Response to Camden's Waste Strategy

Camden FoE was recently invited to attend an Environment & Culture Scrutiny Committee meeting at Camden council, and to provide feedback on Camden's draft Waste Strategy, which can be viewed here. Our response document can be viewed here.

Ban the Bulb

This week Australia has announced its intention to phase out incandescent bulbs. Why has a country that won't sign up to the Kyoto protocol beaten the UK to this simple step?

- this will help Oz reduce its annual carbon dioxide emissions by 800,000 tonnes by 2012
- the same move in the UK could reduce our annual emissions by 2-3 million tonnes
- that's equivalent to 6 months worth of emissions from the Didcot power station
- Lighting consumes about a fifth of the world's electricity production
- Fluorescent bulbs are typically five times more energy-efficient than incandescent bulbs

At an individual level, Dr Matt Prescott (founder of the Ban the Bulb campaign) has said, "Lighting accounts for about 15% of the average home's electricity bill. Each fluorescent bulb saves you about £9 a year, or up to £150 over its lifetime. If they stuck £150 in cash on the packet of a £5 fluorescent bulb then there would be hardly any quibbles from consumers."

If the UK can be persuaded to change all its televisions to a digital service, surely it can cope with this money (and carbon) saving option?

Petition the government here

Better Climate for Camden

On 19th February, Camden FoE hosted a visit from Camden's Environmental Policy Officer to learn about how the Council is tackling businesses' impact on the environment.

It appears that there is no lack of takers for their 'better climate for camden' programme, which provides advice and hands-on assistance for all businesses in the borough. However, there is a worry that this is not reaching the more reticent businesses. Due to the level of interest from local companies the team does not have the resources (time or people) to proactively approach others - who potentially need more help.

Camden FoE is now considering how it can complement this work, but first of all wants to see affordable recycling schemes rolled out to all the Borough's businesses. This is only the first step to greener business and it's time to move on...

Camden FoE Response to Camden Tube Redevelopment Consultation

Camden FoE have submitted a formal response to Camden Council's public consultation on the redevelopment of Camden tube station and Camden market.

You can view the response document here.

Recycling Rubbish?

This group is attracting a lot of new members at the moment, and the reason why? Frustration with Camden's recycling service.

To be fair some households appear to get an excellent service, and residents welcomed the wider rollout of plastics recycling, but this does not extend to larger blocks and estates in the borough. And given that this type of housing is prevalent in the area, a lot of people are feeling frustrated about the service.

We want to know more about your experiences of Camden's recycling service (good or bad) so please post a comment on this blog so that we can take your case to the Borough's recycling officers in March. If you could name the street and area that you live in that would really help.

Thanks!!

February 2007 Meeting Minutes

A copy of the minutes from our February meeting can be found here.