Bournemouth has been listed as the greenest town in the UK in the Vitality Index 2019 but still continues to find ways to help the environment.
The Vitality Index is an annual assessment of the health of the UK’s largest towns and cities. Bournemouth has been the greenest town in the UK for the third year running according to this report.
Poole was listed most improved index being the 3rd most greenest town in 2019 climbing 13 places since 2018. Other towns and cities listed in the top ten greenest towns and cities in the UK are Southend, Ipswich, Bristol, Southampton and Plymouth.
Bournemouth have also achieved the Public Sector Sustainability Award at the Big Green Awards to work towards being a Green Economy Leader. The town was also the only ‘fully compliant’ town with the Compact of Mayors global requirements in 2017. This is a global coalition of city leaders addressing climate change by pledging to cut greenhouse gas emissions and prepare for the future impacts of climate change.
Although Bournemouth have been awarded with these titles, the town is still looking for new ways to tackle climate change, especially since the declaration of a climate emergency on 16th July 2019.
Over the last few years there has been many schemes in Bournemouth to help tackle climate change. Some ways are:
- The introduction of food waste collection. This scheme recycled over 4,300 tonnes of food waste which was recycled locally and generated enough energy to power both the composting facility and 300 households for a whole year.
- In 2014, Bournemouth carried out a street light and column lighting replacement programme which reduced the council’s carbon footprint and is expected to deliver efficiency savings of over £32.2 million over the next 20 years.
- Over 19,000 residents have taken up the opt-in chargeable garden waste service which has resulted in excess of 10,000 tonnes of garden waste being collected for recycling.
- An end of year recycling collection promotion called The Big Give was launched by Bournemouth University where students clear our their rooms and donate a bag of clothes or home objects they no longer need to be recycled.
Bournemouth’s aim is to reduce CO2 emissions by 30% by 2020
Bournemouth has a target to reduce 30% of CO2 emissions by 2020 and an 80% reduction by 2050. There are many ways you can help to reduce this to meet the target as well as ways in which you can help the environment:
- Turn off equipment when not in use
- Car share, cycle, walk or use public transport to get to places
- Insulate your loft and cavity walls
- Install renewable energy
- Grow some of your own food
- Take litter home or recycle in the segregated bins
- Look out for locally produced and Fairtrade food
If you go to school you can:
- Walk or cycle to school
- Encourage your school to become an Eco-School
- Make your school a Fairtrade School
If you run a business in Bournemouth you can:
- Request a free waste audit from the Council
- Join the Dorset Green Business Network
- Buy green energy from your energy company
BCP Council is still looking for ideas to improve the town’s ‘green’ status.
If you have any ideas how to cut carbon, reduce energy, avoid pollution and minimise waste in Bournemouth, Poole or Christchurch then fill in the comment box on the BCP Council’s website.