Richmond Council itself has made tackling climate change a priority and earlier this year adopted a strategy which sets out a range of measures to address its causes and impacts in the borough. They are committed to reducing their own carbon footprint and helping residents, schools and business reduce theirs.

You can view Richmond Borough Council's newly launched 'Go Green' website here

Residents

Residents in the Richmond borough have one of the highest carbon footprints in the capital. Thankfully, there are many ways in which we can save energy at home. Some will require no cost at all, others require a little money up front but the saving will quickly pay dividends. The average household could save up to £300 a year on energy bills. Richmond Council is actually currently offering residents £100 off their Council Tax bill for installing loft or cavity wall insulation*.

* The cost will depend on the size of your house and type and how much insulation is already installed. Typical costs for a 3 bed semi-detached property are £250 for installing cavity wall insulation or £274 for installing loft insulation. Once installed you can expect savings of between £100-£200 on your annual energy bill.

Council

In 2007 Richmond Council worked closely with the Carbon Trust to create a comprehensive action plan to reduce the borough's contribution to climate change. Steps taken so far include:

• Installing 42 solar photovoltaic panels on the roof of the Civic Centre in Twickenham. A display in the reception shows how much energy is generated.
• Became the first local authority in the country to run it's entire vehicle fleet on recycled cooking oil.
• Sourced the electricity for the borough's street lights from a range of a renewable sources such as biomass and wind power.

Schools

To help schools reduce their carbon footprint, the Sustainability Unit is offering all schools a free practical support programme focusing on energy efficiency and water management. They will help with a range of measures including energy procurement and monitoring, setting up green teams, energy certificates, financing energy efficiency measures, training for staff and general advice. They will also be providing step-by-step guidance for schools that are keen to gain accreditation for their work.

Businesses

In June the Council will be launching a free enviromental support programme for all businesses in the borough. The service will provide a one-stop shop for advice, support and training in the following areas: energy, water, waste, travel and purchasing. Businesses who go green also receive recognition through an awards scheme.

As noted in a previous thread, Richmond's Borough Council's vision to be the greenest borough in London also included a newly introduced recycling trial, so one can only appreciate the steps the council are taking to fulfil it's aim, in my opinion.

But do some feel there's more the council, businesses and us as residents can do?

Are there some whom would disagree with these steps taken even being worth it? It is just jumping on the climate change bandwagon and should priorities lie elsewhere?