Australia's National Local Government Newspaper Online

Committed to the environment

The City of Adelaide has a strong commitment to continual improvement in environmental management and performance. To ensure the protection and enhancement of the city environs, including its renowned Park Lands and Squares, Adelaide City Council has introduced an Environmental Management Plan, called Local Agenda 21.

This plan contains a series of programs and actions to achieve the Council's vision 'to make Adelaide a world recognised environmentally managed city by the year 2005'.

Local Agenda 21 is a program that operates around the world, providing Local Governments with a vehicle to meet global challenges. It places emphasis on the importance of a city's quality of life and long term sustainability for future generations.

The program recognises that environmental sustainability is the sum of countless individual actions and partnerships between different levels of government, business and industry, city workers, residents and visitors.

Increasing awareness and building strategic and meaningful partnerships with local business and the community is an important part of environmental management for the City of Adelaide.

Similarly, Council has identified and incorporated specific actions and programs to increase environmental awareness into its departmental plans and procedures.

Adopting appropriate working practices will minimise any negative effects on the environment and provide a model for other businesses around the city.

The Council's Environmental Management Plan has identified the following six key areas.

• Environmental Quality - to create a clean and healthy city by minimising air, water, soil and noise pollution.
• Resource Management - to use resources wisely by conserving energy, minimising waste and being attentive to water usage.
• Natural environment - conservation of the Park Lands including the restoring of natural ecosystems and improvement of waterways.
• Buildings and Community - control development to ensure it is environmentally sustainable to make the city a place where people want to work, live and play.
• Movement and Access - by encouraging walking, cycling and public transport in order to reduce car use.

City Administration - to ensure safe practices, auditing activity and promoting community awareness and partnerships for action.

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