An Elham Environment Group project

Elham Going Green Column
To contribute to this column in the Elham Newsletter, contact Sylvia Scott on 840584 or sylvia.scott@supawoman.plus.com

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April 2011: Re-energising Elham Fuel Club
Two years ago Elham Environment Group invited people to join together to buy heating oil in a bid to obtain discounted prices and cut down on wasteful and carbon heavy deliveries by fuel tankers.

Around 50 households have expressed interest in group buying and many within the CT4 postcode have used the website Boilerjuice to place orders on the first weekend of the month. The sharp rise in the world oil price has made it difficult to find competitively priced fuel unless you are prepared to spend a lot of time shopping around. Boilerjuice has often been more expensive than other options. Newspaper reports in January which claimed that the website was charging excessive prices appeared to confirm the personal experiences of Elham residents.

In light of this and of problems with deliveries in the run up to Christmas, we have decided to review the scheme. The Elham Fuel Club is now proposing to agree a 12 month contract with a single local supplier who would commit to providing a competitive rate – typically an average of 10% below other prices over the course of a year – and prompt deliveries, in exchange for an assured level of orders.

The scheme would work like this: members would receive a regular email or other communication from the Club, asking if they want oil and how much. The Fuel Club would pass the list of those needing oil to the supplier who would calculate the price and notify members about delivery. Members would be billed directly by the supplier and are free to go to an alternative company if they do not like the price.

We hope to launch the new scheme by May and are considering a number of suppliers in the area but welcome suggestions and feedback about companies. If you are a member of the Fuel Club or would like to join, and are interested in more information, please confirm your interest by sending your contact details to: Mary Martin (marymartin99@hotmail.com).

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March 2011: Elham Allotment Partnership
The Elham Environment Group has been working in partnership with the Parish Council and Elham Gardening Society to develop a community allotment for Elham. We are indebted to the Parish Council which has supported this project and given permission for us to use the land adjacent to the Burial Ground in Harves Bush Meadow at Vicarage Lane.

The site, which will be divided into 20 allotments, is central to the village with running water and good access. We will also run a ‘community allotment’ so residents and their children can share and pool efforts. The site will be fully prepared for allotment users and we hope it will be ready by the end of March.

The benefits of having an allotment are more than just ‘growing your own’ and enjoying the fresh air and countryside. There are also added pleasures such as being part of a community group, making new friends and supporting each other in our endeavours.

We will have the opportunity to learn from experienced gardeners willing to teach on site, and benefit from buying seeds and compost at reduced prices. By now an allotment questionnaire will have arrived through your door. Why not ‘sign-up’ for an allotment, complete the questionnaire and hand it in to the Elham Valley Stores for our attention?

With the price of food rising all the time, this project makes perfect sense!

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February 2011: Using Renewable Energy
The world has just 42 years of known oil reserves left and 60 years of gas, according to estimates by BP. More will be discovered but it will be increasingly expensive. At the same time, it is widely agreed that we must reduce emissions of greenhouse gases from fossil fuels and reduce our ‘carbon footprint’. To achieve this we must do two things: use less energy and use renewable energy.

What is the best way to do this in Elham?
What can individual households do and what can we do as a community? Members of the Elham Environment Group have been meeting organisations with experience and expertise in these areas. Two such groups are Woking Borough Council, one of the UK’s largest users of photovoltaic solar panels and small-scale combined heat-and-power generators, and the Bay Trust environmental organisation in St Margaret’s at Cliffe.

Environmental audit
As a next step, and in discussion with the Parish Council, District Council and Kent County Council, we are looking into an environmental audit of the village by independent experts. This would be an in-depth study of how we best exploit existing and emerging eco-technologies for energy reduction and renewable energy supply, and which options might be most appropriate for the Elham community. If and when we get agreement from the various local authorities, find grants to fund this and agree on a suitable auditing organisation (there are a lot of ‘ifs’) we will report on the next steps.

Please contact Paul Bright on 840235 or paulbright@btinternet.com with any questions or suggestions.

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December 2010: Eco quiz
Here is an excerpt from the quiz we held at Play for Elham’s Summer Fayre (answers at the bottom).
1. Between January 2003 and September 2008 average domestic energy bills rose by
a) 25%      b) 75%      c) 125%

2. Turning down the thermostat by 1˚C is estimated to reduce the heating bills by up to
a) 1%     b) 5%     c) 10%

3. The daily UK average water consumption per person is (in litres)
a) 55     b) 150     c) 175

4. On average people in the UK throw away their own body weight in rubbish in
a) 7 weeks     b) 17 weeks     c) 70 weeks

5. Every tonne of recycled paper can save
a) 7 trees     b) 17 trees     c) 70 trees

6. Over Christmas how much wrapping paper will end up in UK rubbish bins?
a) 83 km2     b) 8.3 km2     c) 18.03 km2

7. The recommended loft insulation thickness to reduce energy is
a) 100mm (4 inches)     b) 200mm (8 inches)     c) 270mm (11 inches)

8. A typical laptop computer consumes
a) less than 20% of the energy of a desktop computer and monitor and costs £50 per year less to run
b) less than 50% of the energy of a desktop computer and monitor and costs £100 per year less to run
c) about 20% more energy than a desktop and monitor

Note: This quiz has been adapted from an original produced by the Bridge Energy Saving Team.

ANSWERS: 1c, 2c, 3b, 4a, 5b, 6a, 7c, 8a.

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October 2010: Payments for renewable heat
The government plans to introduce a scheme that pays households for generating heat from renewable sources, such as solar thermal panels, heat pumps or a biomass (wood burning) boiler. Called the Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI), the scheme is similar to the Feed-in Tariffs initiative which pays households for the electricity they generate using solar photovoltaic (PV) panels. Like the Feed-In Tariffs, the incentives are set by the government.

How much money is the RNI worth?
You will save money by reducing your dependency on oil or gas, both of which are becoming increasingly expensive. For full Renewable Heat Systems your use of gas or oil will be totally eliminated. Depending on what type of system you use you will be paid up to 18p per kilowatthour. For example, a solar thermal panel hot water system would pay the maximum of 18p/kWh for all the heat and hot water you generate and use. Qualifying renewable systems include solid biomass boilers and ground source and air source heat pumps. Each technology is assigned its own unique tariff structure and the tariff lifetimes vary accordingly. The ground source heat pump tariff lifetime is the longest at 23 years.

Is that long enough to pay off installation costs?
It is currently estimated that most households should generate enough income to pay off their installation costs in about seven to nine years.

When do they start?
Tariffs will be paid starting in April 2011, however the government has proposed that any qualifying system installed after 15 July 2009 will attract payments after the tariff start date.

Further information: www.rhincentive.co.uk

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September 2010: Eco Quiz winners
Thanks to those who took part in our Eco Quiz at Play for Elham’s Summer Fayre. The winners were Christopher & Paula Gough and Alan Turner. For those who did not have a chance to enter the quiz, we will print part of it in this column over the winter months.

Peat-free compost
The government’s Act On CO2 campaign is promoting peat-free compost (www.direct.gov.uk/buyingcompost). Extracting peat damages peatland habitats and wildlife, and releases CO2 that harms the environment, Act on CO2 warns.

Diarmuid Gavin, gardener and garden designer, says: “People often struggle to find easy ways to make a difference to protect the environment. Using peat-free products for the garden is one of the simplest ways.”

If you can’t buy peat-free, look for compost with a low peat content, Act on CO2 suggests.

Facts about peat
(source: The English Garden April 2010)
• Peat is a non-renewable resource and when harvested damages valuable and scarce lowland raised bog habitats which are home to rare animals and plants.
• Peat extraction in the UK accounts for half a million tonnes/year of CO2 emissions – equivalent to total annual emissions of 100,000 homes.
• The good news is that there are many good alternatives to peat and by using them we can reduce our carbon footprint.

Lighter later
Carbon reduction pressure group 10:10 is campaigning to put the clocks forward by one hour in the UK (see www.lighterlater.org).
David Cameron has indicated that the government may look in more detail at the controversial proposals, which would take the UK into the same timezone as most of the European Union.

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July 2010: How can we cut our energy use?
None of us is perfect, but we can try to be just that little bit greener if we think about it. For example if we all turn off non-essential “stand-by” equipment, we could save our nation the output of one power station. Insulating your home (currently free for those aged over 65) or driving a little more carefully can save you money and lessen climate change in the environment.

Here are some tips from the Energy Saving Trust:
1 Is your water too hot? Your cylinder thermostat should be set at 60°C/140°F
2 Always turn off the lights when you leave a room
3 Don’t leave appliances on standby and remember not to leave laptops and mobile phones on charge unnecessarily
4 If possible, fill up the washing machine, tumble dryer or dishwasher: one full load uses less energy than two half loads
5 Only boil as much water as you need (but remember to cover the elements if you’re using an electric kettle)
6 A dripping hot water tap wastes energy and in one week wastes enough hot water to fill half a bath, so fix leaking taps
   and make sure they’re fully turned off
7 Use energy saving lightbulbs. They last up to 10 times longer than ordinary bulbs, and using one can save you around
   £40 over the lifetime of the bulb. This saving could be around £65 over its lifetime if you’re replacing a high wattage
   incandescent bulb, or one used for more than a few hours a day.

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June 2010: What is happening to bees?
Bee populations are in decline in large numbers all over the world and the causes are uncertain. In the UK, honey beekeepers are seeing an average loss of bees in their hives of 19% per year, compared with previous losses of 3-5% per year. Over the past 20 years numbers have halved.

Although honey bees are not the only pollinators, they are by far the greatest in number and contribute £200m a year to the UK economy through pollination of essential crops. They pollinate at least 10 essential crops from oilseed rape, apples, pears, runner beans to strawberries, raspberries and annuals that produce viable seeds, according to “The English Garden” magazine.

Although no-one is yet sure why bees are declining, possible explanations include:
✘ Bad weather
✘ Pesticides
✘ Viruses
✘ Importation of non-native bee species
✘ Declining number of “wild gardens”

What can we do? The good news is that we can help:
✔ Plant wildflower seeds in the garden such as foxgloves, comfrey, corn cockles, cornflowers, nasturtiums, sage, holly teasel and deadnettle
✔ Create bee shelters by growing patches of long grass
✔ Avoid pesticide use in the garden
✔ Contact local beekeeping associations to protect swarms

Find out more at www.britishbee.org.uk and www.co-operative.coop/planbee

SOURCES :
1. “A Spring without Bees” by Michael Schacker, Lyon Press
2. “Plan Bee”, The Co-Operative.

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May 2010: Save-a-flush bags
For those who may have missed out on the old Hippo devices to save water in your toilet cisterns we have obtained some SAVE-A-FLUSH BAGS. The bags contain crystals which expand upon contact with the water in the cistern, reducing the capacity of the cistern. The bags are free and are available from the village shop. They can also be obtained free from Veolia or Southern Water. They are only suitable for the older type of cistern (not the modern low-flush versions), and will save 1 litre of water for every flush. Full instructions are on the bags.

Congratulations to Play for Elham
The Elham Environment Group wishes to join the village in congratulating Kate, Briony and Helen of the “Play for Elham” project. They announced that they have been awarded a £100,000 grant from Community Spaces to improve the King George V playing field. We look forward to hearing of a successful resolution of any legal matters and the start of the work for the children of Elham and the surrounding area.

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April 2010: Investing in a bright future?
Technology now enables the production of photovolatiac (PV) solar panels which convert sunlight into electricity. This is very different from solar heating, which uses the sun’s energy to heat the hot water systems.

The government plans to reward households and businesses for installing electricity generating measures such as PV solar panels. Miles Brignall of the Guardian says: “If the government offered to pay you £1,000 a year for the next 25 years, in return for an upfront
investment of £12,500 you’d snap it up in a second.”

That is the deal through the new feed-in-tariff. If you have the money and a south facing roof, you can earn a 7-10% tax free return. This income will rise in line with inflation and you will be reducing carbon emissions.

From 1 April 2010 households with approved systems will be paid for the electricity they generate, even if they use it themselves.
For more info: www.energysavingtrust.org.uk.

Rainwater butts
According to independent government advisor Waterwise, we Brits use about 150 litres of water per person per day. On average 7% of this is for outside use, but in a dry summer this can rocket to 70%.

The Elham Environment Group is considering a bulk purchase of rainwater kits comprising, stands, taps and downpipe adaptors. We would then offer these kits to residents at a competitive price.

First we need to establish the potential demand.
If you are interested, please contact Chris Jelly on 862933 or chris@cjelly.plus.com.

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March 2010: What’s happening in the woods?
Walk the woodland paths around Elham at this time of year and you may notice intense activity in some woods with areas being cleared. This signals the return of coppicing.

Coppicing is a traditional woodland management system used in Britain for thousands of years until its decline after the Second World War when demand for wood fell. Coppicing exploits the ability of broadleaved native trees to produce new growth from a cut stump or
‘stool’. Periodic cutting helps a wide variety of plants by allowing light to reach the woodland floor. This in turn provides habitat and food for insects and encourages woodland birds that feed on insects and plant seeds.

The system requires the felling of trees that have become very large, having not been cut for many years. This may look drastic but hornbeam, chestnut and hazel respond well and regrow.

In woodland being managed for biodiversity, a balance of habitats must be maintained. Some areas are left untouched to provide shaded areas for rare plants such as violet helleborines. Other areas can be coppiced in subsequent years to start a rotation.

The Forestry Commission supports the re-intoduction of coppicing through their English Woodland Grant Scheme. The Butterfly Conservation Trust’s local Denge Woods Project (www.dengewoods.org) encourages the re-creation of habitats that once supported butterflies such as the wood white and the pearl-bordered fritillary.

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February 2010: Would you like to take part in a garden share scheme?
Despite this spell of wintery weather, Spring really is only just around the corner. Those of us who enjoy growing our own fruit and vegetables in our garden or allotment are eagerly anticipating the joys of gardening and the many benefits this brings. Seed catalogues are being read by the evening fires and plans are being reviewed for our 2010 gardening programmes!

The Elham Environment Group is planning a garden share project which would bring together two groups of people who may be interested in helping each other out.

Do you fall into either of these categories:

Do you enjoy your garden but find it too big for you to cope with?
If yes, would you like an interested Elham resident/neighbour to help you keep it in order and also grow vegetables for themselves?
Or
Would you like to grow vegetables but don’t have a large enough garden?
Would you like to help someone with their garden at the same time? This scheme, which has the backing of the Elham Gardening Society, aims to encourage the growing of fruit and vegetables locally, which will of course help reduce Elham’s carbon footprint.

If you are interested in this project, please contact Sylvia Scott on 840584 or email sylvia.scott@supawoman.plus.com.

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November 2009: Is Elham Going Green this Christmas?
The Elham Environment Group wishes all Elham residents a very Happy and Peaceful Christmas.
Thank you for your support over the past year and for joining us in working to reduce our collective carbon footprint.
As eco engineer Dick Strawbridge says in his book “It’s Not Easy Being Green”, we can still have a wonderful
Christmas but accept the challenge to have a low carbon impact by changing a few ways of doing things.

Try the following simple things this Christmas as suggested in Dick’s book. The message is: reduce, reuse, recycle!
• Source local food as much as possible (eg use the Farmers’ Market or local farm shops).
• Try to use locally produced cards and other goods
   (eg Elham Valley Arts or Elham Valley Vineyard where locally produced cards and gifts are available).
• Choose a Christmas tree from a local source and use last year’s decorations with other locally produced ones if needed.
• It’s more difficult to be green when buying presents but wrapping them can be green. DEFRA estimates that 40,000
   trees worth of paper is used each Christmas in the UK. Enough to wrap the entire island of Jersey! Try using paper
   saved during the year, cut up cast off clothes, buttons, bows, beads and baubles! Save carefully unwrapped Christmas
   paper for next year.
• Think twice about Christmas lights and use LED ones if possible and/or solar energy outside lights.
• Recycle and reuse after the party is over.

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October 2009:
Are you in the dark?
As the daylight hours shorten we come back to the issue of whether or not to use energy-saving light bulbs.
The withdrawal of 100 Watt incandescent bulbs in shops gives some urgency to the issue. Some have found
energy-saving bulbs slow to warm up and unable to provide enough light, especially for reading. But advances
in technology mean they have changed for the better since they were first introduced and today there is a
wide variety of sizes, shapes and fittings.

Are you losing heat?
Last winter, members of the Elham Environment Group took thermal images of local houses if requested to see
what might be done to better insulate homes. Some residents have had difficulty interpreting the results as some
images were inconclusive. For example, for a meaningful reading a difference of at least 10˚C between the outside
and inside of a house is needed and this was not always present. However, if you had a photo taken and are feeling
the chill, we still have the pictures to show to those who request them. Please contact us by email at
info@elhamenvironment.co.uk or by writing to EEG, c/o 9, The Orchards, Elham CT4 6TR.

Congratulations!
The Village Hall has just been fitted with the latest Ground Source Heating System. This is a wonderful example
of how energy and carbon emissions as well as money can be saved and the Elham Environment Group wishes to
congratulate the Management Committee on this initiative.

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September 2009: Future plans
The Elham Environment Group is looking at ways to help the local community further reduce its carbon footprint.
We are making plans for next year and would welcome any help and advice.

Having analysed the data from our “Operation Energy Saver” project, we believe the following activities will have
a positive effect on our carbon footprint and fit with Elham residents’ requests and ideas. The activities have allocated
leaders who would be pleased to receive assistance from interested villagers.

• Loft clearance assistance for people who would like to insulate their loft but find the whole operation too daunting
   (Sylvia Scott and Chris Jelly)
• Development of a recycling event where villagers can swap or sell their unwanted goods/items.
   (Anna and Scott Jagger, Mary Martin and Vicky Parsons)
• Development of a network of similar groups and expertise to share and learn about new ideas and solutions (Chris Jelly)
• Discuss energy-saving solutions with Shepway District Council, particularly in connection with listed buildings
   and conservation areas (Colin Johnson)
• Investigate a village-based car journey share scheme (Scott Jagger)
• Investigate a garden share project, which would team people who have some spare space in their gardens
   with others who are keen to grow food
• Create a group with expert knowledge of the effectiveness and financial viability of energy reduction solutions.
   This is being pursued via a bid for continued support from the Energy Saving Trust.

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July 2009: Our carbon footprint is getting smaller
The Energy Saving Trust has conducted an analysis of the Elham area which suggests that the carbon footprint of homes,
per household, has fallen by 8.5% in the last year. This is a great step towards meeting our overall target of a 20% reduction.

In the coming months, the Elham Environment Group will be focusing on more measures to accelerate progress
towards our 20% goal. 

Lydd Airport meeting
Shepway District Council will meet on Thursday 9 July to decide on Lydd Airport’s plans to extend the runway
to accommodate Boeing 737 and Airbus 320 size aircraft and build a new airport terminal building. The long-term
intention is to enlarge the passenger carrying capacity of the airport to 2m passengers per year by 2015.

Residents wishing to express their views on the application should write to our Shepway District Councillor:
Miss P J Carr, Winterbourne, Stelling Minnis, Canterbury CT4 6AD.l.

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June 2009: News update
We held an Eco Fair at Elham Primary School on 28 March to show its work in progress.
Several companies exhibited products that can help us reduce our carbon footprint – and cut householder energy costs too.
These included companies providing thermal insulation materials and solar hot water and photovoltaic (electricity) systems.

During the winter the EEG borrowed a thermal imaging camera from Kent County Council. The camera forms an image of a house showing areas of heat loss, so that action can then be taken to reduce the loss. Many householders requested thermal images of their homes, and some of the results were shown and discussed at the Eco Fair. We hope to do more work on this next winter.

A driving simulator at the Fair demonstrated how to drive more economically. This showed that:
• Driving our cars 20 miles/week less could provide a 9% decrease in carbon dioxide emissions
• Improving our mpg (miles per gallon) by 5mpg could give a 20% decrease in carbon dioxide emissions

During the Fair the last of the 15 new trees were planted in the school grounds. The trees were provided by the Elham Gardening Society and the Kent Men of the Trees. A total of 100 trees have been planted in the parish. Alun Griffiths, chairman of the Kent Men of the Trees, attended the Eco Fair.

Also attending were KCC Cabinet Member Keith Ferrin, County Councillor Susan Carey, Pamela Carr from Shepway Council, Mike Bundy of the Energy Saving Trust and Geoff Clements and Colin Johnson from our own Parish Council. We welcome their interest and support.

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May 2009: How to drive economically
The Elham Environment Group would like to thank all Elham householders who so generously gave their time to complete our questionnaires during our Operation Energy Saver project.
A key aim of the project was to assess how much, over the past 12 months, Elham residents had reduced their energy consumption and therefore their costs. We contacted 594 households of which 209 (35%) returned completed questionnaires. Preliminary analysis shows that 138 (66%) of those households have made energy saving improvements over the past 12 months.

These improvements are:
• 77% of households now use energy saving light bulbs
• 21% have added double glazing
• 12% have insulated their hot water cylinders
• 11% have had their cavity walls insulated

When asked what help/advice householders would like for future/further improvements the replies showed that:
• 40% would like to insulate their loft to the correct thickness
• 36% would like to explore the idea of solar energy
• 23% would like to improve their cavity wall insulation
• 46% of households requested a free thermal image of their house to gain a better understanding of their heat loss points

It is interesting to note that about a quarter (23%) of householders have over 70’s in residence, many of whom would like to insulate their lofts and cavity walls but find this too taxing an operation. Many would appreciate help and advice. In conclusion, it is clear that much has been done to reduce our energy consumption in Elham.

Please contact the Elham Environment Group if you would like help with further improvements.

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April 2009: How to drive economically
The key to fuel efficient driving is to keep your speed consistent, avoiding sharp acceleration and heavy braking. This involves lifting the foot off the accelerator earlier. Coasting to a halt in gear is a big fuel saver.
•  Check your tyre pressure regularly – Under inflated tyres are potentially dangerous, and also increase the rolling resistance between the tyre and the road, causing the engine to work harder and use more fuel.
•  Shut windows and use the air conditioning sparingly – Air conditioning significantly increases fuel consumption.
•  Roof boxes & rails – External fixings including bike racks increase the aerodynamic drag, which increases consumption. Remember to remove them when not in use.
•  Remove car clutter – Golf clubs, pushchairs, or any extra unnecessary weight in the boot, can be removed to lower consumption when not needed.
•  Avoid short journeys – When the engine is cold it uses more fuel than normal until it reaches the optimum working temperature. The catalytic converter in the exhaust, which reduces harmful emissions, is also less efficient when cold.
•  Avoid idling – If you’re stuck in a traffic jam, switch the engine off if you expect to be there for more than a minute or two. Cutting the engine will save fuel and reduce emissions.
•  Maintain your car – Change your air filter annually and ensure your engine is working effectively.
•  Plan your journey – Plan journeys to avoid congestion, road works and getting lost.

SOURCES: BP and www.climatecare.org

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March 2009: Eco Fair
The Elham Environment Group is holding an Eco Fair on Saturday 28 March at
Elham Primary School between 10am and 3.30pm.

At the event, we will showcase some of our initiatives, including:
•  Trees for Elham: our tree planting campaign, organised with and sponsored by the Elham Gardening Society
•  Operation Energy Saver: our campaign to help residents identify household energy losses using a thermal imaging camera
•  Launch of the Elham Valley Fairtrade cotton shopping bag

The Eco Fair will include the planting of a celebration tree at 11:00am in the school playing field. This will be the last of about 60 trees planted around the village. We will also display some results from our Operation Energy Saver exercise, and there will be exhibits of energy saving solutions.
     Everyone is warmly invited to attend, and residents will be able to pick up their (confidential) thermal images. Entry to the Eco Fair is free, and coffee, tea and cakes will be on sale.

EEG volunteers will be visiting homes in Elham between 20 February and 20 March to offer free light bulbs, thermal images, and advice on how to save energy

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February 2009: Heat Loss Detective UPDATE
The Elham Environment Group (EEG) has won £4,000 funding from Kent County Council (KCC) for a campaign to encourage energy saving in the home. As part of this campaign, residents will be given the chance to have their homes photographed using a thermal imaging camera to identify where they are losing heat.
     The campaign, named ‘Operation Energy Saver’, will involve training volunteers to visit homes in the community and offer advice on how to cut energy bills. They can also help residents identify any relevant grants.
     We plan to start the exercise in late February.
     Operation Energy Saver is part of the EEG’s ‘Elham Going Green’ project, aimed at cutting carbon emissions in the Elham area by 20%.

ANY RESIDENTS INTERESTED IN VOLUNTEERING TO HELP AND GAIN EXPERTISE IN THERMAL IMAGING TECHNOLOGY please contact: Chris Jelly: 862933, email: chris@cjelly.plus.com

KCC awarded a total of £10,000 to four communities through its Low Carbon Challenge Fund. Elham and Hadlow each received £4,000, while Eastchurch and St Margaret’s-at-Cliffe received £1,000.
     Hadlow plans to develop a grower group to cultivate fruit and vegetables on land owned by the agricultural college. Eastchurch will put its share towards providing low energy street lights, while St Margaret’s is looking at the feasibility of using renewables.

Diary date
We will hold an event to showcase Operation Energy Saver and celebrate our Tree Planting programme at Elham Primary School on 28 March.

Details to follow in next issue

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December 08: Heat Loss Detective/Stopping junk mail and unwanted phone calls