Swap your old clothes and help the environment for Great Big Green Week

A host of free activities will be taking place in Three Rivers this month as part of the national Great Big Green Week campaign to highlight the need for urgent action on the climate emergency.

This year Great Big Green Week runs from 24 September to 2 October and Three Rivers District Council will be running a Clothes Swap at Rickmansworth Library on Sunday 25 September. Clothes swapping is a way of ensuring that unwanted clothes can continue to be used, helping to reduce waste, and has a significantly lower environmental impact than purchasing new clothes.

Great Big Green Week aims to draw attention to the climate emergency and destruction of the natural world while encouraging people in the community to do their bit.

An event to further discuss the impact the fashion industry has on the environment was originally scheduled to take place on Thursday 29 September. The event has been postponed and well be rescheduled for a future date. The evening will include talks and a chance to put questions to a panel of experts who will shine a light on what happens to textiles.

Cllr Phil Williams, the council's Lead Member for Environmental Services, Climate Change and Sustainability, said: “We are committed to reaching net-zero carbon by 2030 as a council, and by 2045 as a district, and to do this, we need the support of everyone in our community. While we are the third best recyclers in England, recycling over 63% of our household waste, we still have a way to go with waste reduction. It is estimated the global textiles industry is responsible for 10% of global emissions and 20% of global fresh water pollution. This event will highlight some of these issues, and discuss what can be done locally to reduce our impact.”

• Those taking part in the clothes swap can drop their pre-loved clothes (good, clean condition clothes only) to Rickmansworth Library in return for virtual tokens on Tuesday 20, Thursday 22 between 11am and 1pm; Friday 23 from 3.30pm to 5.30 pm; or Sunday 25 from 10am to 12pm. You can then return between 1.30pm and 3.30pm on Sunday 25 to exchange your tokens for new clothes.

Other events in Three Rivers during Great Big Green Week include:

• Rickmansworth #loveyourhighstreet Market, Sunday 25 September.
• Bat walks on 20 and 27 September in South Oxhey and Croxley Green respectively which you can book here: https://www.threeriversleisure.co.uk/natureactivities
• Play Rangers Go Green: https://www.threeriversleisure.co.uk/term-time-sessions
• A virtual talk: Why the Biodiversity crisis matters as much as climate change, and what we can do locally to make a difference – presented by Herts and Middlesex Wildlife Trust: https://greatbiggreenweek.com

These events are being supported by LovedUp ReLoved, Sustainable Three Rivers, and Watford and Three Rivers Friends of the Earth as part of the  South West Herts Great Big Green Week .

For more information visit  https://greatbiggreenweek.com/