Councillor welcomes M&S carbon neutral initiative.

12.00.00am UTC (GMT +0000) Mon 15th Jan 2007

Cllr Judith Lubbock

Cllr.Judith Lubbock, Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Sustainability on Norwich City Council has written in the local press praising a national retailer for its recent environmental initiative:

'How encouraging it was to hear that the household name of Marks & Spencer are to take the retailing lead in becoming carbon neutral over the next five years and spending £200m to do so. Obviously it is a move which differentiates M & S from other retailers and will I am sure attract custom for doing so.

It was all the more encouraging after the Prime Minister's recent woeful and inadequate comment indicating that it was too much to expect individuals to make changes to the lives to tackle climate change!

Whilst individuals are indeed recognising the need to make changes to their lifestyles to reduce their carbon emissions, it is the Government and businesses which really have the opportunity to make an impact.

M & S have now set a challenge for other national retailers to follow. Initiatives in their 100 point plan include using packaging derived from corn starch which is biodegradable. I wonder how the ubiquitous plastic carrier bag will fare in all this? We will all be watching with great interest.

I get an enormous sense of well being shopping for my fruit, vegetables and fish locally from Unthank Road, in the future that feeling can extend to my clothes shopping in M & S.