move towards carbon neutrality and being a ‘community for the 21st century’. This session will enable you to learn from pioneers in this field and those who can help you get a project off the ground, including experts on community renewable energy, parish planning for sustainability and funding.