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Stand Up 4 Your Rights Under Arrest Disability - Access All Areas I Don't Need This Abuse In Confidence Environmental Concerns Race Faith Employment Rights Right To Be Heard Are You Old Enough? Guide to Street Awareness Victim of Crime Environmental Concerns The South West is England's largest and most rural region. The region's landscape is varied, productive and very precious. It has:   12 areas of outstanding natural beauty   England's first natural world heritage site   two national parks   two-thirds of the nation's heritage coast There are a variety of government agencies that are responsible for or are involved in looking after the environment. These include:   Natural England   Environment Agency   Defra Environental issues Are you interested in the environment? Do you have concerns about climate change, sustainability, GM food, nuclear power or the destruction of the rainforests? Do you want to work as a volunteer on an environmental project? There are a range of organisations concerned with the environment. Often they have local groups you can join. Examples include:   BTCV (British Trust for Conservation Volunteers)   Young People's Trust for the Environment   Friends of the Earth   Greenpeace   Somerset Wildlife Coastal concerns Do you enjoy, live near, or visit the coast of Somerset and the rest of SW England? If so, you might be concerned about the cleanliness of the waters around your area. Surfers Against Sewage www.sas.org.uk - campaigns for an end to the discharge of raw and partially treated sewage and toxic waste into the sea and inland waters. Recycling In Somerset over 271,900 tonnes of household waste is produced a year. Currently Somerset recycles around 47% of its waste but has a target of 50%. . Most Somerset households can now recycle through kerbside recycling. There are also public recycling centres throughout the county. For more recycling centres, and plenty of tips about how to recycle go to Recycle Somerset at www.recyclesomerset.info Buying locally Buying locally produced products is good for the environment. This is because they are:   transported over shorter distances reducing pollution   often produced using traditional methods that maintain valuable areas for wildlife See these web sites for more information:   Somerset Food Links www.foodlinks.org.uk   Somerset Farmers Markets www.sfmdirect.co.uk/markets Walking and public transport Walking or using public transport is good for the environment because it cuts down on energy consumption and pollution. It will also improve your own fitness. Look at these web sites for information and ideas:   Campaign for Better Transport www.bettertransport.org.uk   Safer Routes to School www.saferoutestoschools.org.uk   Sustrans www.sustrans.org.uk More information Natural England www.naturalengland.org.uk - aims to make life better for people in the countryside and to make the quality of the countryside better for everyone. Environment Agency www.environment-agency.gov.uk - responsible for protecting and improving the environment in England and Wales. Defra (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs) www.defra.gov.uk – aims to pursue sustainable development through economic, social and environmental channels Sustainable Development www.sustainable-development.gov.uk - government website looking at sustainable development in the UK. Young People's Trust for the Environment www.yptenc.org.uk - aims to encourage young people's understanding of the environment and the need for sustainability. Friends of the Earth www.foe.co.uk - campaigns and lobbies on environmental issues. Call 020 7490 1555 Greenpeace www.greenpeace.org.uk - runs a variety of campaigns on environmental issues. Call 020 7865 8100 Somerset Wildlife Trust www.somersetwildlife.org - aims to safeguard the county’s wildlife and wild places. Runs activities such as walks, talks, fundraising events and practical work. Phone 01823 652400 BTCV (British Trust for Conservation Volunteers) www2.btcv.org.uk – offers chance to help with environmental projects. Call 01302 572244 Somerset Food Links www.foodlinks.org.uk - local food for local people. Call 01458 241401 Somerset Farmers Markets www.sfmdirect.co.uk/markets - information on farmers markets in Somerset. Campaign for Better Transport www.bettertransport.org.uk - aims to reduce the environmental and social impact of transport by encouraging less use of cars and more use of public transport, walking and cycling. Call 020 7613 0743 Safer Routes to School www.saferoutestoschools.org.uk - aims to create a Safe Route to School for every child in the UK. Sustrans www.sustrans.org.uk - sustainable transport charity working on practical projects to encourage people to walk, cycle and use public transport for health, safety and environmental reasons. Surfers Against Sewage www.sas.org.uk - campaigns for an end to the discharge of raw and partially treated sewage and toxic waste into the sea and inland waters. Return to top of page Make text larger Make text smaller Text Only Display Disclaimer