Saving energy is in the news this week. I am reminded I have never heard anyone comment about the flowers in tubs dotted around the Town. However, a lady commented about the Christmas lights that were switched on in the middle of the day, in November. She turned to her mother and daughter and sounding surprised said, “The lights are on. Why?”
The tubs are paid for by the Town Council and Councillors and volunteers give their time planting the bulbs and maintaining them. The Christmas lights, a multitude of small electric light bulbs on cables hang in the trees all year round. They are ready to brighten up the High Street and give people pleasure at the flick-of-a-switch. The Town Council pays the electricity bill!
The lady’s comment did not show pleasure. Perhaps she felt the Town Council should save the lights for Christmas, save money, and help reduce climate change by saving energy?
I have asked before that energy should not be wasted. Until all electricity is generated sustainably power generation will contribute to climate change. Climate change is blamed for rising sea levels and this week, climate change is the likely cause of a month’s rain falling in one day causing flooding and 250 deaths. Saving energy saves money and may save lives.
In its Spring magazine the local Authority stated these 3 priorities:
A carbon neutral borough by 2030
Supporting nature and biodiversity
Improving recycling rates
I say, all three will be improved and it will help reduce climate change if recycling is improved!
More from the Spring Mag
Under the heading, ‘Tackling climate change and enhancing our environment’ the local Authority stated it collected 60,592 tonnes of household waste. 22,594 tonnes was recycled and composted.
New waste, electronic and electrical equipment bins have been installed across the borough.
(I haven’t got one yet!)
A trial to distribute free recycling bins and a total of 400 free compost bins has begun.
(I’m waiting for mine)
Newly installed, LED, street lights have reduced electricity consumption – saved 1,300 tons of carbon.
Wind Turbines off Redcar’s coast
(Wind Turbine Generators off the coast produce sustainable electricity. LED lights use less electricity than conventional lights.)
New hydrogen and electric vehicles have been trialled by the council.
Recycling and compost equates to a 37% recycling rate.
(That is the rate the council wants to improve.)
THE EXPERIMENT
I am doing an experiment to show my recycling doesn’t need to be collected every two weeks. There are a lot of one and two person households in the borough and if I am right once a month or every six weeks should do. The council will save petrol if the recycling wagons do not run so often or it may decide to look for other streams of recycling.
WHAT CAN COUNCILS DO?
In Thursday’s meeting I mentioned examples of electricity being wasted. By day outdoor lights competing with the sunshine and decorative lights with many more light bulbs than are needed. By night lights, for no reason that I can see, compete with Blackpool Illuminations. It would help if those parties were more thoughtful.
THANK THE RECYCLING TEAM
Our Council Recycling Team men and women drivers and loaders have had a tough time during the Covid pandemic. They deserve recognition. Would you like to thank them? Let me know and I’ll pass it on.
This month the local authority has advertised 3 of its priorities include
A carbon neutral borough by 2030
Supporting nature and biodiversity
Improving recycling rates
WE CAN HELP?
In discussion with the refuse and recycling management I found they need our help. You know recycling saves money, resources, helps the environment and helps reduce climate change. The question is – can we take the time to help? Here are a few reasons why we should:
MONEY
Darlington Borough Council advertises the more we recycle, the better it is for the environment and as an added bonus, we are also paid for every tonne of recycling we collect – money which can be reinvested back into the council and spent on a range of services.
RESOURCES
Friends of the Earth advise that recycling paper, wood, plastic, metal and glass saves trees, fossil fuel hydrocarbons, metal, sand and it saves eco systems and wild life.
CLIMATE CHANGE
Carbon emissions are released when fossil fuels are burned to generate heat and electricity needed in manufacturing products. It is stated that those emissions affect climate change. It is known that less energy is used in manufacturing processes that use recycling. Those processes produces less carbon emissions and that helps reduce climate change.
SAVING DIESEL AND THE PLANET
One Council is hoping to make a significant change to help reduce its impact on the environment. It is planning to convert 2 bin wagons and one other vehicle to dual fuel. That includes hydrogen. It estimates it will save more than 10,000 litres of diesel per year.
The hydrogen will be produced in the greenest possible way using an electrolyser connected to solar panels and grey-water recycling. (Spelled graywater in the USA)
WHY I WROTE RECYCLE ANGEL
I wrote the book, Recycle Angel, because I was fed up of council taxes going up and so little being done to help reduce climate change. I can only hope that council’s saving will be reflected in Council Tax bills.
SAVE MONEY AND THE ENVIRONMENT
Without nit-picking, in England there are over 300 councils. If every council vehicle was converted and they all saved 10,000 litres of diesel per year that could be more than 3,000,000 litres saved. That would help the environment. As we all know the price of diesel is more than one pound per litre so that could be a financial saving of more than three million pounds nationally.
While we wait for councils to convert all vehicles away from fossil fuels such as diesel I would like to see the same service rendered if vehicles are used more sparingly and fuel consumption reduced.
THE GOVERNMENT AIMS TO HELP
The government set its climate change targets, its aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions (GHG). It is increasing the numbers of electric vehicle charging points across the country to give motorists confidence they will be able to recharge and not run out of power. Sadly much of the electricity needed is produced in gas burning generators. Gas is a fossil fuel!
Thought for the week:
If higher demand contributes to higher prices is there anything you can do to reduce your contribution?
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