AN environmental campaign in Petersfield has hailed the Copenhagen Climate Change summit for helping to focus people's minds on green issues locally.
The Greening Petersfield Campaign, which promotes eating locally grown food, reducing waste and improving insulation inside residents' homes, has seen enquiries about the campaign rise throughout the summit - despite its failure to agree cutting glob
al emissions by two degrees celsius.
Greening Petersfield members explained that people around East Hampshire were asking them how they could have a greener Christmas or reduce CO2 emissions from their homes.
Secretary Tracy Chandler said: "Greening Petersfield is a good indicator of the growing support for climate change as the number of people asking for information has grown dramatically.
"It is fantastic to see the growing realisation that we must do something to stop this destruction of life as we know it on Earth.
"We are in a desperate situation, but if we can all pull together we can reduce our effect on climate change."
Greening Petersfield is in the process of renting a water meadow beside Tesco supermarket in The Causeway from the retail giants, which it plans to turn into a community garden and growing area.
Greening Petersfield's founder Terena Plowright said: "We have been taking advice about it from county councillors, district councillors, town councillors and Petersfield Tomorrow.
"We are sitting around together to work out a plan of action which we are putting in place in the new year.
"It is still in the hands of the solicitors but hopefully we will be able to start that soon."
Meanwhile, the group is approaching villages and town's across the south to encourage residents to seek advice about insulating their homes.
In particular, communities in Petersfield, Grayshott, East Meon and Clanfield are being targeted.
Greening Petersfield is providing, independently of energy companies, surveyors to visit properties and give advice on how to keep homes warm and save money.
Business are also being asked to reduce electricity and power at work.
One employer which has successfully managed to save energy is East Hampshire District Council, which has cut back its usage by a third since 2005.
"Fair play," Terena said.
"They have got a rubbish building there and still they have managed to make savings with it.
"It just goes to show whatever building you live in, you can still make savings in any circumstances."
Terena advised businesses to switch off equipment at the wall each night, turn off printers and computers on Fridays before powering up again on Monday, switch off lights when leaving an office or meeting room and use plumbed-in water heaters for drinks rather than kettles.
For more information about the work of the group, log on to www.greening-campaign.co.uk or e-mail Terena@greening-campaign.co.uk
