Does your village have a shop that sells local produce? Do you promote cycling and walking for short journeys? Does your community have a scheme for re-using unwanted items? Do you have a local tree planting programme?
Does your village hall have solar panels? If so this is your chance to put your village on the map in the Best Green Village Competition.
To complement the Calor Essex Village of the Year and Best Kept Village Competitions RCCE has recently launched a new competition that asks members of the public to show how their rural community is creating a sustainable future.
The RCCE is fully committed to a sustainable future for the rural communities of Essex and as a result is keen to encourage a greener and more sustainable county through its Best Green Village (BGV) Competition. The competition is open to all villages that enter the Calor Essex Village of the Year and Best Kept Village Competitions, however, it is expected that a variety of community groups or individuals will carry out the Green Questionnaire on behalf of their community.
Supported by Essex County Council and Inspire East (the regional centre of excellence for sustainable communities in the East of England) the Best Green Village Competition allows community groups to assess what difference they are making at a local level to what is now widely recognised as a global issue. Applicants are asked to highlight what their community is already doing to save energy, travel wisely, shop ethically, recycle and care for the local environment.
Kris Radley RCCE’s Transport and Access Adviser and competition creator said
‘We are all now becoming far more aware of the green agenda and it is evident that some communities are doing over and above what is expected of them to try and make a difference. The competition aims to recognise this and to acknowledge the good work that is already going on.
The competition will give communities the chance to assess what they are doing locally and be rewarded for their achievements both large and small scale. We are keen to see what is happening on the ground level and are encouraging groups to let us know if they are for example putting energy saving light bulbs in community buildings or promoting community composting.’
To broaden the range of prize winners and to ensure realistic comparisons between competing villages the competition is divided into five separate classes depending on village population. Entrants complete a green questionnaire and a village statement before judging takes place in June 2008. There will be some exciting prizes up for grabs plus the accolade ‘Best Green Village 2008’. RCCE will be circulating full details of the BGV and the Village of the Year/BKV competition to all Parish Councils within the next month
This is a great opportunity for the villages of Essex to get the recognition they deserve.
RCCE will be running a series of ‘Going Green’ information events during February and March to highlight sustainability projects and schemes which can be undertaken at a local level and to assist communities with their Best Green Village competition entries.
Downloads / Links
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 www.essexrcc.org.uk/21st-century-villages.asp
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