Green Matters October 2008
Make a difference
Saving the planet sounds like a tall order, but even the smallest of changes could make a big difference, according to the Energy Saving Trust.
It is organising the 12th annual Energy Saving Week from 20 to 26 October to help consumers learn how they can reduce their carbon footprint and make significant savings in money, time and energy.
Karen Lawrence, head of advice, at the Trust said:
“Climate change is arguably one of the most important global issues now affecting millions of UK households. It is no longer just a Government problem to be tackled on a policy level, but something everyone is thinking about on a daily basis.”
Residents are being encouraged to do their bit to help reduce carbon dioxide emissions – one of the main greenhouse gases thought to contribute to climate change.
Cllr Sophie Linden, Hackney’s Cabinet Member for Customer Services and Sustainability, added:
“There are lots of simple steps we can take to save energy, which saves money as well as helping to protect the environment.
“For example, filling gaps between floor boards and putting a jacket on your hot water tank can really reduce heating bills.”
As well as urging residents to do their bit, the Council is taking action to reduce its own carbon footprint. Measures include introducing one of the greenest fleets of bin lorries in the country; encouraging green design with new Council buildings boasting low energy lighting, plus eco-friendly cooling and heating systems; promoting sustainable transport with free parking in Hackney for electric and other green vehicles; and more phone and online services, so residents don’t have to travel across the borough to access them.
New life for remains
The time of year has come for fallen leaves and carving Halloween pumpkin faces – but after brightening up our streets, gardens and windows for a short spell, most are left to rot or thrown in the bin.
You can make the most of your leftovers and reduce waste by making some delicious pumpkin soup out of the flesh you scrape out.
If that seems like too much effort, the seeds and scraps of waste pumpkin can be recycled in the Council’s Blue Bin collection scheme, and when your lantern has served its purpose, add that too.
If you have a composting bin, you can also put your pumpkin leftovers in it, along with any fallen leaves from your garden. If you don’t, follow these easy steps to create the perfect leaf mould. It shouldn’t take more than 15 minutes:
- Take a black bin liner and make some holes in the side and bottom
- Rake up fallen leaves and place them in the bag
- When almost full, sprinkle with water, shake and tie
- Store in a shady spot, or in your garden shed
- By the following autumn, the leaves will have rotted down into a rich, crumbly mixture, which can be used as a mulch on flower beds and around the base of plants.
Leaf mould is suitable for all types of soil, reduces the need for peat, and provides free, organic matter that can also be used in seed and potting mixes. Alternatively, you can recycle your leaves using the Brown Bin garden waste scheme in participating areas. They will be sent for composting and used on Hackney’s parks and green spaces.
More information
Call 0800 512 012; or visit: www.energysavingtrust.org.uk.
Top ten tips to help make a difference:
- Turn your thermostat down. Reducing your room temperature by 1°C could cut your heating bills by up to 10 per cent, saving around £40 per year
- Is your water too hot? Your cylinder thermostat doesn't need to be set higher than 60°C/140°F
- Close your curtains at dusk to stop heat escaping through the windows
- Always turn off the lights when you leave a room
- Don't leave appliances on standby and remember not to leave equipment like mobiles on charge unnecessarily
- If you're not filling up the washing machine, tumble dryer or dishwasher, use the half-load or economy programme
- Only boil as much water as you need (but always cover the elements of an electric kettle)
- A dripping hot water tap wastes energy, so fix leaking taps and make sure they're fully turned off
- Use energy saving light bulbs. Just one can save you £100 over its lifetime – and they last up to 12 times longer than ordinary light bulbs
- Do a home energy check and find out how you can save up to £300 on your household bills
(See contact details above for more information).
Take it away
The Council has a new way to find homes for Hackney residents’ unwanted furniture.
It has joined up with community furniture project Homestore, run by East London Charity Quaker Social Action. The scheme offers low-income households a chance to furnish their homes without getting into debt.
The partnership means residents who have unwanted furniture in good condition can have it collected for free from their homes.
Only certain items are eligible for the scheme however, including assembled wardrobes, lounge display and wall units, and dining tables with sets of four or six chairs.
Chests of drawers, settees, arm chairs, and single and double beds can be collected, so long as they are clean, dry and fire safety compliant.
Coffee tables, shelving, bedside cabinets, office desks and chairs are also welcome, but not as a single items.
More information
To book a collection call the Council wasteline on: 020 8356 6688.
Battling the waste bulge
A Borough wide challenge to cut down on household waste has been launched this month.
Watch Your Waste week from 4 to 10 October, will see people in Hackney and six other North London boroughs being asked to think about the amount of rubbish they produce, and try to lower it.
Creating less rubbish is not as difficult as you may think – small changes really can make a big difference.
Dalston ward councillor Sophie Linden – Hackney’s ‘green tsar’ – is taking part. She said: “With four children, and the work I do as a councillor with lots of evening meetings to attend, my life is very busy.
“I often do my shopping online which makes it harder to choose the items with less packaging.
“During this week I planned to take advantage of living to close to so many fantastic markets. By buying all your fruit and veg loose you avoid all those plastic trays that many supermarkets use.”
Top tips to reduce waste
- Nappies account for three per cent of all waste in the UK – the Council will give you £54 to buy washable ones
- Most bins are a third full of food or other items that could be composted – use your blue bin for food waste or get a Council subsidised compost bin
- Get a Hackney Council junk mail pack – 900 tonnes of unwanted mail is sent each year
- Use reusable bags & avoid over-packaged goods
- Don’t buy disposable pens and cameras & refill water bottles
- Swap unwanted items at a Give or Take Day or on Freecycle
More information
For tips on watching your waste, visit: the Waste Prevention page.
Out on the 'Bin It' beat
Giant pieces of litter were out and about in Hackney last month, reminding people that if you drop it, you will cop it!
Council staff from waste services and environmental enforcement spoke to thousands of residents about keeping Hackney clean. Teams were out in Dalston, Stamford Hill, the Narrow Way, Hoxton and London Fields.
Bins were highlighted with stickers for Keep Hackney Tidy month, so there was no excuse for not using them. Four people who always use bins and try to recycle as much as possible won iPods in a ‘bin it to win it’ prize draw.
The winners were Rebecca Veitch from Hackney Central; Maria Araujo from Stoke Newington; Nicky Smithy from Stamford Hill; and Sergio Williams, who was enjoying the sun in London
Fields. Nicky said: “Keeping Hackney clean is really important to me. I’ve made sure that my little boy knows to put his rubbish in the bin or take it home with him.”
Page updated: 3 Nov 2008