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Further to its recent success in winning a
coveted Green Apple Award for environmental best
practice, Dartford is being urged to follow in the
footsteps of Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott
who recently launched Planet Pledge 2000 -
Going for Green's environmental campaign for the
Millenium - by making "green" New Year Resolutions.
Such personalities as Betty Boothroyd, the
Speaker of the House of Commons, and Sian Lloyd,
weather presenter on national television, have sent
in their resolutions and shown how easy it is to
get involved. John Prescott himself chose recycling
and put the Palace of Westminster's Christmas Tree
through a chipper, the mulch from which is now
being used in the Royal Parks.
Planet Pledge 2000 is now expecting
millions of pledges from people who promise to help
safeguard the environment by making a small "green"
change to their lifestyles.
Recycling is something in which the people of
Dartford are very much involved already, so
environmental awareness charity Going for Green has
introduced a list of 15 simple "eco-pledges" from
which people can choose.
Anyone can make a pledge, individuals, families,
schools, local groups and companies. Resolutions
can include anything from fitting energy saving
light bulbs and re-using shopping bags, to walking
reasonable distances instead of using the car. It
is a fact that if everyone in the country fitted
energy saving light bulbs in their homes 5000
million pounds in energy costs would be saved each
year! This is just one example of the huge effect
we could have if we all made one simple pledge.
To make your pledge you can use the Growing for
Green website
www.gfg.iclnet.co.uk
or call their hotline number 0870 9090 800.
If you would like a pledge form please call
Dartford's Environmental Promotions Officer Alan
Cremer on 01322-343250, or write to him at
the Civic Centre, Dartford.
Planet Pledge 2000 will help remind us
all that making a small effort - like fitting a
simple water-saving device inside your toilet
cistern - can collectively make a world of
difference.
QED (Quality Environment for Dartford) which is
part of your Council's Local Agenda 21 campaign,
would really like the people of Dartford to get
behind this initiative and play their part in a
major national environmental celebration for the
Millenium. Everyone who makes a pledge will see
their name displayed as part of a unique national
exhibit called "Pathways to the 21st
Century". This will be unveiled during a big
ceremony in January 2000.
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