If the term ‘Eco-London’ conjures up images of bearded eco-warriors who wear vegan non-leather Nazareth sandals and feast on organic vegetables grown in allotments in Hackney then think again. Being ecologically friendly is no longer the preserve of the idealistic hippy; time is running out.
Reports suggest that oil supplies may only last another 30 years, the polar ice caps are melting fast and the US has doubled its carbon emissions in the last 15 years. It’s easy to sit in gridlocked traffic in the comfort of your 4x4 and think "not my problem" but it is your problem and if the other 7.4 million Londoners accepted that it was their problem too we could have a real and positive impact on the environment.
London Air Pollution
But how easy is it to live an environmentally friendly lifestyle in London? The Mayor of London’s website, london.gov.uk states that London has the worst air quality in the UK and amongst the worst in Europe, hardly a breath of fresh air with which to begin.
The majority of the nitrogen oxide emissions in London are from road traffic and, to a lesser extent, residential and commercial gas use. Road traffic is also responsible for high levels of particulate matter as are other forms of transportation including air travel from Heathrow. Construction and industrial activities also contribute.
The mayor is legally required to reduce air pollution and is addressing the problems of road traffic in two ways. He is reducing the amount of traffic through strategies such as the congestion charge and improving public transport and he is also reducing emissions from individual vehicles, the worst offenders being heavier diesel vehicles including buses, coaches and taxis.
What can I do?
But what can you do if you drive or use public transport in London? Well, firstly consider whether the journey is necessary. Shop locally or on-line and investigate pubs, bars and restaurants close by before arranging yet another night out in the west end. Half of all journeys made in London are less than two miles long so there is often no excuse for not walking or cycling. If you must drive, check out the Vehicle Certification Agency at vcacarfueldata.org.uk, an excellent website which contains useful tips on reducing environmental damage, data tables showing comparisons between vehicles and information on alternative fuels.
For regularly updated pollution reports from across the capital log on to the London Air Quality Network website londonair.org.uk\n\nWater Conservation
The Thames Water region has one of the highest rates of demand in the UK so it is vital that wastage is kept to a minimum.
A dripping tap can waste 140 litres of water per week, a bath uses twice the amount of water used in a standard shower and even washing vegetables or cleaning your teeth with the tap running uses six litres of water per minute. Water is a very precious resource and with a little thought and effort we can make substantial savings. Leave a jug of drinking water in the fridge so that you don’t have to run the tap to get it cold, only fill the kettle with as much water as you need and buy a water butt to collect rain water for the garden. For practical water saving tips look on the Thames Water website thames-water.com.
Saving Energy
There are also lots of simple ways to save energy in your home. Make sure you switch off TVs, Videos and DVDs as they continue to use power when they’re on standby. Fit energy saving light bulbs which use a quarter of the electricity and last up to 15 times longer than standard bulbs and close curtains to keep in the heat. Remember that every time you save energy you are saving money on your fuel bills too. Log on to london-energy.com for lots more useful advice.
What a Load of Rubbish!
Londoners produce a staggering 3.4 million tonnes of rubbish every year and the majority of this is dumped in landfill sites. Visit the Recycle for London website recycleforlondon.com for practical information on recycling in the capital. The website includes a postcode search facility to access details of services offered by your local council.
Recycle!
80% of people living in London now have recycling collected from their doorsteps and it’s not just limited to glass, paper and cans. Textiles, shoes, car and household batteries and food waste (apart from raw meat) can be recycled.
Larger items such as electrical equipment and furniture can be taken to Reuse and Recycling Centres. The facilities are out there so make sure you use them because despite a great improvement in services over recent years, sadly only 17% of London’s rubbish is recycled.
How can something so small create so much waste?!
Advertisements featuring cute, happy babies crawling round in disposable nappies help fuel a UK market worth over £500 million pounds a year. One baby can get through 5,000 disposable nappies before it is potty trained. An incredible 3,000 million disposable nappies are used annually amounting to around 3% of household waste.
If you are already holding your nose at the thought of cotton nappies then log on to nappyeverafter.co.uk. Nappy Ever After are a not-for-profit social enterprise who collect dirty nappies from your home (using electric vans and bicycles of course) and leave you with freshly laundered ones for just £8.50 per week. There is a one off charge of £79 for a starter kit but this is reduced considerably if you live in Camden, Hackney, Islington or Westminster as these councils fund a rebate to reward environmentally aware parents.\n\nWe are an increasingly throwaway society and it is often cheaper and easier to discard an item and replace it rather than getting it mended. We are also buying more packaged and disposable goods. Recycling is a positive way of dealing with the problem of waste but ideally we should reduce the amount of rubbish we create in the first place.
Practical tips for minimising rubbish include buying in bulk, purchasing refills and concentrated products that require minimal packaging and choosing loose rather than pre-packaged fruit and vegetables. Avoid disposable products such as paper plates and napkins, kitchen roll, plastic cutlery, razors and cameras. Don’t buy products wrapped in non-biodegradable packaging and remember to take reusable bags when you go shopping.
Donate Unwanted Items to Charity
Donating unwanted but saleable items to charity shops is a fantastic way to be environmentally friendly. Not only will your unwanted item be valued by somebody else but you are also helping to raise money for a good cause and may well find a bargain yourself.
London has hundreds of charity shops including OXFAM, Help the Aged, the People’s Dispensary for Sick Animals and Cancer Research to name a few.
Some charities also operate recycling schemes. An old mobile handset is worth on average £5 to OXFAM and they can raise money by recycling used laser and inkjet cartridges. It’s also worth checking out jumble sales, second hand markets and retro shops.
Done all you can?
If you feel you’ve done as much as you can on your own, then why not join a campaign group such as Friends of the Earth. There are around 20 FoE groups in London and they not only campaign to improve the local environment but also get involved in national and international projects. Their website contains a wealth of information on the environment and includes practical tips for a greener lifestyle.
As you can see, it’s not difficult to make a difference and if you only decide on one New Year’s resolution this year, make sure it’s to help London be a greener place to live in.
