The Forum emerged on 21 March from the Bedfordshire Renewable Energy Forum, which has existed since the early ‘90s. We are an interesting example of local government and members of the public working together as critical friends to improve the environment. The County Council and other local authorities, including Luton, and other organisations such as Bedford College, are represented as affiliate members on our Executive and elsewhere, and the Borough of Bedford afford us valuable clerical support. We are developing wider regional and national links. We have a great deal of commitment to and concern for the environment and not a little expertise in our ranks. We welcome new individual members who can support our aims and hope to provide a focus of thought and action for all in the County who want to work together to help the process of preserving this wonderful planet and saving it for our children and grandchildren.

Every one of us has a responsibility to do what we can in this vital cause. How vital can be seen this afternoon if you stay to watch Al Gore’s "An Inconvenient Truth". We saw the great man in the flesh in Cambridge on Monday evening and his latest message is an even stronger call for action.

This workshop gives us a great opportunity to share ideas and put on the record some valuable initiatives to be pursued in our County to reduce our individual and community emissions.

View Bedfordshire Climate Change Forum handouts:  

Rural communities taking action on climate change (Word document)
Guide to reducing your carbon footprint      (Word document)                                           

The workshop discussed reactions to the Ashton Hayes presentation, what actions were already happening in Bedfordshire communities, and what support would be needed to help turn ideas into action.

• Engaging people is key – including inter-village

• Need for wide consultation

• Thorough.individual contact is needed to get response to consultation.

• Energy/enthusiasm needed to influence parish councils

• New climate change bill gives more power to parish councils

• Need (simple) "quick win" actions to kickstart longer term

• List ideas

• Parish and community plans – vision for all environmental ideas.

• Interesting, good ideas can create interest to communicate to community

• Activity is beneficial in leading to cohesion in the community

• BRCC field staff are trained to support communities taking forward carbon saving actions

• Use local university – University of Bedfordshire could link with De Montfort University

• Schools & young people are good source of influence

• Get primary/lower schools involved

• Financial incentives are useful! Also initiatives like low energy light bulbs.

• Biofuels are the way forward

• Combined heat & power systems for community buildings

• Bedfordshire woodlands to supply fuel for wood-burning

• Unused farmland – potential for biodiesel? wood pellets? biodigestion? Local cooperatives?

• Woodland Trust supply wood to farm stores for local stoves/boilers

• Planting trees – opportunities in Bedfordshire

• Public transport to reduce car use – village bus

• Driving techniques to gain lowest fuel consumption.

• Services to be delivered to people to save travel by car by the many

• Video conferencing facilities to reduce travel

• Composting of food waste

• Local food production

• Hemp as a renewable material for building

• Growing demand to buy carbon-neutral homes

• Do planning controls allow solar thermal panels on old buildings?

• Need for a "Carbon Officer" as a focal point at local authority.

• Local/parish councils exclude people, leading to alienation (some areas)

• Need community champion/leader (s) – NB training is soon to be available from BRCC

• "Environment" for many often means making the area "pretty", not sustainable

• Prejudice against change which demands effort

• Negative attitudes of developers to sustainable energy – opportunity missed by Government

• Does Government need strong messages about grants?

• Conflict between Government Departments inhibits – but grassroots actions can nevertheless change things

• Government and media need ideas from grassroots

• Need to demonstrate locally simple solutions

• School run – cars are encouraged by road services

• Advice on best materials – source?