Cllr. Hamish Pollock reports: “With less than a year to go until the start of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, David Weir MBE, Paralympic double Gold medallist and five times London Marathon winner, has recently opened an exciting new interactive exhibition that tells the London 2012 sustainability story and aims to inspire visitors to lead greener lifestyles. The Exhibition is at the BedZED Visitor Centre, 24 Helios Road, Wallington. Entry is FREE and is open every Wednesday, Thursday and Friday from 11am to 1pm and 2pm to 4pm. On the first Wednesday of each month the One Planet Experience is open till 7pm”.
“The One Planet Experience is one a Defra-funded project that uses London 2012 to inspire sustainable living. Sustainability experts BioRegional have developed the exhibition which features the carbon calculator house where visitors can select different home improvements to calculate carbon and cost savings, an energy bike, touch screen quizzes and educational videos, along with personal advice from BioRegional’s sustainability experts and much more. Visitors are encouraged to pledge from a menu of behaviour changes such as installing insulation and reducing food waste, and given materials to help them at home”.
BioRegional’s Director, Sue Riddlestone said: “We really want this exhibition to be a useful resource; we surveyed local people to find out what they needed help with and have based our resources around the results. This is all part of our work to help make Sutton a sustainable, healthier and happier place to live and work, and we hope that the London 2012 link will encourage many more people through our doors”.
The BedZED Invitation
Speakers at the opening included Tom Brake, local Lib Dem MP for Carshalton and Wallington.
In July 2012, BioRegional will take elements of the project along with new features and exhibits to the London 2012 Athlete’s Village, where the target audience will be Olympic and Paralympic athletes. The project aims to inspire behaviour change among the athletes and encourage them to use their influence to become environmental champions.
Website: www.oneplanetexperience.net