Green Matters August 2009
Recycling success
Back in December 2008 the Council introduced a new recycling service to all estates across the borough – and results show it is performing well.
Residents on estates can now recycle paper, cardboard, glass bottles and jars, tins, cans and plastic bottles, which can be collected at home and dropped into recycling bins.
These are mainly located next to refuse stores or at estate entrances.
With people making good use of the new recycling bins, more than 1,700 tonnes of material have been recycled since December 2008. This is an increase of 400 tonnes, or 23 per cent, compared to the same period in 2006 and 2007.
Cllr Alan Laing, the Council’s Cabinet Member for Neighbourhoods, said:
“Thank you to everyone for their contributions, supporting the Council’s efforts to help make Hackney a cleaner, greener borough.
“We want residents to recycle as much as possible so it’s great to see the new estate recycling service working well and people responding to the improved service.
“Feedback on the new service has generally been positive with people welcoming the option to recycle new materials. But we want even more residents on estates to recycle their waste.”
The Council’s recycling team is currently carrying out a review of the new service, identifying estates where there may be issues, and working to resolve them. It aims to ensure that a wide range of materials can be recycled on estates and make recycling as easy as possible for all residents.
More information
Email: recycling@hackney.gov.uk, or write to: Green Genie, Recycling, 2nd Floor, 263 Mare Street, E8 3HT. For more information on recycling in the borough call: 020 8356 6688, or visit: the Recycling page.
24 August 2009
New lease of life for leftovers
Foodies in Hackney are being called upon to boil, mash, stew and fry as part of a cookery competition launched to banish food waste and give leftovers a new lease of life.
Imaginative cooks are being invited to submit recipe ideas from traditional starters through to exotic desserts that include at least one ingredient which is a ‘leftover’.
Leftovers don’t have to be meal scraps but can be food found lurking in the back of the fridge, such as pasta from a previous dinner, unused bread or wilting vegetables.
Winners will get a hamper worth £100 and will also see their recipe featured in a cookery book, to be produced later in the year.
The competition forms part of a new Love Food Hate Waste campaign that is running across north London until February 2010.
The aim is to cut the amount of food which currently ends up in London Waste, the waste disposal authority for landfill sites.
Love Food Hate Waste is co-ordinated by North Hackney and six other boroughs. Chairman Clyde Loakes said: “The amount of food which is thrown away in the UK each year is a serious issue as it’s a major contributor to the production of greenhouse gases.
“People often feel that this type of issue is too big for them to make a difference but this is an issue on which everyone can have a positive impact and if they do, they will not only see a reduction in the amount they throw away, but they’ll save money too.”
The competition closes on 2 October 2009.
More information
To enter, visit: www.nlwa.gov.uk/lovefoodhatewaste; call: 020 8489 5366; or to enter by post: send the recipe, cooking instructions and a photo to: Recipe Competition, North London Waste Authority, Lee Valley Technopark, Ashley Road, Tottenham, N17.
24 August 2009
Conserving heritage and character
A new conservation area has been created in Hackney Road.
After consulting with residents, the Council took action to protect the area’s architectural and historic interest. Cllr Guy Nicholson, Cabinet Member for Regeneration and the 2012 Olympic & Paralympic Games, said:
“Conservation areas are an important part of our borough’s heritage, representing a cross section of the best surviving examples of different aspects of development from housing, industrial areas, open spaces and town centres.”
The new area runs from Waterson Street in the south, takes in the area around Haggerston Park, and then runs along Goldsmith’s Row, and up to Whiston Road on the northern boundary.
The Council also has a conservation area appraisal – an illustrated document describing the history and significance of the area. The appraisal is used to deal with planning applications in the area.
It includes 19th century maps and early photos to show how the area evolved from fields and farmland in the 18th century. It describes early Georgian houses and shops and the development of retailers and trades, that established themselves in East London.
It also includes the history of Haggerston Park, describing its unique features, such as the popular Hackney City Farm, the long walk, the new tennis courts and sports centre.
24 August 2009
Hackney's green spaces amongst the best
Two green spaces managed by community groups in Hackney have been recognised as among the finest in the UK.
East Reservoir Community Garden, run by London Wildlife Trust, and Hackney Community Tree Nursery and Edible Forest Garden, run by Hackney Marshes User Group, were awarded Green Pennants by the Green Flag Award Scheme. The pennants recognise high-quality green spaces managed by voluntary and community groups.
East Reservoir Community Garden is found under Hackney’s oldest oak tree, between the New River and East Reservoir, and comes equipped with a green roofed eco-community. Other features include a bird hide, wildlife habitats, mini-nature trails and living willow activities, which are incorporated into its community and educational events.
Set up in 2000, the Tree Nursery and Edible Forest Garden is a community operation run by volunteers on Hackney Marshes. Trees are grown in the nursery until large enough to be planted in parks and open spaces in the borough.
A spokesperson at East Reservoir said Green Flag was particularly impressed with local residents’ participation and creation of activities.
3 August 2009
£97k grant for cemetery visitors
Abney Park Cemetery is set to receive a £97,000 grant to expand chances for visitors to learn about its natural environment.
The funding comes from the Natural England and the Big Lottery Fund’s Access to Nature campaign, a £25 million grant programme to connect communities with their local green spaces.
The cemetery’s plans will involve free environmental education, training, craft workshops, nature trails, volunteering, and community involvement. As well as promoting healthy outdoor activities, it is also hoped the funding will allow residents to gain experience of nature in urban landscapes.
Once a non-denominational Victorian garden cemetery, Abney Park in Stoke Newington is now a 32-acre wooded local nature reserve and conservation area; it also contains a classroom, visitors’ centre and a disused central chapel.
In the 19th century Abney Park was built as one of the ‘Magnificent Seven’, cemeteries outside the central city created to accommodate the rapid growth of London. For more information, visit www.abney-park.org.uk.
3 August 2009
Brown is the new green
It’s summertime and gardens are flourishing. If you are thinking about tidying up your garden, why not use the Council’s brown bin scheme to collect garden waste, or try composting at home with our subsidised bins and wormeries?
The brown bin service is a fortnightly collection of garden waste, including leaves, lawn trimmings, hedge cuttings, small branches, plants and flowers, for composting.
It is currently available to around 15,000 properties in Hackney. Residents can have a large 140 litre wheelie bin or a supply of single use 100 litre compostable brown sacks to collect garden waste. This will be turned into compost for use on the borough’s parks and green spaces.
The Council also offers composting units, including wormeries, bokashi bins and wooden compost bins, at reduced prices from as little as £9 each, including delivery. Composting not only reduces your waste bin, it also produces a free fertiliser and soil improver which can be used on flower beds, plots, and window boxes.
Even if you only have a patio, you still can play your part in helping the environment by using a wormery.
Cllr Alan Laing, the Council’s Cabinet Member for Neighbourhoods, said: “By recycling or composting your garden waste, instead of just throwing it away, you can help to reduce the amount of biodegradable materials that enter the waste stream, and do your bit to help make Hackney a greener borough.”
Brown bins are available to residents on roads currently covered by the scheme. However, the service is continually expanding and new roads can be added, subject to assessment and approval.
3 August 2009
Page updated: 15 Jun 2010
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