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Gearing up for a sustainable summer
Do you have questions about the pros and cons of solar panel installation on your home? Are you keen to help ensure our young trees stay hydrated through the hot months? Looking for more opportunities to get involved in local projects? We explore the above and more in our climate newsletter to kick off a clean, green summer.
Plus, a special introduction from Cllr Julia Neden-Watts, Lead Member for Environment and Sustainability:
I want to say a big thank you to everyone who took part in Richmond's Great Big Green Week from June 10th to 18th. We had excellent participation, with over 90 events across our communities, and thousands of residents coming together to play their part in learning, making our borough more resilient to a changing climate, and protecting nature. I had the pleasure of meeting many of you throughout the week and found it inspiring to see just how much local enthusiasm there is to work together to make our borough greener and more sustainable.
Some of the highlights for me were the free Gaia exhibition at the Landmark Arts Centre in Teddington, various litterpicks in different areas of the borough, and recycling pilots taking place at events including Kew Village Market. During the week, I also joined a panel of speakers at Climate Chat in the Church, hosted by St Luke's Church in Kew, where topics included food waste & recycling, re-use, retrofit, air quality, and sustainable travel. One of the positive outcomes of the week is that some of the events and activities, like Climate Chats in the Church, are not just one-offs but are becoming regular features, keeping residents and community organisations involved and productive on an ongoing basis.
I hope that those who got involved during Great Big Green Week will continue to support these great local initiatives going forward. We will continue, through this newsletter and other Council channels, to keep you up to date with what's happening near you.
We are also keen to increase our knowledge of all the impressive things being done locally, so that we can keep spreading the word. If you're organising or know of local climate initiatives and projects that others can get involved with, please let us know by emailing our climate team.
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Find out what effect solar panels could have on your home from a local expert
Installing solar panels is one of the most significant ways we can reduce carbon dioxide emissions from our homes, and local scientist Michael de Podesta has a lot of practical advice to offer other interested residents.
Join Michael and Richmond and Twickenham Friends of the Earth at the last event on our Great Big Green Week event programme, this Wednesday 5 July at The Exchange in Twickenham, where Michael will take you through how to estimate the likely effect of a solar installation on your house, and the pros and cons of various choices: panel types, panel locations, inverter types, and batteries.
Find out more and register for free on Eventbrite!
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Help us keep our young trees hydrated this summer
Last month was one of the hottest Junes on record in the UK, and with increasing risk of heatwaves and drought, community tree watering to support Council efforts is becoming increasingly important, especially as we've planted over 2,000 trees in the last four years and 700 in the latest tree planting season.
With help from the community, we can ensure our trees are able to thrive, accelerating growth rates and maximising the benefits they bring to people and biodiversity.
During hot and dry conditions, you can support us by watering newly planted street trees, following the simple instructions on our website!
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Calling all volunteers! Your local Friends of Park group needs your support
The numerous Friends of Parks groups across our borough carry out vital work to improve and promote their local parks by bringing in funding for initiatives, raising awareness and actively conserving green spaces.
If you have a few hours to spare, you could make a great contribution to a local park or green space by lending a hand. There are plenty of current vacancies available at a few of the Friends of Parks groups in different areas - browse them here and get in touch!
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Our young climate leaders have been very busy this season
Young people across the borough are currently involved in a range of local projects helping to make Richmond upon Thames more sustainable and climate resilient. Read more about their work to:
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Save money, eat better and help the planet through ReLondon's new food waste campaign
How we eat is changing. Eat Like a Londoner pulls together the very best recipes, hacks, tips and tricks to deliver a weekly dose of inspiration that will help you save money, eat better and help the planet.
On the campaign hub, you'll find a load of resources to help you get the most out of your weekly shop, recipes for cutting food waste and cooking climate-friendly foods and practical advice to stop your food ending up in the bin.
Follow the campaign on Facebook and Instagram for consistent updates!
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Support offered to residents affected by ULEZ
Residents who are looking to dispose of or replace a vehicle that is non-compliant with the Mayor of London's Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) can apply for financial support through the new Good Move Scheme.
We've secured a range of offers to support residents to save money by using greener forms of transport, including:
- £50 pay-as-you-go Oyster card
- A 3-month free trial with Peddle My Wheels's cargo bike scheme
- A free one-year membership and £50 credit at Enterprise Rent-A-Car or Zipcar London
For more information about the scheme or to apply, visit our website.
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