The Background & Introduction

During the Militant Years the streets weren’t cleaned and the bins weren’t emptied. Environmental & sustainability issues were not a priority.Recycling rates were less than 1%.

Today under the Liberal Democrats Liverpool is Greener & Cleaner.

There are more green spaces in Liverpool than in another City outside London. Liverpool has 70 parks & 14 Green Flags awards2009 is Liverpool’s YEAR OF THE ENVIRONMENT . The whole year of events is designed to raise awareness of environmental issues and to improve sustainability across the City. Liverpool has taken its Environmental campaign to Cyberspace: Join Facebook& Twitter at http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=52986172143&ref=mf .

Environmental Awareness: Year of the Environment

Five Strategic Objectives

SO1: To introduce a city wide debate, ‘the green talk’, on environment issues and explore a 20 year vision for Liverpool, asustainable city.

• SO2: To develop longer term priorities for the city’s environment and a co-ordinated city-wide response to reducing green house gas emissions and to adapting our actions to respond to predicted changes in climate.

• SO3: To promote changes in all our actions and behaviours, as well as promoting new environmental activities.

• SO4: To celebrate and showcase positive environmental initiatives.

• SO5: To develop a positive environmental image of the city to attract investors and visitors.

Outcomes • Improve communication & a better environmental profile of the city • Environment to be accepted as a positive economic driver • Continue dialogue on the importance of environmental issues in

relation to our city • Increase participation in recycling • Decrease the amount of household waste • Increase public transport patronage (rail and bus) • Increase cycling by 10%

Environmental Awareness – Spreading the Word!

Green AmbassadorsIt’s a City Wide scheme to sign up community champions. We’re looking for Green Ambassadors to spread the word on good ‘green’practices in Liverpool. We need Green Ambassadors from all parts of the Liverpool community:

School Ambassadors• School ambassadors: 10,000 children helped to launch the Year of

the Environment.

Business AmbassadorsLiverpool Chamber of Commerce is committed to helping its members achieve even greater success by ensuring they have the “green edge”. They are part of the Year of the Environment steering group. Since 2006 when they signed the Northwest Climate Change CharterLiverpool Chamber has been committed to raising awareness of theclimate change agenda among members.

• They are working closely with local businesses and agencies to develop an action plan to take forward the environment agenda in the city region. An Environment and Energy Committee exists at the Chamber to identify members’ issues and to influence key decision-makers.

• For more information on getting the green edge visit the Liverpool Chamber website.

Working with Schools and Young People

ECO Schools• Liverpool’s Year of the Environment in 2009 is a great time to involve

young people. Education plays an important part in understanding how our actions can affect the environment, how we can change our habits, and ‘do our bit’ to conserve the environment.

• Around 75% of schools in the city are registered under the Eco-Schools scheme, an internationally recognized awards program for schools. The awards are graded bronze, silver and Green Flag status, and the Environmental Services team can offer advice to any school wishing to progress through the scheme.

• We have approximately 180 schools in the area, 80% of these schools participate in the recycling service offered free by LCC. The team provides advice and support to schools wishing to become more environmentally friendly, and Liverpool City Council also has a comprehensive range of activities delivered by the Park Rangers that supports environmental education.

• Watt Watchers (Education Project): Every year, Energy Projects Plus helps Liverpool City Council deliver the Watt Watchers project in six Primary Schools throughout the city. The project includes energy efficiency promotion and raising awareness of energy issues in the National Curriculum. Its aim is to educate children as future energy savers of the future. In the last three years over 18 primary schools have been involved.

Working with the Community

Rotters Community Composting

Rotters is a community composting organisation supported by Liverpool City Council and social business dedicated to encouraging people to grow their own food and enjoy a healthier lifestyle by using locall grown fresh produce. Since August 2008 Rotters has offered collection of organic waste to all primary schools in South Liverpool.

• Rotters carries out educational awareness work in primary schools in South Liverpool.

• In August 2008 Rotters started a pilot project funded by Merseyside Waste Authority (MWDA) & Liverpool Chamber of Commerce and Industry to collect catering waste from businesses, John Lennon Airport and China Town.

• An organic growing project called ‘Fork to Fork’ will be launched in March 2009 and funded by Liverpool City Council as part of the Year of the Environment. This project will demonstrate the link between recycling/composting, growing organic fruit and vegetables and healthy eating.

Recycling Rates

• Recycling rates have jumped from less than 5% to over 30% in just three years. Recycling continues to increase across the City.

• A fully fledged kerbside collection is in place which has overcome the problems with terraced streets.

• Tetra pack recycling – a scheme to collect tetra packs is being piloted at supermarkets across the City.

• City centre recycling: All the waste in bins in the City Centre is recycled. And the barrow walkers separate out litter. There are also recycling bins for glass and paper through out the shopping areas.

• Bulky Bobs: is the award winning social business which collects bulky household items and either Reuses, Recycles or Restores items for families on low incomes.

Action to Improve the Local Environment

• We have just introduced a new holistic ‘Enforcement Team’to tackle all types of environmental crime from fly tipping to dog fouling. A website devoted to tackling environmental crime is now live in Liverpool. www.liverpool.gov.uk/enforcement also shows all the good work the council is doing to clean up the city.

• The amount of dumped rubbish, fly-tipping and graffiti in Liverpool has been significantly reduced. In 12 months from December 2007 to December 2008, fly-tipping complaints reduced by over 2,0000.

• K9 CRIME: Around 1,000 people are expected to be fined this year for allowing their dogs to foul Liverpool's streets and open spaces. In 2006/7 we handed out 160 fixed note penalties – more than any other Authority.

• The £14m regeneration project to revamp Stanley par k.Derelict since the 80s, bridges, walls, fencing, gates, pavilions, the bandstand and park lodge will be repaired and refurbished to try to attract families back into the Anfield park. There will also be significant landscaping work and a lake will be reintroduced to provide somewhere for outdoor games and education. £8m is also being spent on restoring Sefton Park.

• Environmental quality plays an increasingly important role in the sustainable future of Liverpool.

Energy Efficiency in Buildings

• Liverpool City Council is the only Council to have a real-time energy management system that allows it to identify increases or excessive power usage throughout its properties. Liverpool City Council is thought to be the only Council in England using this system.

• All Liverpool City Council’s energy is green energy .• Healthy Homes - £9m is being spent on a joint scheme with the

Primary Care Trust which will be delivered by the City Council’s Environmental Health team. to help residents in private homes improve the energy efficiency or their homes and reduce CO2 emissions

• The City Council is involved in a number of energy initiatives; these include Local Solutions Insulation Contract, Winter Survival Campaign, NPower Somali Safe and Warm Scheme, Parsonage Scheme, Cold Alarms, energy saving light bulbs, HABIT project (Age Concern) and Watt Watchers (Education Project).

• During the period April 07 to March 08 Liverpool City Council carried out works in 1,394 homes . Work includes; Loft Insulation; Cavity Wall Insulation and also provide Hot Water Cylinder Jackets; Energy Advice and Energy Saving Light Bulbs.

• Over 17,000 energy saving light bulbs have been given away free. • The New Liverpool Echo Arena and Convention Centre is the

most environmenatlly friendly arena in Europe and was funded by Liverpool City Council. The building has incorporated susatinable measures such as harvested rain water toilet system, wind turbines and solar panels. One day it may also gain power from the River Mersey.

Air Quality

• Live air – is our air quality web pages where you can find information on a host of air pollution issues together with live air quality data. On the air quality information page you can see a summary of current pollution levels together with links to graphs showing levels for the last seven days for four main air pollutants.www.liverpool.gov.uk/Environment/Pollution/Air_quality/index.asp

• The City Coucil’s Environmental Protection Unit is working with the Primary Care Trust to develop an air pollution forecasting system– to help protect the most vunerable membesr of society who suffer from asthma etc.

• Liverpool has just become one of the first Air Quality Management Areas in the country.

• The Council is working with John Lennon Airport on a ‘Carbon Capture project’ the first of it’s kind in the country. Recycing C02 and turning into energy using Algae!

• Smokefree Liverpool: The campaign to make public areas smokefree was started in Liverpool.

Supporting Bio Diversity

£200k is being spent on ‘Greening the City’

These schemes are designed to encourage residents to use the unused pieces of derelict sites which plague the City. Schemes range from growing food to setting up art exhibitions or even showing movies in derelict (but safe) buildings.

• Guerrilla gardening is breaking out in some areas of the City whilst in others communities are opting to set up wild flower meadows.

• Protecting the UK Bee population - Residents are being offered the opportunity to go on Bee Keeping courses and are shown how to make and sell honey.

• Courses on keeping chickens & bird box making are also available.

• Allotments – Liverpool has 1847 allotments covering 61 Hectares of land – a campaign is underway to boost take up.

• A community orchard is being created in one of the most deprived wards in the city. The idea is to provide activity and education for residents as well and reducing emissions by planting more fruit bearing trees.

Climate Change

• Climate change strategy out to consultation

• Lights out Liverpool – in 2008 30 of Liverpool's most famous landmarks were plunged into darkness along with 800 homes to highlight the impact of light pollution, energy efficiency & climate change. The event will be repeated in 2009.

A key part of Liverpool’s plan to tackle Climate Change is to work with residents and businesses to tackle emissions and

• TravelWise programme to engage with people around changing travel behaviour

– Travel Plans – schools and businesses– Campaigns for sustainable travel modes

• LCC has an adopted a green Staff Travel Plan that encourages staff to use more sustainable modes of transport such as car sharing, public transport, cycling and walking.

• Cycling investment – we are consulting on a new Liverpool Cycling Strategy.

• Liverpool operates a ‘Free Bike’ loan scheme for use across the City.

Planets consumed:

38= Liverpool 2.92

LCC has installed 79 solar hot water heating systems inthe homes of vulnerable people.

The Burbo Bank Offshore Wind Farm in Liverpool Bay comprises 25 efficient wind turbines and is capable of generating up to 90MW (megawatts) of clean, environmentally sustainable electricity. enough power for approximately 80,000 homes.

NI185 (local) CO2 reduction from LA activities has been

adopted as priority.

Rank of 60 British Cities:

Liverpool’s Ecological Footprint

Attachments

• Food Growing Report ‘Greening the City’

• Warm Homes Strategy

• Climate Change Implementation Plan.

Also enclosed is a copy of the first quarter events

plan for The Year Of the Environment 2009.

More information can be found at

http://www.ourcityourplanet.org.uk/