November 2023

32
Wanstead Village Directory
DOOM DEFYING
There have been plenty of reasons for climate doom recently, says
Councillor Jo Blackman, who is keen to highlight Redbridge Council’s work
to tackle this locally, and give cause to feel more upbeat
Whilst our summer this year took
a while to warm up, globally,
temperatures soared, and on
a third of days in 2023 it was more than
1.5°C hotter than pre-industrial levels
– a critical threshold that has scientists
worried. Yet, every day brings more news of
the government rolling back on its climate
policies, stoking the culture wars and
fuelling conspiracy theories.
However, a visit to the Labour Party
conference gave me cause to feel more
upbeat. Rather than join a race to the bottom
on climate policy, Labour is developing its
vision for a shift away from fossil fuels and a
mass home insulation scheme. And there was
genuine enthusiasm from businesses and
NGOs about the potential for change.
Here in Redbridge, we are in the third year of
the council’s climate action plan and we’ve
had another consecutive year of reductions in
council emissions. Mainly through switching
to renewable sources of energy across council
buildings, but also thanks to embracing
innovative ways to reduce emissions. We
have been one of the first councils to retrofit
solar panels on council vehicles to reduce
emissions and improve fuel efficiency. And our
recent trial of new technology to fill potholes
is very efficient and generates 25 times less
emissions than traditional techniques. We
have also recently consulted on our electric
vehicle charging strategy and will be installing
hundreds of new chargers across the borough
to aid the transition to greener vehicles.
School streets schemes continue to be rolled
out in the borough and are making the roads
around schools safer and encouraging walking
and cycling. And we have new cycle schemes
in the pipeline, including for Wanstead.
Councillor Blackman alongside
council vehicles fitted with solar panels
Our recycling rate is up 10% since we
increased the range of materials that can be
recycled and introduced wheelie bins. And
overall, waste being generated has decreased.
Redbridge Council recently ran a successful
clothes swap event at Wanstead Library and
uniform reuse schemes are being embraced
by our local schools, including Wanstead High,
as well as on the High Street, with the Saint
Francis Hospice shop dedicating a stand to
pre-loved uniform from Aldersbrook Primary.
It’s not just the climate crisis we face; nature
is also under pressure. Our tree pit adoption
and pollinator pathway schemes empower
residents to work together to make their street
more nature-friendly. And this month, we are
hosting a youth climate summit at the Town
Hall because we want to work with our young
people to build a sustainable future.
So, let’s ditch the culture wars, roll up our
sleeves and do our bit for the future of our
community and the planet.
Councillor Jo Blackman (Wanstead
Village, Labour) is the Cabinet Member
for Environment and Sustainability.
Email jo.blackman@redbridge.gov.uk
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