Politicians and scientists now agree that the world in general and the UK in particular faces a climate emergency as a result of our over-dependence on fossil fuels and our cavalier treatment of the environment.
In response Kelvedon Hatch Parish Council has drawn up a roadmap that will improve its environmental footprint and encourage the community too to do what it can to specifically to cut
carbon emissions.
For its part, the Parish Council will:
- Actively encourage greater use of public transport, cycling and walking, a switch to electric
or zero emissions transport and car-sharing; and the reduced use of petrol and Diesel
vehicles - Wherever possible seek to use materials that are not based on fossil fuels and
petrochemicals, both when acting directly and when employing contractors. This includes
further reducing the production of printed materials within the Parish Council - Press Essex County Council and Brentwood Borough Council to leave rural roadside verges to
grow until a single final end-of-season cut, to allow wildflowers and other plants beneficial
to insects to thrive, subject to road safety considerations - Press ECC and BBC to avoid the use of all chemical herbicides and to use alternative methods
of weed control where this is required on safety grounds - Seek to ensure that new build houses in the parish are carbon neutral or better
- Where the use of sustainable materials is not possible, to offset the carbon used using
readily available carbon offsetting schemes - To review the Parish Council’s financial arrangements to avoid investing in industries and
companies that contribute to the climate emergency, specifically petro-chemical companies,
mining, fracking, agricultural chemicals - Plant more trees and/or other revegetation activities
- Take a lead in community education and empowerment
- Increase community resilience to the impact of climate change
- Encourage residents to adopt energy-saving measures such as cavity wall insulation
We hope that all members of the community will recognise that doing nothing is no longer an option. There is an ancient dictum in medicine, Primum non nocere (First, do no harm). Certainly this applies too to the way we treat our planet.
David Jobbins
Chair, Environment Committee