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Flyer Article - October 2024
Flyer Article - October 2024
We have been busy!
We have been busy!
Sustainable Sawbridgeworth volunteers had a busy August supporting key town events in addition to holding the latest Tidy Up Sawbridgeworth session.
The Town Council’s second Energy Hub took place at Fun on the Field with help from the group, providing ideas on how we can all save energy at home and signposting residents to advice on solar panels and air source heat pumps. Using funding from East Herts Council, the Hub displayed a range of demo equipment and gave residents the opportunity to discuss ways they are saving money and cutting their carbon footprint through reduced energy use.
On the same day Sustainable Sawbridgeworth brought 'No Dig' gardening to the Gardens and Allotments Show. Visitors were keen to learn about the popular and growing trend for 'No Dig', promoting weed suppression by placing cardboard directly onto growing sites and putting compost on top. These interventions replace digging soil, which encourages weed growth and releases carbon into the atmosphere in turn contributing to climate change. Adding compost accelerates microbial activity which feeds crop roots while leaving soil undisturbed resulting in increased crop health and yield. Anyone can follow this gardening practice on the smallest or largest of areas.
For further details see Charles Dowding’s ‘No Dig’ videos on YouTube and the East Herts website for more energy saving actions.
Photo: Mayor Cllr Reece Smith and the town's sustainable mascot Sunny the Sawbosaurus with group volunteers and town councillors at the Energy Hub.
Flyer Article - April 2024 by David Royle
Flyer Article - April 2024 by David Royle
Flyer Article April 2024 by David Royle
Flyer Article April 2024 by David Royle
AN INDEPENDENT VIEW APRIL 2024
AIR POLLUTION:
· Affects every organ in the body; the young, the old, and people with existing health conditions are most at risk.
· KILLS: long-term exposure to outdoor air pollution in England in 2019 was estimated to be equivalent to 26,000 to 38,000 deaths a year.
· The largest single source of PM2.5 fine particulates is from burning wood for home heating (29% of emissions in 2022), then road transport (18%) and industrial processes and product use (16%). (House of Commons Library briefing paper 190224 ).
HOW CAN YOU HELP?
· Even small reductions in air pollution could help: walk, cycle and scoot more, use side streets away from polluting traffic
· Avoid unnecessary burning at home unless it is your only source of heat.
· Use ‘ready to burn’ materials (e.g. dry wood or approved solid fuels) and use an appliance that is eco-design accredited.
· ‘Idling’ . TURN-OFF your engine. Sitting in a car with the engine running when stationary increases pollution outside the car and is worse for those inside the car, especially in winter, as the heater can pull fumes into the vehicle.
IDLING MYTHS vs FACTS
· It’s NOT TRUE that by idling, you save money and fuel
· It’s NOT TRUE that you will ruin your car battery by switching the engine on and off.
· turning your engine off WILL REDUCE POLLUTION inside and outside the car
· BE KIND TO OUR COMMUNITY: avoid idling outside schools, homes, at railway crossings and hospitals.
· Idling is a finable offence under Section 42 of the Road Traffic Act 1988.
SUSTAINABLE SAWBRIDGEWORTH: climate change and air pollution are both associated with the burning of fossil fuels i.e. many sources of air pollution are the same sources that contribute to climate change. Sustainable Sawbridgeworth is working with both East Herts and Herts County Councils on their Clear the Air and Breathe Cleancampaigns; as well as working with schools on reducing idling by cars and buses (especially at Leventhorpe).East Herts Council (EHC) has installed a real-time air monitor on London Road so that residents will soon have the opportunity to plan their journeys more effectively and more sustainably.
THANK YOU FOR PLAYING YOUR PART IN CLEANING UP OUR AIR
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