03 September 2010

According to Wikipedia the city of Peterborough is the birthplace of many notable people. I suppose it depends what you mean by “many” and “notable”. However it’s sustainable development we’re interested in, and in particular Peterborough’s Green Team who have been visiting households (2,000 so far), providing green help and advice to help locals to live in a more environmentally friendly way. So is this an example of interfering busybodies from the nanny state? Would you like some unsolicited doorstep advice on how to lead your life?

The Peterborough scheme is run by a charity PECT, Peterborough Environment City Trust, using a team of eight people between 18 and 25 funded by the Government’s Future Jobs Fund scheme which offers six-month placements to people in the relevant age group who have been unemployed for six months. The project is part of strategy by the City Council to become the UK’s Environment Capital. According to PECT their efforts so far have resulted in 100% of the 950 homes visited making at least one pro-environmental behaviour change, with many making more than one change. This of course does not quite square with the statistic quoted above about visiting 2000 households. So it must, I think, mean that they’ve visited 2000 and 950 have been prepared to listen, and to say that they will do something green. How many actually will and how significant are the actions remains unspecified.  

Well, you can of course make up your own mind whether this is a good way of promoting sustainable living. No doubt the intentions are good and no doubt the operation is carried out in as non-intrusive a manner as possible. Personally I wouldn’t want to be given doorstep advice on how to recycle more and reduce my energy consumption. Just like I don’t want Council inspectors raking through my wheelie bin, as it’s reported they’re doing in some places, to make sure not a single teabag, quail’s egg shell, pumpkin peeling or hairy coat of a kiwi fruit is put out in the general waste bin instead of the little smelly box for kitchen waste.  

For more information visit Peterborough Environment City Trust (information about lots of excellent projects and work being done to enhance Peterborough’s aim to be UK Environment City – I’ve been a wee bit sceptical about the household advice scheme, not at all about PECT in general and what they’ve done, what they’re doing, and what they want to achieve. It’s a good model to follow. Also specifically for the home visit scheme, look at article by Rachel Huxley of PECT on Defra website.

Special Sustainable Scotland Compettion! What does the wee pic depict and what is its contribution to sustainable development. Please post your answer below. Please note: this competition is for amusement and instruction only and no prizes will be awarded by Sustainable Scotland.. Good luck, entrants!

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