Sustainable Development - Internal practices

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ACRE Environmental Policy

ACRE Environmental Policy Guidelines

Rural Community Action Network

Members of the Rural Community Action Network are not only promoting events and helping communities tackle the threats posed by climate change, they are also ensuring that their own working practices match up to the ideals promoted through 21st Century Village initiative.

Across the network, Rural Community Councils are in the process of developing or reviewing internal environmental management systems. For those less advanced, green office baseline audits of existing practices are being carried out to identify areas where the environmental impact can be lowered. Those who are redrafting their practices are working towards environmental review processes which will allow them to measure their current performance on areas such as energy use and waste, and set targets for the future.

Some offices have introduced Skype, the video-conferencing facility, to enable meetings to take place in individual offices to cut down on travel time and fuel. Light bulbs in offices are being changed to energy-saving bulbs with light switches being labelled. Office equipment is not to be left on standby and recycling which has been normal practice for a long time is being extended. Staff are encouraged to car-share wherever practical.

Norfolk Rural Community Council – A case study

In Norfolk they are taking robust steps and setting targets to improve their environmental performance. Changes to their working practices to meet these targets are:

• Looking at their energy uses and taking advice on reducing overall energy firstly by simple actions such as ensuring no equipment is left on standby, experimenting with taking out fluorescent tubes in the lighting system where they aren’t needed (potentially up to 50%)
• Looking at their car use over a year and examining ways of reducing this by 10% in the next twelve months – this could include regular home-working
• Researching the potential for micro-generation by using wind turbine technology for their premises
  
• Looking at the potential for bio-fuel based heating oil
  
• Putting water-saving devices in toilet cisterns
  
• Looking at their purchasing to examine carbon footprints and how they can purchase from low carbon/sustainable sources
  
• Promoting environmental sustainability across all their work with rural communities.

Climate change ~ Does it affect Suffolk ACRE?

Suffolk ACRE encourages all staff to consider climate change within their day-to-day work. All project updates report on how this consideration is undertaken. They have also made a number of changes internally to ensure that the ideals of the 21st Century Village are paramount. Amongst these are:

• Cutting down on mileage throughout the team when travelling, by planning and going to venues together
  
• The installation of paper and card recycling bins around the building
  
• IT equipment is recycled either internally or to companies who export to the developing world
  
• The team ensures that PC monitors are turned off at night
  
• Both sides of paper are used to reduce waste
  
• The building has been double-glazed, which has improved insulation
  
• Timesheets are electronic, so paper and printing are not necessary
  
• Use of conference calling reduces the need to travel for meetings
  
• Car sharing is actively encouraged
  
• The air conditioning system is four times as efficient as standard systems and they promote common sense in its usage. Staff are encouraged to put on a layer of clothing first rather than change the temperature frequently
  
• They are looking at electric based minibuses for the future of Dial-a-ride schemes, but this is dependent on their local council.