Man, after the latest press releases from Richmond Council, I am PROUD to be a Rich-man-d right now. Trees and parkland aside, Richmond is now officially Green and winning awards and recognition left right and centre.

Richmond has just been awarded the national Green Apple Environment Award for its work towards protecting the environment and helping to cut residents fuel bills.

The Council will be presented with the award at a November event at the House of Commons, and means Richmond's work could be put forward to represent the UK at the European Business Awards for the Environment.

Such recognition is an added bonus to the stirling work the authority has done in recent years. Richmond Council has firm policies regarding protecting the environment and fighting climate change, giving energy - and money - saving advice to residents, schools and businesses alike. Incentives and confidence has grown within the Borough, and it really does feel now like we are working together for a greater cause.

More information is available about Richmond Council's Go Green projects at www.richmond.gov.uk/gogreen

Richmond Council have also won a £200,000 grant from the Mayor of London to help launch a Low Carbon Zone in Ham and Petersham. One of nine boroughs to win funding, this marks another piece of recongnition of Richmond's commitment to protecting the environment.

The Council will be working with Oxford University to monitor how much energy is used with Richmond's homes, and will advise and help residents on how to cut their CO2 emmissions accordingly. This will obviously have a double-impact on both the environment, and to help reduce people's esculating fuel bills.

It was no surprise therefore to also read that Richmond Council are going to be running their entire 200-strong fleet of vehicles on Biodeisel made from 100% recycled cooking oil. There are a number of other local authorities running vehicles on recycled oils, but Richmond is the first to make the change for its whole fleet.

Cutting the Borough's CO2 output by over 1,000 tonnes per year and saving thousands of pounds on the authority's fuel bill. After trials in 2007, the Council were very happy with the quality of Biodeisel from recycled cooking oil, and the transition will cost nothing as no modifications are needed to vehicles to switch from standard deisel to biofuel.

So well done Richmond - let's keep learning and working together to get ever greener, leaner and meaner.

Regards, Silas Van Der Bas

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