Lambeth Sustainability Charter
Early in 2007 Lambeth launched its new Sustainability Charter which replaced the Environmental Charter (2001).
The Sustainability Charter sets out the way the council aims to provide policy and services both internally and across the borough.
Everything we do, buy and dispose of as a council has an impact on the environment both locally and globally. The overall aim of the council's Sustainability Charter is to improve the sustainability performance of the council steadily over time to minimise resource use and waste and reduce carbon emissions.
Lambeth's Sustainability Charter 2007
The overall aim of the council’s Sustainability Charter is to improve the sustainability performance of the council steadily over time, to minimise resource use, minimise waste and reduce carbon emissions. Lambeth Council aims to cut its own carbon emissions by 20% over 5 years to 2012.
Throughout the borough Lambeth Council will:
- Act and address, in partnership with our partners and communities the causes and impacts of climate change
- Discourage waste and encourage recycling to meet and exceed central government recycling targets
- Encourage the use of environmentally friendly (including recycled) materials wherever practical
- Act and campaign against pollution of air, land and water
- Act and campaign against anti-social levels of noise
- Support the use of and improvements to public transport infrastructure and continue to improve facilities for pedestrians, cyclists and disabled people
- Protect and enhance open spaces, nature reserves and allotments under council control and enhance their biodiversity value
- Promote the development and implementation of renewable energy sources especially on new developments in Lambeth
- Promote sustainable construction practices in all new developments in the borough
- Continue to improve street cleanliness and develop the 'Cleaner, Greener' borough ethos
- Ensure diversity is valued and ensure due regard to social exclusion, financial exclusion, community safety, equality of opportunity and employment generation
- Encourage residents and businesses to improve energy and water conservation
- Raise awareness and encourage participation in protecting the local and global environment, by residents, schools and colleges, businesses and organisations
- Maintain Lambeth’s Fairtrade Borough status by encouraging residents and businesses to buy/sell Fairtrade products
In our own offices and buildings Lambeth Council will:
- Promote sustainable development through all council strategies
- Act to reduce emissions that contribute to climate change
- Improve energy and water conservation in council buildings
- Continue to practise environmentally responsible 'green' procurement of products and services
- Ensure council staff continue to minimise waste and utilise the council wide recycling scheme
- Promote renewable energy by purchasing renewable energy supplies for council buildings, when possible
- Promote the council’s Travel Plan to encourage staff to use more sustainable modes of transport to/from/during work
- Encourage the use of recycled materials by council staff and contractors wherever possible
- Continue to implement the council's Sustainable Construction and Sustainable Timber policies
- Continue to use Fairtrade products in council canteens and meetings and to raise awareness among staff
- Support the local economy by encouraging staff to join the Lambeth Savings and Credit Union and do more business locally