Press Release
Carbon Reduction Shetland to Focus on Sustainable Transport
Shetland Amenity Trust is pleased to announce it has secured funding from the Climate Challenge Fund to continue its Carbon Reduction Shetland project for another year.
Over the last two years the Trust’s Carbon Reduction Officer, Harriet Bolt, has been working with all sectors of the community to reduce Shetland’s carbon footprint. Focusing mainly on behavioural change, the current project targeted nine main themes, including energy reduction, education and awareness, and encouraging renewables. Achievements have included a number of public events, such as a renewable energy showcase and a carbon summit; successful energy saving bulb, energy monitor and reusable bag schemes; development of primary and secondary carbon reduction resource boxes for loan to local schools; registration of hundreds of carbon saving pledges on the Carbon Reduction Shetland website from members of the local community; partnerships with many local and national organisations; and the provision of a wide range of energy saving/carbon reduction advice. This has all led to an increased awareness of energy use and energy reduction within Shetlands community.
Harriet Bolt, Carbon Reduction Officer at Shetland Amenity Trust, said: “It has been a busy but very rewarding couple of years. Just last week, in partnership with the SIC Schools Service Creative Links Team, we brought Eco-Drama to Shetland to deliver a recycling workshop and climate change show to primary school children. These were very well received by the schools involved, and the children came up with some excellent and innovative energy saving ideas.”
The new Carbon Reduction Shetland project will focus on sustainable transport. Carried out in partnership with ZetTrans, the Local Authority and Shetland Community Bike Project, activities will include sustainable transport roadshows, cycling scavenger hunts, bike maintenance workshops, installation of cycle stores at transport hubs and promotion of car sharing and public transport. The project will also undertake a number of surveys to gauge current transport habits and aspirations, with a view to informing future sustainable transport strategies and initiatives.
Sita Hughson, Environmental Improvement Officer at Shetland Amenity Trust, said: “The Trust is thrilled to secure the funding to continue the Carbon Reduction Shetland project. The project has achieved a lot in the last two years through a varied project programme. One area we had struggled to make change however was transport and it will be good to have the opportunity to focus on this area over the next year. Working with ZetTrans, and our other project partners, we have identified where we can complement the work already being carried out in this area, and enable us all to enhance the promotion, and encourage use, of sustainable transport.”
As part of the new project travel surveys will be carried out on Bressay, a community which has never had access to public transport in the way that most of Shetland’s communities have. These surveys, alongside the development of options for transport provision will enable ZetTrans and the Local Authority to make more informed decisions about possible sustainable transport initiatives on the island.
Michael Craigie, Head of Transport for Shetland Islands Council and Lead Officer of ZetTrans, said: “Sustainable transport, be it walking, cycling, electric/ alternative fuel vehicles or more efficient public transport, must form a strong part of any mix of transport provision. Climate Change and Health are areas in which performance must improve and also with the relentless rise in fuel prices we need to develop viable alternative services and infrastructure to enable different travel choices to be made. We are looking forward to working with the Amenity Trust on these matters”.
The new project will start this Friday, 1st April 2011.