THE people of Stroud have had their say on how the district can achieve a greener future.

Stroud District Council, which is leading the way in Gloucestershire, is to produce an environmental strategy for the next 20 years and has been canvassing opinions from householders and businesses for practical ideas about how we can all help save the planet.

The council received more than 270 responses to its draft green paper on the environment, which put forward ideas for the future such as micro wind turbines on council houses, water recycling or greater use of renewable and cleaner fuels.

The formal eight-week consultation ended on Friday and the responses are now being collated.

Nigel Cooper, cabinet member for the environment, is delighted with the response.

"There has been an unprecedented response to this public consultation," he said.

"By far the majority of responses are from individuals - residents are really interested in this most important subject.

"I am very satisfied with the public reaction and grateful to people for taking the time to respond."

Cllr Cooper said once the final strategy is in place the council will seek to make parts of it, such as those regarding planning, legally enforceable.

The council will also push for plans to enable the average household to recycle nearly 80 per cent of its waste.

A wide range of ideas were submitted, from asking for more recycling facilities in supermarket car parks to encouraging community composting and shredding schemes.

And there was no shortage of creative ideas. One response read: "So much energy is generated in gyms from cycling and running, why not fit dynamos to all the machines to at least recoup some of the expended energy to plough back into the electricity they utilise?"

The final log of ideas will be available for public inspection in the near future.

Meanwhile, the Stroud Green Party has produced a ten-page response to the district council cabinet's environment strategy.

The group has outlined key areas it would like to see in the final policy document, covering areas such as transport, energy use in buildings and local energy generation.

Cllr John Marjoram (Green, Trinity) said: "We want to see achievable year on year targets and we will be here to ensure they deliver the goals they set."

**Environmental Policy Timeline.

-December 7 - SDC cabinet to consider draft environmental strategy including target setting. Followed by limited consultation.

-December 21 - Overview and scrutiny committee consider draft.

-February 1 - SDC cabinet to consider O&S comments.

-February 22 - SDC to adopt an environmental policy.

**The public's main suggestions for a greener future.

*To extend the scope of recycling (including collecting cardboard) and supply bigger containers.

*Put recycling bins in the locations people visit anyway such as supermarket car parks.

*Require all new houses to be environmentally friendly including solar panels.

*Turn off street lights in the early hours in quiet areas.

*Have community shredding schemes for green waste.

*Educate the public to be more environmentally friendly.

*Open an energy and environment advice shop.

*Set up an exchange scheme whereby old articles can be swapped, rather than thrown away.

*Encourage reduction of packaging.

*Do more to encourage cycling and walking.

*Move recycling centres nearer to towns.