Every Action Counts
All you need to know about Every Action Counts
What
is it?
Every
Action Counts is an initiative, funded by Defra, aimed at getting groups of people together
to take simple, practical steps to improve their local environment and
create a cleaner, greener, fairer and safer future.
How
does it work?
Every Action Counts has identified five key action areas where
people can start making positive changes through simple actions:
- Save energy
- Travel wisely
- Shop ethically
- Save our resources
- Care for your area
Who
can get involved?
Just about any group can help make every action count: community
groups, clubs and societies, community organisations, community centres,
neighbourhood groups, hobby groups, faith groups, sports clubs and local
amenity societies.
Where did the idea come from?
Every Action Counts has been developed by Defra and a consortium of
national organisations including the Federation of City Farms &
Community Gardens.
What next?
The first step is very easy. Simply register your group with
the campaign by going to the EAC website at www.everyactioncounts.org and following the instructions on the
site. Some of our members have already registered, but we are looking
for many more to join up and start helping create a cleaner, greener
and more sustainable future for their neighbourhoods.
How can an EAC Community Champion help you?
Champions will arrange to go and see local community groups, clubs and societies and take them through the EAC process, which has four stages:
- Explain Every Action Counts using the presentation materials provided. It is intended to be low tech and suitable for a small group of people.
- Taking stock of what they are doing already, many
groups may well have done quite a lot of work on reducing their impact
on the planet, which is great, this stage captures that and shows what
they have yet to look at.
Deciding which of the actions they do not already do, that they wish to take forward. Using a very democratic involving game. - Action planning with the actions that the group has decided are important to them.
Case
Studies
The Every Action Counts website features
case studies of a variety of community groups demonstrating great work
across all the EAC focus areas. If you want to be featured
as a case study then let us know. Members
of the Federation of City Farms and Community Gardens already featured
as case studies are:
Heeley
City Farm: The farm produces local organic food, breeds rare
breed animals, generates its own electricity and has around 100,000
visitors per year. It also recently established a centre for renewable
energy. Run by the local community,
the farm has provided the local area with economic, social and environmental
revival.
The Calthorpe Project: Located amid the dense urban sprawl of London's King's Cross, Calthorpe is one of the UK's oldest community gardens. It was created from a piece of wasteland that residents fought to secure for their community more than 20 years ago. The space has now been transformed into a beautiful garden, receiving an estimated 30,000 visitors each year and offering a range of community services to local residents.
