Local Agenda 21

Many people have no idea what "Local Agenda 21" is all about or what the phrase "Sustainable Development" means.

Well, both issues arose after the Earth Summit held in Rio in 1992.

Local Agenda 21 is in fact an agenda for the 21st Century through which at a local level we can all help to achieve sustainable development across the world.

Sustainable Development means moderating our demands and moving towards social and economic development, which is not ecologically destructive i.e. "does not cheat on our children". Our society currently consumes more natural resources and produces more pollution and waste than can be supported by nature indefinitely.

It might be easier if we relate the issue to "quality of life" and ask ourselves if the idea that a new car or television may be of less importance than good hospitals or safe streets. There is only so much natural resource to go around - it's a bit like money!

LA21 is concerned with not only environmental issues but those relating to crime, health and poverty as well. Indeed these 3 issues often rank above the environmental issue when quality of life is examined. All the issues can be seen to have an interlinking effect however, e.g. in Cheshire Constabulary there is a Wildlife and Environment Officer who deals with challenges such as poaching and badger digging. Crime can be "designed out", whereby the Police, planners, residents and council staff identify unsafe areas, particularly on housing estates and come up with ways of redesigning them.

There is also a growing linkage between health and the environment, particularly between transport-related pollution and the rise in urban asthma cases.

Poverty too has been described as the condition of "people whose resources (material, cultural and social) are so limited as to exclude them from the minimum acceptable way of life in the country in which they live".

You can see, therefore, that LA21 covers almost all aspects of life and there is a great challenge to each and everyone of use to help in a small way, so that our actions will positively effect the larger picture - our earth and its people.

The Way Forward: Chester in the 21st Century

The Rio Earth Summit in June 1992 presented a challenge to all local authorities, to prepare an ongoing set of policies and plans, aimed at reconciling the twin requirements of a healthy economy with a high quality environment for all people of the world for the 21 Century.

The launch of the council's Environmental Charter coincided with the Earth Summit and set the pace for Chester's commitment to Local Agenda 21. Many of the principles agreed enable the council to adopt strategies in line with proposals for the new century.

The publication and distribution of Chester's Agenda 21 helped to raise public awareness of sustainability issues and copies are still available. Any outstanding issues have now been dovetailed into the Community Plan.

We can all make a difference in a small way so why not try some of these actions at home.

• Re-use things like plastic bags and recycle as much as you can through the CHEERS scheme.
• Don't leave the tap running all the time you are cleaning your teeth.
• Switch off the lights when you leave a room empty.
• Turn down your central hearing thermostat by one degree.
• When you boil the kettle only boil as much water as you need.
• Return unused medicine to the chemist, don't put it in the bin or down the toilet.
• Buy environmentally-friendly products when improving your home.
• If you have a garden, compost your garden and kitchen waste.
• Fill unused space in your freezer with bread or even scrunched up newspaper.
• Replace old light bulbs with energy saving ones.
• Shop at your local corner shop whenever possible.
• Use a hot water bottle instead of an electric blanket.
• Buy refills for products like washing powder etc rather than buying new boxes every time.
• Fit draught-proofing to your windows and doors.
• Use your own shopping bag or re-use supermarket carrier bags.
• Service your car regularly.
• Try to use some other form of transport than the car.
• Don't overstock your fridge - it makes it work inefficiently.
• Grow plants in your garden that will attract wildlife.
• Buy locally produced things wherever possible.
• Put aluminium foil behind your radiators.