CIVIC Chiefs in Eastleigh have appealed to residents to make a pledge to tackle the "Climate and Environmental Emergency".

As part of the council's aim to become carbon neutral by 2030, residents in the borough are being asked to "make a difference" by changing their lifestyles in order to reduce their carbon emissions and the impact daily living can have on the environment.

According to Eastleigh Borough Council, around a third of the Borough's carbon emissions come from the lifestyles of residents, meaning people can make a big difference to secure a safe environment for future generations, but "everyone is going to have to be involved".

A spokesperson said: "Around a third of the Borough’s carbon emissions come from the lifestyles of our residents. That means people can make a real difference by changing to the way they travel, the food they eat, the products they buy, the energy they use and how they support wildlife.

"Making these changes will not only help the planet, but could also save residents money, for example by cutting their energy bills or avoiding unnecessary costs."

Some of the changes recommended by the council include making sure to always recycle when possible, leaving the car at home and either walking, car sharing or using public transport as much as possible, and thinking about your diet by only buying what you need, eating less meat and eating sustainable, non-plastic packaged foods.

Eastleigh Borough Council leader, Keith House, said: "Everyone can make a difference on climate change and the Council is prompting residents and businesses to help make that difference. Can you use public transport instead of driving, or can you walk instead? Can you shop and buy with less packaging? Those are the questions I ask more often than in the past. Even turning down heating a degree helps.”

"I walk a lot more - sometimes even walking to the council offices in Eastleigh from Hedge End - and only buy exactly the food I plan to eat so my waste bins often don’t now go out for emptying."

For more information on how to change your lifestyle to help the environment, or to make the pledge, visit the Eastleigh Borough Council website.