News archive - Week ending 28th March 2008

£17 million Climate Challenge Fund

Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and the Environment Richard Lochhead has announced a new £17 million Climate Challenge Fund which will give communities across Scotland the opportunity to reduce their carbon footprint.
Mr Lochhead said, "Communities have an absolutely crucial role to play in tackling climate change - both locally and globally. We need to put them in charge of their own destinies and release their potential..to harness the potential of communities we are working with the Green Party and others to make £17.3 million available over the next three years through the Climate Challenge Fund. This will enable them to take a range of actions to reduce significantly their carbon emissions.'
The Climate Challenge Fund (CCF) was announced as part of the Spending Review. The funding level was increased during the passage of the Budget Bill and confirmed on January 31, 2008. It will be opened for applications in the near future with details of how communities can apply. It is intended that the application process will be kept as simple as possible.

Zero Waste Think Tank Meets

The first meeting of the new Think Tank which will advise the Scottish Government on how to move towards its goal of "zero waste" has taken place in Edinburgh. Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and the Environment, Richard Lochhead chaired the meeting which brought together thirteen experts, ranging from council officers to university professors.
The group will advise the government on new policies announced in January- such as a 70% recycling target by 2025 and a cap on energy from waste - and how to bring them into practice. It will also help decide how to spend the £154 million which Scotland has pledged to help realise its zero waste ambition.

2008 Composting at Home Campaign

As a result of its outstanding performance in recycling, Fife was chosen as the location for the launch of the 2008 Composting at Home Campaign. The Composting at Home Campaign is a partnership between Waste Aware Scotland, WRAP (the Waste and Resources Action Programme), the Scottish Government and all 32 Local Authorities in Scotland.
Cabinet Secretary Richard Lochhead launched this year's campaign while visiting the a waste management facility in Fife. Over the previous four years the campaign has distributed over 160,000 compost bins to Scottish households, with more bins planned for distribution this year. Householders will receive information on how they can order discounted compost bins as well as advice and tips on composting at home. Regular newsletters and ezines will also be sent to participating households with news, information and seasonal tips.

This year's campaign offers additional support to first time composters, with seven Home Composting Advisors throughout Scotland providing advice and support through local events and workshops. The campaign is also supported by a network of Home Compositing Heroes - members of the public who aim to share practical hints and tips about composting at home within their local communities.

Champions for Sustainable Communities Awards

Forward Scotland's first Champions for Sustainable Communities award winners were announced at a presentation ceremony in Edinburgh.

Winner of the Business Champion was Liz Stewart the founder of Invisible Heating Systems (IHS) in Ullapool who was recognised for her efforts in providing free advice on renewables to the local community and guidance to local school children. Her company has also grown to become one of the largest employers in Ullapool and she has purchased land in order to provide quality, affordable, zero-carbon housing for local staff.

Community Group Champion is Ian Leaver from the Isle of Eigg, who was recognised for his fundraising and practical efforts as development co-ordinator for the Isle of Eigg Heritage Trust which led to the provision of renewable electricity to every home, business, and community building on the island.

Glasgow Growing Greener

Glasgow, it appears, is on it's way to becoming one of the greenest cities in Britain. It has exceeded government guidelines for cutting CO2 emissions, and The Energy Saving Trust's Green Barometer III report identified Glasgow as one of the places with the lowest CO2 emissions per household, second only to the City of London.

The Government's Home Energy Conservation Act 1995 (HECA), required local authorities to set out measures to improve energy efficiency over a 10-year period (1997-2007). The Act did not specify a figure, but guidance produced by the then Scottish Office suggested that reducing domestic energy consumption and emissions by 30% over the period would be appropriate.

Figures in a report by the Council's Development and Regeneration Services Policy Development and Scrutiny Committee, show that at the end of this 10-year period Glasgow had reduced total domestic energy consumption by 30.4% and cut CO2 emissions by 32.1%. The greatest energy reductions have been achieved in the social rented housing sector, with the largest savings made in the former local authority housing stock, which was transferred to Glasgow Housing Association (GHA) in March 2003. This allowed GHA to invest in its housing stock, post transfer, including installing efficient heating systems and insulation.

Private sector housing has been slower to invest in energy efficiency measures partly as a consequence of the relatively low cost of energy until 2005, resulting in a lack of motivation or need; a situation now changing rapidly. In addition a large part of the private sector housing stock consists of pre 1919 tenement flats, which are particularly difficult and expensive to improve.

Plans for Wind Turbine to Power Station

First ScotRail has applied for planning permission to install a wind turbine at Leuchars in Fife. The company believes the 6kw turbine can supply all the electricity the station needs and could have power left for the national grid. The £29,000 cost of the turbine will be met by Transport Scotland, the Scottish Government agency. It will be put on top of a 15-metre mast at the end of the station's platform.
First ScotRail executives are now looking at other potential sites for wind turbines in order to expand the scheme.