Tuesday 23 June 2009

Environmental Education

Efforts to encourage greater concern for the environment has been taken to the younger generations with a number of initiatives to raise awareness of the direct impact of waste on our own doorsteps.

Pupils from Katesgrove Primary school are due to take part in an Environmental Visual Audit, while a cross-party selection of MPs including Reading West's Martin Salter have tabled an Early Day Motion calling on and end to the disincentivisation of recycling at schools.

Apparently 78% of all school waste could be easily recycled or composted, but 73% of councils do not provide this service to schools without charge.

Proposer Martin Horwood MP commented,
"it is imperative to give schools all the help we can to recycle their waste. Not only would a free service save schools money, it would allow children to gain an understanding of environmental stewardship and responsibility."
Meanwhile back in Reading, the end of the university year has seen RBC Streetcare team combine with Reading University Student's Union and the local Neighbourhood Action group deliver 600 'Moving Out' packs to student residents in a coordinated effort to minimise waste and disruption to the community during the period of transition.

The packs give advice on recycling sites, bulky waste collections as well as suggestions on disposal of unwanted items.

Chairperson of Redlands NAG Peter Kayes is proud to build on the success of the first year's initiative explining that "in previous years, the accumulated rubbish had hung around for far too long looking unsightly and smelling horrible."

All these different initiatives are part of concerted campaigning efforts by LibDems to ensure there is a coherent policy framework in the borough on waste.

But while Cllr Daisy Benson is pleased that something is now being done she is still not satisfied that it is enough - now she is calling for the university and borough council to fund a permanent liasion officer to ensure resources are even more effectively applied.

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