High Peak residents most concerned about pollution of waters and the government - new survey reveals

Over the spring and summer Transition Buxton, in collaboration with Buxton Civic Association, Buxton Town Team, Vision Buxton, and High Peak Borough Council asked residents to complete the 2023 Sustainable Buxton Survey.

The aim was to find out what local people’s concerns and priorities are, what they are already doing about sustainability, and what support they would welcome.

A spokesperson for Transition Buxton said: “The survey closed on 20 August and the team were very pleased to see a real cross section of local people and opinions shared.

“Some respondents are really putting their backs into reducing and managing their emissions, supporting local businesses, and seek support to go further.

“Others see no reason to change their lifestyle and actively resist environmentally motivated change.

“Most of us are probably somewhere in-between.”

The top sustainability concerns were; the pollution of rivers and oceans, the rate and scale of government actions or lack of, along with mass animal extinctions and loss of biodiversity.

The spokespersons said: “93.5 per cent would use a Library of Things instead of buying things for occasional use.

“89.1 per cent are supportive or very supportive of revising the High Peak Borough Council’s Local Plan to reduce the number of houses to be built based on evidenced need, and increase the proportion of ‘affordable’.”

Other key points say almost 85 per cent of residents do not yet have, but are interested in, installing solar panels on their home.

And nearly 70 per cent say they would be interested in a solar panel bulk buying scheme to cut costs.

Looking at how people are tackling climate change, 75 per cent say they have stopped or greatly reduced flying, particularly short haul.

Almost 60 per cent of people have reduced the amount of meat they eat, and 24.3 per cent have stopped entirely.

And a huge 89 per cent of people say they would support walking or cycling buses for school runs.

To find out more about the survey or to get involved visit transitionbuxton.co.uk