West Bridgford in Transition: the Greening Campaign

Solar Rushcliffe takes off!

2010-07-02T08:01:00.002+01:00

Do you want free energy for the next 25 years?? This could be time for a rapid piece of 'Ecovation' to your house that could be the best investment that you can currently make - in excess of 8% - capable of meeting your electric and gas bills combined, plus additional income. One single house can generate over 3 megawatt-hours per annum.

Starting July, there is a project in Rushcliffe to encourage householders to fit Photovoltaic roofs! It's a partnership project of Rushcliffe BC, West Bridgford Transition, University of Nottingham, and Energy Saving Trust. Please check out the website as it progresses, . Let's make West Bridgford into a 'swarm' of home power generators, collectively equal to a powerstation!

For the month of July and August only, we have two senior architectural students doing mapping surveys of West Bridgford, estimating the potential for home generation, and giving free advice to householders of the costs and payback. Please make use of this! (It's primarily by email). We shall also have open air 'Solar Surgeries' on Central avenue on several Saturdays during the summer months.

Email rushcliffesolar@gmail.com advising them off your Postal Code and Housenumber, and any other relevant details such as trees, slope, boundary conditions, shared ownership, for a rapid estimate of the possibilities. If your house has changed since Googlemaps aerial photos were taken, please include that.

What next?

2010-07-01T18:17:00.002+01:00

The West Bridgford Greening Campaign enters its second phase, and the team are surveying as many local residents as possible to find out which aspects of "being greener" people are most interested in getting advice or further information about. There is a list 9 items to put in order of preference. Have your say, email: Maureen_harms@yahoo.co.uk

the Daffodil principle

2010-05-09T07:22:00.000+01:00

For those of you who sometimes feel disenchanted and wonder "why bother?" Make yourself a cuppa and watch this little video. Not only it is beautiful, it is rather thought provoking too.
Enjoy!

Can you help?

2010-04-10T14:01:00.002+01:00

Please find enclosed a link to the spreadsheet with all the WB street names. If you are willing and able to count the houses and cards in your road, from Friday 30th April, Green Streets Friday, please fill in your name, houses covered, cards counted behind the street name you can cover.

Many thanks

The Greening Team,
Another example to show if we all do a little, it will add up to a lot!.

The pledges, please commit to 5 of them and put the card in your window

2010-04-10T13:57:00.002+01:00

• Walk or cycle journey is less than a mile
• Change 3 light bulbs to low energy
• Top up loft insulation to 270mm
• Turn off lights
• Turn off all standbys
• Turn thermostat down 1degree C
• Reduce shower time by 1 minute
• Turn off taps when brushing teeth

For ideas, information, help and examples click on lables below
or put a keyword in the search box on the right hand side.

If you have lost a card or never received one you can down load it here, pick one up from the library or contact Maureen Harms (details above)

Why get involved?

2010-04-01T17:58:00.000+01:00

We may feel that our little actions won't make much of a difference, but if you join the Greening Campaign you are not alone.

The Greening Campaign invites all 20,000 residents of West Bridgford to sign up to our pledges (see right hand column) and display the challenge card in our windows.

This way we will all be able to see how we can act together as a community as make a real impact

walk or cycle when your journey is less than a mile

2010-03-28T17:23:00.000+01:00

Before you jump in the car to drop your children off at school, pick something up from the shops or have a nice cuppa in West Bridgford, could you do this on foot or on the bike?

It will make it safer for the children if less cars are around the schools, it is very often quicker and easier to walk or cycle to the shops as you don't need to find a car parking space and pay for it.

Have you thought of using the Local Link bus? It is free and runs regularly during the day between 9 and 3.30pm

For more information about transport in West Bridgford see the Green Streets site

Poem by ©David Supper 15/1/10

2010-03-26T15:40:00.000Z

When the Tide Turns

It was an ordinary day
and all in each and every way
sought to discover what was wrong,
sounds like a discordant song
filled the air and yellow light
glowed as if it now were night.
In the once neat streets,
in between the houses meets
a growing mound of household waste,
homes for families of rats that taste
the good life, then the shout goes out -
come to suburbia! Now without a doubt
our neighbourhoods are over-run
and life, as we know it, ceases to be fun.
If this is what our future holds
now is the time we should be bold,
and from this awful vision learn
from consumerism we must turn
and search for a fresher, kinder life
more eco-friendly, free from strife.
Grow more in tune with Mother Earth
rather than in greed to seek out money’s worth,
make a difference, though you’re only one –
turn the thermostat down a full degree,
don’t use the car, plant a tree;
and, when our journey’s finally done,
we can, with hand on heart
honestly say: we played our part.

©David Supper 15/1/10

Biography:
David Supper is a retired art teacher and photographer, he moved to West Bridgford with his partner in April 2007. He is a founder member of the Serpent's Tooth- a poetry writers's group and a member of Nottingham Arts Theatre and will be directing Dangerous Corner in May this year. He is also a member of The Lace Market Theatre and recently co-directed Kindertransport in the Studio Theatre. David has been writing poetry for the past 12 years and has been published in several anthology collections.

Sterling Assist Ltd

2010-03-23T06:24:00.001Z

Sterling Assist Ltd are working in partnership with the Greening Campaign nationally.We are an independent insulation surveying company based in nottinghamshire. Our aim is to provide an honest assesment of your insulation requirements,coupled with advice on the best grant funding options available in your local area. We work with most if not all installers in the surrounding area,therefore we can advise the best deal for you. Grant funding can vary dramatically between installers ,therefore it is not always clear which route to take. All installers used are registered with CIGA (Cavity Wall Insulation Agency) the BBA(British Board of Agrement)and the NIA(National Insulation Association).

Everyone Qualifies for at least a 50% grant if your insulation is innadequate,regardless of status.For more information or to request a free survey of your home please follow this link to our website to request a free survey or freephone 0800 988 7392.

James Barrrett
Sterling Assist Ltd

Jesse Gray's children have whole heartedly embrased the Greening Campaign

2010-03-18T06:38:00.005Z

Last week one of Jesse Gray school's parents, went to spend two afternoons with them talking about Climate change through a presenation and reading a story as well as getting stuck in by printing their helping hands on a big school banner announcing the Greening campaign. The end result was wonderful.

Other classes have been involved in the poster making competition. The Theme: Switch off the lights. Come to the launch on Saturday and admire their work!

In each house in the street, Poem by David Supper

2010-03-17T17:27:00.000Z

In each house in the street,

in each street in the town,
in each town in the land,
we live our lives on standby
red and green, blinking,
flickering lights in every room –
an electronic eye, burning
pricking at our conscience.

Everyone is guilty, you (and I)
and all of us ignore the obvious,
if we’re to keep our green and pleasant
land, our planet blue,
floating in the milky way,
home for future generations,
we must stop the CO².

Reduce our energy consumption,
consider all the other options
or we’ll leave a wasted land,
where little grows but weeds and tears;
when acid drops from gentle heaven
upon the fields and woods below,
then nothing will be blessed.

©David Supper 17/1/10

West Bridgford Library promotes the Greening Campaign

2010-03-16T11:02:00.003Z

Today I dropped by the library to see a lovely display made by the library staff. Not only were they promoting the launch of the campaign Saturday 20th March from 11-2pm at the Becket School they had some books with useful information on how to tackle the pledges for you and your family.

On particularly useful fact is that the West Bridgford library will give you an opportunity to borrow an electricity monitor for 3 weeks to give you some idea on how much energy you normally use and how much you have reduced your energy use if you switch off stand byes, lights, and other electrical appliances that you don't actually use (TV, radio etc in an other room and no one is listening or watching it). Please give a monitor like this a try and if you would like to buy one for yourselves a little further in this blog I have given you some ideas of other companies who sell the monitors.

SAVE WATER AND MAKE A REAL DIFFERENCE

2010-03-12T16:22:00.003Z

Each Severn Trent Water customer uses an average of 133 litres of water every day, of which almost one third is wasted without ever being used. We can all help to save water by making small changes to our daily habits.

Below are some tips on how to reduce the amount of water you waste:
• Save-a-Flush
Place a free Save-a-Flush bag in your toilet cistern. Customers who have already done this save over 4,000 litres of water every year.

• EON ShowerSave
Severn Trent Water has teamed up with EON to offer its customers a free EON ShowerSave. Customers who have already installed an EON ShowerSave are saving water, and money on their energy bills.

• Take the shower challenge.
Encourage members of your household to reduce their shower time by one minute. Customers who are already doing this are saving hundreds of litres of water every year, and money on their energy bills.

Join us to save water and save energy, you can make a real difference. Visit our website or call 0845 6034413 for more information and to order your free products.

Kids for Clean air

2010-01-30T15:59:00.004Z

This image is taken of the Kids for Clean air website
Getting your children engaged in this very important campaign couln't be easier.
Kids for clean air have got a wonderful site full of information and games.

Have a go and learn at the same time.
Enjoy!

Severn Trent - the interactive house

2010-01-14T13:15:00.001Z

If you go to the Severn Trent website you will have access to the Interactive house

Here you find hints, tips and links on how to deal with water carefully.

Shower turtle

2010-01-08T19:51:00.003Z

Whenever you shower you use water and energy - energy to heat the water and perhaps also to pump it. You have to pay for that energy through your gas or electricity bills and of course you pay for the water used.

But there's not just a financial cost. As you use water you reduce the level in our reservoirs and aquifers. And the energy you use means more CO2 is emitted into the atmosphere. More.

This easy to use, battery-operated shower timer can help you cut down. It is steam proof and waterproof, with a strong suction cup that holds it fast to any non-porous surface, such as bathroom tiles. You decide how long you want to spend in the shower and the timer will sound the alarm when your time is up. £10.00

More information from Biggreensmile.com
Choose by Brand

You might also like

Eco Bathroom Pack £40.70

Method Spray Cleaners – Shower Spray Ylang Ylang 828ml £3.00

Turtle shower timer gift pack £15.00

Satin Jet luxurious eco-shower £68.00

From the Severn Trent website I found a cheaper straight forward water timer: at £7.68

10 Ways to be Fuel Smart, by Roger Albright.

2010-01-08T19:41:00.003Z

Thermostats, where they are located in your home, and how you set them can be the most important factor in determining the size of your fuel bill.

1. When you’ll be out for an evening, turn down the thermostats. If you’ll be away for a weekend or more, lower the thermostats to 55 F. You’ll save on heating without risking a freeze-up of your water pipes.

2. Whenever you can lower your thermostat dramatically for a few days or more, you’ll save a little on the operation of the refrigerator and freezer, which won’t need to work so hard to maintain their cool.

3. How low can your thermostats be set? At our house, we’ve gotten accustomed to 68 F as a comfortable norm. Reduce the heat just 1 degree at a time and try it for a week. Each 1-degree drop for an eight-hour period reduces your fuel bill percent. Gradually, you might be able to down 3 or even 4 degrees comfortably and save a chunk of money.

4. Try turning down the thermostat 5 to 10 degrees at night, and then turn it up again in the morning when the coffee is brewing. If you can get used to that, you’ll save 5 to 10 percent of your heating bill.

Once common myth is that when you reduce the thermostat for only a few hours it will take more heat to bring your home back up to the desired temperature. This is not so. You will save money and fuel because your heating system will not have to keep your home so warm. You will use less energy overall even when you warm up your house from a cooler temperature.

5. For greater ease and comfort, install a programmable set-back thermostat. They are available for most gas- and oil-fueled central heating systems. In this way, you can have the heat turned up before you get up in the morning and lowered just as you get into bed. You may not even notice that you are setting back your thermostat. Most of these thermostats come with two setbacks. Therefore, you can also set back the thermostat for the hours when people are in school or at work.

6. Some setback thermostats have different setbacks for weekends. If you frequently forget to setback your thermostat, the programmable setback thermostats will be a great investment. Even if you are already pretty good at remembering, these devices can frequently enable you to set back the thermostat a few extra degrees, providing you with additional savings.

7. If you heat with electricity, you can take advantage of the individual room thermostats that make it possible to shut off unused rooms and to have cool settings in some rooms and warmer settings in others. Using this feature of electric heat will definitely reduce your fuel bills. If you have a thermostat that controls a relatively large area, you should still consider a setback thermostat. You will need an electrician for this installation.

8. Do you need to talk yourself into a lower thermostat setting? Here’s an argument. Your plants are healthier in the cooler air. The health of your plants isn’t in the same league with your personal comfort? All right, you’ll be healthier in the cooler air. Your body will burn a few more calories keeping you warm, thereby helping you to lose weight and improve your general health. Besides, if you’ve already insulated and tightened your home, you will probably be just as comfortable at lower temperatures.

9. When it’s time to open the windows for a little fresh air in the spring, remember to turn down the thermostats. Those cool breezes that feel so good will send your furnace on a fuel-burning rampage unless the thermostats are reset.

10. Planning a party? Turn the thermostats down. Each guest is the equivalent of a 175-watt heater, and a large group will warm up the place without the furnace or the heating units in operation.

Turn down the thermostat by 1°C

2010-01-08T19:35:00.000Z

Turning the thermostat down can save an amazing amount of money, energy and CO2. It is far
preferable to put a jumper on before turning on the heating!!

Greening Histon& Impington -Jumper race!
Get two big piles of oldjumpers - How many jumpers can you put on in one minute?
Simple yet great fun and it highlighted the challenge clearly.

Greening Parklands -Display including free thermometers from the District Council Energy
Advice Officer

Turn off the lights when you leave a room

2010-01-08T19:17:00.004Z

Come up with your own ideas on how to demonstrate this challenge and send us the photos.

Greening Parklands - The school
made a sign about turning off
lights. I think the message is very
clear!!

Greening Histon & Impington -
Making jars to hold candles. This
was a fun way to get a simple
message across.

One school did a short play for everyone to watch where each time anyone left the
stage the audience had to shout ‘Turn off the lights’. Everyone was laughing and the
message was really clear!!

Buzz up!

2010-01-08T19:14:00.004Z

When you aren't actually using the water, give a quick flick of the wrist and turn off the tap. You can always turn it right back on again.

How many times a day do we mindlessly let the tap run? Brushing our teeth, shaving, washing our hands, rinsing the dishes, cleaning vegetables, getting a cold drink.

According to the new EPA WaterSense initiative, the average bathroom sink faucet flows at a rate of two gallons a minute. You can slow that flow by installing a new low-flow faucet.

You can also save up to 8 gallons of water a day simply by turning off the tap while you brush your teeth in the morning and at night. Do the same while you shave.

Other tap tips: Keep a pitcher of water in the fridge so you don't have to run the tap to get a cold drink. Rinse soapy hands for 15 seconds to kill germs. Scrape rather than rinse dishes. Soak veggies first, then do a quick rinse to clean.

Read more:

Water saving whilst brushing teeth

2010-01-08T19:11:00.000Z

Switch off while you brush. As a default, most of us leave the tap running while we brush our teeth until we’ve finished the final swill. It’s time to break that habit and save up to 5 litres a minute to boot.

If the entire adult population of England and Wales did likewise, this could save a total of 180 mega-litres a day – enough to supply nearly 500,000 houses.

Saving water at home, in the garden or at work takes very little effort, but makes a surprisingly big difference. In general, this involves simply cutting out the amount of water we are wasting through our day-to-day habits – like when we leave the tap running while we brush our teeth.

It’s about consciousness – the more we become aware of our ordinary everyday actions, the more we can choose to modify them to look after this good world. Even when cleaning our teeth.
This is especially poignant when you consider what a precious commodity water is and how highly valued it is by those who do not have a multiplicity of taps in their village, let alone their home. It’s all part of our good care for the planet for which we’re responsible.

Turn off taps when brushing teeth

2010-01-08T19:06:00.002Z

Water is a scarce resource and there is only the same amount of water to share out as
when the dinosaurs were on the earth – and there were hardly many people then!! It is
important not to waste water because not only is it scarce but it takes energy to clean it
and move it to our houses.

• Greening Graysott – their scouts had a water urn (usually for use
with boiling water at events). The children would pretend to brush their teeth
while the tap was turned on, and collect the water in a measuring container to
see how much was wasted. They then compared this to how much they used if
they did it when turning the tap off whilst brushing. The difference in water use is
amazing. The water was then returned to the urn for the next one.

• The farmers did a display on sensible water use and water saving – it was very
Heath Robinson but great fun.

Your water companies may be able to send you information on water saving and
brushing your teeth.

Install a Natural Insulation

2010-01-08T19:02:00.001Z

Natural Insulations:

* Are more thermally efficient than mineral fibre
* Use less energy and emit less CO2 in manufacture than mineral fibre (particularly Warmcel 100)
* Are safer to handle than mineral fibre
* Have the ability to absorb and desorb moisture without losing their efficiency
* Can store CO2 during growth (hemp)
* Can help UK sheep farmers (Thermafleece and Black Mountain)
* Can be composted or incinerated for energy use at the end of their (long) life
* Warmcel 100 makes use of recycled newsprint

Natural Insulation

2010-01-08T17:45:00.004Z

Another extract from the Transition Town Lewis website:

We are Natural Insulations a very small company selling natural insulations for the past 12 years. We have been involved in the environmental movement for more years than I care to remember! As yet we have been unable to start a transition town in our area but want to help people who have . The idea we have is to offer Warmcel 100 loft insulation made from recycled paper at a very discounted price to your group. Besides the obvious energy saving benefits the idea would have a community involvement because we are suggesting say we deliver one pallet load of 40 bags (which if people are topping up their existing insulation in a standard size house would be equivilent to 5/6 houses) which would be shared among your group. Or to encourage new members to your group you could offer the insulation to a part of Lewes or a few streets. There are many possibilities.

This is a new scheme and if you are interested in taking this idea further then please make contact.
Regards
Rob Street
Rob Street Natural Insulations
Credit Cards Taken by Phone
Tel/Fax 01920 821069

If anyone in our group would like to explore the possibilities to set this up for West Bridgford, please let me know via the comment box and I shall put you in contact with anyone else who might be interested. (please leave email or telephone details)

Top up loft insulation to a depth of 270mm

2010-01-08T17:40:00.006Z

Could you have a display or stand to promote Insulation?

Insulation is one of the easiest ways to save money and CO2. This means that this stand is really important and the information you provide could encourage people to really make a difference.

Make sure you find out some answers to questions you may get asked for example:
Will my pipes freeze if I stop heat getting up there?
Will my roof space become damp?
How much insulation should l use?
What types of insulation are there?

You can get your answers from your council or The Energy Savings Trust will help advise you.
Some groups ask their local DIY store to provide some free samples – loft insulation options, pipe lagging, etc.

You could also call alternative insulation providers and ask for a sample eg Thermafleece (sheeps wool), or Natural Building Technologies (Hemp)!!

Journey Planner

2010-01-08T17:35:00.002Z

I was at the Cyclenation conference in Nottingham and made contact with a host of amazing people and organisations.

One of which was the team who designed the cycleStreets.net website, which lets you plan a cycle journey from a-B anywhere in the UK. I have put the link on the right hand side of the blog, specifically for West Bridgford.

The planner gives the fastest, quietest and balanced route, catering for your cycling preferences.
You can even see at a glance how hilly your route will be - with hlls taken into account in the planner.

ByeBye Standby Energy Saving Kit

2010-01-08T17:13:00.002Z

ByeBye Standby Energy Saving Kit

This is new energy saving kit for home and office use, designed to reduce the daily energy consumption of electrical devices left on standby. Use it to stop devices being left on standby and reduce your carbon footprint. Now that's eco friendly!

The kit contains three Appliance Switches and one Remote Control, and is an ideal way to get yourself started - you can use it to control up to 12 devices, using 4 way extension leads.

Although there are plenty options to buy them via the web, currently the Eco Hamster is the cheapest. Please let me know if you find a cheaper one else where so that I can update this blog. Thank you

Turn off all standby's

2010-01-08T17:05:00.004Z

Standby Savers for TV, DVD, Freeview, Games Consoles and more

Turning a television, DVD player or games console off when not in use saves energy, reduces harmful CO2 emissions, and saves money!

In the UK around 15million TVs are left on standby for 20 hours per day. If they were all switched off, we'd save enough energy to decommission an entire power station.

These great standby saving devices make it easy to completely switch off devices and appliances, click here find out more about their environmental, energy saving and cost saving benefits, and to order.

Smart Meters and Electricity Monitors: the first step in Energy Efficiency

2010-01-08T16:48:00.003Z

The first step in cutting your energy consumption, your electricity bills, and your carbon footprint is to find out how much electricity you're currently using. A home energy monitor (also called a smart meter) will show you in real time how much you're using, and the effect of tunring things on and off.

To try one out why not go to West Bridgford Library where you can borrow one for a little while. Or if you wish to own one, you could have a look on the web. We have found some on Nigel's Eco store site.

Whether you prefer the stylish Wattson, a functional smart meter like the OWL or Efergy, or to track individual appliances using the Ecosaver, we have the meter for you.

Nigel's Eco Store

Dimmer Dimmable Energy Saving light bulbs from Nigel's Eco Store

2010-01-08T16:40:00.003Z

20 Watt Dimmer Dimmable Energy Saver - fully dimmable from a standard dimmer switch, and energy saving

Save money and energy without compromising on the control of your lighting. This fully dimmable energy saving light bulb by Digiflux works with a standard dimmer switch and can be used as a direct replacement for traditional incandescent bulbs.

It'll dim from 2% to 100% brightness and will save you more than £100 on energy bills over its life! Equivalent to a 100W 'normal' bulb, it'll last 16,000 hours.

For help and advice, or to order over the phone,
please call 0800 288 8970.

• Switch on at any light level
• Low mercury content only 2.5mg

100W incandescent equivalent

Whilst every attempt has been made to ensure these bulbs work with the majority of dimmers (and this bulb will work with most standard dimmer switches) some dimmers may require more than one bulb to be used to meet their minimum wattage - if in doubt, please check the instructions on your dimmer switch). NB will work with most slider dimmers and touch dimmers.

At the end of its useful life, this energy saving lightbulb should be recycled at any household recycling site. (This is a big difference between tungsten bulbs and compact flourescents (CFLs) - you can actually recycle CFLs whilst tungsten bulbs can only go in the bin.)

For more information or to order go to Nigel's Eco Store

Handling and Disposal of Low energy light bulbs

2010-01-08T16:37:00.002Z

Mercury and CFLs

Mercury is a toxic metal associated with contamination of water, fish, and food supplies, and can lead to adverse health affects. A CFL bulb generally contains an average of 5 mg of mercury (about one-fifth of that found in the average watch battery, and less than 1/100th of the mercury found in an amalgam dental filling). A power plant will emit 10mg of mercury to produce the electricity to run an incandescent bulb compared to only 2.4mg of mercury to run a CFL for the same time. The net benefit of using the more energy efficient lamp is positive, and this is especially true if the mercury in the fluorescent lamp is kept out of the waste stream when the lamp expires.

All fluorescent lamps do not contain the same amount of mercury. Philips lamps with Alto Lamp Technology, for instance, contain less mercury than conventional fluorescent lamps. Philips claims the bulbs have the lowest amount of mercury of any bulb on the market at less than 3.8 mg per bulb. To achieve this, Philips uses a specially developed mercury capsule which ensures the exact amount of mercury is placed in a tiny glass capsule which is attached to the lamp cathode. To purchase the new 'Alto' CFLs, click here.

The mercury in compact fluorescent bulbs poses no threat while in the bulb, but if you break one:
- open a window and leave the room for 15 minutes or more
- use a wet rag to clean it up and put all of the pieces, and the rag, into a plastic bag
- place all materials in a second sealed plastic bag
- call your local recycling center to see if they accept this material, otherwise put it in your local trash. Wash your hands afterward.

Burned out CFLs can be dropped off at Home Depot and Ikea stores.

Or in West Bridgford: take to any of our Household Waste Recycling Centres including Rugby Road, West Bridgford and Langar. They go in the same banks as the fluorescent tubes, with the pink iconography.

Energy efficient light bulbs vs regular light bulbs

2010-01-08T16:30:00.002Z

The Newest Generation of Light Bulbs

When you do the numbers to decide whether to lease a car or buy, whether to rent a house or buy, you look at the costs projected months and years ahead, right? So why not with something as simple as a light bulb? Too much effort for the savings? Well let us break it down for you so you can make an informed decision next time you're at the store.

There are two basics types of light bulb, fluorescent and incandescent light bulbs. Incandescent bulbs are the most commonly used because they are the least expensive bulb by bulb, and also include a variety called halogen light bulbs. They are not the least expensive over time, even the halogen variation.

Fluorescent Light Bulbs
Fluorescent light bulbs are energy saving bulbs that screw into a regular light socket or lighting fixture. In comparison to incandescent light bulbs, fluorescent bulbs last between four and ten times longer and use approximately one quarter less energy. While they are more expensive initially, the cost is paid back between three and twelve months (depending on the types of bulb in question). This means that the typical homeowner, or many renters, would do better with fluorescent bulbs.

Do Fluorescent Bulbs Flicker and Buzz?
The first generation of fluorescent light bulbs used magnetic ballasts rather than electronic. What this basically meant was that it took longer for the charge to get to the bulb causing it to flicker, make noise and take a bit to warm up. The connection was not as strong or consistent. Similarly, they also used mono-phosphors rather than multiple-phosphors, causing the light emitted to be a bland yellowish tint. Since then, the technology has made leaps and bounds. While once they were the very definition of institutional gloom, they now come in even more variations of white (and color) than the older generation bulbs. The only difference left is the cost.

Ancillary Benefits
Because fluorescent bulbs use less energy and last longer, there is less waste. You use less energy and go through bulbs far less often (average 8000 hours life vs. 500-2,000). The only environmental consideration to keep in mind is that fluorescent bulbs use trace amounts of mercury. It is important, then, to recycle them at either your local recycling center or return them to the store you bought them from so that they can recycle them for you. Even with that minor consideration, you will use as little as one bulb rather than ten, and consume one quarter the energy. Not only do you reduce waste, then, and save considerable money over time, but you also end up pulling out that step stool far fewer times in your life. And honestly, who doesn't want that most of all?

For more information see the Energy Saving Trust website

Change 3 light bulbs to low energy Save money and CO2

2010-01-08T15:14:00.003Z

The idea for this challenge is to be able to encourage people to change three bulbs for low energy bulbs so that everyone uses less energy when lighting their rooms. By doing a bit of research you can also give people advice about low energy lightbulbs and how they can be used.

Sheila Hood of Rushcliffe Borough Council (0115 9819911), the Energy Savings Trust (0115 9597716), energy company will be able to help with this and these or your council may give you free bulbs to give away.

• Get the local hardware or lighting shop to create a display
• Plug different lightbulbs into an energy meter to see the difference
. Pedal a bike which is linked to light bulbs to feel the difference between an old fashioned light bulb and a low energy one. Contact Matt Little from Re-innovation.co.uk who has got a wide variety of bikes to pedal to make a fountain, stereo and bubble machine work.

Come up with your own ideas on how to demonstrate this challenge and send us the photos!
Always relate your display back to the Greening Campaign Challenge card which is going to all houses in your community. Make the challenge big and visible!!

Information provided by The Greening Campaign.

Your Free local bus

2010-01-07T20:57:00.000Z

Today I was told about this free local bus link that goes through West Bridgford and runs every hour. Just enough time to do your shopping and go home!

Why not give it a try, please find route below.

Your local bus from Silverdale, Clifton, Ruddington, West Bridgford to Gamston.
Locallink L2

Locallink L2 Locallink L2 route - Via Silverdale, Monksway, Brookthorpe Way, Clifton Lane, Green Lane, Southchurch Drive, Swansdowne Drive, Farnborough Road, Clifton Road, Wilford Lane, Ruddington Green, Kirk Lane, Loughborough Road, Greythorne Drive, Rugby Road, Eton Road, Musters Road, Bridgford Road, West Bridgford Central Avenue, Davies Road, Abbey Road, Buckfast Way, Brockley Road, Davies Road, Radcliffe Road, Rutland Road, Lady Bay Road, Trent Boulevard, Regatta Way, Ambleside to Gamston Morrisons.

For more information visit the Nottingham City Council Website

Rushcliffe Borough Council - energy saving advise

2010-01-06T20:35:00.000Z

Energy Efficiency

Advice and guidance on ways to save money at home by using energy more efficiently.

An energy efficient home costs less to run. Many of the measures you can take to make your home more efficient - such as radiator panels, low energy light bulbs, and insulation - will more than pay for themselves in the months following installation.

The best place to start is to complete our home energy survey - please contact us to request a copy - to identify what improvements would save you the most money and have the greatest impact on reducing your energy consumption. You can also complete a home energy survey online on the Save Energy website.

Contact the Community Energy Officer:
You can contact Sheila Hood, Community Energy Officer, by telephone on 0115 914 8560 or by email to energy@rushcliffe.gov.uk.

Energy Saving Trust

2010-01-06T20:01:00.000Z

Home improvements and products
There are lots of simple ways to make your home more energy efficient and save money as a result. Are you thinking about getting some insulation or glazing? Or perhaps you are looking for some energy efficient lighting or appliances. Either way, we are here to help you decide what home improvements and products are best for you and your home.

See if you can qualify for a grant

Water ambassadors - advice from New Zealand!

2010-01-06T15:52:00.002Z

Waitakere City Council in New Zealand currently have two web sites which are dedicated to water conservation. Due to the internet we can access this and take advantage of these helpful ideas. If you run a group like scouts, brownies, or a school why not have a look for some ideas. They make a good point, although we have plenty of rain to make it suitable for drinking is a very energy demanding process, so preservation is the way forward.

This is a fun website run by Council for children aged 5-10 who are interested in learning how to use water wisely.

Cars2Share is now available in West Bridgford, you can sign up for FREE!

2010-01-05T21:00:00.001Z

Do you know the true cost of running a car? Have a look at the following website:.... If this calculator made you decide that maybe it would be an idea to look at alternatives to your (second)car, we might have come up with an answer.

Enterprise rent-a-car, our local car hire company has very kindly come up with a brilliant deal for people in West Bridgford. It is simple to use, cost effective (for occasional use) and will contribute to clearer and safer roads in our Town. They will come and pick you up, drop you off, give you a huge selection of cars available (depending on what you need it for that day/weekend/week etc Van, small car, large car, MPV) Just click: Car2Share to go straigt to their site, you can sign up for Free membership

Big Ben and Houses of Parliament to switch off the lights for Earth Hour

2010-01-03T19:26:00.000Z

The Houses of Parliament lights were turned off during the Capital 95.8 Lights Out London Campaign in 2007 which was inspired by Earth Hour that started in Sydney

The luminous face of Big Ben will go dark. Next door, the houses of parliament switched off all its lights too, along with thousands of landmarks, buildings and people around the world in a global gesture of solidarity in the fight against climate change.

From the international dateline, Earth Hour starts in New Zealand's Chatham Islands and will conclude in Honolulu. Passed like a baton around the planet, cities including Sydney, Hong Kong, Singapore, Moscow, Istanbul, Dubai, Cape Town and Las Vegas will be darkened for an hour at 8:30pm local time to mark Earth Hour, the single biggest mass event to mark public concern over global warming.

More than 3,200 cities across 88 countries have signed up and the event has received support from international leaders including Archbishop Desmond Tutu and the United Nations secretary general, Ban Ki-moon. Environment campaign group WWF, which is co-ordinating the global event, expects hundreds of millions of people around the world to take part in turning out their lights for an hour, in the hope of sending a direct message to world leaders that their voters want urgent action to save the planet from rising temperatures.

"Earth Hour is shaping up to be an impressive symbolic response to our planet in peril," said the climate change secretary, Ed Miliband, who is supporting the event. "Popular pressure like this will leave little doubt around the negotiating table in Copenhagen this December that a meaningful global carbon deal must be delivered. Making us all more aware of the energy we use is a critical first step in making lasting changes to our lifestyles."

The Eiffel Tower, Shanghai's Hong Kong New World Tower, the Christ the Redeemer statue in Rio de Janeiro, Sydney's Opera House and Table Mountain in Cape Town will all take part.

In London, Nelson's Column, City Hall, the National Gallery and the National Theatre will switch off their lights. The Millennium Stadium in Cardiff, the Clifton suspension bridge in Bristol, the Belfast Wheel and Scotland's Forth rail bridge and Edinburgh castle will all go dark.

Over 1,200 schools in the UK have also been active in the run-up to Earth Hour, with pupils receiving lessons on the challenges faced by climate change. WWF's head of campaigns, Colin Butfield, said the idea was that children would then go home and pester their parents to turn out lights . Members of the Women's Institute have also been encouraged to support the event at home.

Almost 400 British businesses are also taking part. Furniture retailer Ikea will turn off the lights outside its stores while Coca-Cola will switch off its advertising screen at Piccadilly Circus, only the third time it has been extinguished since the second world war.

"We hope it communicates the importance of everybody being involved in this and hopefully this will increase awareness that everybody needs to do their part, that includes governments, NGOs and individuals," said Coca-Cola's Euan Wilmshurst.

Green electricity company, Good Energy, has written to its 25,000 customers, encouraging them to turn out their lamps and light candles for an hour instead. Founder and chief executive Juliet Davenport encouraged people at home to play candle-lit board games and said that mass events such as Earth Hour allowed people to see how small actions, of the kind needed to tackle climate change at an individual level, could add up to something influential on a global scale.

The idea for Earth Hour grew out of a similar campaign held by WWF's Australian campaigners in 2007. For the global version, the campaign group chose 2009 because of the negotiations in Copenhagen to set climate targets after the Kyoto protocol runs out in 2012.

Campaigners have not calculated the amount of energy that might be saved by the combined action around the world, arguing that Earth Hour is more symbolic than a direct attempt to save carbon emissions.

"When global leaders meet at the UN conference in Copenhagen later this year, they are going to determine how the world will work together to tackle climate change in future. We need them to know that the eyes of the world will be upon them," said Butfield. "Earth Hour is a simple way for people all over the world to make sure our leaders really understand that people are looking to them to do what is right and that the time for action is now."

Not everyone is so positive, however. Organisers had hoped for the participation from the Forbidden City in Beijing but Chinese government officials have told their citizens to hold back because Earth hour clashes with Serf Liberation Day in Tibet, a new holiday to commemorate the ousting of the Dalai Lama from the province.

George Marshall, of the charity Climate Outreach and Information Network, questioned whether darkness was the right symbol. "This action offers darkness, regression and the threat of less. Light has always been a symbol of progress, civilisation, intelligence, truth. Turning off lights has always been a symbol of collapse ‑ the Dark Ages."

But Andy Ridley, of WWF in Australia, said: "For the people who take part, we hope there is a sense of empowerment, the knowledge that however small or big the actions you can effect in your life, whether you are a CEO or doing your GCSEs you can make a difference when these actions are brought together."

Contact the Environment editor
environment@guardian.co.uk

Earth hour 2010 commercial

Free Shower smart device

2010-01-02T19:53:00.000Z

What is this all about?

Eaga, an energy efficiency provider and store, which sometimes delivers government energy saving programmes, has 100,000 free Showersmart devices, which make your shower more energy efficient, to give away to households in England, Scotland and Wales. Plus if you’re over 70 or receive means tested benefits (eg working tax credit, income support, housing benefit etc.) you can get 4 free energy saving light bulbs.

How do I get one?
Go to the eaga website and select if you are applying for just the Showersmart or the energy light bulbs too. Then just ‘click to apply’, ‘add to cart’, ‘checkout’ and enter your name and address. It should be dispatched within 6 to 8 weeks. They are only available while stocks last but with 100,000 on offer this shouldn’t run out any time soon. Its likely you will receive details of further offers, so beware if you dont want that.

How does the Showersmart work?
The Showersmart is a small device that you attach to your shower that claims to make it more energy efficient.The unit works by regulating the flow of water through your taps to an even 7.8 litres per minute, which according to the manufacturer saves a two person household £20 year in energy costs & water meter users £20/year too.The unit is about 5cm long and fits between your tap and the end of the shower hose. It’s supposed to be really easy to fit, so you don’t need a plumber to help.

Does it fit my shower?
The Showersmart is suitable for all mains-pressure showers where hot water comes from a combi-boiler or hot water tank. This includes non electric showers and bath/shower mixer taps but does not include electric showers, showers with multiple jets or rainwater showers.

Quick facts on eaga ShowerSmart
Save up to £600 over the product's lifetime.
Save up to £20 per year* on fuel bills.

Save up to £20 per year* if your water is metered.
15 Year manufacturer guarantee.
Easy self-installation.
Suitable for use with non-electric mixer showers or bath/shower mixer taps, provided they run off the mains water pressure.
Works by regulating the water flow, saving you water, energy and money

First Committee meeting planned

2010-01-01T11:03:00.002Z

After our first open public meeting 11 people put their names down to be part of the committee.
With the start of a new year, we start with fresh enthusiasm and we shall have our first Steering group meeting on Wednesday 6th Jan at 8pm at Belle & Jerome.

Would all those who were interested in being part of this group, please try and make it as this is a crucial meeting.

Many thanks

2009-12-01T10:17:00.001Z

On Monday 30th November over 50 residents from West Bridgford came together to give their input into The Greening Campaign. The objective of this campaign is to help West Bridgford residents reduce their CO2 emissions and save money at the same time!

An inspiring presentation from founder Terena Plowright, was followed by some delicious refreshments courtesy of the Co-op. Working groups were established who subsequently discussed and decided what pledges would be appropriate for our community. The pledges varied from “very easy” to implement to “more challenging”, but all are designed to get young and old involved. The wonderful thing about these pledges is that if many people do a little, not only will it strengthen community spirit, but big changes may happen, benefitting us all.

Although most areas of the community were represented we are also looking for involvement from local churches, primary schools, scouts and guides groups. If you would like to find out more about The Greening Campaign and how you can get involved please contact Maureen Harms or subscribe to the Transition West Bridgford Newsletter (see right) to keep up to date with this and any other of the Transition West Bridgford initiatives