It’s CHRISTMAAASSSSS!
…Yes indeed, and time for the obligatory ‘How to have a Green Christmas’ article. I know I did this last year but it’s more about a gentle nudge for myself and for you if you want it.
Okay, so top tips…
Christmas Tree – Real trees Vs Artificial… this always starts a debate. Research suggests that a natural tree is best simply because it is naturally produced and bio-degrades. An artificial one on the other hand, uses toxic materials and petrochemicals in its plastics, takes a lot of energy to make and has often travelled thousands of miles to be sold in the UK… the final decision comes down to you.
Remember; if you’re a Winchester District resident with a real tree this Christmas then we can collect it and recycle it for you! All you need to do is remove the pot and decorations and put it out with your green bin collection in January.
Fairy lights – Try to use LED lights. We’ve changed all the fairy lights in our house to LEDs in an effort to save electricity and as a result, money. Also, don’t forget to turn off your fairy lights when you go out or to bed!
Christmas cards – as lovely as it is to receive a Christmas card it’s important to consider the following facts: An estimated 1.7 billon cards are sent each year, that’s the equivalent of 200,000 trees, of these about 1 million cards are thrown away. So what can you do to help if you still want to send cards? Well you can buy recycled Christmas cards; there is a great range out there. Christmas card alternatives are fairly simple: send a text message, an eCard via email, or even a Facebook message. After Christmas one of the best things you can do is make sure you recycle your cards, take them to a Woodland Trust recycling point in branches of TK Maxx or Marks and Spencer
Wrapping Paper – keep an eye out for recycled wrapping paper. An estimated 83 sq km of wrapping paper ends up in rubbish bins each Christmas, which is actually enough to wrap up the whole of Guernsey! Large sheets are perfect to reuse and if you want to try something different and eco then swap sticky tape for string or ribbon (it’s also prettier!)
Decorations – go natural and try using alternative decorations this Christmas… holly, mistletoe and pine cones are all very decorative; jars with candles inside make for cute little lanterns; wooden letters to spell out ‘christmas’, ‘joy’ add to the festive feeling.
Christmas Dinner Scraps – There are only so many turkey sandwiches one person can eat in the days after Christmas so for left-over recipe inspiration check out www.lovefoodhatewaste.com
Buy Local – with so many fantastic local businesses, shops and markets in the Winchester District there is a great opportunity to ‘buy local’ this year – both presents and the all important Christmas dinner. What are the benefits, I hear you cry – Oo I feel a list coming on…
- Local food & produce is fresher, which means it’s generally more nutritious
- Reduce Food miles – 13% of the UK’s total fuel consumption goes on packaging and transporting food
- Reduces packaging – no need to transportation packaging
- Supports the local economy
- Helping the environment – local food production helps ensure that local land is put to good use, maintains the quality and frankly, helps the land look luscious and beautiful!
Unwanted Presents – what ever you do don’t throw them out! You can take them to a charity show (find your nearest with the Charity Shop Locator) or re-gift using Freecycle
Christmas Bin Collections & Recycling – Check out revised rubbish and recycling collections on the Winchester City Council website.
That’s all from me this side of Christmas, have a good one! Sarah
Free insulation for Hampshire residents for a limited period!
Insulate Hampshire – Keeping You Warm, Saving You Money!
Insulate Hampshire is launching a new ‘Winter Warmer’ promotion starting 1 December. For a limited period, the scheme will be offering Hampshire residents who are eligible1, free cavity wall and loft insulation2 (subject to a free technical survey provided as part of the scheme). The cost of this type of insulation is normally between £150 to £500.
The special offer has been made possible due to an increased financial commitment from ScottishPower, the funding partner in Insulate Hampshire. This will help Hampshire residents reduce the amount of energy they use to keep their homes warm.
Councillor Ken Thornber, Chairman of the Hampshire Senate partnership, says:
“When we launched Insulate Hampshire, we were offering a compelling and cost effective scheme to help residents tackle the rising cost of keeping homes warm. Now, we can offer a free scheme to all residents2 regardless of their personal circumstances to fully insulate their homes, save money on their fuel bills and reduce their carbon emissions. I would encourage all residents to take advantage of this excellent opportunity.”
“Thousands of Hampshire homes do not have cavity wall or basic loft insulation measures in place and 65,000 Hampshire homes occupied by older people over the age of 70 are not insulated.. Nationally, cold-related illnesses costs the NHS £1 billion every year. Tackling this issue is a Senate priority.”
The ‘Winter Warmer’ free insulation offer will run until March 2012³. High demand is anticipated so residents are encouraged to contact the Insulate Hampshire team as soon as possible by calling 0800 952 0037, emailing enquiries@insulatehampshire.co.uk or visiting www.insulatehampshire.co.uk to sign up.
The Insulate Hampshire scheme is backed by the Hampshire Senate – a partnership of local authorities, other agencies including the Hampshire primary care trust, police and fire authorities and the voluntary and community sector – together with Eastleigh and Fareham Borough Councils.
1. This offer excludes those residents living in the Southampton and Portsmouth City Council areas
2. Free Insulation for average sized properties or smaller and, in the case of loft insulation, that currently have less than 60mm (approx 2½ inches) of material. Charges will apply for larger properties or those where other installation equipment is needed.
3. Applications must be completed by 31 March 2012 to qualify.
National Tree Week – 26 November to 4 December
Back in October I posted an article about the Tree Council and Seed Gathering Season which was aimed at inspiring people to gather seeds, fruits and nuts to grow the trees of the future. Well, that was all leading up to this week, National Tree Week, which sees the start of the winter tree planting season.
This week presents a brilliant chance for local communities to get together and get involved in tree planting initiatives. Traditionally schools, community groups, local authorities, tree wardens and loads of other groups across the UK support the initiative by setting up fun events to inspire people to get their hands dirty, get their shovels out, and get planting.
There is still time to get involved! Check out the events happening in the Hampshire area – http://www.treecouncil.org.uk/community-action/events-map
Alternatively, perhaps consider planting a tree yourself, maybe you’ve got some spare room in your garden, or a relative or friend has been toying with the idea of planting a tree… Whatever you decide it’s probably a good idea to check out the Useful Information page on the Tree Council’s website for advice.
Did you know?
- National tree week was first held in 1975 and is the UK’s largest tree celebration coinciding with the start of the winter tree planting season!
- Trees are the longest living organisms on earth
- Britain is thought to have the largest population of ‘ancient’ trees in Europe
- A tree grows from the top, not the bottom as is commonly thought. A branch’s location on a tree will only ove up the trunk a few inches in 1000 years.
- Trees do not die of old age, generally they are killed by insects, disease or by people.
- Knocking on wood for luck originated from primitive tree worship when rapping on trees was believed to summon protective spirits from the trees.
With thanks to www.rfs.org.uk and www.weekendgardener.net for the tree facts!
RePaint!
Last week I was pointed in the direction of a really cool website which promotes ‘paint reuse’ and I thought it would be perfect to share on here. It’s happened to me a few times where I have been painting a room and end up with half a tin left over, it usually ends up in the shed only to be thrown out a couple of years later after I’ve had a rummage and discovered it by accident. Well, guess what… that no longer has to be the case! RePaint is a project run by a network of communities across the UK. The network is managed by Resource Futures an employee-owned, non-profit-distributing environmental consultancy. They set the project up after research they conducted identified that residents in leeds had a large volume of surplus paint in storage. The first project was established in Leeds and subsequently evolved into a national network.
Paint is donated by individuals and also trade/retail who donate end-of-line, unsold or mis-tinted paint. The scheme has worked with Dulux since the beginning in 1993, and also works with Homebase, B&Q, Wickes among many others.
- 2010 – 366 million litres (!) of paint were sold in the UK
- an estimated 55 million are unused, stored in homes or simply thrown away
- the wastage along is enough to fill 22 Olympic-sized swimming pools!
I have paint!
If you have paint that is usable that you would like to donate them visit the website www.communityrepaint.org.uk and search for the nearest RePaint location. I have already done this (because I’m good like that…) and can tell you that the nearest one to Winchester is in Basingstoke. There is a whole list of the types of paint that you can donate here.
Individuals with paint to donate – search on the website to find your nearest donation point.
Trade/Retailers – again, there is information on donating surplus paint on the website.
I need paint!
If you are a local community group, amateur sports club or charity and need paint to redecorate the premises, please don’t hesitate to contact your local Community RePaint scheme (again go to the website have search). Individuals in social need can also apply for paint, this includes people on income support, former homeless, refugees and asylum seekers among others. To find out more about how to get your hands on some paint go to the ‘Where can I get paint?’ page.
Want to know more?
Of course you do – think of all the extra space you’ll have in your shed or garage! Check out the website - www.communityrepaint.org.uk
Energy Saving in the Home – Guest Post
Guest post by Giles Gooding of WinACC
Heating
For decades we have relied on the abundance of cheap energy produced by fossil fuels to heat our homes. But this has made us wasteful in terms of money and valuable resources, and it’s changing the climate. With the cost of energy rising and winter on its way, this is a good time to think about how to keep warm.
People often ask us at Winchester Action on Climate Change (WinACC) how to save carbon emissions in the home. In this my first energy saving article, I take a look at heating the home and how to reduce the energy used.
60% of the energy we use in the home is used to heat it. We don’t like feeling cold – so what can we do?
First, let’s look at why we feel cold. It’s partly the temperature. But draughts make you feel considerably colder. And of course, we feel colder when we are sitting still – watching the TV, working on the computer or reading. So taking all this into account, I recommend you start with these ideas:
Insulate your home
There’s not much point heating the air in your home if the heat flies out through the roof, walls, and cracks. Even if your loft is insulated, it probably needs topping up – the thicker the better. Current standards recommend 27cm or 10 inches. If your walls have cavities, getting them insulated is cheap, takes only one day, and causes no disruption in the house. Winchester City Council and Hampshire County Council are funding a scheme called “Insulate Hampshire” to install loft and/or cavity wall insulation for £75 and £99 respectively. This is probably the best possible Christmas present you can give yourself and your family if you can possibly afford it. And people over 70 and people on benefits may be able to get it done for free. Ring 0800 952 0037 now to be one of the lucky 5,000.
Control your radiators
Turn off the radiator in rooms you are not using or don’t use much. If you have thermostatic radiator valves, don’t treat them like an ON/OFF switch by moving them between 1 and 5. Set them at 3, wait a day, and then adjust to 2 or 4 if you’re too hot or cold.
Draught-proofing – doors, windows, loft hatches, chimneys and floors
Put a draught strip around the edge of your front and back door. It costs very little and is easy to do.
Cover the inside of your letterbox with a brush seal or even an old bit of carpet. Add a keyhole cover (“escutcheon”).
A thick curtain makes a big difference to heat loss and draughts through windows. Close the curtains when the sun goes down.
If you don’t have double glazing and are not intending to replace your windows, secondary glazing may be a good option. A cheap and easy option is film (like cling-film) by “Mr Cosy” that you put over the window. It doesn’t look odd and its costs very little.
Block draughts around loft hatches with strip insulation as you would a door and glue 10cm or 4 inches of solid insulation on to the top of your hatch.
Chimneys lose a lot of heat. Block it up with a balloon when the fire isn’t alight. You can get special chimney balloons but even an old cushion will do the job. Just remember to take whatever it is out of the chimney before you start your next fire. Better still, fit a wood burning stove. They can be expensive to install but they seal your chimney when not in use and are exceedingly efficient when in use.
If you have wooden floors, fill gaps between boards with a tube of sealant and put a rug on top. The best solution may be under floor insulation though it may be a big DIY commitment.
Reacquaint yourself with your heating controls
Take a look at the timer. Play with it a bit to get the hang of it (ask other members of your family to help) and adjust it to heat the house when you need it. Set it to shut down half an hour before you go out in the morning.
Once you are keeping the heat in your house with better insulation and fewer draughts, you will be able to turn your thermostat down to 18 or 19 degrees C and still feel warmer. The Energy Savings Trust says if you turn your thermostat down 1 degree you would expect to save around £55 per year.
If you have a wood burning stove or some other heater, you can set your central heating controls even lower for the whole house, and use the stove to heat the room you sit in but please source the wood sustainably.
It’s not rocket science
- When you feel cold, put on a jumper.
- When you feel hot, turn the heating off rather than opening the window.
Obviously, doing as much of the above will cost you money, just when times are hard. But many of them (think insulation) will save far more in the future and not just money. But as the savings mount, it is very important to avoid spending these on things that may increase your carbon emissions, just when you’ve made such a great contribution to reducing them! Think local, family, friends, relaxing in your nice warm home rather than jetting off to Jamaica for Xmas.
For more information email Giles: giles.gooding@winacc.org.uk
Huge thanks to Giles for allowing me to post this, it’s a great article and very timely as the temperature is certainly dropping! If you are uncertain how insulated your home is then do make sure you check out the Insulate Hampshire scheme, they will come and survey your home for free, and if you need insultation they will be able to do it all for your for a very reasonable fee. Whatever you decide this winter, do keep warm!
Upcoming WinACC events
Dr Richard McMahon talks about generating electricity from wind and waves
Tuesday 29 November 2011
From 19.30
Room 5, Main Building, University of Winchester, Sparkford Road, Winchester. SO22 4NR
Dr Richard McMahon is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Engineering, University of Cambridge. He has organised a talk at the University of Winchester, and will describe at the event his current research on practical ways of generating electricity from wind turbines and wave power. Dr McMahon is an electrical engineer with an interest in renewable energy generation and energy efficiency of electrical appliances. The talk is intended to be suitable for the non-specialist.
Is it possible to have prosperity without growth?
Saturday 3 December 2011
10:30am – 12:00pm
St Lawrence’s Parish Room, Colebrook St, Winchester SO23 9LH
The vision that drives us, based on the continual expansion of material wants, is untenable. In pursuit of the good life today, we are systematically eroding the basis for well-being tomorrow. Open meeting, all welcome, and especially newcomers. Come and explore these dilemmas together.
Bring and Buy
Get rid of stuff and consume less at Christmas! That unwanted present could be just what someone else’s auntie would love. Bring stuff you don’t want and buy other people’s stuff to recycle as presents.
Refreshments and Bring and Buy from 10 to 10.30 am.
How to have a green Halloween
It’s been impossible to walk down the High Street this week without spotting all Halloween related promotions and decorations, and it started me pondering ways of enjoying a green Halloween this year. I’ve had a look around at various websites and collated, what I consider to be the top 10 most useful tips…
Pumpkin carving? Why not make a delicious pumpkin pie with the scraped out bits.- If you’re not keen on the taste of pumpkin then make sure you compost any left-overs from carving your pumpkin. Don’t forget the entire thing can be composted when you’re done with it.
- If you’re going trick-or-treating then why not use a re-usable bag or even a pillow case.
- Making costumes for the kids (…or adults!)? Try to reuse and recycle old clothes, fabrics or bits and pieces. Old bed sheets make great ghost costumes!
- Don’t drive around trick-or-treating, if possible stay in and around your home and walk.
- Having a party? Save paper waste by sending invitations by email or text.
- If you’re having a celebration in your home why not serve local food and produce.
- Make your own decorations – reuse and recycle – bits and bobs all around you. Tips for making your own decorations
- Add to the spookyness on Monday by using candles rather than having lights on in your house (please be safe though!).
- Buy Fair Trade or locally produced chocolate and treats. the Hampshire Farmers’ Market will be in Winchester on Sunday and that’s a perfect place to pick up local treats for this Halloween.
Have a fabulous safe and green Halloween!
WinACC Events
Past Matters
Saturday 15 October, 3.30pm at South Wonston Village Hall
The Past Matters project is moving to the next phase with the official handover, to the community, of the artwork created by Alex Hoare on Saturday 15 October from 3:30pm at South Wonston Village Hall.
To mark the handover, WinACC and the Past Matters team have created a display to show the thought process from conception to completion. There will be an exhibition of the work done by the children of South Wonston Primary School. Past Matters is about learning from our past to change our future so there will be a short workshop in order to plan the way forward.
Free Solar Workshop
Tuesday 18 october, 8pm at South Wonston Village Hall
WinACC are hosting a Free Solar Workshop on Tuesday 18th October from 8pm at South Wonston Village Hall.
- Practical tips, share ideas, impartial, informative, interactive and fun.
- How to get free energy from the sun – hot water, electricity and heating – and Government subsidies. Get the facts about Photovoltaics (PV) and the Feed in Tariff (FIT).
The FIT subsidy will go down for people installing solar panels from April 2012. Is it the time to invest?
Submitted by WinACC
www.winacc.org.uk
treecouncil.org.uk
I stumbled across the Tree Council this week, an organisation I hadn’t previously heard of but one which is doing some great work that deserves highlighting here.
What is it?
The Tree Council is the UK’s leading charity all about trees promoting their importance in a changing environment. They run campaigns and organise nationwide events such as Seed Gathering Season, National Tree Walk and Walk in the Woods. All their initiatives are aimed at involving as many people as possible in planting, caring for and enjoying trees and woods. The Tree Council also run a Tree Warden Scheme, which involves over 8000 volunteer Tree Wardens across the country dedicated to fundraising, researching and advising on local trees.
Seed Gathering Season
23 September – 23 October
Right now and until 23 October the Tree Council is running a campaign aimed at inspiring people to gather seeds, fruits and nuts to grow the trees of the future.
They have an events map so you can get involved in local Seed Gathering events and there is loads of information on the website – from the best time to collect seeds to how to grow and nurture your seeds – so that you can organise an event if you fancy – Seed gathering info
This year they are also encouraging people to take advantage of the autumn harvest by gathering berries, buts and fruit to eat and create delicious dishes with. To this end they have included lots of great recipes on www.hedgerowharvest.org.uk
I am already a huge fan of apple and blackberry crumble which I make all through winter from my gathering efforts in the autumn, but will certainly be trying some new recipes after this!
Interesting local WinACC events
Past Matters stall at Community Spirit event
Dean Park, Stockbridge Road, Winchester
As part of Community Spirit Event for St. Barnabas and Harestock, WinACC will be holding a stall on the 10 of September in Dean Park, Winchester, focussing on the Past Matters project coordinated by Alex Hoare.
The stall will incorporate heritage display on photographs and childrens art work and information about how we can plan for the future using the lessons from the past. It will focus on how we can be more environmentally friendly by, for example: cut our energy useage and be less wasteful.
This exciting Community Spirit event will be one not to miss. There will be something for all ages with activities for children, live music and refreshments.
Bi-monthly eco-workshop on transport
United Church, Jewry Street, Winchester, SO23 8RZ
“The journey to low carbon transport: how to cut the carbon footprint of travel”
Learn practical ways to cut the footprint of your travel:
- How can you find the right bus-stop?
- Can you travel to Spain on a train?
- What’s the cheapest way to get about?
- What produces the most emissions?
- Can you survive without a car?
Please join us at the eco-workshop on transport to answer these and any other questions you may have about how to travel efficiently while keeping your cabon footprint low
Refreshments from 7.30
