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Welcome to our November newsletter containing all the latest news and updates from across West Sussex
 We have an ambitious target to be a carbon neutral organisation by 2030. Our latest Tackling Climate Change Progress Report, shows the breadth of work undertaken in the last two financial years towards achieving this target.
Highlights include reducing our operational carbon emissions by 10% compared to 2020/2021, and taking meaningful steps towards delivering significant carbon reductions within our corporate buildings.
We have also expanded our renewable energy schemes, rolled out new cycling infrastructure, begun developing a network of electric vehicle chargepoints, and helped local businesses prepare for the future through the 'Let’s Go! Net Zero' campaign. Find out what else we've achieved by reading our report.
It’s impossible not to notice the impact of wet and stormy weather on the county. Environment Agency flood warnings remain in place in parts of West Sussex, and many areas continue to deal with the aftereffects of severe flooding.
In recent weeks, our highways teams have been busy responding to the rise in issues caused by the latest stormy weather. We increased the staff available to respond to safety issues such as flooded roads, blocked gullies and fallen trees. We want to thank everyone for their patience while our team worked to re-open affected roads.
It's Flood Action Week, and this year the campaign focuses on encouraging people prepare for flooding. For example, did you know that you can sign up for flood warnings and alerts, prepare a personal flood plan and check your home insurance cover?
Climate change means extreme weather events will likely become more frequent. Keep an eye on Met Office weather warnings and take steps to prepare for potential flooding when needed.
 Funding is available from the Government’s Home Upgrade Grant, under the Warmer Homes programme, for fully-funded energy saving improvements such as insulation, air source heat pumps and solar panels. The funding is for those residents in homes that are not heated by mains gas central heating.
These improvements can help lower energy bills and keep your home warmer in the winter and cooler in the summer.
To qualify, you must ensure that:
- Your home is not heated by mains gas (e.g. you use electric, oil or LPG).
- The Energy Performance Certificate Rating is D, E, F or G (if you don’t know this, Warmer Homes staff can tell you).
- Your household income is less than £31,000, or you receive a means tested benefit.
You can apply online or simply register your interest and receive a call back by clicking the link below.
 We are consulting on proposals for two east-west routes within Chichester, which have been developed as part of our Strategic Transport Investment Programme:
- A286 Oaklands Way Cycle Scheme
- A285 Chichester to Tangmere Sustainable Transport Corridor.
Both schemes were identified as they have the potential to provide off-road cycle facilities on routes that connect key education, employment, public transport, services, and development sites, as well as provide opportunities to introduce new bus priority signal technology.
 Did you know a third of us miss chances to recycle at home? Items such as clean black plastics pots, tubs and trays, plastic bottles (with their tops on), and takeaway coffee cups are often being missed despite being recyclable.
Four new videos have launched as part of our 'Think Before You Throw' campaign. The videos focus on each of the four main materials that are recyclable at home across West Sussex - highlighting how these items are processed at the Materials Recycling Facility (MRF) in Ford and where they are then sent for recycling.
To find out what waste items you can recycle, the bin you need to use, or the Recycling Centre you can use, take a look at our A to Z of recycling.
Our libraries are inherently 'green' and by using them you can increase your knowledge, feed your imagination, and live more sustainably.
Did you know a library book can be borrowed on average 25 times before it needs to be replaced? Rather than 25 people buying their own new book, borrowing it from the library means one copy is reused again and again, helping to cut carbon emissions and protect our environment.
Our libraries also provide a wide range of online services including ebooks, enewspapers, and emagazines which require no printing at all! Libraries also have booklists covering green living, the environment, and rewilding.
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 this newsletter, please forward it so they can sign up using the link below.
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