Ruth Noden - 21-May-2007
- The Environment Agency is encouraging
everyone to take part in what is set to
become the country’s biggest ever survey
into attitudes towards climate change. Early
results show that only two out of five people
is doing anything to help combat climate
change.
The initial survey revealed that only 36
per cent of people in the south east say
they’ve altered their behaviour in an effort
to reduce their carbon footprint.
The survey asks three questions:
What is the one thing that you do for climate
change?
What extra thing could you do?
What’s stopping you?
The initial survey results showed that16
per cent of people in the south east are
recycling, seven per cent use low energy
lightbulbs, and two per cent are using less
energy.
The most common thing that people said
they could do more was use the car less
(eight per cent) and use low energy lightbulbs
(five per cent).
The biggest barriers to action on climate
change are lack of public transport (eighteen
per cent) and laziness (ten per cent).
Environment Agency Regional Director, Howard
Davidson said: "The message is getting
through to some people that tackling climate
change is everyone’s responsibility. But
we must be relentless in our efforts to
reduce carbon emissions because there still
exists a level of apathy in some parts of
the community."
"But there are a range of equally
simple measures that people can take on,
which have a real impact on their carbon
emissions – such as ensuring appliances
are not left on standby, riding a bike instead
of driving and drying your washing outdoors.
More follows
Climate change…do you care?/2…
"As for those 64 per cent of people
in the south east who have yet to do something
to help tackle climate change, hopefully
they will see how easy it is to reduce their
carbon emissions which very little extra
effort. And contributing to this online
survey can be the first step in discovering
simply ways of tackling climate change."
Contribute to the Environment Agency’s
national survey at www.mendoftheworld.org
ENDS
Technical note on Ipsos MORI poll
Ipsos MORI interviewed a representative
total sample of 2,130 adults in Great Britain
aged 15+.
Fieldwork for Great Britain was conducted
between 9-15 March 2007, with an additional
120 interviews completed in Wales between
23-29 March 2007. Weighting was used to
correct this boost and ensure the regions
are representative.
Interviews were carried out face-to-face,
in home, using computer assisted personal
interviewing machines, as part of the Ipsos
MORI Omnibus.
Results are weighted to the equivalent population
profile.
+ More
Environment Agency cleans up for World
Environment Day
Alexandra Wales - 21-May-2007 - Managers
at the Environment Agency will be donning
their wellies and overalls to take part
in a clean-up day on Ormesby Beck this week.
They will be joined by members of the Tees
Valley Wildlife Trust and Middlesbrough
Council, to highlight the issue of rubbish
which is blighting Middlesbrough's becks.
The clean-up is part of the wider 'Keep
the Becks Clean' campaign, and World Environment
Day.
The aim of the 'Keep the Becks Clean' campaign
is to deter people from flytipping or dumping
rubbish in the becks, to encourage local
residents to be more environmentally responsible.
Ormesby Beck has become a blackspot for
fly-tipping and littering, and the Environment
Agency is working with local authorities
to tackle this.
According to council records, 29 tonnes
of waste is currently pulled out of Middlesbrough's
becks each month.
By reducing the number of call outs the
council receive to deal with litter, this
will release more man-hours to the council,
giving them more time to improve the becks.
Environment Agency clean becks campaign
manager Mike McNulty said: "Rubbish
found in the becks is the biggest cause
of flooding as it can create obstructions
and block water flow. Clearing the rubbish
will reduce flood risk, create a safer place
for children to play, and provide a better
environment for the wildlife.
“World Environment Day challenges people
to do more for the environment, so staff
decided to ditch their office work for a
day, and do something about it.”
Following legislation introduced after
the floods of 2000, the Environment Agency
is now responsible for managing the risk
of flooding from not only the large rivers
in the region, like the Tees and Esk, but
also smaller streams.
The becks in Middlesbrough affected by
this legislation are Middlebeck, Ormesby,
Marton West and Newham becks.
The Environment Agency’s new responsibilities
now include working closely with Middlesbrough
council to look after and help maintain
them.
The Environment Agency will also be carrying
out improvements on a section of Ormesby
beck which will include re-meandering, which
encourages the beck to return to its former
route.
Ends
Notes to editors
Journalists wishing to attend the photocall
should meet at the beck on Ladgate Lane,
near where it meets The Grove on the side
bordering the municipal golf course, Middlesbrough,
at 12 noon.
World Environment Day, on June 5, is a
United Nations global celebration that takes
place every year and the Environment Agency
has been promoting the campaign since 2004.
Last year around 58,000 people participated
in World Environment Day compared with just
8,000 in 2004.
In the build-up to World Environment Day
(June 5), the Environment Agency is encouraging
the public to go online at www.mendoftheworld.org
and help compile the nations biggest ever
survey on what people are doing to help
tackle climate change.
The Environment Agency is the leading public
body for protecting and improving the environment
in England and Wales. www.environment-agency.gov.uk
+ More
Environment Agency comments on Cinderhill
planning application
Lyn Fraley - 21-May-2007 - The Environment
Agency has asked Amber Valley Borough Council
to make sure that any planning permission
for the Cinderhill development includes
enforceable conditions, which ensure that
the whole site is properly investigated
and any contamination is dealt with.
This was in response to the Council’s invitation
to comment on the planning application for
the Cinderhill development of an 80-hectare
area of land in the Kilburn and Denby area.
The Environment Agency has examined all
the information in the planning application
very carefully, however the site investigation
is still in its early stages and we want
to see further investigation of the whole
of the Cinderhill development area before
development takes place.
This site investigation should be used
to understand the risks posed to ground
and surface water and to produce detailed
plans to deal with any contamination revealed
by the investigation.
Area Environment Manager, Mark Haslam says:
"We have asked the Council to attach
conditions to any planning permission to
ensure that the whole site is appropriately
investigated. This will ensure that any
contamination is dealt with and that any
risk to human health and the environment
is reduced to an absolute minimum. We will
oversee any work to deal with the contamination
to ensure it is completed to the required
standards."
We have also considered the flood risk
and surface water drainage issues related
to this planning application and we are
working with the Council to make sure these
are addressed.
The Tar Pits, which form part of the wider
Cinderhill development, and previously used
for the disposal of acid tar wastes from
the oil refining industry were determined
as contaminated land by the Council in February
2007, and subsequently designated as a special
site.
The Environment Agency is the regulator
for special sites and we will ensure this
part of the development area is investigated
and remediated to the required standards.
This can be done in conjunction with the
planning process.
Area Environment Manager, Mark Haslam says:
"We want to see the tar pits made safe
for people and the environment and the planning
process is currently the best way to achieve
this. We will not make a final decision
on the developer's remediation scheme until
we have all the relevant information on
which to do so".
