Algae, local food and cycling to transform 21st century living

Groups and individuals were invited to put forward ideas to transform Britain into a sustainable society.

Almost 300 were submitted by businesses, academics, sustainability professionals and the general public, resulting in a 19-strong shortlist.

They were announced at a high profile event in London this week where SDC chairman Jonathon Porritt used his speech to criticise the Treasury and the Department for Business, Enterprise & Regulatory Reform for dragging their heels and slowing national progress towards sustainability.

“Progress on sustainable development, at the national level, has been slow,” he said.

“Yet all over the country, there are people taking action to make their own communities more sustainable, driving forward technological innovations, and pushing the policy agenda with really big ideas.

“Some of the breakthrough ideas we’ve selected represent cutting-edge innovation and imagination; others are familiar but powerful ideas whose time has come.

“We wanted to celebrate the hard work behind these ideas, and start a bigger conversation about how the UK can best take these – and a host of other great ideas – forward.

“We’ve been talking about it for long enough. What we’ve got to do now is make it happen.”

Among the 19 ideas selected as representing potential breakthroughs were:

Sam Bond