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Embracing change: Could Newcastle become the UK’s green capital?

For many people in this country Newcastle will always remain a reminder of the industrial revolution. Granted, heavy industry and shipbuilding were of course, once, synonymous with Newcastle; yet to stereotype the city with thoughts of flat caps and backwardness is quite simply laughable. In fact, I must begin this piece by telling you, in no uncertain terms, that such a misconception presents an unbelievable neglect of what the city represents today. Believe me, Newcastle is making waves.

Today the city strives to be a centre for urban regeneration and sustainability. I was asked along to Newcastle Science Central’s official launch this week. Here I witnessed the unveiling of The Core, an £11.2 million building made for the city’s innovative firms working on a range of future city challenges including energy, transport, big data and cloud computing. And whilst I felt a tad out of place amongst the politicians, major partners, benefactors and duplicitously-looking orderves (or ‘nibbles’ as our less cultured readers may call them) on offer, I left feeling genuinely inspired.

The Core, as Nick Forbes, Leader of Newcastle City Council told me, is a ‘step in a journey’ for Newcastle. A ‘visible symbol’ in a long development of ‘confidence building for a better city’. A modern city. Now between you and me, and this being the first time I’d properly engaged in discussion with a politician, I didn’t quite understand the significance of what Nick was telling me.

Yet, having thought about it more and actually giving his words a chance to resonate, I’ve realised that landmarks like The Core really are essential in Newcastle’s journey to becoming better. By that I mean a better place to live, a better place to work and ultimately - a better place to be proud of. So while I’m loving the boom Newcastle is having at present with sexy new bars and restaurants cropping up, its maybe our lesser known but arguably more important achievements which should be shouted about the loudest.

This week I read a really interesting paper from Green Energy Consulting, who are located in the North East. Reading the report I actually felt a bit disappointed in myself to be honest, there was a lot I didn’t know which I felt I should. So much so I’ll share some of the facts which I found most pertinent.

The North East has actually been at the forefront of advances in renewable energy. Again, and rather shamefully, I was unaware of how big of an impact organisations here are having. Yet thanks to groups like: EEF, NOF Energy, Durham Energy Institute, North East Process Industry Cluster (a company responsible for diversifying Teesside into the UK’s leading site for renewable biofuel research) and more, there are bodies out there dedicated to implementing and promoting green energy to both commercial and domestic markets.

Moreover, I’d also like to share that Newcastle and Gateshead city councils have also joined together to form the Newcastle Gateshead Cultural Venues (NGCV). This is a collaboration of 10 organisations across 19 venues within the North-east who aim to promote high quality cultural attractions through a plethora of mediums. Organisations within this group include Sage Gateshead, Theatre Royal, Centre for Life, Baltic and the Tyneside cinema, all with renewable sourced energy contracts in place obtained through Green Energy Consulting. It’s refreshing to see such care for the cities future being considered by our councils, universities and private enterprises.

Maybe this is a sign of me getting old, yes the grand age of 24 is a mere two weeks away for this once spritely columnist, but I feel as a city we aren’t shouting about our sustainable achievements as much as we are about, say, where the best place to get a cocktail and a burger is! God, I am old…

So after reading that, and before you rush off to plant a tree, or even hug one if you so choose, I think the message of this piece was simply to let you know about some of the great, inspiring things going on in the region - that maybe, if you’re like me, you weren’t aware of. Newcastle in particular really is on the up as one of the country’s most renewable and sustainable cities; I for one truly hope that we can outgrow this prevailing misconception of a coal, covered city lagging behind its counterparts. We are so much more.

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