Barnet’s residents are being called on to pledge one small change to their daily routines to make them more sustainable for the whole of the annual London Climate Action Week (25 June – 3 July).
Barnet’s residents are being called on to pledge one small change to their daily routines to make them more sustainable
The pledges can be simple and small changes that will help them towards the national and local ‘net zero’ target of sustainable living.
Barnet Council’s employees have already started making their pledges, which include:
- Stop using my dryer for all my washing, including sheets and towels
- Take the 10-minute walk into my local town centre, rather than the five-minute drive
- Buy my fruit and vegetables without packaging
- Reduce the number of journeys I take by car, and car share to work
- Freeze any food nearing its use-by-date, instead of forgetting to cook it and throwing it out
- Unplug/not leave devices on standby and to only put what water I need in the kettle
Barnet Council is backing London Climate Action Week, which comes just one month after the council’s Leader, Cllr Barry Rawlings, declared a climate emergency in the borough.
The week of pledges aims to raise awareness of the huge impact of small, simple changes people can make to their daily routines that can add up to creating a more sustainable way of a living without cost.
Cllr Alan Schneiderman, chair of the council’s Environment and Climate Change Committee, said:
“Every one of us can make small changes to how we live. Whether it’s leaving the car at home and walking to the shops, reducing the amount of packaged goods we buy, or switching the TV off standby, these small things all help to support hitting the big target we have of being a ‘net zero’ borough by 2042.
“Sustainable living is something that we can all achieve. As a council, we are committed to improving local biodiversity, air quality and making us less reliant on carbon polluting energy. Please make a pledge this week and stick with it – you’ll soon see how easy it is to make these small changes that will benefit us all as we head towards a net zero future.”
For more information on London Climate Action Week and how you can get involved, visit: Climate Action Week | Engage Barnet
To make your pledge and find out what others are doing follow Barnet Council on Twitter: @BarnetCouncil #BarnetLCAWpledge
Ends
The council has already put several sustainability measures in place to help us reach the organisation’s target to be carbon net zero by 2030 and for Barnet as a place to be net zero as soon as possible after that – and by 2042 at the latest.
So far, the council has:
- started the retrofit of its housing stock and corporate estate with grants already secured
- by 2030 Brent Cross Town is committed to achieving net zero carbon
- the installation of over 150 electric vehicle charge points, in line with its Long-Term Transport Strategy 2020-2041 which contributes to its position as one of the boroughs with the most electric vehicles
- invested £15m in ensuring its waste vehicles are all ULEZ compliant, more fuel efficient and with lower emissions
- converted our street lighting to LED power, which has allowed us to cut our street light energy usage by up to 66%
- experimental road resurfacing materials using 240 recycled tyres committed to planting 4,500 trees by 2022.