IT is that time of year when people start thinking about New Year resolutions.

Maybe yours is to live more ecologically in 2021?

Sometimes it is hard to know where to begin, but every little lifestyle change adds up to make a difference.

A good start is to work out your carbon footprint – that is how much carbon your daily activities produce and hence add to increased carbon in the atmosphere which causes climate change.

There are carbon footprint calculators that help you to do this – carbonfootprint.com or footprint/wwf.org.uk. Once you have calculated your footprint you can see where lifestyle changes are needed, but how do you find out what you can do?

We have been working hard during 2020, developing plans for an Eco Centre for Somerset.

Our plan is to have a centre where people can learn about sustainable living through events and courses; small, environmental businesses can flourish; school children can visit exhibitions about the environment and sustainable living, and anyone is welcome to come and enjoy a cuppa in the café and visit the vegetable gardens.

However, we are a very new venture, still in the planning stages.

In 2020, we formed a charitable business society, did a membership drive, as well as doing market research with Somerset schools asking what they would like to see in an Eco Centre.

Our immediate plans are to get funding for a mobile exhibition to visit schools and parishes.

We also need people to join us. If you would like to be part of this exciting new venture please consider becoming a member, buying shares and we need people with design and media skills, funding and financial knowledge.

For more information contact info@ecocentresw.org or like us on Facebook - The Eco Centre: Somerset.

Have a happy and green new year.

SUE CLARKE
Somerset Eco Centre