District Environmental Officer: Philip Turner, (Windsor & Eton)

Download the latest Rotary GB&I ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY GROUP NEWSLETTER  

Sustainability

There has been much debate over recent years about Climate Change, but it is now widely recognised that we can no longer bury our heads in the sand and pretend it isn't happening. Global leaders recognise that we must reduce Carbon Emissions and limit any further global warming as a result of those to 2% above pre-industrial levels by 2100. Even the oil giants admit that we must stop burning fossil fuels and turn to renewable energy if we are to leave a safe planet Earth for future generations.

So, what can we do on a personal scale to help save the planet? Please see these pages for ideas on how we can change lifestyles and raise awareness of the urgency to act NOW. Rodney Huggins, through his Rotary Club of Loddon Vale has proposed a Resolution to the Council on Legislation 2016 relating to Sustainable Environmental Issues, urging Rotary to collectively address these matters with urgency by including Preserve Planet Earth as one of the RI’s Structured programmes.

Earth Hour

Instigated by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) in 2007, Earth Hour is an initiative to encourage individuals, businesses and governments around the world to take account of their ecological footprint. On Saturday 19 March 2016 at 8.30pm, you are asked to turn off all but essential electical power for one hour as a symbolic action to commit to change beyond just that hour. For other great ideas to raise awareness of Climate Change watch the video to see how Earth Hour grew to become the world’s largest grassroots movement for the environment.

Rodney Huggins Award

There are many other things we can do and the Rodney Huggins Environment Award  encourages Rotary clubs to take a lead with projects in their own community and overseas as well as encouraging projects by Youth & Schools groups. But hurry, the Closing Date for entries this year is 31 January 2016!