Environment News: June

Date:  25 June 2009

ENVIRONMENT NEWS BULLETIN: JUNE 2009

Let's hit 50 per cent!

Save money, save the environment and help us recycle 50 per cent of all waste; that's the message from Three Rivers District Council during this year's Recycle Now Week (22-28 June).

Organised by the Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP) and supported by the Hertfordshire Waste Partnership, this year’s Recycle Now Week adopts a ‘Let's waste less...' theme. Three Rivers District Council, which already recycles 49 per cent of all waste produced across the district, is encouraging residents to help it hit 50 per cent this year by reducing food waste in particular.



Portfolio Holder for Public Services and Health, Councillor Phil Brading, says:

"Residents can save money as well as benefitting the environment by being imaginative with leftovers; simple things such as using leftover vegetables in a soup or excess pasta in a salad for tomorrow's lunch can really make a big difference to shopping bills. And remember, any raw or cooked food scraps that can't be re-used in a meal can be composted in your brown bin."

Handy food storage tips and recipe ideas to help residents make the most of leftover food can be found at Love Food Hate Waste.

Three Rivers District Council is aiming to achieve a 50 per cent or higher recycling rate this year. Residents can find out more here.

Environment Marquee takes centre stage at Rickmansworth Festival

Thousands defied the weather forecasters at the end of May to attend the Rickmansworth Festival, with the Environment Marquee as popular as ever.

The event was opened by District Council Chairman Richard Laval with Council Leader Ann Shaw and MP David Gauke. Cllr Laval said:

"Rickmansworth Waterways Trust (RWT) volunteers make this fantastic event possible. I was encouraged to see so many community groups in the environment marquee, including basket weavers, Mill End Community Wildlife Area, RSPB and Friends of the Earth. Thanks must also go to Council staff who work closely with the RWT."

Cllr Laval added:

"This year we made improvements to the Aquadrome so it is now entirely wheelchair accessible and I'm sure this makes events like this even more inviting."

Yellow is the new green!

Remember, Yellow Pages directories can now be recycled in your paper recycling box; but if you live in a WD3 or HA area please check to see if your local school is taking part in the Yellow Woods Challenge during August / September.

If it is then you could help the children win money for their school!  Check with the school for details.

Click-a-ride

Whether it's the daily commute or the weekly shop - find someone travelling your way to save money, cut your carbon footprint and make a new friend!

Visit Liftshare. It's free - add your journeys and find someone to car-share with.

You can also search for a BUDi to share your bike, walking or taxi journey.

The environmental and financial benefits of the scheme are considerable:

Reduced travel costs

Improved access to car parking spaces

Opportunity to meet new people

Reduced congestion

Reduced pollution

Colne Valley Park Box Scheme

The Colne Valley Park Visitor Centre (Denham - just over the Three Rivers border in South Bucks) is hoping to set up a local food box scheme for the area, in partnership with local farmers. The scheme aims to help maintain the viability of farming as a way of preserving the traditional rural landscape of fields, hedgerows and small woodlands in the rural fringes of London.

Stewart Pomeroy from Colne Valley Park says:

"If we want our landscape to be maintained into the future then we need to have vibrant and sustainable rural businesses operating in the area. One of the ways we hope to achieve this is through working with local farmers to make local food more readily available to local residents."

If you live near the Colne Valley Park or have an interest in supporting local farmers click here to fill in a short survey. The results of this survey will help the Park to examine the viability of the proposed scheme and to shape its structure.

Recycling on the big screen

Click here to view a short film about the 3 Rs (reduce, reuse, recycle) made by local teenagers. You can also find videos about the Aquadrome, the new outdoor gyms and what's going on at Watersmeet.