It has been a year of big change all over the world, with the election of Barack Obama in the US, the UN climate talks in Poznan, the economy collapsing around us and the declaration there is only 100 months left to avoid catastrophic climate change. And it has been just as busy in Sussex. SARAH LEWIS looks back over the past twelve months.

January The Royal Society For The Protection Of Birds started the year by announcing it has a record number of volunteers on the books in the South East, with 1,620 people signed up to help their work across 21 nature reserves in the area.

Work also started on the first phase of the new cycle freeway, which Brighton and Hove City Council said: “Forms an important north-south link in the city’s cycle network, by connecting the sea front to the Downs at the Devil’s Dyke Railway Trail in Hangleton, through several parks, including Hove Park, the newly occupied City Park office development, schools and Hove station, in a coherent and safe way.”

February West Sussex County Council announced plans for a waste treatment facility, sparking fears of another battle similar to the long-running campaign against the Newhaven incinerator.

Wildlife broadcaster Sir David Attenborough declared his support for the controversial Glyndbourne wind turbine. He said: “I greatly applauded the plan by Glyndebourne Opera to erect a wind turbine to help power its operations.

“That such a celebrated institution should pay such regard to its environmental responsibilities seems to be wholly admirable, demonstrating as it does, that some communities really do take the ecological challenge seriously and do not simply utter pious words and leave it to others to take action."

March Across the world 50 million people in 370 cities and towns, in more than 35 countries, switched off their lights for one hour between 8pm and 9pm to mark Earth Hour. In Sussex, the Brighton Pier, DeVere Grand, and Metropole all turned off their non-essential lights as part of the global campaign to inspire action on climate change.

Brighton and Hove City Council received a £55,200 grant to encourage schoolchildren to cycle safely to school. The money will be used to give free Bikeability cycle training to 1,380 students by March 2009.

Hotels across the city launched ambitious plans to compost all food waste with the ultimate goal of moving towards a zero waste system.

April Campaign group Transition Brighton and Hove held their first clothing swap, Swap-o-Rama-Rama. The event involved people bringing a bag of unwanted clothing as a donation. Everyone was then invited to dive in to the pile of clothes and take what they want. It was a massive success and sparked a rash of clothes-swapping parties across the city, saving a huge volume of old clothes from landfill.

Staff at Dorothy Stringer School on Loder Road had their heads shaved to provide insulation for the school’s eco centre. Other sections of the centre were filled with a variety of other materials and students monitored temperatures to see which insulates the best.

May The first ever Argus Eco-awards was launched, and the public were asked to nominate organisations and individuals for environmental excellence across Sussex.

West Sussex County Council granted planning permission for oil exploration at Markwells Wood, an Area Of Outstanding Natural Beauty on the South Downs. Campaign groups were outraged but Mick Hodgson, chair of the planning committee, said: “There is a heavy steer [from central Government] to allow it to happen for energy, security and economic reasons.”

The Brighton Fringe Festival played host to plenty of green events, including a talk by Sir David King, the former chief scientific advisor to the Government, and visitors to the city were encouraged to come by train, rather than car.

June People living in eco friendly homes threw open their doors to the public for the Eco Open Houses event, which allowed people to visit environmental renovations, rainwater harvesting systems, and green roofs.

The annual World Naked Bike Ride saw record numbers take to the streets in the buff. More than 400 people left their clothes at home and got on their bikes to protest against oil dependency and to highlight the vulnerability of cyclists on the road.

Nearly 5,000 chickens were saved from slaughter by Brighton Animal Action after irregular shaped eggs meant thousands of healthy hens were deemed past their useful laying age.

The pioneering Wood Recycling Project on Circus Street celebrated its tenth birthday.

July Peacehaven Community School in Greenwich Way had solar panels fitted to generate enough power for 33,000 hours of computer use. They were funded through the Government’s Low Carbon Building Programme and the panels will save the school about £550 a year in bills.

Despite protesters climbing cranes and Super Gluing themselves to roads, the High Courts ruled the Newhaven incinerator could go ahead. Mr Justice Sullivan acknowledged the application had received more public interest than any other dealt with by the council.

The 70-metre Glyndbourne wind turbine was granted planning permission, garnering mixed reactions from environmental groups. Some campaigned against it, claiming it would spoil the South Downs, and others were for it as a form of renewable energy.

August The first Beachdown festival saw thousand of revellers take to Devil’s Dyke to party for a four-day weekend. Comprehensive recycling facilities stopped the Downs becoming a rubbish tip and all food on site was as organic and local as possible.

The controversial “Poohaven” sewage works scheme in Peacehaven was approved by East Sussex County Council. Despite nine years of campaigning, approval from Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, Hazel Blears, meant the £300 million Lower Hoddern Farm plan could go ahead.

A convey of 40 cars blocked the streets of Brighton and Hove during rush hour in a go-slow protest against the decision.

September West Sussex County Council allayed fears of a second incinerator for Sussex by announcing plans for an anaerobic digestion plant, which will convert waste into biogas.

The digester is said to be the latest in environmental technology and the next generation of incinerator.

Property developers Bridgetown Properties pleaded guilty to the charge of destroying protected trees at Anston House, Preston Park and now face the possibility of unlimited fines and having its assets seized.

One Brighton, the most sustainable high-rise residential development in the UK, opened its doors as the first apartment was unveiled.

Lewes launched the Lewes Pound, a complementary currency to help support the local economy and encourage people to think about where their money goes.

October The green and good of Sussex celebrated the Argus Eco-awards at The Old Market in Hove. More than 200 people from across the environmental community gathered together to eat, drink and celebrate the hard work that goes towards making the county part of a greener, more just, world.

Bags of compost seized by police from cannabis growers were donated to Goldstone Primary School in Larburnum Avenue, Hangleton, to help create a vegetable plot to teach students about growing their own food.

Brighton and Hove City Council’s annual sustainability conference looked at the city’s bid to become an urban biosphere city and examined the links between increased inner-city plant life and heightened health and well being, as well as reduced crime.

November Brighton and Hove lost its status as the greenest city in the UK in the annual eco table produced by sustainable development group Forum For The Future. Bristol moved from third place to knock Brighton and Hove off its perch on top.

The World Wide Fund For Nature maintained its claim that the city has one of the worst ecological footprints in the country.

Campaigners against the Newhaven incinerator were given an extra 20 days to have their say on the scheme. A mistake in the original consultation meant the Environment Agency decided to re-open the consultation.

Businesses that give something back celebrated Social Enterprise Day on Thursday, November 20, with an array of events organised by the city’s Business Community Partnership.

December The 2009 Brighton and Hove Green Pages launched with more than 300 listings of eco and ethical organisations across the city.

The Environment Agency announced it would be starting work to improve flood and coastal defences in Sussex to help boost the economy. The work will cost £875,000 in the first year and is hoped to protect 1,590 properties. The plans include improving tidal defences in the east bank of the River Arun and the removal of shingle spits from Pagham Harbour near Bognor.

Work began on the new Falmer Stadium, 11 years after the Albion left Goldstone. Revised plans include attempts to minimise the environmental impact of the stadium and the South Downs Society has given them a “cautious nod”.