Sustainability

The United Nations Decade for Education in Sustainable Development programme (managed by UNESCO) has encouraged us to roll out nationally the programme developed over the past two years by Aughton-Ormskirk U3A.  The national programme was launched at the Annual U3A Conference, this will be followed by a letter to all U3A groups in the U.K, signed by the Chairman of the National Executive and Alex McMinn and accompanied by a guidance leaflet produced by Aughton-Ormskirk U3A.  The programme will be highlighted at a U.N. conference in London in December. Next meeting: Sustaining Sustainable Development Education - to be announced

To further develop our own activities in this field and sustain the level of awareness, Norman Platt (of Wine Group fame) will become responsible for organising regular “Sustainable Development” Forum meetings with invited speakers (your suggestions welcome).  The development of our “U3A Woodland” project will be organised by Fiona Taylor and Sue Watkinson.

The Sustainable Development group is encouraging the use of Fair Trade products and in particular, coffee and tea at U3A events.

Sustainable Development is not just focused on environmental issues, but you might be interested in such diverse topics as fair trade, child labour and exploitation, diminishing natural resources, renewable energy, bribery, etc.

Get involved!

Sustainable development Leaflet

The Sustainability Group has developed a brochure on "Sustainable Development". This addresses "the 3 Rs" for oldies, Reduce, Re-use and Recycle, and will ask us all to make a simple commitment to these issues. At Horizons we hope to encourage recycling of a range of items, starting with toner and printer cartridges, mobile phones and batteries. Some will benefit charities but all will benefit the environment in some small way.