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Our goal is to help people across the UK take
clear, positive and practical steps towards a better future.
HRH The Prince of Wales has been a supporter of sustainable
practices for many years. From ethical business to fair
farming, social justice to rainforest protection, his charities
unite under a common banner of decency, balance and respect for one
another and our environment.
In 2009, The Prince of Wales was invited to deliver the annual
Dimbleby Lecture. In this address, he explained why it is
essential and urgent that the peoples of the world adapt their
behaviour to mitigate the effects of climate change.
This message is now a familiar one to us all. But until now,
much of the advice we have received has focused on what
we shouldn't be doing. While we support many of
the excellent campaigns to cut our emissions, we feel that the
emphasis shouldn't only be on stopping, but starting.
With Start, our objective is to present an inspiring picture of
a sustainable future. We will do this by highlighting the very best
examples of sustainable practice in the UK, and showing how we can
all make positive changes right now. During 2010, Start will grow
into a vibrant and diverse programme, which will engage people
right across the UK.
Research shows that the majority of people in the UK find the
language of climate change negative and offputting. A great many of
us are still confused about we can do to make a difference. The
Start website will explain the big issues simply and without
jargon, and show what can be achieved. We also want to hear from
Start members about their personal experiences, as well as their
goals, ideas and expectations. This way, a growing and like-minded
collective of individuals and communities will help us to shape
what Start ultimately becomes.
We are not purely optimistic, nor do we underestimate the
challenges that lie ahead. We acknowledge that living sustainably
will require us all to make real changes to the way we live. But we
also believe that these changes can bring immense rewards to us as
individuals and nations. And that this is something to be
celebrated.