AT the recent G8 summit, in Italy, climate change was a hot topic on the agenda. But with all the talk of national government targets, it is sometimes hard to see how the individual can really make much of a difference.

Most of us will have noticed the changing weather over the past few years, with hotter and wetter days and flooding becoming more of a problem, so we will need to work together.

The Government is committed to reducing our greenhouse gas emissions by 20 per cent by next year and by 80 per cent by 2050. In addition, ten per cent of Britain’s energy will be provided by renewable sources by 2010. Targets are in place to increase commercial and household recycling and reduce waste and airport environment taxes are due to be increased in November.

Each local authority has been tasked with encouraging residents to support the targets. At a recent Greener Darlington Conference, people were urged to get behind the green agenda and to help Britain reduce the amount of energy it imports and promote sustainable communities.

Darlington, a cycling town, is gearing up to reach its recycling targets, and supporting the uptake in allotment places.

One of the guest speakers at the conference was John Orchard, of Marchday, landlords of Lingfield Point, and developers of the old Patons and Bladwin site, in Darlington.

He spoke of the idea of living and working on the same site giving an example of Port Sunlight, in Liverpool, which, although dates from the 1800s, provided housing ahead of its time, with hot and cold running water and outdoor spaces, and everyone would walk to work at the nearby factory and grow their own vegetables.

Carbon footprints had never been heard of, yet it typifies a perfect green lifestyle.

I’m no expert, but I can see that we need to stop being a throwaway society. I’m not convinced that additional air travel taxes are the way, but we do all need to do our bit. As for me, I’ve recently bought the new “green car of the year”, am buying local vegetables as often as possible and, although I have no allotment, I do have a chilli plant on my window sill at home. I’ll have to see if my efforts make a difference when Government statistics are revealed.

■ Joanne Fryett is head of member relations at NECC.