The Island Strategic Partnership has launched its Eco Island Vision and the Rural Community Council is proud to support the shared vision of the Isle of Wight becoming a world renowned Eco-Island, with a thriving economy and a real sense of pride, where residents and visitors enjoy healthy lives, feel safe and are treated with respect.
With its breadth and diversity the voluntary and community sector on the Island will be contributing significantly to the delivery of this vision.
Whether encouraging community empowerment and volunteering, delivering support and services to residents in need of support, or helping to change attitudes and behaviours with regard to climate change and recycling, voluntary and community groups will be playing a full and active role.
Both nationally and locally, voluntary and community groups have enthusiastically championed sustainable and inclusive communities and environmental awareness for as long as such concerns have existed but there is much more that can be done.
Given that there are over 1,500 voluntary and community groups on the Island, their combined efforts can make a significant contribution to reducing the Island’s Ecological Footprint, which shows that the average Islander has an earthshare ‘footprint’ of around 2.5. In other words if everyone lives as we do – we would need a planet 2½ times the size.
Whether through changing its own behaviour with regards to recycling, energy efficiency and transport or through delivering initiatives to promote energy efficiency in homes or planting trees, the sector has much to contribute to Eco Island and is committed to its delivery.
The Rural Community Council website can be found here. www.iwrcc.org.uk
