Gothenburg:
The Eco Handbook project
Gothenburg:
| |
| Country: | a) Northern Europe | ,b) Sweden |
| Language: | |
| Type: | Project, 2 |
| Area: | City/Town |
| Actors: | Local government |
| Funding: | Local government |
| Topics: | Air-quality |
| Business and industry | |
| Climate protection | |
| Energy | |
| Health | |
| Information and public participation | |
| Solid waste | |
| Objectives: | Improve environmental efficiency |
| Improve micro-climate | |
| Increase public awareness | |
| Increase use of renewable resources | |
| Reduce energy consumption | |
| Waste avoidance | |
| Waste recycling | |
| Instruments: |
The Gothenburg project "The Eco handbook Project" foresees the distribution of information on sound household environmental practice by a municipality which lends credibility to such information at a time when citizens are being given a great deal of sometimes conflicting information about environmentally sound behaviour. The innovative character of this project can be registered through the following points:
Gothenburg is a city with a population of 435,000 inhabitants which is located in the North-West of Sweden and covers an area of 445 km2. The municipality has US $ 3.1 billion annually at its disposition. Every year the households of Gothenburg throw away 93,000 tons of refuse, nearly half of which is compostible. If people made the choice to redirect organic waste, the amount of refuse destined to landfills would be cut significantly. Daily lifestyle choices have environmental implications: the choice to recycle household waste or not: the choice to purchase certain goods on the market or the choice to drive or cycle - thus, collective choices such as these have a tremendous impact on our environment.
In this context, the Eco handbook is an instrument designed to promote "environmentally friendly" life styles by influencing consumer behaviour, promoting conservation values, and promoting environmentally friendly domestic activities. It was developed to provide residents with information about environmentally friendly lifestyle choices. The Eco Handbook is a fifty-page publication that promotes the notion that we are all a part of an ecological cycle and what we throw away or pollute comes back to us through the this cycle. The handbook is a catalogue of tips containing business strategies, waste management tips, advice on smart shopping and ways to save energy in the home.
The Eco handbook represents the collaborative effort of a number of municipal offices including the Environmental and Health Protection Agency, the Consumer Office and the Public Health Department in Gothenburg. At least ten municipal departments and community business as well as the Environmental Policy Management Group - a group of politicians who have the task of making to make recommendations on environmental matters - gave their support for this project.
In April 1992, more than 400,000 copies of the second edition of the Eco handbook were distributed concurrently with telephone directories to all households and businesses in Gothenburg. Two months after the book was distributed a survey was conducted. It revealed that people found the information on refuse and source separation and the advice on washing, laundry and saving energy to be very useful. Environmentally-friendly lifestyle choices in Gothenburg have become increasingly accessible. New environmentally-friendly products are appearing on the market. The purchase of these items has been shown to be greater in Gothenburg than in other parts of Sweden. City information services have also improved. Citizens of Gothenburg can access advice on everything from composting and public transport to non-toxic cultivation.
Being the first of its kind in Sweden, the Eco handbook attracted considerable attention. It was well- received by local residents. The chemical industry, however, reacted critically and questioned the Handbook in a complaint to the Parliamentary Commission for the Judiciary and Civil Administration. This criticism did not lead to any restriction on the municipality's right to publish information aimed at influencing attitudes. On the contrary, the handbook received massive support, not only from individuals, environmental organisations and the mass media, but also from experts and politicians at all levels of government. This event underlined the importance of the role of the municipality in assessing the factuality and objectivity of information through the establishment of an expert editorial committee.
The Handbook was financed by municipal departments, private companies and the Environmental Policy Management Group. The total cost of producing the Handbook was US $ 142,583 per edition. This cost excludes the City's research costs and costs for verification of information. The co-ordination and verification of facts was conducted by an editorial committee with representatives of the Environmental and Health Protection Agency, the Consumer Office and the Public Health Department in Gothenburg.
Start: 1992
ICLEI International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives, 1993: Local Initiatives ICLEI Members In Action 1991-1992, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| Name | : | Persson |
| Firstname | : | Kristina |
| Telefon | : | +46 / 31 61 26 10 |
| Telefax | : | +46 / 31 61 27 67 |
| Address | : | Ms Kristina Persson |
| Environmental and Health | ||
| Protection Agency | ||
| Ciy of Gothenburg | ||
| P.Box 360 | ||
| 40125 Gothenburg | ||
| Sweden |
| Name | : | Segerfeit |
| Firstname | : | Agneta |
| Telefon | : | +46 / 31 61 26 10 |
| Telefax | : | +46 / 31 61 27 67 |
| Address | : | Ms Agneta Segerfeit |
| Environmental and Health | ||
| Protection Agency | ||
| Ciy of Gothenburg | ||
| P.Box 360 | ||
| 40125 Gothenburg | ||
| Sweden |
Gothenburg is a coastal city with a population of 460,000 and a wider conurbation of 730,000 in the south of Sweden (approx. 9% of the Swedish total population). It is the second largest city with a traditional economic base in trade and industry. The port is the largest in Sweden. The dominant economic activities are automobile and affiliated product production (Volvo), oil refining, ball bearing industry (SKF), and modern high technology (Ericsson and Saab Space). In addition, research industries are also important (e.g., the drug industry has strong links to the medical research at the University of Gothenburg).
Project was added at 01.06.1995
Project was changed at 01.06.1995