In the community

As an Individual

• Try to raise the awareness of the people you know about issues such as recycling, protection of local amenities, resource saving and climate change.
• Consider organising a one-off event to help the local community or local wildlife.
• Buy at least some of your fresh produce at farmers markets/from local producers.
• Set up or get involved in a Fairtrade group, like the Wigan Borough Fairtrade Group (external link).
• Set up your own local Transition group (external link), like the one for Wigan or the one for Billinge and Orrell (external link), to help prepare your local community for peak oil and climate change.
• Older people can make time to talk to young people they know and young people can make time to talk to older people – both groups might be surprised what they find out!
• Get to know your neighbour.
• Be a local volunteer or join (or start) a community group.
• Consider getting involved with the citizens’ panel or at local township meetings.
• Become a magistrate or stand as a local councillor.
• Vote at elections.

Businesses/Organisations

• Look into the possibility of using local suppliers where possible. This can reduce both transport costs and CO2 emissions related with long distance transport and also injects money into the local economy.
• Consider whether you can offer work experience to local teenagers to help them improve their skills and knowledge thereby supporting the development of local people in the local economy.
• Consider whether local groups could benefit from the nearly new technology you are disposing of when you upgrade the office PCs.
• Become a sponsor of a community group or organisation
• Think about where and how you are disposing of waste – is it endangering or inconveniencing local people or damaging the local environment? How can its impact be reduced?

Useful links

The following links provide a wealth of information to individuals and businesses about the various ways they can contribute to making their local communities more sustainable:

• The Energy Saving Trust (external link) provides support to individuals, community groups and businesses who want to save energy and improve energy efficiency.
• Global Action Plan (external link) works with groups of neighbours and local community organisations to help them to reduce their carbon footprint and save money.
• Volunteering England (external link) provides information and contact details about a variety of volunteering opportunities both regionally and nationally in a range of different areas of interest.
• Fairtrade Foundation (external link) and the Wigan Fairtrade Group (external link) may be a good place to start if you want to get involved in promoting Fairtrade in this area.
• Envirowise (external link) offers free, independent support to businesses and organisations helping them to become more resource efficient and save money.
• Business in the Community (external link) is comprised of over 700 companies committed to improving their positive impact on society. Provides help and guidance for other businesses.
• Groundwork (external link) works alongside communities, public bodies, private companies and voluntary bodies to deliver projects benefiting people, places and prosperity in communities across the UK.
• If you live in the west of the borough, why not check out the Billinge and Orrell Transition Group's website (external link) to see what sustainability projects they are currently involved with.

Contact Details