Green Flag Award - Winners

Haringey aims to be the greenest in London
Date:
21st November 2007
Contact:
Sarah Egerton
Organisation:
The Civic Trust

Haringey Council, which proudly boasts eight Green Flag Award winning sites, has set out how it plans to achieve its ambition of becoming the greenest borough in London in a new green strategy.

The draft Greenest Borough Strategy identifies six priorities for action over the next ten years, covering issues such as tackling climate change, improving the appearance of the borough and promoting sustainable transport.

The document also sets out how the council will work with the wider Haringey community to ensure that residents, businesses and organisations are also encouraged to adopt a more environmentally conscious approach.

Objectives set out in the document include:

Building on Haringey’s success in the Green Flag Award scheme
Agreeing carbon reduction targets for the council and the borough
Setting up “eco-grants” to support projects reducing carbon emissions
Installing energy efficient street lighting across the borough
Reducing the council’s energy use by 10 per cent by 2010
Developing at least one zero carbon development in Haringey by 2013
Purchasing electric cars for council business
Ensuring everyone in Haringey receives the same quality “commingled” recycling services
Developing on-street recycling bins for commuters
Cabinet Member for Environment and Conservation, Cllr Brian Haley, said: “If we had declared a few years ago that we intended to become the greenest borough in London, I think many people might have just laughed at us.

“But since 2003 we have invested more than £20million through the Better Haringey programme towards improving the borough’s environment. That’s provided us with a very solid platform for now really taking the lead in London when it comes to environmental issues.

“The Greenest Borough Strategy will firmly establish cutting carbon emissions, protecting the natural environment and cleaning up the borough at the very top of the council’s agenda. But we clearly need the support of the local community if we’re going to make genuine headway, and we will now be asking their views on the document to ensure we get off to the best possible start.”

The adoption of the draft Greenest Borough Strategy comes less than a year after Haringey signed the Nottingham Declaration on Climate Change, committing the council to working with the government on delivering the UK climate change programme.

Since then Haringey has rolled out a range of environmental initiatives to cut carbon emissions in the borough, such as new graded residential parking charges based on vehicles CO2 emissions and a new aerial map showing energy loss from every property in the borough.

The six priorities set out in the strategy are:

Improving the urban environment. Creating well designed, attractive, clean and safe streets, public spaces and gateways to Haringey that celebrate a dynamic and diverse borough where there is a real sense of belonging and pride among local people.

Protecting the natural environment. Protecting Haringey’s natural environment by working with local people to ensure that we preserve, improve, and increase green spaces and their use through improved maintenance, accessibility and sustainable practices.

Managing environmental resources efficiently. The earth’s resources are finite, but we are using and polluting them as if they were not. We will work with everyone in the borough to take forward action to change behaviour and choices on a number of fronts: reducing waste; increasing reuse and recycling waste; conserving water and energy use; and minimising air and water pollution.

Leading by example Managing the council sustainably. Haringey Council is committed to improving the quality of life for everyone in the borough and must lead by example and act as a role model to our residents and to our business community. We will adopt best practice environmental management standards and procurement principles in our own operations.

Sustainable design and construction. Encouraging developers and home owners to adopt the highest possible standards and innovative solutions to sustainable design and construction, whilst driving forward our own best practice projects through current investments in schools and social housing.

Promoting sustainable travel. Easing congestion and reduce carbon emissions and pollutants in Haringey. Our aim is to reduce car based journeys and encourage workers, residents and businesses to switch to cycling, walking, public transport and other low carbon alternatives.

A major consultation with residents, businesses and organisations on Haringey on the draft strategy has begun this month.

Haringey aims to be the greenest in London

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