Green Teams

Premise

Many of us are becoming increasingly concerned about what is happening to the environment on which we rely. This is not just about the risk of growing climate instability, although we should be very concerned about that. It is also about the threat to our local environment.

When my constituents talk about why they like living in Eastcote/Northwood they often talk about it being an attractive area with good green spaces. Unfortunately we can no longer take that for granted given the pressures of modern development, as we build more homes, drive more cars, and generate more waste.

Too many of us show inadequate respect for our public spaces judging by the growing levels of graffiti, litter and anti-social behaviour. Our Council does its best but has limited resources.

My view is that if we care about it, we should take more personal and collective responsibility for it.

Objective

That is why I want to set up ‘Green Teams’ in two wards of the constituency – Eastcote and Northwood. If they are seen to be effective, then I will set up teams across the constituency. Green Teams should be a diverse group of residents (and their children) who share a desire to help their community stay ‘green and clean’. They would be independent of Hillingdon Council but work in cooperation. Each ward would have a Chairman and Committee.

Proposed Activities for Group*

*This is a menu of options from which ward teams and individual members would be free to choose. There would be no obligation to do everything and individual members would be free to contribute whatever time they can.

1. Members of Green Teams would be encouraged to be Street Champions acting as ‘eyes and ears’ of the community, reporting concerns such as graffiti, abandoned cars, and damaged pavements. This is an existing Council scheme with over 450 Street Champions across the Borough. It is akin to a ‘Green Neighbourhood Watch’ and an opportunity for residents to help put things right, by helping the Council keep the neighbourhood clean and looking attractive.




2. Work with the Council to promote greater recycling in the area. Activities can range from simply helping the Council identify blocks of flats in the area, to road-testing new equipment for composting food waste. In doing so, members will play a part in reducing the future ‘waste bill’ of the Borough as the cost of sending waste to landfill rises.




3. Set up Litter Groups to help reduce the blight of litter in the area and keep it looking clean. New groups would be modelled on successful teams in Harefield and Northwood Hills who do litter sweeps on a regular basis with special equipment provided by the Council.




4. Work to improve the public spaces. Activities can range from championing new tree planting projects in the area; working with the Council to make sure that Green spaces are maintained to the highest possible standards (preferably Green Flag); putting together bids for funding from the Council’s Chrysalis Fund; or setting up ‘Friends of Parks’ groups.




5. Work with local schools to:
   
   • educate local children about what they can do to improve the environment (for example by not dropping litter at school gates)
   • encourage them to become ‘eco schools’
   • develop joint community based projects to improve the local environment




6. Distribute ‘Green Home Starter Kits’ which are designed to help householders reduce their impact on the environment and save money in the process. These very simple kits contain:
   
   • A reusable cotton shopping bag
   • Two energy saving light bulbs
   • Two radiator panels
   • A water saving device
   • A room temperature thermometer
   • ‘No junk mail’, ‘Turn it off’ and ‘Recycling’ stickers

   It is estimated that these kits will save people between £50 and £100 a year and 400 kg of CO2- the equivalent of 17 car journeys from London to Bristol.
   

   If appropriate sponsorship for this kit can be found then the idea is for the Green Teams to help distribute the kits free of charge through schools and door-to-door delivery. I would expect to be an active participant in this process




7. Distribute material to residents that suggests simple actions that will help them to reduce their emissions and household costs at the same time (such as loft insulation). Residents would be encouraged to sign up for ‘carbon pledges’ that would commit them to take certain actions which can be monitored in follow up visits from the Green Team. In this activity, Green Teams would be following successful precedents established in other places (Marlborough; Kirklees). I would be active in connecting Green Teams with other groups and institutions that could be supportive.




8. Work with Councillors and Residents Associations to develop new ideas to help promote the sustainability of Eastcote and Northwood. The need is created by the Sustainable Communities Act (a Private Members Bill taken through Parliament by myself) which gives Local Authorities and communities the opportunity to have much greater influence over the decisions that shape the future of the community. In this process, government will have to consult with communities effectively through citizen panels. It is hoped that Green Team members would be active participants in these panels.

It is hoped that the Green Teams will be able to publish and distribute regular newsletters in the ward.

Nick Hurd MP, June 2008