Tewkesbury Borough Council has been officially recognised for its commitment to carbon literacy and a low-carbon culture.
The council was awarded certification as a Bronze Carbon Literate Organisation by The Carbon Literacy Project, a UK charity dedicated to increasing awareness of climate change and carbon footprints. To achieve this accreditation, the council was required to demonstrate that it has a robust carbon reduction programme in place, is taking positive action to achieve such reduction, and is delivering carbon literacy training and support to council officers.
Tewkesbury Borough Council is committed to becoming carbon neutral by 2030, and among the innovations introduced as part of its Carbon Reduction Programme was the installation of a solar panel canopy at its Public Service Centre, capable of generating power equivalent to approximately two thirds of the council’s electricity demand. And demonstrating continued commitment to carbon reduction, it has begun plans to update its heating system by replacing its gas-fired boilers with a more eco-friendly air source heating system.
Further positive changes have been made by setting up a Green Champion network of volunteer officers. Recently over 50 council staff undertook carbon literacy training, and a number of officers who completed the training have gone on to volunteer as Green Champions for the council, implementing carbon reduction strategies at the council offices and promoting them to the wider workforce.
Tewkesbury Borough Council’s Executive Director of Resources, Simon Dix, said: “I’m delighted that we have been recognised by the Carbon Literacy Project in this way. Carbon Literacy Organisation accreditation is proof that the council as an organisation, and our staff as individuals, are working hard to achieve our aim of carbon neutrality and have already introduced several successful measures to that end.
“We are certainly heading in the right direction. Our goal now is to further our commitment to carbon literacy, demonstrate an increased level of carbon reduction achievement, and go for the silver award in 2024.”
Photo caption:
Tewkesbury Borough Council’s Green Champions with the council’s Bronze Carbon Literate Organisation certificate.
