£4M IN OUR FIGHT AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
“This is the biggest issue we face. We can’t wait for governments to take proper action. We can all play our part, and by working together. We are developing plans and investing in projects to reduce emissions for a carbon neutral borough by 2030. “The £4m commitment from the council will go a long way towards meeting our objectives.” Cllr Carolyn Healey Cabinet Member for Climate Change, Green Spaces, Natural and Historic Environment
School in Newport received a grant of £3,000 to install a bike shed to encourage cycle use by both staff and pupils, helping reduce air pollution in the area surrounding the secondary school in the centre of the town. Burton Borough’s student democracy and eco coordinator, Jodi Beaver, said: “A survey to all students found that at present, 32% of our students either cycle or walk to school. When asked what would encourage students to use their bike to travel, an overwhelming majority of 68% said that they wanted more secure facilities for their bike. “If we installed a new bike rack, the amount of students travelling by car could be reduced substantially, meaning that carbon reduction could be achieved. If just a quarter of the pupils (not including staff) in school made the switch to cycling, this could save on average nine tonnes of CO 2 emissions. It would also reduce the amount of pollution in the immediate surrounding areas. “Small things lead to big changes. For us, as a school, it’s really important to do our bit and do as much as we can to make a difference. It’s a real team effort here at Burton Borough, both students and staff are always keen to get involved and the great thing is that everyone has it in their power to make a difference.”
can have 200 pupils taking part out of a total of around 340. “We only have one bike shelter so we have limited space, which limits our efforts to encourage travel by bike or scooter – parents worry about bikes and scooters being damaged or stolen. “Thanks to the grant from the council’s Climate Change Fund, the new bike shelter will enable many more children to use their bikes or scooters – as well as our 50-strong staff. “By encouraging children to cycle we can build in habits for later life. And the more schools that encourage cycling, the more it will have an effect on traffic in the years to come. By backing lots of small projects like ours the council is helping build a substantial impact in the future.” In a similar move the Burton Borough
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