RBWM are supporting IChoosr in the roll-out of this scheme for a third year! Deadline for registrations is the 9th August.
Through a reverse auction with installers, you can get highly competitive rates on solar panels, batteries, and chargepoints. Plus, you’ll receive support from the IChoosr team and the council throughout the process. Don’t miss out on this opportunity!
No payment or obligation until you receive a survey and proposal from pre-vetted installers.
More information can be found at: Solar Together | The Royal Borough of Windsor & Maidenhead
And a Q&A on Solar here: Frequently Asked Questions | The Royal Borough of Windsor & Maidenhead (solartogether.co.uk)
Category Archives: Updates
How to be a climate voter!
Election 2024: which party is best on climate and nature? Not sure who to vote for?
Greenpeace ranked and rated the main parties’ green policies: Read more here
A letter from Chris Packham
Restore Nature Now
[London 22nd June]
Dear friends, I’m writing to your group as one of the UK’s many smaller, grassroots organisations. It’s a beautiful day in Arne, Dorset where I’m currently filming Springwatch- the field of grass shoots and seedlings seems appropriate.
I applaud you- grassroots are the beating hearts of campaigning and activism. We may be small but we are mighty!
We are the mycelium under the floor of campaigning; tirelessly working away, growing, networking and barely seen- but without us the whole ecosystem of activism would simply not flourish. I thank you for the vital role that you play. A selfless, passionate and inspiring role.
We are light and agile, without the heavy governance and processes of boards and multiple layers of management. We can be responsive, reactive and blaze trails where other bulkier organisations can only slowly follow. What we lack in membership and funds we make up for in energy and effectiveness.
So here’s to the grassroots; the volunteers, the local activists, the common people, the ordinary folk MAKING CHANGE HAPPEN.
I thank you from the bottom of my heart and I hope to see as many of you as possible on Sat 22 June in London to demand our government Restore Nature Now. You can sign-up as a supporting organisation here and as individuals pledge to march here.
We know that amazing things can happen when we come together- when we unite en-masse to joyously, fervently, demand the changes we need to see from our elected leaders when it comes to biodiversity loss and climate breakdown.
See you on the streets! Chris
ECO Parenting: “potty-training” babies!
🚽💫Are you an expectant parent or already experiencing the joyous chaos of raising a baby aged 0-6 months? Find out how transform your potty-training experience!🚽💫
Join us at 11am on Friday, 17th May at the Hub and discover a revolution in potty training.
- What is ec babies? A groundbreaking app to guide parents to success with potty training.
- Who’s it for? Parents to be or with babies aged 0-6 months, keen to save money & the environment.
- Reserve your FREE seat: Eventbrite tickets here
How does it help? In the face of an environmental & cost of living crisis, there’s never been a better time for new parents to try elimination communication (EC). This gentle approach to potty training early is good for the environment & saves you money. It also promotes healthy bowel and bladder development, and encourages communication skills.
- Why do it? With EC, good bladder and bowel control and the ability to communicate toileting needs develop at a very early age, so many babies no longer require nappies by between 12 and 18 months of age.
- What’s the benefit?: fewer nappies used in year 1, potty-trained altogether a year or two earlier than might be. For disposable nappies: less cost & less waste. For reusables: less laundry and energy consumption. AND health benefits too!
- Is EC a new thing? The EC approach is common in cultures around the world from Vietnam to Alaska; just a couple of generations ago it was common in the UK too. Unfortunately, the methods have been largely forgotten here.
Tell me more! ec babies guides, motivates, and supports parents and carers willing to give EC a go. We’ve worked hard to make it the best we can. After much prototyping and testing we have something ready to go. If you would like to help evaluate (and maybe even test) our latest offering we’d love to hear from you.
Find out more at www.ecbabies.org
Earth Day: today and every day!
What we do today and everyday helps form the kind of world we want to live in. Reducing our carbon emissions is ever more important: Working together we can achieve more – and we’re here today and every day to help you!
Here are some really great ideas – chose one (or two) for Earth Day and every day!
- Eat less meat and dairy – saving money and carbon!
- Leave the car at home – walk or cycle or bus and feel good!
- Draughtproof the house – you’ve always wanted to and we can help!
- Turn the thermostat down 1% – saving money, fuel and money too!
- Shun single-use plastic – stop buying bottled water of coffee in a cup?
- Join a local ‘Wild’ group and make your space more green & friendly?
- Buy less, spend less … consume less: Refuse, Reduce, Reuse Recycle!
- Need a plan? We can help you – download our Personal Action Plan here!
- Need some more help & more information? We’ve got Help Sheets here for you!
🌎🌱 Make every day earth Day! Help create a greener, healthier future! 🌎🌱
We’re hiring – ECO Action Hub Administrator
ECO Action’s mission is ‘to help and inspire local people to do more to address the Climate and Biodiversity Emergency.’ The Hub Administrator is crucial to the successful running of this dynamic centre with its very varied activities.
“Key role: meet & greet all visitors, and be a focal point for volunteers”
- Liaise with and arrange volunteers to staff the hub during all our open days
- To administer loans from and returns to the Library of Things
- To support significant special activities that take place from time to time.
If you are passionate about promoting sustainability and biodiversity and have the attributes and skills to inspire local people and small businesses to take positive action in the Climate Emergency, we would love to hear from you.
- Please review the detailed Job Description: Hub Administrator JD
- If you would consider this role as a job-share please let us know too!
- Please contact us with your background and relevant information on ecoactionrbwm@gmail.com.
We would love to talk with you!
The Big Garden Birdwatch
The Big Garden Birdwatch is taking place from Friday 26th – Sunday 28th January. It’s a great opportunity for everyone to get involved in monitoring the health of the nation’s birds, simply by counting the birds that land in their garden or the patch outside their window. No knowledge is required as the RSPB provide a digital guide to identify the species you are likely to see. To sign up visit: https://www.rspb.org.uk/whats-happening/big-garden-birdwatch
Data from previous surveys shows that we have lost 38 million birds from UK skies in the last 60 years! And, whilst house sparrow numbers are currently going up the overall counts of house sparrows are still down by 57% compared to the first Birdwatch in 1979. Our birds provide huge ecosystem services to us, not least as pest controllers, seed-sowers, and as part of nature’s clean-up crew. Lend an hour of your time in thanks for their efforts and help the RSPB to monitor what’s going on with our garden birds and give them a voice.
With thanks to Niki McCann from Waltham Place for this excellent article, extracted from her monthly newsletter. For more information on Waltham Place and their program of events, visit What’s on (walthamplace.com)
Start your 2024 ECO Action Journey!
It’s the start of a new year – a good time to think about priorities and plans. Many people want to protect and conserve the natural resources we have and the world we live in, but the problem is they do not know where and how to start being eco-friendly.
It can be hard to find out what to do next or understand what are the right steps to take. It’s not as difficult as some may think: You don’t have to change the whole world. Just start by making these small changes and make them a part of your lifestyle.
Your 10 Step ECO Action Plan
Here are 10 steps that you can build into a plan. You can take one step, take two, you may already be on your journey and have taken some already: have a look, make a plan and tell us about it. And don’t forget – ECO Action can help with your ECO Action Journey!
- USE RENEWABLE ENERGY: Switch to a renewable electricity supplier so all of your electricity is from renewable sources.
- LEAVE THE FOSSIL FUEL CAR AT HOME: Walk, cycle, take the bus or train It’s healthier, happier and helps reduce your carbon footprint.
- MAKE YOUR HOME MORE ENERGY EFFICIENT: Draft proof and insulate your home to reduce energy bills.
- EAT LESS MEAT AND DAIRY: Livestock creates 14% of all greenhouse gases globally according to UN data. Less meat & dairy saves money too.
- FLY LESS: Take the train & relax instead! Make getting there part of the holiday & reduce your carbon!
- CHOOSE ETHICAL FINANCE: Where possible make a choice for ethical banks, savings, pensions & investments.
- SHUN ALL SINGLE-USE PLASTIC: Almost one barrel of oil in every ten extracted now goes to creating new plastic.
- BUY LESS, SPEND LESS! Think before you buy. Can you refuse, reduce, refill, repair, or re-purpose? And save money!!
- MAKE YOUR SPACE & YOUR COMMUNITY MORE WILDLIFE FRIENDLY: Join a local ‘Wild’ group & enter the Wildlife Gardens Awards
- PLAN FOR INVESTMENTS: Plan for investment in more expensive items: electric cars, solar panels, and heat pumps.
What Next?
- You can download your plan here: ECO Action Hub – Personal Action Plan
- Find lots more helpful information here: ECO Action Journey Information
New Year Green Resolutions
May we help you to be GREENER in 2024? Here are 7 great ideas to help you have a greener cleaner 2024. Reduce your carbon, increase nature, and save money this year!
- Travel can be fun: Let the train take the strain and make your journey an enjoyable part of the holiday. Stop enroute and enjoy an interesting city. www.seat61.com has lots of advice about how to reach places quickly or scenically and how to book. www.railbookers.co.uk does it all for you!
- A walk in nature walks the soul back home: Spending more time in nature can benefit both your mental and physical well-being. Doing things like growing food or flowers, or exercising outdoors can have lots of positive effects. Join your local wildlife group to get more involved. Wild Maidenhead www.wildmaidenhead.org.uk or Wild Cookham www.wildcookham.org.uk or all the ‘Wilds’ are listed here.
- More joyful than ‘dry’ January! Veganuary is also much more worthwhile. www.veganuary.com will send you their celebrity cookbook, meal plans, recipes and lots more – all for free! If not for all January then try 1 more veggie or vegan meal than normal.
- Upskill to upcycle? Try something new and celebrate new skills – like upcycling your unwanted furniture? Pop into our ECO Action hub and look at the items on display by our two associates for inspiration! You can buy them too!
- Use that windowsill: A salad/ herb pot will give you fresh herbs for months. ECO Action will have seed and seedling swaps in the early Spring. Maidenhead Veg Growers Facebook site offers valuable help.
- ‘New’ Clothes are so ‘yesterday’: Pre loved sites like www.vinted.co.uk and local charity shops will make you an individual and save you money. The ECO Action Repair Cafe can help you make fabric repairs.
- Save parking costs! Discover your local cycle routes. Cycling makes you fitter and saves money on petrol (no parking costs either). Maidenhead Cycle Hub will service your bike or sell you a reconditioned one www.cyclehub.org.uk/workshop!
Here is a file to download of all of these if you want to have a keepsake: HERE
Choose one, choose two, … or more! Keep a track of them, come into the Hub and let us know how you are doing! And a Happy Green New Year to everyone from the ECO Action Hub WAM!
Learnings from Heat Pump Question Time (Dec 2nd)
Interest in heat pumps is soaring because of the UK’s need to get off fossil fuels; and the government are now offering a grant of £7500 if you swap your gas boiler a heat pump.
Heat pumps don’t make heat so much as move it, like the way that the pump in your fridge moves heat out of the fridge to the kitchen, but in reverse.
The pump uses expansion and contraction of a refrigerant to create a multiplier effect. So, for every unit of energy that drives the pump, it gives back 3 or 4 times that amount in the form of heat. This is several times more efficient than a fossil fuel boiler – and far less polluting now that so much grid electricity is renewable.
Homes all vary, so the essential first step in thinking about getting a heat pump is to have a heat loss survey; this will tell you how much energy your home needs to be comfortable. It is wise to ensure that all reasonable insulating has been done – draughts, loft insulation, double-glazing etc – but heat pump homes do not need to be super-insulated.
Heat pumps send water round your radiators like a conventional boiler, but at lower temperatures (45-50 degrees compared to 65-75 degrees). This means it takes longer to heat up the whole house but the thermal comfort is steadier than with a boiler. With boilers we are used to instant heat which we then turn off at night; heat pumps work in a slow and steady way – including at night on the “setback” temperature. The radiators usually feel only slightly warm, even tepid.
There are heat pumps available now which use water at higher temperatures. This can allow a simpler swap-out-swap-in installation process (with lower associated costs), although they don’t offer the same efficiency as lower temperature pump systems.
Heat pumps vary, and can be designed for certain weather conditions. The heat pumps which are so popular in Nordic countries are specified differently from UK ones.
One point to bear in mind is that the moment your boiler breaks down is a bad time to think about getting a heat pump, especially in colder weather. It’s not a moment when people want to spend time researching new technologies and assessing heat loss – they just want to be warm, so they tend to just get a new boiler.
Video recording of the event is HERE