ACCESS

The ACCESS project had four primary aims - both for the overall project and for the various local initiatives:

• improving local awareness of the issues of waste and air quality
• translating this increased awareness into practical action
• collecting and recording experiences from the different participating centres for dissemination to other (European) cities
• promoting the sustainable development strategy of the European Union

Initiatives introduced by the centres ranged from children's picnics in Venice (Italy) to Green Commuter plans in Bath (United Kingdom), from business waste advice by telephone in Göteborg (Sweden) to an internet service for car-pooling in Dublin (Ireland).

Project Findings
The various projects led to the following conclusions:
When introducing new measures it is essential to involve the community in the consultation process.
Establishing partnerships between decision-makers, public transport and waste operators and the community helps to facilitate change.
An awareness raising campaign to promote alternative means of transport can be very effective when it coincides with the infrastructural works to support this. On the other hand, delays in the planned infrastructural works undermines the impact of the awareness-raising campaign.
If improved contact between the public and private sectors is a project goal, allow sufficient time to develop this.
A close working relationship or genuine partnership with the local media can radically improve the impact of your message and the degree to which it is accepted.
School-based projects enable you to reach the wider community (family and friends). Children are also the adults of the future and investing in their education is a strategic investment.
Small and medium enterprises often don't have the necessary infrastructure (personnel, time, means) to address environmental issues.

The public at large are keen to find alternatives to the car.
Educators are willing collaborators in getting the message of sustainable development to their students.
Environmental awareness-raising projects should ideally have some form of continuity in their message. It would be interesting to tackle the same theme over a longer period of time - using different means, and aimed at different target groups - and then evaluate the results.