Drummond Richardson pictured in a chemical suit at the Grammar School in 2000. (0591547)

ON 19 JUNE 1989 nearly 300 people crammed into St Martin’s School, lining the corridors for the launch of the Guernsey branch of Friends of the Earth. They were exciting times, when green politics appeared to have come of age.

In Guernsey, Gary Vaudin, Anne Sandwith and David Sangan had been campaigning on environmental issues and they were tired of being lone and unheeded voices. They decided to set up a Friends of the Earth group to promote green views in the island.

Greenpeace’s methods were considered too radical. So Friends of the Earth Guernsey was born, a relatively mild-mannered but determined child.

The objectives of the group were to:

• Spread information on environmental issues, both global and those of particular concern to the Channel Islands.
• Encourage the people of Guernsey to make changes, however small, to their own lifestyles to improve Guernsey’s environment and to contribute to global change.
• Persuade local politicians, decision-makers and businesses to consider, as a priority, the environmental effects of their actions.

In 1989, many islanders were concerned about the lack of States action on waste and sewage disposal, recycling, sea pollution, traffic, energy and air pollution, overpopulation, overdevelopment and the threat from nuclear power. In response, FoEG wanted a fundamental change of attitude, from one of being content to use up and pollute the world’s finite resources to one of sustainable growth and development.

Hundreds of islanders signed up to support the new group and sub-groups on all the main issues were formed, with dozens of people putting their time and effort into lobbying, fund-raising and publicity. Surveys were drawn up, public meetings organised, newsletters distributed, local shows and regattas attended, competitions and quizzes held, radio and television interviews given and press releases composed overnight and delivered by bicycle.

Traffic was the biggest concern. Unleaded petrol had only just become available and air pollution was highlighted by placing diffusion tubes in Fountain Street to measure nitrogen dioxide levels, which were sent away for independent analysis.

The levels of NO2 were shown to be higher than in central London and the Board of Health was persuaded to monitor air pollution at nine sites in the island.

The group campaigned for laws requiring catalytic converters to be fitted to all cars.

Friends of the Earth Guernsey co-founder Anne Sandwith tending the organically grown plants in her greenhouse at Baubigny, St Sampson’s. (0591548)

It kick-started the Guernsey Bicycle Group, sponsoring its successful ‘Not for Motorists Map’.

FoEG had members elected to the Traffic Committee and was instrumental in the introduction of residents’ parking schemes, moving motor tax on to fuel and the formulation of the 2003 integrated road transport strategy and the 2006 road transport strategy. Sadly, the funding for those plans has not yet been agreed.

Everyone admits that the volume of traffic spoils our otherwise beautiful island, but regrettably few politicians, even now, have the vision to follow through with the decisions that will make a difference.

Four years of monthly Sunday strolls through leafy green lanes contributed to the joint publication with the Tourist Board of the Green Lanes booklet, a guide to circular walks, which has helped many people appreciate these little areas of unspoilt Guernsey. FoEG also helped set up the local branch of Living Streets, Stop Traffic Endangering Pedestrian Safety, or Steps.

It also fought for the highly successful recycling bins – which several members of our government thought would never work. Through continuous lobbying on as many fronts as possible, the Public Services Department has now introduced a separation-at-source trial and a civic amenity site and recycling is firmly on everyone’s agenda.

The group also organised the Channel Islands international conference on safety in the production and transport of high-level nuclear waste in 1995, held in Jersey, raising the profile of shipments from Cap de la Hague to Japan through our waters.

Members were determined to tackle green consumerism from the start. Stalls in Town at Christmas promoted the giving of recycled, fairly traded and environmentally friendly items as presents.

It persuaded the Board of Administration to start Christmas tree shredding and composting, undertook supermarket audits to find out how true their ‘green’ claims were and had a stall outside Safeway about over-packaging.

All the electrical shops were surveyed to audit the energy efficiency and correct labelling of their products and FoEG highlighted the lack of choice for the most efficient goods.

It surveyed all the takeaway food shops in the island and tried to encourage them to use biodegradable packaging.

The branch also sent questionnaires to all building contractors, querying their waste disposal methods. Stalls were set up at garden centres explaining the damage that peat extraction causes and organic growing and composting were encouraged.

Chris Church and Gary Vaudin, one of the branch’s co-founders, pictured in 1989. (0591544)

All the horticultural businesses were lobbied to use compost and reduce their pesticide and fertiliser use. The group also wrote to architects, surveyors and building suppliers about their use of mahogany and tropical hardwoods.

FoEG’s most far-reaching achievement has been the respect with which it has been regarded by the media and the States. But despite the great strides that have been made over two decades, the last of the three aims FoEG set for itself has not yet been accomplished.

Environmental concerns do not take priority in the framing of public policy.

But green issues have moved closer to the middle ground of Guernsey politics and although the fear of climate change has a lot to do with this, it cannot be denied that FoEG has played a significant part in changing islanders’ concerns.

The island and the planet now face the greatest challenge in the history of humankind – the threat of uncontrolled climate change, which will affect every aspect of our lives, including our very survival.

It may seem an inopportune time to close one of Guernsey’s leading green groups when we are on the brink of potential environmental disaster.

Other hands are prepared to take up the reins, though, not least the Guernsey Climate Action Network.

FoEG has divided its funds with donations to G-can, to Planet Guernsey and to Friends of the Earth UK. And finally, by sponsoring 1,500 low-energy light bulbs that the Social Security Department is giving out to benefit claimants, the branch can, with its last action as Friends of the Earth Guernsey, make a contribution towards both fuel poverty and energy efficiency at the one time.