Article featured in the January 2007 issue of the Post Carbon Newsletter. Click here to view the rest of the newsletter.

by Joe Atkinson, Group Coordinator

Leeds Sustainability Network is a network of small businesses, environmental groups, sustainability professionals and individuals in Leeds who want to help the city to become more sustainable, to help people save money in the process, and maybe even have some fun along the way!

In addition to being a member of the Relocalization Network, we are affiliated with Powerswitch, the UK campaign to raise awareness and discussion about Peak Oil and its causes and consequences. We also have strong links with the Leeds Permaculture Network, who are involved in projects such as designing and planting a forest garden at Swillington organic farm.

So far our group has focused on building a local profile as well as developing content for the website and building up a list of subscribers to the email list. The key element of this was putting together a directory of local businesses & organizations that are in some way concerned with sustainability.

Another aspect of the group’s activities has been to identify other groups and active individuals in the city who are working towards similar goals (especially the local permaculture group, Schumacher Society and the Stop Climate Chaos coalition) and build relationships with them. We have also developed links with sympathetic staff at the local authority.

Goals for 2007 include organizing a local “green expo” event and possibly merging with other local groups interested in pursuing the Relocalization agenda. And we are considering the idea of an energy co-operative and advice service. The aim of this project is to enable citizens in fuel poverty to gain access to energy saving technologies by simplifying the process of applying for grants/subsidies, as well as providing a mechanism to make the necessary capital available.

We also aim to use our knowledge and experience of sustainability to support Leeds City Council in their efforts to meet the wide range of sustainability challenges that the 21st century has in store.

A new project that we hope to pursue in 2007 is the production of a film looking at Leeds' prospects of making the transition to sustainability. The film is intended to briefly summarise the twin challenges of climate change and peak oil and explore the city's opportunities to become more sustainable as well as identifying the obstacles standing in the way. It will also seek to examine what is currently being done by local government, businesses, academics, and grass roots groups to envision a sustainable Leeds and to turn that vision into reality.

To learn more about Leeds Sustainability Network, visit our website at www.leeds-susnet.org.uk.