Bioregional Championing a better way to live
Globally, we re consuming resources and polluting the planet at a level 40% higher than the earth can renew or absorb. To protect the earth s limited resources we need to learn to live happy, healthy lives within the means of our planet. Our vision is of thriving regional economies where we meet more of our needs from local, renewable and waste resources, enabling people to live happy, healthy lives within the natural limits of the planet, leaving space for wildlife and wilderness. We call this One Planet Living. Founded in 1994 by Sue Riddlestone and Pooran Desai, Bioregional is a charity and social enterprise that has worked with partners in business, local government and the NGO sector on hundreds of transformative projects. Using our One Planet Living framework to guide our work, we have partnered with major developers to create pioneering eco-communities and with retailers to create awardwinning eco-products and efficient business operations. We also played our part in making the extraordinarily successful London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games the most sustainable ever staged. Our on-the-ground, practical experience and creativity now spans five continents. Our aim is always to show how moving towards genuinely sustainable living can be attractive and affordable for people, communities and businesses.
A message from our Patron Behind the summits of world leaders battling to set climate change targets, behind clumsy government laws for eco-towns and exhaust emissions, behind even your council s cheery recycling initiatives, lie two inescapable facts. Our planet has finite resources and our population is growing. There are currently 7 billion of us, set to rise to perhaps 10 billion by 2050, alongside other rises: in temperature, in sea levels and in global standards of living. They are all linked. Led by developer A2Dominion, the One Planet Community of Elmsbrook in North West Bicester eco-town is an exemplar for future sustainable communities. The intuitive answer to the problem of resources is to say that there s plenty of everything for everyone on this bounteous, magnificent earth. But there isn t. We are running out of many of our primary requirements: fresh water, trees, space for food growing, clean air and many of the precious minerals we use to make our digital devices. And as if that wasn t enough, shockingly between 1970 and 2010 populations of mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians and fish around the globe dropped by 52%. That s over half, that we have inadvertently extinguished in our rush to exploit this world; you and I. Of course, if we had another planet or two, that would help us out, but we don t. Hence One Planet Living, the pragmatic philosophy developed by Bioregional, with whom I m proud to be associated. Towns, cities and communities across the world are turning towards One Planet Living because it is easily understandable and something that communities feel they can really implement. It is also a view of the world that puts at its centre the survival, health and happiness of a major species that is under threat: us. Kevin McCloud MBE Patron for the Built Environment Towns, cities and communities across the world are turning towards One Planet Living because it is easily understandable and something that communities feel they can really implement. A2Dominion
BedZED: The inspiration for One Planet Living We work in four main ways Making One Planet Living a reality We work with projects and organisations to help them along the path to One Planet Living. Key to this is helping develop and implement sustainability plans based on our One Planet Principles, with performance assessed periodically. Endorsed partners can use the One Planet symbol. Advisory services We work across a range of disciplines including energy, waste, materials, monitoring and engagement to help businesses and public bodies achieve their sustainability ambitions. Innovation We combine our entrepreneurial experience, expertise and creativity to develop innovative solutions where a fresh approach or business model is required such as developing local renewable energy generation and storage. 53% reduction in travel carbon footprint* 65% of people know more neighbours than where they lived before 1,391 annual energy, water and car bill savings for each resident Policy and practice We seek to spread the lessons we and our partners have learned to policymakers and decision takers for example in real estate, the built environment, clean energy and in the UN Sustainable Development Goals. * Estimated reductions compared to conventional developments in the same area. Sample size: 19 BedZED residents
The principles of One Planet Living Vacances Center Parcs is working with Euro Disney to create a low-carbon tourist desination in Paris using the One Planet Principles. We have been using One Planet Living for nearly ten years and so it really has become embedded into what the project stands for. Marie Balmain Head of Sustainable Development Pierre et Vacances Center Parcs Health and happiness Equity and local economy Culture and community Land and nature Sustainable water Local and sustainable food Travel and transport Materials and products Zero waste Zero carbon energy @OnePlanetLiving /OnePlanetLiving
Our services Become a One Planet Partner We help you at every stage of your sustainability journey 1 Assessment and envisioning 2 Planning and implementation 3 Measurement and reporting 4 Embedding sustainability Get a clear picture of your impact on the planet both positive and negative and of the challenges and opportunities ahead. Develop a roadmap for sustainability, with smart goals and actions. Check how you re doing and report on your progress in implementing your sustainability plan. Ensure that sustainability becomes integral to your culture and operations, winning staff hearts and minds along the way.
Making One Planet Living a reality across the globe NW Bicester Elmsbrook, led by developer A2Dominion, is the 393-home exemplar phase of the s first 6,000-home eco-town. It is a One Planet Community and the largest zero-carbon development of its kind. B&Q Over the past nine years with our support, leading home-improvement retailer and One Planet Company B&Q has saved 108,000 tonnes of carbon emissions. BedZED Bioregional initiated and helped develop the worldrenowned and pioneering BedZED eco-village with 100 homes. Bioregional s head office is here. One Brighton Our two sleek apartment blocks next to Brighton station have shown how highly sustainable city centre homes can also be highly marketable. Brighton & Hove With a sustainability action plan covering city council operations and the wider community, Brighton & Hove became the world s first One Planet City in 2013. Villages Nature Paris France Bioregional has worked with EuroDisney and Groupe Pierre & Vacances Center Parcs to embed One Planet Living into the construction and operation phases of this 916-home eco-holiday village beside Disneyland Paris. Zibi Canada The third One Planet Community in North America is regenerating ex-industrial waterfront land next to downtown Ottowa with a mixed-use development including 2,500 new homes. Canada Africa Europe China Jinshan China We helped to set high sustainability standards for China Merchant Property Development s 8,000- home Jinshan development outside Guangzhou, China s third largest city. Singita Serengeti Tanzania This One Planet Community in Tanzania shows how a wildlife reserve can help conserve iconic yet threatened wildlife and support local people and their economy, while providing the highest level of environmentally conscious hospitality. WGV Australia This self-build development, led by LandCorp, is Western Australia s first One Planet Community. It is designed to create a diverse community of over 80 homes with a pedestrian-friendly layout and high-quality green space. Australia Fremantle Australia The City of Fremantle, Western Australia, became the world s second One Planet City in 2015. With its comprehensive Action Plan it aims to achieve a One Planet lifestyle for the council, residents and business community by 2025.
We re really pleased with the progress we are making against our One Planet Action Plan and enjoy working with Bioregional on this ambitious and truly unique development that will make sustainable living a reality. Steve Hornblow A2Dominion Project Director for North West Bicester Eco-town Since One Planet Home first began in 2007, we have made a point of asking Bioregional to report and comment independently on our progress and activities versus our goals, to ensure that we have an expert third party view of how we are doing. Rachel Bradley CSR Manager B&Q Join us in making One Planet Living a reality We set up Bioregional because we wanted to make a difference, to inspire others to do the same and work with private and public sector partners to make lasting change happen while bringing them real benefits and commercial advantage. We re proud of what we ve achieved so far, and how we ve demonstrated that One Planet Living can be both possible, desirable and affordable. Let s join forces to bring One Planet Living one step closer to reality. Sue Riddlestone OBE Pooran Desai OBE Co-Founders, Bioregional Bioregional knows what policy planners need for their sustainability work: evidence-based, policy-relevant information that helps to design practical solutions for the benefit of the whole society. Annika Lindblom Secretary General of Finland s National Commission on Sustainable Development
Bioregional www.bioregional.com info@bioregional.com @Bioregional @OnePlanetLiving /OnePlanetLiving London / Brighton / Oxford in the North America / Australia / South Africa / Mexico Bioregional Patrons Kevin McCloud MBE Patron for the Built Environment Professor Sir Ghillean Prance Patron for the Natural Environment Design by becolourful.co.uk