on Jan 29th, 2007
Calderdale Climate Challenge community
Is it possible for communities to become sustainable ‘from the bottom up’? It seems to be happening in Calderdale in West Yorkshire. A group of activists have formed the ‘Calderdale Climate Challenge’ to help people work together to reduce their personal contribution to climate change at home, at school, at work and at leisure.
The group was boldly launched last year, with an e-briefing sent far and wide, including to the staff of Calderdale Council. The challenge was launched at the end of last year via an email newsletter which was sent to, amongst many others, 3000 Calderdale Council staff. The project is co-ordinated by Anthony Rae explains that in the Calderdale area, ‘Streets, homes and workplaces have suffered from the flooding, along with the disruption and expense that go with it.’
Calderdale is a hot-spot of sustainable activity - Treesponsibility work on ecological restoration, and have already planted 60,000 trees and hedge plants in the area. Local businesses can fund local tree planting through Treesponsibilty’s CO2mmitment programme.
Like Transition Town Totnes, it’s nice to see whole communities, including businesses making a positive effort to tackle climate change. Well done to the hard working individuals who have no doubt pushed this matter through.
It may also be more likely that communities who have suffered as a result of our changing climate (ie flooding in Calderdale) are prepared to ‘face facts’ and do something. What will it take to happen in your community to mobilise the people?
What would you define as ‘your community’? I think it will take a major miracle to bring Birmingham, or Solihull, to this stage. I am wondering whether we will need Urban Town Councils in each City Ward before we get to the right local level to mobilize real action.
Interesting and valid comment! Birmingham is way too big, as is Solihull to be considered a community in the above mentioned sense - different parts have different needs and resources. They would need to be divided up - a bit like the political ‘wards’ currently are and made into, as you suggest ‘Urban Town Councils’ with specific responsibilies. Devolving some power and decision making to more local areas is a good move anyway and is more involving for the area in question.
However, back in the real world, I think we’d have a struggle to get this approach taken seriously in the short term.
I have raised the idea in my own Ward with a local residents activist group. They are intrigued, and want to know more. We have a so-called ‘community council’, which is not effective.