Climate Action

In 2019 the UK Parliament declared a Climate Emergency and committed to net zero carbon emissions by 2050 to avoid the worst effects of climate change. Following on from this, Wallingford Town Council declared a climate emergency in May 2020.

“To enhance and protect our outdoor spaces through sustainable practices and environment led strategies”

Over the last year, we’ve hosted 3 public events focusing on climate action, with Housewarming & Energy Efficiency, Reduce, Reuse & Recycle and Sustainable Travel and Transport.

Everyone can benefit from working together to improve the sustainability and resilience of our shared environment. To do this, we will do the following with the support of our key partners:

As well as doing your bit to recycle, use less energy and travel more actively, we can do more when we work together. If you have any suggestions for the Town Council, please get in touch with the Chair of the Parks, Gardens, Allotments and Open Spaces Committee.

There are some fantastic groups in Wallingford and the surrounding areas who are doing work to benefit the environment. Do get involved if you can:

• Sustainable Wallingford – A community group of people living locally and working together to help build a greener future for Wallingford. They organise events and projects on issues including energy, waste, transport, food, biodiversity and social justice in response to the guiding principles of the UK Sustainable Development Strategy.
• Wild About Wallingford – Wild about Wallingford have been providing support for growing projects since they formed in 2020, including the creation and management of two community orchards, tree and hedgerow planting, and several wildflower patches.
• Incredible Edible – Sustainable Wallingford’s Incredible Edible project has been growing edibles  for all to share outside the Libraries in Wallingford and Benson since 2019, learning how to grow, and taking gentle exercise together.
• Living Streets – a group with the aim to create an environment where walking and other forms of active travel become the most natural and rewarding way for everyone to visit local schools, friends, shops, and all the amenities that make Wallingford thrive.
• Riverside Repair Cafe – Have something fixed that would otherwise go to landfill and learn a new skill at the same time. Volunteer repairers meet quarterly to help repair woodwork, sewing, sharpening, bicycles, small electricals, china and more.

10 things you can do today to reduce your contribution to climate change

Reducing our personal carbon footprint can be a good way to reduce climate change, save money, live more healthily, and try new things. Here are a few simple things we can all do today

1. Switch electricity supplier

The gas and electricity we use in our homes form a major proportion of our personal carbon footprint. It’s easy and quick to swap from carbon-heavy energy to cleaner, green options. Some suppliers provide 100% renewable electricity that’s also affordable.

2. Insulate our homes

One of the best ways to cut costs and reduce carbon emissions is to improve the energy efficiency of your home. South Oxfordshire District Council offers grants, up to £7500 towards a renewable heating system, up to £1000 for essential energy saving repairs and home improvements. https://www.southoxon.gov.uk/south-oxfordshire-district-council/housing/help-with-improving-your-home/

3. Eat more plants

There’s no need to become vegetarian or vegan unless you want to, but swapping meat for a non-meat option when possible is one of the single biggest things we can all do to reduce our carbon footprint. Methane has 28 times the global warming potential of carbon dioxide and 40% of methane emissions are from agriculture, mostly from livestock production. Red meat has a heavy environmental impact due to deforestation and land clearance. It takes around 100 times as much land to produce a kilocalorie of beef or lamb compared to plant-based alternatives, 25 kg of animal feed and 15,000 litres of water to produce 1 kg of beef that generates 27 kg of carbon equivalent greenhouse gases. Reducing the amount of meat you eat is an easy win for reducing your carbon footprint, and it can also mean eating more fruit and veg, which is good for your health too.

4. Don’t waste food

One-third of all food produced is either lost or wasted, which accounts for around 10 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions. In the UK, wasted food costs about £700 per year for an average family with children There are some simple things we can do. Avoid waste by only buying what you need, take advantage of every edible part of the foods you purchase; store leftovers carefully (such as in the freezer) and eat them up in good time; share excess food with neighbours; and compost vegetable peels and other raw food and use it to fertilize your garden, rather than putting it in the land-fill bin.

5. Think about your next pet

Pets such as dogs,  can be a great addition to the family, help with mental health and encourage exercise. However, an average dog produces about 770kg, and large dog 6,541kg, equivalent of CO₂ emissions each year, which is equaivalent to travelling 25,000 miles in a average petrol car. The average cat produces 310kg of CO₂e per year. As there are now 13.5 million dogs and 12.5 million cats in the UK, together they make a significant contribution to climate change.

https://www.itv.com/news/wales/2021-10-26/how-you-can-reduce-your-pets-carbon-pawprint

6. Walk and cycle for short journeys

‘Active travel’ is a great way to keep fit and healthy, as well as benefitting the environment. Switching just one trip per day from driving a car to walking, cycling or using an e-bike can substantially reduce your carbon emissions, cut harmful air pollution and reduce risk of heart problems. Driving can also cause stress and exposure to air pollution as fumes circulate inside the vehicle, not to mention the cost of fuel.

7. Plan a local holiday

‘Staycations’ were increasingly popular even before the pandemic, as more and more people consider the environmental impacts of flying. A return flight from London to New York emits more CO₂ per-person than the annual emissions of an average person in 56 countries around the world. There are beautiful, fun places to visit in Oxfordshire and in the rest of the UK. If you’re planning that much-needed getaway, think about whether you could choose a flight-free holiday.

8. Switch bank

Greening your finances is simple, quick, and a hugely important step you can take today. With the ‘top five’ high-street banks in the UK continuing to finance fossil fuel projects and companies around the world, moving your money elsewhere can have a massive, unseen impact on reducing your personal emissions footprint. Banks offer free switching services and they arrange everything for you with your previous bank, so it’s hassle-free. There are several good banks that are fast becoming household names, which promise (and deliver) environmentally-friendly and ethical investment, providing real “value for money”. If you have investments, think about greening those, too.

9. Use fewer electronic data and love your old phone

Whenever we send an E-mail, Whatapp or log into Facebook, data, such as text, photos and video clips are stored in the cloud. Storing 100 gigabytes of data in the cloud per year has a carbon footprint of about 180 kg of CO₂, (A gigabyte is enough data to save a few hundred high-resolution photos or an hour of video). While it’s tempting to continually upgrade to the latest gadget, new devices come at a hefty environmental cost. The manufacture of a smartphone, for example, accounts for about 80% of its lifetime carbon emissions.

10. Talk about climate change

Whatever you are feeling about climate change, let your family, friends and politicians know. Your MP has to respond to emails. Examine political literature for positive policies on climate and biodiversity. Let your Councillors know what’s important to you, show your support for any positive changes, and ask for change where you think it’s needed. Find out what works for you and share tips and ideas with friends and family. The power of sharing your experiences, feelings and knowledge is not to be underestimated – when protecting the planet becomes something we all think about, talk about and take action towards, it will be the force for wider change. Think globally act locally.

For more details see web pages such as

https://www.westoxon.gov.uk/media/2ddb125k/net-zero-carbon-toolkit.pdf

https://www.unep.org/news-and-stories/story/10-ways-you-can-help-fight-climate-crisis