Ian Kedge — Creating Environmental Health policy
There are many aspects to environmental protection. There are people out in the field monitoring pollution and educating businesses on a day to day basis. And then there are the people involved at a higher strategic level, developing innovative ideas, influencing politicians and working to change opinions. They’ve been making quite an impact at Lewes District Council. Ian Kedge, Head of Environment & Health at the council explains:
“Over the last few years we’ve been piloting a new approach to integrated resource management, called ‘ecoBUDGET’, aimed specifically at Local Government. We’re one of six local authorities across Europe involved in the pilot, along with partners in Greece, Italy, Sweden and Germany.
“The important and most exciting thing about ecoBUDGET is the fact that it works, apart from anything else, it encourages greater political and community involvement in setting local environmental priorities. It can be used by local authorities of different sizes and political systems in the drive for sustainable development.
“Using ecoBUDGET methodology, we’ve successfully developed sustainable wildlife gardens in a fifth of our primary schools, increased recyclable collections by 40%, and decreased CO2 emissions from our own Council buildings by nearly 10%. As a team we're all very proud to have been involved in a successful and pioneering project”.