Green agenda discussed in Kingston (From Your Local Guardian)

Green agenda discussed in Kingston

11:30am Tuesday 19th May 2009 in

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Experts from manufacturing, retail, consultancy and academia fields met up to consider the green agenda from a consumer’s perspective on Wednesday, April 22.

More than 50 people packed into Kingston University’s Dorich House museum, on what was coincidentally Earth Day, to discuss a myriad of green initiatives and explore the impact they are having on consumers.

The conference was organised by Dr Ruth Rettie, a researcher at the university, and Chris Barnham from research consultancy Chris Barnham Research and Strategy.

A presentation by the pair, on making green normal, looked at the idea that advocating green activities is counter-productive because they are then construed as “not normal.”

“We need to make the public think of green as just an every day activity, like recycling has become,” said a university spokesman.

“The perception used to be that recycling was the province of tree hugging greenies but now it is just what normal people do.”

Usually the commercial and academic worlds differ in their views but Mr Barnham said the event proved they could work together to influence environmental practice.

“It was immensely useful for academics and researchers,” he said. “To have such a productive dialogue with sustainability specialists from the commercial world.”

The conference wrapped up with a lively discussion where delegates quizzed a panel made up of research consultants and representatives from Tate and Lyle as well as the BBC’s climate change website, BBC Bloom.

Tim Baker, co-founder of a market research company, chaired the discussion and said it was the most “stimulating” and “thought-provoking” conference he had ever attended.

The event was such a success, the university is planning to hold a similar conference in two year’s time.

Dr Rettie said: “I hope that the issues, suggestions and perceptions we have talked about have moved on by then.”

• Find out about more local green groups at greenguardian.co.uk