How green is your city?
As someone who is conscious about being green, you may feel your efforts to stay environmentally friendly are not enough. Don't forget that every bit counts towards something, but saving the world all by yourself is a big and lonely task. It would be great if you knew you were part of an eco army of people all geared up to take on climate change. So how green is the city you live in?
Think about the environmentally friendly policies and schemes in your area, and find out if there is more you can do. Your neighbourhood can get in touch with your local council to persuade them to make a difference. Here are some of the policies you can look at.
Recycling facilities
What are the recycling schemes available in your area? Different parts of the country are provided with different bins. If you do not have a system for separating your recyclable trash from non-recyclable, then this is something you might want to bring up. This is an even more pressing issue, if there are not easily accessible recycling facilities in your area, such as bottle banks for instance.
There may be some food waste you can turn pile onto a compost heap and if you don't have one in your garden you may want to enquire about any compost heaps at any allotments you have nearby.
Local schemes
Your council may offer schemes such as grants on fitting extra insulation in your homes to avoid vital heat escaping. The same may also apply to having photovoltaic solar panels fitted on to the home. You may have access to local government help for these panels, because of the long-term affects of renewable energy of such energy sources.
Is your local authority exploring everything that is out there? Your town or city may benefit from having wind power so this is something worth mentioning.
Businesses
And it is not only the local authorities you can approach. Local businesses in your area also play a big part in carbon emissions. Do they have schemes to reduce paper wastage? Car share schemes are often encouraged in environmentally conscious businesses. A lot of them offer cash incentives so have a look. You could earn an extra bit of cash just by giving some of your work colleagues a lift.
It helps when you can get from one place to another and public transport is one of the better ways to travel, reducing your carbon footprint. Are you happy with your bus routes? Even better is riding your bike or even walking. This is made easier when there are bike paths and walking paths making it safer to get to school or work the green way.
The Nottingham Declaration
Ninety per cent of English councils have signed something called the Nottingham Declaration, which is a commitment to take action against climate change. If yours has not signed then it may be the time to ask why. If your council has signed, then it may be a good time for your neighbourhood to review their progress. Have any of the promises been met?
Think about the environmentally friendly policies and schemes in your area, and find out if there is more you can do. Your neighbourhood can get in touch with your local council to persuade them to make a difference. Here are some of the policies you can look at.
Recycling facilities
What are the recycling schemes available in your area? Different parts of the country are provided with different bins. If you do not have a system for separating your recyclable trash from non-recyclable, then this is something you might want to bring up. This is an even more pressing issue, if there are not easily accessible recycling facilities in your area, such as bottle banks for instance.
There may be some food waste you can turn pile onto a compost heap and if you don't have one in your garden you may want to enquire about any compost heaps at any allotments you have nearby.
Local schemes
Your council may offer schemes such as grants on fitting extra insulation in your homes to avoid vital heat escaping. The same may also apply to having photovoltaic solar panels fitted on to the home. You may have access to local government help for these panels, because of the long-term affects of renewable energy of such energy sources.
Is your local authority exploring everything that is out there? Your town or city may benefit from having wind power so this is something worth mentioning.
Businesses
And it is not only the local authorities you can approach. Local businesses in your area also play a big part in carbon emissions. Do they have schemes to reduce paper wastage? Car share schemes are often encouraged in environmentally conscious businesses. A lot of them offer cash incentives so have a look. You could earn an extra bit of cash just by giving some of your work colleagues a lift.
It helps when you can get from one place to another and public transport is one of the better ways to travel, reducing your carbon footprint. Are you happy with your bus routes? Even better is riding your bike or even walking. This is made easier when there are bike paths and walking paths making it safer to get to school or work the green way.
The Nottingham Declaration
Ninety per cent of English councils have signed something called the Nottingham Declaration, which is a commitment to take action against climate change. If yours has not signed then it may be the time to ask why. If your council has signed, then it may be a good time for your neighbourhood to review their progress. Have any of the promises been met?
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