THE recent Stern Report on climate change painted a black picture of our future.

The Government economist said our habits have caused the world to heat up too quickly, putting at risk hundreds of species and billions of pounds in trade.

So today the Advertiser is launching the Time To Change campaign.

The Stern report said that we face difficult choices if we are to avoid rising sea levels, crop failure and extreme weather.

But as residents we have the power to make decisions that will limit the damage we do.

Over the coming months, in association with Swindon Council, we will speak with experts and enthusiasts who share the common goal of limiting our impact upon the planet.

Swindon Council has produced a climate change action plan that is being launched today at the University of Bath in Swindon's Oakfield Campus.

The key aim of that plan is to reduce the town's carbon dioxide emissions by 20 per cent from 1990 levels by 2010.

This is in line with what the Government wants to achieve across the country, and will be done by tackling several key areas.

Among other things, we will look at issues such as transport, food and energy.

We will look into public transport plans and the environmental effects of cheap flights.

Local farmers will explain the benefit of buying food that is produced in the Swindon area, and Wiltshire Wildlife Trust will offer tips to reduce fuel bills all year round. Professor Geoff Hammond, the chairman of the action plan steering group, said: "Climate change is not just an environmental problem.

"It is a crosscutting issue that will affect us all economically and socially, as well as in terms of a warming climate.

"There is clearly a need for urgent precautionary action."

Jean Saunders, the campaign co-ordinator for Swindon Friends Of The Earth, welcomed the call to action.

She said: "Friends Of The Earth have been banging on about climate change for a long time, so it's good to hear that something is being done. I am interested in positive steps that people can take, like reducing packaging and waste.

"We talk about light green solutions like recycling, and more radical dark green solutions like stopping packaging in the first place.

"All these decisions have economic consequences, but we want government to be brave and opt for a long-term view.

"Taking your bottles to the recycling bank is one thing, but it would be great if people could go further and stop buying at supermarkets and take their own bags to the shops.

"Without serious changes, there is no doubt that we face massive ecological problems in the not too distant future."

Liz Nimmo-Scott, of the Wiltshire Wildlife Trust, said: "This is a great idea because there are so many easy steps that people can take.

"We will be offering people advice and assistance so that they can save money and fuel in their homes.

"Many of the measures are as quick and easy as flicking a switch."

Green towns

SWINDON has a little way to go before it can claim to be a truly green champion.

But it has not scored badly in a national survey of Britain's greenest towns.

Swindon was a respectable 62nd out of 325 towns in a survey of farm shops, recycling programmes and insulation services.

James Staunton, a spokesman for Locallife which carried out the survey, said: "Swindon did very well in a number of categories.

"It weakest placing was 138th place for farm shops, but that's not bad given that many towns didn't have any farm shops at all.

"And Swindon did extremely well for recycling, being ranked 41st.

"It was a hotly disputed category and the town beat several larger competitors."

Swindon scored highly on the number of large recycling centres, of which it has six.

Locallife is a local information website which set out to analyse the number of green businesses in a town. Districts won points for the number of companies involved in markets such as double-glazing, which reduces the effects of noise pollution.

Swindon was placed as high as 53rd for organic food, but was 123rd for asbestos services and 133rd for double-glazing.

Top of the survey were Norwich and Peterborough, the London borough of Hackney was last.

Weather to become more extreme

The Green Party has warned that Swindon faces violent weather changes unless emissions are drastically cut.

Jenni Miles, the treasurer of Swindon Green party, urged the town to make big changes on the launch of the Advertiser campaign.

"Climate change is a huge issue and is going on right now, it's not a theory," she said.

"Tony Blair said it is the greatest threat facing mankind and we would agree that something urgent needs to be done.

"We are proud that the council and the Climate Action Network are taking a lead on this but we need to consider much bigger changes."

Swindon Council's action plan calls for a 20 per cent reduction in carbon dioxide emissions from 1990 levels by 2010.

But the Greens want 80 at least. Jenni, 26, said: "Cutting emissions by 20 per cent will not have a big impact. We need to look at 80 per cent just to slow the worst effects of global warming.

"We have already seen new weather extremes and if the sea levels rise as predicted half of England will be underwater.

"If that happens millions of people will have to be moved, agriculture will be severely disrupted and our weather will change for ever."

The Greens are calling for measures like school bus schemes, to cut congestion and save fuel.

Jenni said: "A school bus scheme would get cars off the road, and so improve journey times and cut down on fuel usage.

"We need serious action if we are to have any impact on global warming."

Be our family of green crusaders

THERE is a real difference between reading a few tips in a newspaper, and actually acting upon them.

Which is why the Advertiser is looking for a family of wannabe greens in Gorse Hill or potential recyclers in Rodbourne to come forward and be featured in the paper.

If your family is chosen as our climate change crusaders, you will get a "carbon audit" from experts who will look at how you can minimise your household's "carbon footprint" and impact on climate change and the environment.

After an initial assessment, there will be the chance to examine transport, recycling, composting and energy used, which will not only make a house greener, but cheaper to run as well.

Wiltshire Wildlife Trust already runs the Climate Friendly Community project, which aims to demonstrate exactly how much people can change by getting groups of people together.

Co-ordinator Liz Nimmo-Scott said: "We are looking for a street or community of people who want to learn about climate change.

"We have several projects running around Wiltshire, the nearest being Purton. The first thing we do is carry out a carbon audit, and then we would take it from there."

The trust is not looking for a hardened eco-warrior, or even a conscientious composter.

Liz said: "If anything we would like to hear from people who haven't really done much recycling, because that is where we can make big improvements."

In one Chippenham street 30 households are trying to reduce their carbon emissions, and at Climate Friendly Purton another team of 30 are spreading the word.

Liz said: "Our help depends on what people want to do.

"At Purton the group has been meeting since September to promote the advantages of making savings, but in Chippenham it is more practical.

"Either way, we are ready to help and looking to hear from people."

If your family would like to come forward for expert advice from Wiltshire Wildlife Trust call 01793 501793.