23 November 2007 - The home of the largest collection of voluntary organisations in Brighton is trying to ‘green up’ its performance after its electricity consumption rose by more than 60 per cent in less than a decade.

Community Base, in Queens Road, Brighton, hosts some 30 voluntary social and community groups working to help some of the town’s most vulnerable groups - from adults with Asperger Syndrome to victims of violent crime.

The building, which is a self-financing charity, is trying to clean up its environmental act - and Green MEP Caroline Lucas will visit the centre on Friday 23 November to see how it’s getting on.

Though the centre hosts the same number of groups as in 1999, electricity usage has risen by 49 per cent - having peaked in 2005. The centre has adopted a range of ‘green’ steps - switching to a renewable energy supplier, improving insulation and installing energy efficient fridges, hand driers and lighting systems - and even banning paper and plastic plates, cups and cutlery from its conference facilities.

"We know our ‘carbon footprint’ has increased enormously over the last few years and we’re committed to doing something about it," said Community Base Director Colin Chalmers.

"We have a range of organisations here in Community Base and they all accept that we must reduce our environmental impact if we are to do our bit for tackling climate change - and that failure to do so could undermine all the social and community work we have been doing over the last decade."

Caroline Lucas added: "It’s really inspiring to see so many voluntary and community groups taking the environmental agenda seriously. Every penny counts in the voluntary sector and it would be so easy for such organisations to see climate change as ’someone else’s problem’.

"But the reality is that cutting energy use saves money over the long term, and sets a fantastic example for Government, the council - and private firms - to follow."

The Euro-MP, who sits on the European Parliament’s influential Environment Committee and hopes to become Green MP for Brighton Pavilion at the next election, added: "The reality is that these organizations are trying to improve life for some of Brighton’s most vulnerable people - and unchecked climate change threatens to undo so much of their hard work.

"Cutting climate emissions shouldn’t be the job of those who often have scant resources alone: it should be the top priority of Government to adopt policies that make it easier for everyone to take the necessary environmental measures."

ENDS

For more information, please visit Community Base.