Fight against pollution will start in Newport
Plastic waste and pollution could one day be a thing of the past in Newport after the town’s council voted unanimously to declare a climate emergency.
It is the start of a long journey that will see the council look at its own carbon footprint.
It comes after a motion from Councillor Tim Nelson, supported by Councillors Tom Janke and Tom King, at a meeting of the council on Wednesday.
It will see the council put together a plan of specific actions so that it can be to be carbon neutral by 2030.
Councillor Nelson said he was glad of the support the motion received after it was put forward.
“We said ‘yes’, Newport Town Council should be more aware about the environment,” he said.
“We should take steps to learn our carbon footprint and then maybe look at ways we can mitigate our CO2.
“We have already switched to LED lights,” Councillor Nelson added about the positive meeting.
“The next thing will be to look at who we get our electricity from.
“There are a range of things we can do going forward, starting with using a carbon footprint tool.
“There are free tools you can use, so it won’t cost anything.”
Councillor Nelson said the changes would not involve telling people how to live when implemented.
“It is scary stuff, but the purpose isn’t to frighten people or to make them feel guilty,” he said.
“This has started a process where in every session at the town council now there will be something about our awareness of the environment.”
Councillor Nelson said that anybody who had any ideas for the town council to consider in terms of climate change were welcome to contact him.
The motion said: “Following the lead of other unitary and town councils across the country, members are requested to consider a resolution posed by Councillor Nelson that ‘Newport Town Council recognises that we face a climate emergency, and that this council will take steps to raise awareness in Newport, and will mitigate its own environmental impact’.”
