This Saturday sees the start of ‘The Great Big Green Week’ (Saturday 8 to Sunday 16 June), the UK’s biggest ever celebration of community action to tackle climate change and protect nature.

Communities, schools, businesses, churches, mosques and more will join together in a wave of support for action to protect the planet.

The Great Big Green Week demonstrates that people across the UK are making swaps every day to help create a better tomorrow.

There are five simple steps we can all take towards making the world a greener place:

1. Declutter your homes and offices, and recycle responsibly
2. Switch short car journeys for using public transport, walking or cycling
3. Batch cooking and freezing meals in advance
4. Reduce the amount of single-use plastics we use daily
5. Recycle, reuse, refill.

Groups and organisations across the borough will be lending their green hands to the cause, with a series of events, litter picks, training and educational workshops, and children's activities. 

Check out the full list of activities on our website.

Get involved

Last month, the Council’s Cabinet formally approved a revised Havering Climate Change Action Plan (HCCAP) for 2024 to 2027.

The HCCAP builds on the foundations of the previous action plan in tackling climate change and delivering a carbon neutral Council by 2040 or sooner – meaning the Council will emit no more greenhouse gases than it can absorb.

The updated HCCAP will not only reduce carbon emissions, it will also help us achieve financial savings, make us more energy efficient, and produce improvements to our homes, businesses, parks and green spaces.

Havering is one of the leading London boroughs for promoting active and sustainable school travel in partnership with the voluntary Transport for London (TfL) Travel for Life accreditation programme.

Launched in 2007, it helps to provide Havering’s school communities with skills and resources to inspire their young people to travel sustainably, actively, responsibly and safely.

This includes swapping the car whenever they can for walking, scooting or cycling and using public transport where possible.

Since monitoring began in 2009, there has been a reduction from 39 per cent down to 19 per cent in pupils in the borough getting to and from school in a car.

Each school’s activities are reviewed regularly and there is an opportunity for them to win awards and accreditation for the efforts they make.

Last year, 55 Havering schools took part in the scheme, with 95 per cent gaining overall accreditation - with 35 of those schools at gold level (amongst the highest levels across London), four schools at silver level and 16 schools at bronze level.

The Council’s Transport Team have transferred 172 vehicles to alternative bio fuels to reduce carbon emissions, save money and keep services on the move.

The switch from B7 diesel to a Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil (HVO) and Gas-To-Liquid (GTL) bio fuel mix has significantly reduced particulate matter output.

This reduction greatly improves our air quality as it does not contain sulphur, which is linked to respiratory illnesses.

Sulphur is also responsible for blocking vehicle exhausts filters, which decreases vehicle power and fuel economy.

By opting for a 50/50 blend of HVO and GTL it reduces the total cost of fuel and cuts CO2 emissions by 45 per cent.

Based on the Council’s fleet using 400,000 litres of fuel every year, it is estimated that the fuel will save over 450 metric tonnes of CO2 emissions from entering the atmosphere, when compared to B7 diesel.

Additionally, the bio fuel blend does not contain palm oil, which is linked to global deforestation, meaning the Council are already compliant with the EU Renewable Energy Directive (REDii) which aims to ban palm oil in bio fuels by 2030.

(Photo credit: Paul Weston)

The Home Upgrade Grant is available to reduce your energy bills, you may be eligible for the Home Upgrade Grant scheme if:

• Your home is not heated by mains gas (oil, coal, LPG or electric heating).
• Your home is hard to heat based on its Energy Performance Certificate (EPC).
• You have a combined household income of less than £36,000, OR are receiving income-related benefits such as Universal Credit, OR live in an area of Index of Multiple Deprivation (IMD).

Check your eligibility and find out more

Greener Futures empowers Havering businesses to future-proof their business needs on their path to net zero – all for free.

The support programme includes access to an eLearning portal, in-person training to help measure, manage and reduce emissions and become green badge certified.

To access the full range of free support, please fill in the application form.

If you have any issues completing this form, please email SustainabilitySupport@havering.gov.uk.

Register your interest

Havering's free Energy Doctors service helps cut energy costs and prepares homes for colder weather at no cost for all residents.

By offering expert advice on energy efficiency and carrying out minor home fixes, the service can save households £209 a year. These fixes could include fitting draft excluders on older doors and providing free energy-saving lightbulbs.

The scheme is open to all ages and anyone can apply. Book a free appointment today and save on energy bills this winter.

Havering Council leads this initiative with local partner, Age UK East London, however the scheme is open to residents of all ages.

Book an appointment now