 Last chance to sign up for Solar Together scheme
There is still time to sign up for the Solar Together scheme, which helps make it easier and cheaper for you to install solar panels and battery storage to your house.
The deadline to register is Friday 9 August and we would recommend registering as soon as possible to avoid missing out.
Since launching our Solar Together initiative in June, more than 1,300 people across Wokingham Borough have signed up their interest in installing solar panels – the highest figure in Berkshire.
It is the second time the initiative has been opened up in Wokingham Borough, with last year's offer seeing 316 residents going ahead with installation. The borough also had the highest number of all installation rates from the entire Solar Together Berkshire area.
In all, there were more than 3,000 panels installed, which equates to 252,607 kg of carbon reduction in the first year, the equivalent to driving 880,900 miles in a car.
You could save up to 43% off the cost of your solar panel system. The savings were calculated based on the typical market prices in the last six months.
Follow the steps online to check if your house is suitable for solar panels and how Solar Together works.
 Surveys are underway at site of future solar farm
Archaeologists have started surveys on the site of a new solar farm in Barkham, a project which will significantly help us to lower our carbon footprint.
More than 170 temporary archaeological trenches will be dug across the site, which sits to the north and south of Barkham Ride. On completion of the surveys, the trenches will be filled in, ready for the installation of the solar panels next year.
The solar farm is expected to generate a carbon saving of more than 6,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions a year. That is the equivalent of 29 million kWh of energy used, or the average annual energy consumption of over 7,000 local homes each year.
In addition to assessing the area where the solar panels will be located, the archaeologists will also be surveying the areas where the Covid Memorial Woodlands will be planted in Finchampstead.
Another positive for the solar farm is that it is set to generate more than £68 million in profit during its 25-year life span, after the cost of delivering and running it are taken into account.
 Top tips for lowering carbon footprint on holiday
Whether you are going abroad or planning a staycation this summer, we can all do lots of simple things to help reduce our environmental impact. Here are our ten top tips:
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Pack light - The lighter your suitcase, the less fuel required to transport it. Start off by using a lightweight case and try to take only what you need
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Food and drink - Try to eat locally as much as possible. This helps to reduce the impact from transporting your food, particularly by air travel. You can also help by eating less meat
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Avoid flying to nearby destinations - If it is possible to reach your destination without flying, consider an alternative method for holidays closer to home
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Book non-stop flights - If flying is the only sensible way to get there, avoid flights with connections and stopovers. Planes release the most carbon during take-off and landing, so it is better to book one longer flight rather than multiple shorter flights
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Use energy efficient transport - Once you reach your destination, consider how you will get about. Using buses and other forms of public transport will help to reduce your carbon footprint compared to using taxis, as an example
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Reducing energy use - Try your best not to leave devices plugged in and switched on during the day and only use what you need. It can be tempting to leave the air conditioning on during the day, but this will be bad for carbon emissions
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Stay at an eco-friendly hotel - Research where you are staying and find out if they are actively taking an interest in helping the environment. You can help further by using the 'do no disturb' sign and avoiding having your room cleaned every day, which will use more energy
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Recycle - Just because you are on holiday does not mean you should skip recycling. Wherever possible, use local recycling options and ask your hotel for help with this
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Buying souvenirs - If you want a memento of your holiday, keep in mind everything has its own carbon footprint, be it a t-shirt, mug or keychain. Before buying, consider if you will actually have use for it
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Before you leave home - Make sure you switch off any unnecessary appliances before you go on holiday, as this will help to save energy too
 Don't let festival fever affect your recycling habits
According to a study by Beyond the Box, a sustainable packaging campaign, our recycling habits are most likely to lapse in the next few months.
This even applies to many keen recyclers, who say they are deterred by things like uncertainty over recycling rules when visiting other parts of the UK.
People also take more days out, or visit events, such as festivals, where they are tempted to put waste in the nearest rubbish bin instead of taking it home for recycling.
Some even admit to leaving tents behind when they have camped at an event, which means large amounts of plastic and other materials are thrown away.
Here are some ways that you can help if you are attending a festival this summer:
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Bring a reusable cup, bottle or hydration pack - Lots of single-use plastic bottles are used and you can help to bring this number down by bringing a reusable bottle or hydration pack
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Avoid single-use plastics - Bring a reusable shopping bag, ask the food trucks to serve your food on your own reusable plate or container and bring your own shampoo and soap in refillable containers
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Be smart with glitter - Microplastics damage our environment. Use bio glitter or consider stick on face gems as an alternative
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Recycle and repurpose outfits - The fashion industry is the second largest polluter in the world behind oil. Consider buying second-hand outfits or choose to shop from eco-conscious brands. After the festival is over, repurpose or sell your outfits
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Use solar power - Invest in some rechargeable solar lamps for your campsite or charge your devices using a portable solar charger
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Recycle - Sort and dispose of your rubbish and recycling in the correct bins. Many festivals have reward programs in place for recycling
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Take everything with you - Pack up your tent, even if you don't need it after the festival. See if the festival accepts donations of equipment to a charity
 A reminder of the waste changes coming soon
The service is changing in the week beginning Monday 12 August. To help you get ready, we have posted a calendar leaflet to help you keep track of what to put out for collection.
You will be keeping your usual collection day, but rubbish will be emptied once a fortnight from the new wheeled bins, instead of the weekly blue bag collection.
Recycling will also be collected fortnightly on weeks when rubbish isn't collected from the usual green bags.
 Saddle up this September for a chance to win big
It is quick, free and easy to sign up for Love to Ride's annual Cycle September challenge, which we are supporting to help people travel more sustainably.
All you have to do is register and start logging your trips, which you can do all year round as part of the Love to Ride campaign, but there are loads of extra rewards for doing it in September.
There is a £1,000 cash prize for early birds who register before Saturday 31 August, a grand cash prize of £2,000 and a prize draw for those who encourage others to sign up.
There are also workplace prizes as well as goodies like sweaters, t-shirts and more.
You can log journeys and win points with the Love to Ride app (available for Apple or Android devices) or by syncing it to Strava or MapMyRide and there are points for getting your friends and family on board.
 Join us to celebrate amazing parks in the borough
Celebrate our amazing parks and green spaces during Love Parks Week (26 July to 4 August).
The dozens of parks in our borough, including the flagship Dinton Pastures Country Park in Hurst, give residents attractive green spaces to visit, socialise and connect with nature, while providing additional havens for our wildlife.
Many of them are also designated as Local Wildlife Sites by Thames Valley Environmental Records Centre for their abundance of natural habitats and plant species that help wildlife thrive and flourish.
Check out our Countryside service website to find out more about what's on offer.
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