Tap into savings

The final Tap into Savings EcoTeam meetings have now taken place in Merstham and Redhill and both groups were handed certificates to celebrate completing the course, reminding everyone that the programme was officially endorsed by the United Nations Environment Programme. The EcoTeams covered energy, water and waste saving tips and information, and both groups felt like they knew a lot more about each topic, as well as each other. 

The evening carried on in the party spirit with food and drink contributed by the members themselves, including vegan sausage rolls and some garlic bread made from leftover bread – an excellent example of how to reduce household waste.  A competition to make something out of household items (re-using it, rather than throwing it away) was won by Elizabeth Hulcoop from the Merstham group who made a knitted bag from used plastic carrier bags and Catherine Hunter from the Redhill EcoTeam with her jewellery made from old train tickets.

For the final time the groups met up together with a representative from Global Action Plan. As well as the certificates, those who had carefully taken down their gas and electricity readings every month received a breakdown of monthly savings.  This has been made easier for Raven Housing Trust residents who received an energy monitor, from Tap into Savings, which highlights the energy guzzlers in their homes.

A number of the EcoTeamers signed up to the local environment group’s newsletter – Sustainable Redhill – and hope to continue being more environmentally friendly in their own homes.

This round of Tap into Savings Ecoteams has now come to an end, but the next round starts on Wednesday 22 September at 7.30pm at the Redhill Methodist centre, Gloucester Road, Redhill. Please contact Clare Whiting from Global Action Plan for more information on EcoTeams or to express an interest clare.whiting@globalactionplan.org.uk

The Tap into Savings EcoTeam group with Tessa McNair from and Tom Veitch	Elizabeth Hulcoop and Catherine Hunter with Tom Veitch

Contact
Victoria Higgins (for project lead, Waterwise)
vhiggins@waterwise.org.uk or 0207 344 1883

John Burbedge (for Sutton and East Surrey Water)
john.burbedge@surreyhouseuk.com or 01189 620609 / 01372 46011

Clare Webber (for Raven Housing Trust)
Clare.Webber@ravenht.org.uk or 01737 272417               

NOTES TO EDITORS

Defra (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs) (www.defra.gov.uk) Defra’s Third Sector Strategy, launched in November 2008, shows the Department’s commitment to working with the third sector (which includes voluntary and community organisations, charities, NGOs, co-operatives and social enterprises). The Greener Living Fund had a total budget of £6m to award in a two year funding period and contributes to the Government’s work towards a sustainable, low carbon and resource efficient economy.

Global Action Plan (www.globalactionplan.org.uk) is a charity that helps people take practical action in their everyday lives for a better world.
 
Raven Housing Trust (Raven) (www.ravenht.org.uk) Redhill-based Raven Housing Trust manages almost 6,000 homes ranging from studio flats to five bedroom houses, sheltered accommodation for the elderly and affordable homes for key workers. Raven has an ambitious development programme to build more than 500 new homes by 2014. All new homes will be built to at least  level 3 of the Code for Sustainable Homes.    

Reigate & Banstead Borough Council (Council) (www.reigate-banstead.gov.uk) is dedicated to achieving sustainable, thriving and self-reliant communities within an attractive, accessible and well-maintained Borough. 

Sutton and East Surrey Water (SESW) (www.waterplc.com) has a  supply area of 322 square miles (834 sq km) and serves a population of more than 650,000 people in east Surrey, and parts of West Sussex, west Kent and south London.  

The Environment Agency manages water resources to maintain supplies and protect the environment. It also encourages sustainable development and aims to help homes and businesses throughout England and Wales manage water use wisely both now and in the future. 

Waterwise (www.waterwise.org.uk) is the leading water efficiency organisation in the UK.  It is an independent, not-for-profit, nongovernmental organisation whose mission is to reduce the waste of water.