BioRegional
Encyclopedia
BioRegional is an entrepreneurial charity
, which aims to invent and deliver practical solutions for sustainability. It was founded in 1992 on the belief that overconsumption of resources was the driving force behind environmental degradation, and set out to find new ways to meet more of their needs from local resources.
BioRegional describe their vision of "a future in which everyone can enjoy a high quality of life, while living within their fair share of the Earth’s resources and leaving space for wildlife and wilderness." Their approach is similar to that of Bioregionalism
, more popular in North America
, but from a more mainstream, commercial angle.
, and establishing the BioRegional Charcoal Company Ltd who help a network of local charcoal producers sell to major retail stores . These projects reflected BioRegional's aim of setting up social enterprises that could make the use of local and waste resources mainstream.
BioRegional began to expand in the late 1990s, and with the completion of BedZED
they moved into their present offices in Hackbridge
, London Borough of Sutton
. From BedZED they developed with One Planet Living programme with WWF
, which is the framework for all sustainable communities projects and has an equal influence over their vision as the original bioregionalism
focus. Currently a One Planet Living communities is being built in Brighton
.
BioRegional currently have around 40 staff in London, as well as regional offices in China, South Africa and Canada.
Charitable organization
A charitable organization is a type of non-profit organization . It differs from other types of NPOs in that it centers on philanthropic goals A charitable organization is a type of non-profit organization (NPO). It differs from other types of NPOs in that it centers on philanthropic goals A...
, which aims to invent and deliver practical solutions for sustainability. It was founded in 1992 on the belief that overconsumption of resources was the driving force behind environmental degradation, and set out to find new ways to meet more of their needs from local resources.
BioRegional describe their vision of "a future in which everyone can enjoy a high quality of life, while living within their fair share of the Earth’s resources and leaving space for wildlife and wilderness." Their approach is similar to that of Bioregionalism
Bioregionalism
Bioregionalism is a political, cultural, and environmental system or set of views based on naturally defined areas called bioregions, similar to ecoregions. Bioregions are defined through physical and environmental features, including watershed boundaries and soil and terrain characteristics...
, more popular in North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
, but from a more mainstream, commercial angle.
History
BioRegional was founded in 1992 by Sue Riddlestone and Pooran Desai OBE, and began life in the Sutton Ecology Centre. They first worked on local environmental projects, including the promotion of closed loop recycling in London and Surrey, reviving lavender production in Mitcham and Carshalton , setting up Croydon's TreeStation to turn waste municipal wood into biomassBiomass
Biomass, as a renewable energy source, is biological material from living, or recently living organisms. As an energy source, biomass can either be used directly, or converted into other energy products such as biofuel....
, and establishing the BioRegional Charcoal Company Ltd who help a network of local charcoal producers sell to major retail stores . These projects reflected BioRegional's aim of setting up social enterprises that could make the use of local and waste resources mainstream.
BioRegional began to expand in the late 1990s, and with the completion of BedZED
BedZED
Beddington Zero Energy Development is an environmentally friendly housing development in Hackbridge, London, England. It is in the London Borough of Sutton. It was designed by the architect Bill Dunster to support a more sustainable lifestyle...
they moved into their present offices in Hackbridge
Hackbridge
Hackbridge is a suburb in London Borough of Sutton, Greater London. It is situated 9.07 miles south-west of Charing Cross. Hackbridge was home to the first Country dogs home opened by the Duke and Duchess of Portland...
, London Borough of Sutton
London Borough of Sutton
The London Borough of Sutton is a London borough in South London, England and forms part of Outer London. It covers an area of and is the 80th largest local authority in England by population. It is one of the southernmost boroughs of London...
. From BedZED they developed with One Planet Living programme with WWF
World Wide Fund for Nature
The World Wide Fund for Nature is an international non-governmental organization working on issues regarding the conservation, research and restoration of the environment, formerly named the World Wildlife Fund, which remains its official name in Canada and the United States...
, which is the framework for all sustainable communities projects and has an equal influence over their vision as the original bioregionalism
Bioregionalism
Bioregionalism is a political, cultural, and environmental system or set of views based on naturally defined areas called bioregions, similar to ecoregions. Bioregions are defined through physical and environmental features, including watershed boundaries and soil and terrain characteristics...
focus. Currently a One Planet Living communities is being built in Brighton
Brighton
Brighton is the major part of the city of Brighton and Hove in East Sussex, England on the south coast of Great Britain...
.
BioRegional currently have around 40 staff in London, as well as regional offices in China, South Africa and Canada.
Major current projects
- One Planet Living communities, planned to be built in every continent by 2012 to demonstrate BioRegional's vision
- B&QB&QB&Q plc is a multinational DIY and home improvement retailer headquartered in Eastleigh, United Kingdom. It was founded in 1969 and is a wholly owned subsidiary of Kingfisher plc, which is listed on the London Stock Exchange....
One Planet Home, developing a Sustainability Action Plan for the retailer and a customer-focused campaign and product range - The Laundry, a closed loop recycling social enterprise for small businesses in central London
- One Planet Products, a sustainable construction materials buying club
- HomeGrown Charcoal, produced through a decentralised network of charcoal burners to reduce transport CO2 by 90%
- BioRegional MiniMills, developing technology to make paper pulp from straw and recover energy from the effluents
Past projects
- BedZEDBedZEDBeddington Zero Energy Development is an environmentally friendly housing development in Hackbridge, London, England. It is in the London Borough of Sutton. It was designed by the architect Bill Dunster to support a more sustainable lifestyle...
, the UK's largest eco-village - The sustainability strategy for the 2012 Olympics in London
- Reviving local lavenderLavenderThe lavenders are a genus of 39 species of flowering plants in the mint family, Lamiaceae. An Old World genus, distributed from Macaronesia across Africa, the Mediterranean, South-West Asia, Arabia, Western Iran and South-East India...
production in CarshaltonCarshaltonCarshalton is a suburban area of the London Borough of Sutton, England. It is located 10 miles south-southwest of Charing Cross, situated in the valley of the River Wandle, one of the sources of which is Carshalton Ponds in the centre of the village. The combined population of the five wards...
and MitchamMitchamMitcham is a district in the south west area of London, in the London Borough of Merton. A suburban area, Mitcham is located on the border of Inner London and Outer London. It is both residentially and financially developed, well served by Transport for London, and home to Mitcham Town Centre,... - Croydon TreeStation, a solution for sustainable management of urban forestry to produce biomassBiomassBiomass, as a renewable energy source, is biological material from living, or recently living organisms. As an energy source, biomass can either be used directly, or converted into other energy products such as biofuel....
fuel - Local Paper for London, Local Paper for Surrey, promoting closed loop recycling to businesses in these regions
Awards
- See also awards won for the BedZED project
- February 2008 - The City of London Corporation’s Sustainable City Awards: Sustainable Procurement category for One Planet Products
- November 2007 - BioRegional Consulting win Sustainable Consultant of the year at Building awards.
- June 2007 - Observer ethical awards for BioRegional MiniMills, Invention of the year.
- June 2007 - Observer ethical awards for Carshalton Lavender, Conservation Project of the Year.
- May 2006 - Ashden Award for Sustainable Energy for Croydon TreeStation
- June 2005 - Banksia Award.
- June 2004 - Home Grown Cereals Association Enterprise Award for BioRegional MiniMills
- 2003 - Ashden Award – for their Zed into the Mainstream project
- November 2002 - National Recycling Awards - Local Paper for London, Finalist, Best partnership project for Recycling.
- January 2002 - Asian Innovation Award, Far Eastern Economic Review, commending the BioRegional MiniMills work.
- February 2001 - National Grid Local Agenda 21 Award, for the community and environmental benefits of the Local Lavender project
- 1997 - BioRegional Charcoal Company was one of the eight examples of best practice in sustainable development from around the world presented at Earth SummitEarth SummitThe United Nations Conference on Environment and Development , also known as the Rio Summit, Rio Conference, Earth Summit was a major United Nations conference held in Rio de Janeiro from 3 June to 14 June 1992.-Overview:...
2 in New York. - 1996 MAFF Science into Practice Award for the BioRegional Charcoal Company
- 1996 - Securicor Small Business Innovation Regional Award for the BioRegional Charcoal Company
- 1995 - Rural Issue Award, from the Rural Development Commission for developing the BioRegional Charcoal Company enterprise.
- 1995 - Lord Mayor of London Dragon Award for Business in the Community for the BioRegional Charcoal Company