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Welcome to our September newsletter containing all the latest news and updates from across West Sussex
 Thousands of pupils across West Sussex can now travel to school in a more sustainable way thanks to a number of new schemes and improvements we've been introducing over the summer.
School Streets Trials
Three new ‘School Streets’ trials have been successfully launched at Arundel Church of England Primary, Swiss Gardens Primary, Shoreham, and Thomas A Becket Junior, Worthing.
It's hoped that the experimental schemes will give families greater confidence to leave the car at home and choose active and sustainable travel options for the school run. The schemes operate by prohibiting motor vehicles entering the road directly at the school gates at drop-off and pick-up times, with exceptions for residents’ vehicles, businesses, and essential access. Find out more about the school streets trials and share your views via the link below.
School road improvement schemes
More than £420,000 of improvements have been completed this summer to help families leave the car at home on the school run. Schemes included significant safety improvements at Barns Green Primary School, The Forest School, Horsham, Chidham Parochial Primary School and Ormiston Six Villages Academy.
Other schools were also supported with School Safety Zone schemes, which warn drivers about the increased numbers of vulnerable road users likely to be present at drop-off and pick-up times.
Win a bike this Cycle to School Week
If you’re thinking about cycling to school with the kids, why not take part in this year's Cycle to School Week, which runs from 25–29 September. If you take part you can enter into a prize draw to win a brand new Frog children’s bike.
 Shown recently on BBC1, "Our Sea Forest" tells the moving story of how a once thriving underwater forest, home to a multitude of different sea creatures, was lost, and its slow road to recovery.
Told through the eyes of Eric Smith, a 74-year-old free diver, who’s been diving in Sussex since he was 11 years old, we see how a once thriving ecosystem was destroyed by trawling.
Thankfully, in 2021, a landmark ruling by the Sussex Inshore Fisheries & Conservation Authority (IFCA) protected over 300 sq. kilometres of seabed. The county council was actively involved in securing the trawler ban, and we’re still represented on the IFCA board.
Kelp beds are a vital marine ecosystem. Across the world they are in serious decline making this a story of both local and international importance.
If you didn’t see the programme you can find it on BBC iPlayer.
Our libraries will be encouraging visitors to find out about living more sustainably during Green Libraries Week, which runs from 2-8 October.
Your local library has everything you need, from books to help you reduce your carbon footprint, to free eMagazines on topics such as growing your own produce, upcycling, and maps to help you plan new walks and bike rides this autumn.
 Despite growing calls for single-use vapes to be banned on environmental and health grounds, a staggering five million disposable vapes are thrown away in the UK every week.
We're reminding people that they mustn't dispose of single-use vapes in their recycling or waste bins at home. This is because vapes often contain hazardous materials which can start a fire when they are crushed during collection and sorting.
If you do need to dispose of a single-use vape please make use of the small electrical collections operated by your district or borough council, or visit one of our Recycling Centres.
- Remember that from 1 October 2023, winter opening hours will return at all 11 of our Recycling Centres. Check your nearest site for details.
- If you would like to help keep our beaches clean, take a look at The Great British Beach Clean events from the Marine Conservation Society, who list several West Sussex litter picking events.
- West Sussex businesses can access new advice and support to reduce their energy bills and cut their carbon emissions from the UK Business Climate Hub.
- Run a micro, small and medium-sized business? Sign up to "Green Business Matters" - our regular eNewsletter on how you can make your business more sustainable and carbon friendly.
If you have any queries, want to share or celebrate local climate action, or add to our events diary please email us: climatechange@westsussex.gov.uk.
Let others know what you're doing by using #WestSussexClimateAction on your social media, and keep coming back to our website for all the latest updates.
If you know someone else who will be interested in reading our newsletter, please forward it so they can sign up using the link below.
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