Transport emissions in Redbridge
In Redbridge, 251.625 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions are from on-road transport. This is equivalent to 22% of all carbon emissions in Redbridge. To address this the Council could continue to invest in paths and cycle ways for people with a wide range of abilities to ensure wheeling and walking become the preferred way to travel for local trips. With more people choosing to walk or cycle, traffic would be reduced leading to less pollution and carbon emission, and, shorter journey times.
Electric vehicles
Travelling in private cars, vans or motorbikes creates a lot of the pollution and carbon emissions in the borough. Electric vehicles run on batteries, requiring electricity to run rather than petrol or diesel, so create lower carbon emissions. A lack of charging points is one significant reason for individuals do not switch to electric vehicles. The council could invest in on-street electric vehicle charging points for those residents with no off-road parking and in town centres, making it easier for people to use electric vehicles.
Alternatives for travelling to school runs
A number of journeys made in the borough using private vehicles are during school runs. The council could provide guidance for parents, carers, teachers and the wider school community to encourage people to stop using their cars and to make these trips greener through cycling, walking or using the bus. Guidance and support could include; a list of different options, the costs and benefits included, training, incentives, and enforcements. These actions would complement the implementation of Redbridge School Streets, and tie in to a Healthy Streets approach. In Redbridge, the council supports around 70% of schools in making cleaner transport choices through a range of promotional activities and awareness campaigns.
Alternatives to diesel and petrol vehicles
Depending on the vehicle, different levels of emissions (pollutants and greenhouse gases) are produced. These are toxic, can cause health problems when breathed in and are harmful to the environment. Reducing the use of certain vehicles from specific areas could drastically reduce the amount of carbon emissions produced across the borough. This would lead to cleaner safer air for residents and improve the environment. Bans could include: banning diesel vehicles from major hubs such as town centres, or, banning vehicles having certain emission levels or over a certain size or weight.
What is upcycling?
Upcycling is the process of making new furniture, objects, etc. out of old or used things or waste materials. By upcycling items, the demand to produce new items is reduced and so will decrease the levels of waste. Upcycling not only reduces the level of waste but items may become more affordable due to the second-hand nature of the items.
Upcycling stores could provide residents somewhere to dispose their unwanted items, helping to limit the amount of unnecessary waste.
Household waste disposal
Waste produces greenhouse gas emissions through the disposal and treatment of it. In Redbridge, 68.728k tonnes of carbon emissions are produced from waste, this amounts to 7.68% of greenhouse emissions in Redbridge.
According to research, people should try to reduce the total amount of waste produced.
Recycling in Redbridge
If you can’t reuse or reduce the waste created the next best thing to do is to recycle and reprocess materials. The current national recycling target is 50%, Redbridge's rate is low compared to the national average, which is partly linked to resident's understanding of the importance and process of recycling.
Private rental market in Redbridge
In 2011, 24% of all households in Redbridge were privately rented. Given that over 40% of emissions in Redbridge are from residential buildings it is essential that measures for tackling the Climate Emergency consider the private rental sector. The Council can change the minimum property standards in the private rental market to include set EPC ratings. An EPC rating is a review of a property’s energy efficiency, where A is very efficient and G is very inefficient.
Current Planning Policies
The council has built sustainability measures into its revised specification for new build housing. The council can further develop its existing planning and building control requirements to consider policies on carbon reduction or develop an LBR standard for environmental sustainability or carbon reduction. Examples of this include adopting a circular economy approach, promoting off-site construction and ensuring energy efficiency.
Greenery in Redbridge
With the increase in car ownership, residents are increasingly paving over their front gardens, limiting the green space in the borough. Green spaces are beneficial for reducing the impacts of climate change and improving the ability to recover from climate change impacts.
Currently, the council has a limited tree planting scheme underway and is finding sites which would be suitable for larger scale work. However, residents can also help increase green spaces through maintaining their front gardens.
Overview of wind and solar energy
Wind power is a low carbon, sustainable energy source that produces electricity using wind turbines. To turn the wind's energy into electricity, wind turbines (150 metres tall) would need to be placed in windy areas of open land. The electricity produced by a wind turbine varies depending on the turbine and location, however, it could supply sufficient electricity per year to supply over 1000 homes.
Solar power can be used to produce energy and contribute to the UK's energy production whilst reducing its carbon emissions. Some households and council buildings now have solar panels fitted to their roofs and the power created here is typically used by that household. To supply power to the wider population it’s necessary to use a greater number of panels known as ‘solar farms’ to produce a much larger amount of electricity. The power harnessed here is fed into the national grid and used to supply thousands of homes around the UK.
Energy consumption in Redbridge Homes
In Redbridge, 41.3% of greenhouse gas emissions are from residential buildings, this amounts to 472.442k tonnes of Carbon emissions. Households in Redbridge can take different actions to reduce their emissions including but not limited to; improving insulation, retrofitting properties, and, using green energy tariffs.
Businesses in Redbridge
With roughly 26,750 businesses in Redbridge and the majority being micro and small businesses, these have an important role to play to address the Climate Emergency. Businesses should be changed to be more energy efficient. Subsidies could be made available to make it cheaper to improve energy efficiency. Works to be carried out could include: improving insulation, switching out high energy heating/ cooling systems for more efficient air-conditioning units, replacing windows with double-glazing and adding passages to doorway entrances to limit air exchange.
What is a Green Audit?
A Green Audit is undertaken to understand an organisation’s current greenhouse gas emissions and identify initial priority actions to have the greatest impact on reducing emissions. The audit would provide an understanding of how much carbon is being produced, by what activities and in which locations. The audit can also help create a carbon reduction action plan.
Commuting to work
Most employers rely on their staff to make their own way in to work. Many people will opt to use a private vehicle, or where possible, public transport, however more could be done to encourage employees to use more sustainable forms of transport and help reduce congestion and emissions across the region. Employers could incentivise employees to where possible work from home, walk/scoot/cycle, use public transport, or, car share. Incentives could include part funded public transport fares or internal incentives such as bonus schemes.
Local and Seasonal Food Production
Food accounts for roughly 10-30% of a household's carbon footprint and is typically higher in lower-income households. The production of food can account to around 68% of these emissions whilst transportation accounts for 5%. Although moving to a plant based diet reduces these emissions it is important to also shop for locally produced goods.
The council could support businesses to make it easier for people to have access to, and identify locally produced food.
Reducing the use of mass produced and heavily transported goods would overtime reduce the demand on the industry therefore leading to less production and a long-term reduction in overall emissions as well as environmental impacts.
Sustainable meal choices
The council could support schools to make more sustainable school meal food choices such as vegetarian days or only using local and seasonal food. Children could also be taught where their food comes from and why it's important to consider what you eat because of the impact on the environment.
Food and carbon emissions
Food accounts for roughly 10-30% of a household's carbon footprint and is typically higher in lower-income households. The production of food can account to around 68% of these emissions whilst transportation accounts for 5%.
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