Why Wait?

WELLINGBOROUGH’S CAMPAIGN TO REDUCE CARBON FOOTPRINTS

Why Wait is a campaign, co-ordinated by Wellingborough Town Council, to engage the community in proactive measures that reduce carbon footprint and promote sustainable living practices throughout Wellingborough. Wellingborough Eco Group will work in partnership with the Town Council to deliver these practices are as follows:

  1. Sowing Wildflowers

Wildflowers reduce flooding, support pollinators, and enhance biodiversity. Wellingborough Eco Group has recently set up a new group called Nature Rangers, that will fully support the Town Council by carrying out planting plants and trees, and sowing wild flowers.

Wellingborough Town Council will coordinate with Trust Green for a social media campaign promoting free seed availability. They will list local suppliers for wildflower seeds on parish platforms and schedule video tutorials on creating wildflower gardens using social media.

  1. Reuse and Recycle

Reducing waste has been a key focus of Wellingborough Eco Group since it was established. We host Repair Cafes to fix broken items and Swap Shops to redistribute pre-loved items, both projects save hundreds of items from going into landfill.

Wellingborough Town Council plans to:

  • Reduce clothing waste and encourage reusable shopping bags.
  • Create a social media video demonstrating how to craft bags from old T-shirts.
  • Explore partnerships with local organisations for clothes collection schemes.
  • Coordinate with local hotels to donate unused toiletries.
  • Repurpose unused toiletries from hotels for community causes.
  • Repurpose materials to support insects and biodiversity.
  • Produce and share a social media video tutorial on constructing bug hotels.
  1. Tree Planting

Trees absorb carbon and improve air quality, that’s why Wellingborough Eco Group is working with Wellingborough Town Council, North Northamptonshire Council, The Woodland Trust, Grow Wild Outreach and the More Trees Now Campaign to source and plant more trees. Out Tree Nursery has already distributed over 150 trees to community groups and councils in and around the town, plus our new Nature Rangers group planted 300 trees in December, with many more planned to go in.

Wellingborough Town Council Plans to share links for free trees and disseminate tree-related information; and to empower Wellingborough Eco Group to lead a mini-forest project.

  1. Community Clean-ups

Litter was the first issue we tacked when we set up the group, we did this to make the area look better and for environmental improvement. Our monthly Litter Picking Two Hour Tidy Ups and Wellie Wombles, including at Tuesday Tidy Ups, clear a huge amount of litter.

We have a great relationship both with the local councils to enable this, and with the business community who regularly borrow our kit to have their own tidy ups. Wellingborough Town Council will continue to work with Wellingborough Eco Group and Wellie Wombles to enable local volunteers to carry out further periodic clean-up events.

  1. ECO HUB Services Promotion

Wellingborough Eco Group’s ECO HUB is there to help local people reduce their carbon footprints and it will offer centralised support for climate-related queries. ECO HUB hosts many of the services that have been set up to do this, and it has information readily available to help people.

Wellingborough Town Council will collaborate with Wellingborough Eco Group and Glamis Hall to promote and update eco-friendly services.

  1. Food Waste Reduction

Wellingborough Eco Group’s Food Sharers save food waste by clearing a local food bank and collecting food from supermarkets, then sharing it with people at ECO HUB. Food that has been saved is also reused to cook hot meals at Happy Cafes. All food that is near it’s best before date is available for free.

Wellingborough Town Council aims to highlight daily food waste and to promote resource-sharing apps. They will promote Too Good to Go, Olio, Food Banks and local services via social media. They will also establish connections with supermarkets and community centres for surplus food distribution.

  1. Local Sourcing

Wellingborough Eco Map has been made by Wellingborough Eco Group to encourage local business growth and reduce transportation emissions. It features lots of local businesses, community centres, local services and the town’s cycle network to promote sustainability and local environmentally friendly services.

Wellingborough Town Council will establish links between local businesses, allotments, and the community for selling and purchasing locally sourced goods. They will register businesses on council apps and create maps showcasing local services.

  1. Reduced Plastic Usage

ECO HUB and Glamis Hall offer to recycle wide range of items not currently accepted by curbside recycling collections. Details of all recycling services are on Wellingborough Eco Map. Wellingborough Eco Group are also looking to work with Food for Thought to advocate against plastic pollution through refill stations.

Wellingborough Town Council will promote refill stations and raise awareness about plastic’s impact on the environment.

  1. Water Conservation

Wellingborough Eco Group will share tips to reduce water consumption to save natural resources. ECO HUB will have information and reasources readily available to help local people save water.

Wellingborough Town Council will provide information on minimising water use and cost-effectiveness in the campaign. This will include tips on water-saving methods during food prep and cleaning.

  1. Electric Transport Promotion

Wellingborough Eco Map will include public charging points and further information to help electric vehicle drivers.

Wellingborough Town Council will encourage the use of electric vehicles for sustainability. They will share information and resources on electric vehicles through community platforms.

Communication Plan:

  • Utilize social media, local newsletters, community events, community centres, churches and partnerships to spread awareness about the campaign and its progress.
  • A climate change champion in every town council ward to help spread the word.

The “Why Wait” campaign aims to ignite proactive environmental actions within the community. By implementing these small actions which are easily weaved into everyday life, we envision a more sustainable and eco-conscious town.