Environment and Climate Change (Jo Swinson)

Environment and Climate Change

Jo marches for action on climate change

The environment and climate change are fast becoming the defining issues of our times. Urgent action is needed. The Liberal Democrat Party is committed to ensuring that the UK meets it's Kyoto obligations well before the deadline, getting more people onto public transport, and leading the campaign for more renewable energy sources. However, while there is much that policy-makers can and must do, I firmly believe that it is up to each and every individual to try to make a difference. This section of the website provides access to key Liberal Democrat policy on tackling climate change, as well as providing links to related websites and suggests some practical advice on what each person can do to limit the damage we are inflicting upon our environment.

Follow the links below for:

[Environmental Audit Committee] - [Excess Packaging] - [Jo's news stories] - [External news stories] - [External media] - [Volunteers Needed] - [Links]

Environmental Audit Committee

Portcullis

Since being elected to Parliament in 2005 I have been a member of the Environmental Audit Committee. This is a select committee of the House of Commons which is responsible for examining how the policies and programmes of government departments and other public bodies contribute to environmental protection and sustainable development. Over the past four years, the Committee has produced reports on a variety subjects, including sustainable housing, international negotiations on climate change, biodiversity, carbon trading, deforestation and biofuels. Members of the public are welcome to attend Committee meetings, and all reports are published on the Committee's website.

Environmental Audit Committee website

Excess Packaging

Jo meets with Environment Minister Joan Ruddock to discuss packaging legislation

People from across the whole country have told me that they are frustrated by the amount of excess packaging they encounter. Card, plastic, foil and glass all contribute to the 4.7 million tonnes of packaging waste disposed of by UK households each year. Consumers are paying for excess packaging three times over: once at the checkout, once in council taxes for refuse or recycling collection and once in the environmental cost in terms of carbon emissions. It makes no environmental sense to over-package products and no economic sense to charge frustrated consumers for packaging they don't need. This is why, since 2007, I have been leading a campaign against excessive packaging in order to encourage producers and supermarkets to cut down on the volumes of potentially harmful and needless packaging on groceries. Please follow the link below to find out more about my campaign.

Jo's Excess Packaging Campaign

Jo's news stories on the environment and climate change

19/11/10 Green issues must remain top of agenda - Jo

7/10/10 Jo volunteers in Nigeria to promote action on climate change

07/10/10 Jo opens Baldernock Eco Fair

07/10/10 Jo volunteers in Nigeria to promote action on climate change

27/08/10 Swap and share to show you care

26/08/10 Jo aims for a greener future

09/08/10 Local charity brings green living to East Dunbartonshire

29/07/10 We need more trains and fewer planes - Jo

21/06/10 Jo presses Scotland Minister on renewable energy

14/05/10 Lenzie nursery flies the eco flag

24/03/10 Early deaths from air pollution a threat to East Dunbartonshire

25/02/10 Labour's spending on green jobs just 20% of what was promised

01/02/10 Bishopbriggs named as air pollution hotspot

04/01/10 Bearsden nursery flies the Green Flag

07/12/09 Council to receive Tesco survey results

23/11/09 PM responds to East Dunbartonshire's climate message

19/11/09 Council refuses to allow climate protest

12/11/09 Jo takes East Dunbartonshire's message to Downing Street

26/10/09 East Dunbartonshire's climate message to PM

26/10/09 Council must do better on recycling

23/10/09 Government fails to back words with action on climate change

14/10/09 Scotland must not be excluded from climate talks

09/10/09 International day of climate action comes to East Dunbartonshire

17/08/09 Jo welcomes Freecycle to East Dunbartonshire

19/05/09 "EU leaders are failing poor countries on climate change" - Swinson

18/05/09 Jo asks Minister to give Cycle Train the green light

11/05/09 St. Matthew's proud to be a 'Cycle Friendly School'

23/04/09 Government ignoring own advisers on climate change - Swinson

23/03/09 Making it easier for consumers to go green

19/02/09 Lenzie Nursery wins Eco Award

27/01/09 Jo slams East Dunbartonshire Council for failure to tackle littering

22/01/09 Jo joins the legal battle to prevent Heathrow expansion

23/12/08 Jo urges East Dunbartonshire residents to recycle their Christmas cards

06/12/08 Jo joins National Climate March

20/11/08 Green pupils a credit to Millersneuk Primary

07/11/08 Jo praises Bishopbriggs Academy's Arctic explorer

01/10/08 Residents worried by loss of green space

12/09/08 Jo polls local opinion on energy profits

Jo supports renewable energies

13/08/08 Waste management can bring cash boost for local businesses

04/08/08 Government squandering £42m renewables funding - Jo

22/07/08 Jo welcomes revolutionary plastic bottle recycling plant

12/06/08 Jo backs home-made bags for life

05/06/08 World Environment Day: Government wasting time on climate change

02/05/08 Local nursery celebrates eco-award

02/05/08 Urgent review of biofuel targets needed

20/03/08 Council bins policy slammed by Bearsden resident

21/01/08 Biofuels not a silver bullet

10/01/08 Government announcement on new nuclear slammed

30/12/07 Jo urges East Dunbartonshire to make a green New Year's resolution

19/12/07 Jo praises green action at Bearsden school

27/11/07 Climate Change Bill must be stronger

31/10/07 Jo supports calls for Marine Bill in Queen's Speech

22/10/07 Environmental Audit Committee: Transparency key to success of Emissions Trading Scheme

Jo supports WWF's One Planet Living campaign

25/09/07 Clober pupils getting into the recycling habit

20/08/07 Bishopbriggs church seeks Eco-Congregation award

19/06/07 Minister's attack on rail exposes lack of green priorities

08/06/07 Jo scales up pressure for Marine Bill

29/05/07 Jo signs up to World Can't Wait campaign

23/05/07 Nuclear power the wrong choice for Scotland

09/05/07 Top level Government leadership needed on whaling

03/04/07 Jo shows green fingers at new Craigdhu Primary garden

22/03/07 Jo positive on whaling debate

12/03/07 Need to keep up efforts to reduce Parliament waste

01/03/07 Jo slams delay on climate change laws

22/02/07 Government set to repeat mistakes on energy consultation

11/01/07 High-Speed Rail should be a Government priority

12/12/06 Lack of Labour ambition on renewables disappointing - Swinson

03/11/06 Jo attempts to juggle 'three planet' lifestyle

01/11/06 Action needed at home to cut East Dunbartonshire carbon output

Jo pays a visit to Closed Loop Recycling, July 2008

26/10/06 Jo commits to 20% energy savings

09/10/06 Airport expansion welcome, but environment must be a priority

26/08/06 Jo highlights urgency of energy debate as Hunterston nears end of life

11/07/06 Scotland should say no to nuclear - Swinson

10/07/06 Swinson expects few surprises from Blair in Energy Review

04/07/06 Scottish Secretary in denial over Labour's nuclear confusion - Swinson

26/06/06 Katrine Water Project aims for low impact on reservoir landscape

21/06/06 Blair concedes Scotland has nuclear power veto

08/06/06 The Green Tax switch

17/05/06 Response to Prime Minister's speech on UK energy policy

06/05/06 Jo at Scottish Questions: "National Grid restructuring must prioritise renewables"

20/04/06 Scotland's energy future with renewables not nuclear - Jo

18/01/06 New nuclear power carries economic and environmental dangers - Jo

10/01/06 Jo backs Christmas Card recycling

11/11/05 Energy conservation starts at home - Jo

02/09/05 Jo Swinson encourages residents to engage in airport consultation process

08/07/05 Environmental Campaigners congratulate Jo Swinson

External News Articles

25/05/09 Yobs spoil Milngavie beauty spot (Milngavie and Bearsden Herald)

25/03/09 Eco-labels 'must be standardised', government report warns (Packaging News)

04/08/08 Britannia accused of failing to rule waves by not spending energy cash (The Scotsman)

04/08/08 Marine technology budget 'unspent' (Channel 4 News)

04/08/08 Backdating road tax is retrograde (The Guardian, Comment is Free)

04/08/08 Drivers face higher parking charges under controversial new car tax band linked to engine emissions (Daily Mail)

04/08/08 Treasury plan to pay drivers of gas-guzzling cars to go green (Daily Mirror)

04/08/08 Govt 'squandering wave technology' (Politics.co.uk)

04/08/08 Car tax divides MPs (Politics.co.uk)

24/04/08 Get-one-free deals 'boost waste' (BBC News)

01/12/07 East Dunbartonshire Council launches bins survey (Kirkintilloch Herald)

External Media

Audio - Jo talks about Biofeuls on the Parliament website's pilot podcast

Volunteers Needed!

There are a range of conservation groups requiring volunteers in and around East Dunbartonshire. For a few hours of your time you can make a real difference to our local natural environment

More volunteering opportunities available at www.volunteerscotland.org.uk

Jo's featured links

Green Uses for Waste

Green Uses for Waste is a one-stop resource for anyone looking for help with the re-use strand of their commitment to reducing, re-using and recycling.

Green Uses for Waste

Eco Kettle

The Eco Kettle is designed to hold 1.5 litres of water ready to use, but with the press of a button the user can choose exactly how much water to boil. This means that consumers can save 30% of energy when compared to their normal kettle and habits by only boiling the water they need. Through this simple measure alone, 1.2 tWh Watts could be saved each year, which equates to a national saving of 140,000 tonnes of carbon and £114million.

The Eco Kettle saves energy by allowing you to choose how much of the water in it you want to boil at anyone one time. It was recently awarded the prestigious 'Recommended' mark by the Energy Saving Trust, the first award to be given in the EST's newly established Kettle category.

Eco Kettle

Recycle More

You can find out where your nearest recycling bank is at Recycle More, as well as all kinds of other information on how to recycle as much of your waste as possible.

http://www.recycle-more.co.uk/>Recycle More

Freecycle

Freecycle is a local service that allows you advertise unwanted items to give them away for free. You can find all sorts of interesting items on there which people are giving away for free, from furniture to musical instruments!

Freecycle

Jo Swinson