London Councils help Londoners go green
| Published: 10th January 2008 14:55 |
Green schemes helping Londoners become more environmentally friendly have been backed with more than £2 million in grants from London Councils from 9th January.
Among the initiatives that will receive funding are ones encouraging the use of more sustainable products by developers, refurbishing unwanted computers for community groups to use, providing local businesses with recycled paper and other green products, and helping disadvantaged Londoners to save money by helping them find cheap ways of making their homes greener.
The London Councils Grants Committee today agreed to provide £1.24 million towards projects promoting energy efficiency, water conservation and the use of renewable energy. It also approved £828,000 towards initiatives helping to minimise waste and for reuse and recycling projects.
London Councils received 12 applications for funding to promote energy efficiency, with the Grants Committee commissioning three groups. There were 11 applications for waste minimisation and recycling projects with five groups being commissioned.
By 2020 it is estimated that London will be producing 23.6 million tonnes of waste annually, and more than 85 per cent of it would need to be recycled or disposed of within London
About 25 per cent of the capital's waste is recycled, with London also the second best region in the country for diverting waste away from landfill. London sent approximately 362 kilograms per head of population of waste to landfill in 2005/6. The average figure across England was 370 kilograms.
Chairman of London Councils Grants Committee, Cllr Paul McCannah, said: "Improving and protecting the environment is a high priority for London's boroughs, and we have already made great strides in promoting recycling and the reuse of unwanted items.
"We want to make it as simple and affordable for as many Londoners as possible to be able to play their part in helping the capital become even more environmentally friendly.
"London's residents, including those of low incomes, schools, businesses and developers will all benefit from the package of schemes we have funded today. As well as protecting the planet these initiatives will also help save people money."
The schemes receiving funding include:
Forest Recycling Project will receive £104,592 over the next four years to increase its work on waste minimisation. Among its work be to refurbish up to 500 computers a year and distribute them to 120 community groups across the capital. It will also expand its Give or Take website which helps community groups exchange unwanted goods.
Global Action Plan will receive £224,200 over the next four years to fund a full time programme across 80 London schools educating children and young people on waste and recycling issues, and encourage them to develop imaginative solutions. It will also receive £232,656 over the next four years to deliver their Eco Teams programme which will include training a core group of volunteers in each partner organisation to act as green champions.
Creative Environment Networks will receive £207,537 over the next four years to help raise awareness of the need to conserve energy and water, and to help create 400 ‘beacon' organisations that others can use as examples of best practice.
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