With 1st January 2010 fast approaching, what kind of environmental resolutions are worth considering ?

But before we start deciding to install a wind turbine or go all organic vegetarian overnight, let's imagine ourselves in January 2011. Realistically, what's going to be different? What will be different if just one of us, or if all of us take action ? What if we don't ?

Ok, imagine you are ONE YEAR AHEAD Of NOW in January 2011, and what's happened? what's changed ?

* We could have 1 or 2 farm shops open selling local produce and delivering locally healthy food from our surrounding farmland.
* We could have a community Development Trust fund in place, to provide bursaries for young people, supporting local projects, helping to create local employment, etc.
* A low cost Park-n-Ride scheme could be operating from Sun Micro's car park while a proper one is being built at the M9 junction on the Blackness road.
* A local currency could be printed and circulating around local businesses, residents.
* Our farmers market could be every 2 weeks or even every Saturday mid-growing season with local produce available.
* We could easily have 10 times the number of people cycling and walking short journeys, and almost eliminate the school run by car for the majority.
* We could ban heavy lorries & 40ft articulated lorries from using the high street unless they had a destination or purpose for travelling there.
* We could have allotments up and running with WLC support.
* ALL homes with un-insulated cavities and poor loft insulation could be upgraded within 1 year.
* Homes with south facing roofs could easily fit solar hot water panels and eliminate the need for burning gas/oil/lpg in peak summer months.
* We could be working with local builders to repair and improve local community buildings.

OR imagine this time next year where nothing has changed. Same old money going out of town to multinationals, parking still a disaster, no hope for new jobs, increased fuel bills, more High Street shops and buildings sitting empty, no allotments, severe congestion at school run and business closing times, etc.

So why sit around waiting for the same old things to happen. Why not grab the bull by the horns, and take responsibility for our town our future our prosperity, security, social wellbeing, our children's future etc.

What could you do ? Here's a few ideas to get your mind thinking.

* Join a local club. Keep the town alive. We have over 180 clubs, but many need new members and new vitality.
* Start a new club is there isn't one already.
* Get together with your neighbours and start a local 'street' project. Plant some fruit trees, make the area safe for kids to play, car-share, help to improve communal area etc.
* Join Linlithgow Climate Challenge and/or Linlithgow Aspires.
* Support local farmers, local shops, local businesses, keep the money inside the town and not disappearing into the pockets of the multi-nationals.
* Stop driving your kids to school, start a walking bus, encourage the kids to exercise, socialise and also to be street-wise, car-safe.
* Sign up for 10:10 - aim to save 10% of your carbon emissions in 2010
* Start a compost heap at home.
* Stop Junk mail. Sign up to all the systems that reduce junk-mail from being delivered.
* Insulate your home the best you can to save on those fuel bills.
* Skip that international holiday to Costa-Del-Bland, and holiday in the UK. Discover how much our country has to offer.
* Recycle as much as you can, and if possible refuse to purchase over packaged goods in the first place.
* Use Freecycle Linlithgow to swap unwanted items with others.
* Fit solar thermal panels rather than a new bathroom or kitchen. Invest in the energy efficiency of your home and increase its EPC/SAP rating, Existing Grant schemes for renewables might go away with the introduction of Feed in Tariffs, so act now, take up the grant offers while they are still there.
* Buy A++ or Energy Saving Trust recommended products but only when the old one is beyond repair. Don't just buy the latest gadget just for the sake of keeping up with fashion.
* Hold a clothes swapping party with your pals.
* Make a small veg plot in your garden, read the newsletter from linlithgrow.org.uk for advice.
* Eat less meat! Switch to more fruit and veg which will also improve your health at the same time. Choose local meat when you do buy it.
* Save a corner of your garden to be for the wildlife and not just for your pleasure. Plant wildlife friendly plants, attract the pollinators, and birdlife etc.

There's lots and lots that you can do to help the planet, to help yourself, and to also help to change the future of our town.

If you would like to take part in some of the bigger projects like a local currency, or development trust or park-n-ride scheme then lets us know. We are always looking for active people who want to take local action to make Linlithgow a more resilient, sustainable and enjoyable place to live.

Happy New Year

Linlithgow Climate Challenge.