Guernsey Donkeys show a green lead

I was born in Guernsey, a small island in the English Channel, and raised there, except for a short, four-year exile to London during the 1939 to 1945 disturbances.

I visit frequently, and am intrigued by the similarities and differences between the two communities in their perception of conservation generally.

They do have many similarities. Guernsey has much the same area as the Wanganui district, but a rather larger population, approximately 60,000. The big differences are frequently due to Guernsey being an island. Rubbish or recyclables produced there either stay or are carted off at great expense.

In the main, Guernsey Donkeys (our long-established nickname) are better at recycling than Wanganui, but not by very much, (more plastics, tetra packs and milk cartons are accepted). This is probably the result of strong urgings from supporters, a well-organised group of citizens, and island administrators who see money to be saved. However, these sterling efforts are offset by their sewage treatment. There is none. It is pumped a few hundred metres out to sea. There is a strong movement (please excuse the pun) to provide proper sewage disposal, led by the Guernsey Surfing Club.

Solar power use is increasing. Tidal power is being considered. As Guernsey is situated almost at the mouth of the English Channel, there certainly are strong tides and currents. The sea is, however, a stern master. A desalination plant built many years ago never worked well as the sea kept filling the intake with seaweed (which we have in abundance) and boulders faster than we could clean it out. Wind turbines would be exposed to good strong winds, but have not flourished, probably because the dense population leaves little room for them.

Adequate insulation in construction is increasingly used with strict regulations for new buildings, repairs and reconstruction projects, although they do lag behind the UK by about five years.

There are some innovative and successful projects, however. The only fresh water available is rain that seeps through to valleys on the southern end of the island and heads for the sea as small streams or duits, as they are called. There is a reservoir in the centre of the island, but it cannot store enough water to last the summers. A bright spark realised that all this rainwater was running off and wasted at sea. Now, each duit has a pipe buried in its bed, and a pump at the bottom, recycling the water back to the top or, if feasible, into the reservoir. The process is completely invisible to the holiday walkers.

There is a strong focus on setting priorities and goals for sustainable and renewable systems to make Guernsey greener, with increased interest in solar power, high-efficiency building materials and energy conservation in all its forms.

Are there any lessons to be learned from all this? Probably tricks could be learned from each other, but it appears that adapting to one's own special circumstances, and having an administration and support group who are dedicated to a sustainable and green community, are essential.

Ian Sutherland is a retired pathologist with a lifelong interest in natural history and concern for the environment.