Environment and Green Spaces
Along with many residents, the Society is concerned about the environment and sustainabilitity and we’re passionate about protecting our green spaces. Listed below are a number of initiatives which are linked to the environment and what you can do to get involved.
Climate Emergency/Environmental Charter Litter picks
Community Orchard/Forest Garden Community Gardeners
Reducing waste - The Refill Scheme Fed up with idling engines?
Need some ideas for Christmas? Here’s a link to the Centre for Alternative Technology eco-store: https://store.cat.org.uk/collections/gift-ideas
Climate Emergency/Environmental Charter
The Climate Emergency was declared by London Borough of Redbridge in June 2019, where they committed to developing a plan to make all their operations carbon neutral by 2030 and to zero emissions by 2050. Following the appointment of Cllr Jo Blackman as LBR's Cabinet Member for Environment and Civic Pride, and as we approach the UN Climate Change Conference (COP26), combined with the recent struggles with fuel distribution and worries about heating costs, it is now time to find out what we can all do to help reduce greenhouse emissions and combat climate change.
As residents we all need to commit to our own plan, ideally to make our own lives carbon neutral within the same timeframe. In the meantime by helping to write the South Woodford Environmental Charter, we can help residents and businesses work towards the same goals and share ways to live a cleaner and greener life.
The five main priorities are: making journeys cleaner; boosting plant and tree growth; reducing waste; increasing sustainability of buildings and living more sustainably as individuals.
Community Orchard/Forest Garden
An artist’s impression of how a community orchard could look
Adopt a tree pit
Photo courtesy of Naomi Schillinger, see her website here.
Refill Scheme
Litter picks
SW Gardeners
Vehicle Idling Action
During lockdown, many people have found a new interest in exploring the green and open spaces in the area and others have started gardening and growing their own fruit and vegetables. Whilst we have Epping Forest on our doorstep, we do not have many large open spaces, so this initiative is showing how we can make the most of the small pocket of green space at the bottom of the Viaduct (over the tube line, at the junction of Primrose Road/Mulberry Way, E18).
You can read more about this project and how to volunteer, here…
Residents can apply to Redbridge to adopt the tree pit outside (or nearest to) their home. These “mini meadows” act as stepping-stone habitats between more important green spaces like parks and gardens to support pollinating insects.
Wildflower seeds can be planted in the soil beside the tree and a sign on the tree indicates to the tree team that it should not be sprayed. This initiative is run annually and this year the residents of Primrose Road have adopted all the trees in the street. Look out for pictures here once the flowers start to bloom!
If all the treepits are adopted in a road, then this becomes a pollinator pathway. This keeps the road pesticide free and becomes a great habitat for all kinds of insects.
Refill promotes the reduction of single use plastic by encouraging businesses to offer free water refills to the public who can use their own refillable bottles. You can download the Refill app and search for businesses near you who offer this service. Click on the logo on the left to access the website and download the app to your phone.
If you are a business who is interested in joining, please email the South Woodford Business Forum.
You can fill up your water bottle at: Tipi Coffee, Improveyoursmile and Nandos and we hope more will join soon. Nominate your favourite shop or business here.
Since May 2018, we have held a number of successful litter picks around South Woodford. We now meet up at the community orchard (corner of Mulberry Way and Primrose Road, E18 1ED) - our next date is Sunday November 7th. It is a weirdly satisfying way to spend a couple of hours, though you can do as much or as little as you like, every little helps!
We usually manage to collect over 20 bags of rubbish and try to sort as much as possible for recycling. Unfortunately we do not have the resources to sort all the recycling but do try and save as much as we can from landfill. Many thanks to our mini-pickers, who really do the most amazing job!
Do get in touch if you’d like to volunteer, by emailing us via this link.
If you notice any large items or rubbish that have been dumped, please use the Report-It app on the Redbridge website to let the Cleansing team know. They will respond as soon as they can.
The South Woodford Gardeners look after the flower beds in the centre of George Lane and on the bridge over the A406, and I think you must agree, they do a fantastic job! They usually meet on a Friday morning and work for about 1 or 2 hours. They mainly use plants from their own gardens but are very grateful to receive donations of plants or bulbs. If you would like to join them or offer some plants you can contact the gardeners at southwoodfordgardeners@gmail.com
Idling is fuelish!
Emissions from idling engines contribute to air pollution and the Vehicle Idling Action Group are initially working with schools to tackle this issue. Redbridge has pledged that their vehicles will make sure they have their engines off wherever possible to help deliver healthy air so please turn off your engines when you can. You can volunteer here.