Topics of Interest
Water
With population growth, climate change causing drier summers and autumns and a huge influx of tourists visiting Dorset in the summer increasing the population by more than 25% our water supplies will be put under extra pressure and eventually begin to decline. The increasing need for water may cause low…
Waste & Recycling
Dorset's recycling rate is the best in the country, now we need to reduce the waste we produce. Every year in Dorset we throw away over 200,000 tonnes of household waste. With an increasing population the quantity of waste could double over the next 20 years. The majority of this…
Transition Towns
A Transition Initiative is a community working together to tackle the twin problems of Peak Oil and Climate Change. It delves into the big question - “how do communities significantly increase resilience (to mitigate the effects of Peak Oil) and drastically reduce carbon emissions (to mitigate the effects of Climate…
Sustainable Transport
Climate change will affect transport conditions, causing more slippery winter roads and highlighting transport links vulnerability to high winds, flooding and storms. Bridges, roads and railways will all become more vulnerable in stronger winds, more frequent flooding and storm events and soil moisture changes. This could all happen as the…
Sustainable Food
Sustainable farming practices are supported by the local economy. There is a lot of information and awareness about how to choose food more sustainably and in Dorset it couldn’t be easier. With the large numbers of local farm shops and roadside stalls, buying fresh, local, free range produce is a…
Sustainable Economics
There is an exciting and growing shift in business models that seek to meet our needs without destroying our fragile ecosystems. This Sustainable Economy may go by different names (e.g. Circular Economy, New Economy, Blue Economy or Inclusive Economy), however all address the same issues – the collapse of our…
Sustainable Building
Why build sustainably? Construction and use of buildings accounts for 50% of the total energy use of Europe. This is an important area to make more efficient and reduce the energy usage. So what can we change? Rob Buckley from the Dorset Centre of Rural Change suggests building with cob,…
Sustainability
Sustainability offers us a solution to our destructive consumerist behaviour. It will ensure our continued existence without ruining the chances of our children. It gives us the chance to thrive and live well on a planet with finite resources. We know that we are facing more environmental problems than ever…
Renewable Energy
The replacement of fossil fuels must be from renewable sources of which, thankfully, there is an abundance in Dorset – onshore and offshore wind, wave, tidal, solar and biomass. The Centre for Alternative Technology and other organisations have produced a report (Zero Carbon Britain or ZCB) that asserts precisely as…
Permaculture
The word 'permaculture' comes from 'permanent agriculture' and 'permanent culture' - it is about living lightly on the planet, and making sure that we can sustain human activities for many generations to come, in harmony with nature. One of the founders of the Transition movement, Rob Hopkins, was a permaculture…
Marine & Coast
Dorset's coast is important to its economy for fishing, shipping and tourism but this is under threat from rising sea levels (predicted to rise by 210mm by 2050) and an increase in adverse weather conditions. As a coastal county, the possibility of increased coastal flooding will arise. The Dorset coast…
Health & Wellbeing
Our personal health, wellbeing and happiness is not a destination in itself, but a journey along the way. It is also fundamental to our quest for sustainability and resilience. We need to be fully conscious of every aspect of our lives, every second of our journey, allowing us to take…
Education & Skills
Educating the public about sustainability and helping people to develop environmental and sustainable skills is an important step in the movement towards a more environmentally friendly future. For the past 3 years, Dorset Community Association together with da21 has worked on a project ‘Communities Living Sustainably’, funded entirely by the…
Climate Change
Scientists are warning us that an increase in the use of coal, oil and gas is starting to negatively affect our planet. Over the last 300 years fossil fuels have been the main source for powering life on Earth. One direct consequence of this is the release of large amounts…
Biodiversity & Wildlife
Large areas of Dorset are designated for environmental protection, however there are concerns about species migration. Factors such as agriculture, forestry and urbanisation all tend to reduce diversity of plants and animals. Maintaining biodiversity is important as all species are interlinked from simple organisms which provide decomposition of organic matter…
Agriculture & Forestry
About 75% of Dorset's land is used for agriculture. Variations occur every year in harvest. This is due to variations in weather during the growing season. Relatively small changes can make the difference between a large harvest and disaster. Farming practices have to evolve to cope with climate change. A…