During the six month programme an Eco-Team - it can be a family, a family and neighbours, or perhaps a group of friends - works together to cut pollution and waste, save energy and save money too. There are six chapters in the workbook - one for each month of the programme.
Each month teams send in 'feedback sheets' listing what they have done. The national office collates the information and lets everyone know how the whole programme is going. After six months, team members' homes will be running more efficiently and they will have learnt ways to cut pollution and save money.
Eco-Teams are running in America, Canada and Germany and are starting up in Britain and other European countries. In America a survey shows that a family that has been through the Eco-Team programme will save each year a total of $1,200, 3,120 lbs of garbage, 73,000 gallons of water, ten trees, ten tonnes of carbon dioxide and 600 gallons of petrol - while at the same time improving its quality of life.
GAP-UK is setting up our first Eco-Teams in 1992. Anyone can form their own Eco-Team - the only expense is the money spent on the workbook. If you would like to be involved, as an individual or an organisation, let us know and we can keep you informed. No one can save the planet on their own - but GAP gives everyone a chance to make a difference.
- Global Action Plan for the Earth, c/o Chris Church, GAP-UK, PO Box 893, London E5 9RU (tel 081 806 1836).
- GAP-USA, c/o David Gershon (GAP's founder), 57A Krumville Road, Olivebridge, NY 12461, USA (tel 914 657 8081; fax 914 657 8044).