Sustainable Wirral

Communities

Wirral has strong communities working together to focus on the environment in their neighbourhood.

Transport

Liverpool City Region (LCR) has identified 31 new ideal walking and cycling corridors in the region, 9 of which are on the Wirral.

Reduce, reuse, recycle

It is estimated over 40% of household items that are thrown away could be reused. Diverting one tonne of reused household goods could help 15 low income households.

Green and coastal spaces

According to Natural England, Wirral has a significant coast and estuary with internationally, nationally and locally recognised wildlife and habitats.

Food

The biggest impact on climate is our meat-heavy diet.

Air quality

The biggest problem for air pollution on the Wirral is traffic. Air pollution is a hidden killer and it hits children, older people and the poorest hardest.

Energy

Wirral has 14 megawatts of renewable energy available. If the area matched the best of similar local council areas it would have 136 MW.

Communities

Wirral has strong communities working together to focus on the environment in their neighbourhood.

NEIGHBOURHOOD FOCUS:

How climate friendly is our area? Friends of the Earth has published a review.

Wirral has strong communities working together to focus on the environment in their neighbourhood.

Incredible Edible Hoylake – voluntary community group who take un-used or forgotten space to plant and grow healthy food. Free food for all.
Planet Heswall (Transition Town) – a voluntary group of concerned residents, looking to make Heswall more sustainable in the face of climate change. Connecting with Heswall schools, churches, businesses & residents on topics like Food, Waste, Energy, Transport, Trees & Wildlife.
Sustainability Central – a programme supporting transition to a low carbon, climate-ready place focused around the East and West Float redevelopment and the communities and neighbourhoods in the surrounding areas.
Sustainable Seacombe – a programme that supports over 10,000 local residents in Seacombe to better afford to keep warm in their homes
West Kirby Transition Town – community response to the climate challenges ahead
Zero Carbon Bebington – a Facebook group that will help push for the necessary local changes to ensure that we meet our climate change targets.

For details of issue focused groups that may be neighbourhood based look on the Big Green List of Wirral Organisations

Get in touch

Content provided by Wirral Environmental Network

Wirral Environmental Network is a local charity which aims to advance the education of the public about the preservation of our world’s natural environment.

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Modified on Fri, 19 Mar 2021 12:07:59 GMT

Water

We must use water wisely.

WE MUST USE WATER WISELY:

Water use

In the North West we use 144 litres person per day compared to 121 in Germany. Toilets, power showers and baths use the most water in a home. However, we consume far more in virtual water – the amount of water it takes to produce food and textiles. For example, it takes over 10,000 litres of water to make 1 pair of jeans and over 15,000 litres of water to make 1 kg of beef.

Water quality

There are five rivers on the Wirral, all of which flow into the Mersey Estuary. Water quality issues on the Wirral are caused by urban diffuse pollution from a combination of road run-off and misconnections, rural diffuse pollution and extensive physical modifications

Wirral has four designated bathing waters – West Kirby, Meols, Moreton, Wallasey. And whilst bathing water quality is generally ok, a Greenpeace study found that River Mersey contains twice the amount of plastic pollution than the Great Pacific Garbage Patch

Three things you can do

Visit United Utilities for water saving advice and free water saving gadgets
Love your clothes – keep your items for longer, sell or donate items, buy preloved
Drink tap water, not bottled. Use Refill points across the Wirral

Get in touch

Content provided by Wirral Environmental Network

Wirral Environmental Network is a local charity which aims to advance the education of the public about the preservation of our world’s natural environment.

< Published on Wed, 03 Feb 2021 15:50:59 GMT
Modified on Thu, 04 Feb 2021 11:02:42 GMT

Transport

Liverpool City Region (LCR) has identified 31 new ideal walking and cycling corridors in the region, 9 of which are on the Wirral.

CLIMATE FRIENDLY, HEALTHY, CLEAN TRANSPORT:

Transport situation and plans

Efforts to cut carbon dioxide (CO2) levels in Wirral have been hampered by a failure to reduce transport emissions over five years. 26% of commuter journeys are made by public transport, cycling and walking

Liverpool City Region (LCR) has identified 31 new ideal walking and cycling corridors in the region, 9 of which are on the Wirral. There are plans to develop 3 of these over the next 10 years (1).

There are two main rail lines on the Wirral, one of which runs once an hour and requires electrification before joining to Liverpool and Chester lines.

Transport delivery

Merseytravel is responsible for realising the Local Transport Plan until 2024. They do this in conjunction with Wirral Borough Council who are also responsible for the local road network.

Many local projects are working to help make walking, cycling and public transport become useful, usable and used including Wirral Pedestrian Society, Cycling Projects, HYPE, Mersey Cycle, Rethink Now CIC. See the Big Green List for full details.

(1) www.liverpoolcityregion-ca.gov.uk/wp-content/uploads/LCWIP-REPORT-FULL.pdf

Get in touch

Content provided by Wirral Environmental Network

Wirral Environmental Network is a local charity which aims to advance the education of the public about the preservation of our world’s natural environment.

< Published on Wed, 03 Feb 2021 16:05:38 GMT
Modified on Thu, 04 Feb 2021 11:00:24 GMT

Reduce, reuse, recycle

It is estimated over 40% of household items that are thrown away could be reused. Diverting one tonne of reused household goods could help 15 low income households.

SAVE MONEY THROUGH WASTE REDUCTION:

Furniture Reuse Project – Refresh

It is estimated over 40% of household items that are thrown away could be reused. Diverting one tonne of reused household goods could help 15 low income households. Reuse services are estimated to save low income beneficiaries an average of £150.

With support from Merseyside Recycling Waste Authority and Veolia, Wirral Environmental Network, working in conjunction with Magenta Living, Wirral Borough Council and Urban Vintage set up a furniture reuse project which saved nearly 20 tonnes of reusable furniture from landfill. The project itself finished, but the work continues.

Thanks to Magenta, currently available items can be found in the Refresh Catalogue.

To support the project, items are also available to purchase via Urban Vintage New Brighton, at the Birkenhead Refresh Store.

What goes in Wirral Bins

33% of household waste on the Wirral is reused, recycled, or composted. The target is 50% by 2020. Of the items put into our household waste bins, 40% is food waste and 6% textiles.

UK households waste, on average, £470 worth of food, which goes in the bin when it could have been eaten. Unwanted food that goes into a general bin rots in landfill and creates methane – a powerful greenhouse gas.

It is estimated £140 million worth of clothing goes into landfill each year.

What can be done

The Government is consulting on plans to make food waste collection mandatory.

There are many options for recycling and reusing old and unused clothes and textiles throughout Wirral, including:

Designer wear and preloved clothes shop that give money for items sold
Cash for clothes shops
Charitable doorstep collections,
Textile containers at Wirral’s the region’s Household Waste Recycling Centres
Bring banks
Charity shops

If you think some clothing isn’t of good enough quality to be used by anyone else doesn’t mean it isn’t – these items can be recycled for a range of uses including wiping cloths, felts and other non-clothing uses. The fabrics are shredded and reprocessed into new items.

Get in touch

Content provided by Wirral Environmental Network

Wirral Environmental Network is a local charity which aims to advance the education of the public about the preservation of our world’s natural environment.

< Published on Wed, 03 Feb 2021 16:24:24 GMT
Modified on Fri, 19 Mar 2021 12:00:55 GMT

Green and coastal spaces

According to Natural England, Wirral has a significant coast and estuary with internationally, nationally and locally recognised wildlife and habitats.

WONDERFUL WILD WIRRAL:

Wirral has 11 Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), 26 Green flag awards – the most Green Flags of any local authority in the North West, 30 In Bloom projects in 2018, more than 40 allotment sites.

We have some wonderful farms – Applebys, Claremont Farm, Church Farm, Gregory’s Farm, Oldfield Farm. Many of whom open their doors to the general public.

According to Natural England, Wirral has a significant coast and estuary with internationally, nationally and locally recognised wildlife and habitats. We have 286 hectares of Broadleaved mixed and yew woodland. But, according to Friends of the Earth, still only 6% of Wirral is classified as Woodland and the highest proportion in similar areas is 39%

Allotment sites are in high demand. There are over 2000 on the waiting list and many sites close their list once it reaches 100.

Wirral Environmental Network wants our green and coastal spaces protected and linked by green corridors to improve access. We want more land in accessible locations allocated to communities growing food.

Three things you can do

Get out and enjoy Wirral Green and Blue Spaces
Support the groups that help keep our green and blue spaces special
Ask your organisation, Council or Community Centre to offer a volunteering day for our environment

Get in touch

Content provided by Wirral Environmental Network

Wirral Environmental Network is a local charity which aims to advance the education of the public about the preservation of our world’s natural environment.

< Published on Wed, 03 Feb 2021 16:29:31 GMT
Modified on Thu, 04 Feb 2021 11:05:39 GMT

Food

The biggest impact on climate is our meat-heavy diet.

LOCAL FOOD

In the UK, agriculture is responsible for 10% of greenhouse gas emissions, 83% of ammonia air pollution, and 16% of water pollution. More intensive forms of farming are the leading cause of harm to wildlife.

The biggest impact on climate is our meat-heavy diet.

Approximately one third of Wirral’s land area is still used for agricultural purposes (Natural England’s National Character Area (NCA) Profile and Agricultural Census). Much of it is exported.

The number of market gardens on Wirral is decreasing.

Wirral’s allotments are oversubscribed, but there are some spaces available and community garden options such as Incredible Edible Hoylake. Wirral has weekly farmers markets, some remaining market gardens and an increasing number of vegetarian and vegan food options.

Three things you can do

Eat more plant based meals and less meat
Buy locally grown produce or grow your own
Ask your organisation to provide vegetarian based, locally sourced catering at events

Get in touch

Content provided by Wirral Environmental Network

Wirral Environmental Network is a local charity which aims to advance the education of the public about the preservation of our world’s natural environment.

< Published on Wed, 03 Feb 2021 16:32:47 GMT
Modified on Thu, 04 Feb 2021 11:05:46 GMT

Air quality

The biggest problem for air pollution on the Wirral is traffic. Air pollution is a hidden killer and it hits children, older people and the poorest hardest.

AIR QUALITY ON THE WIRRAL:

The biggest problem for air pollution on the Wirral is traffic. Air pollution is a hidden killer and it hits children, older people and the poorest hardest.

Wirral Council’s Environmental Health team monitors: Ozone (O3), Nitrogen Oxides (NO2 and NO), Benzene (C6H6), Particulates (PM2.5). The Annual Status Reports (ASR) can be found on the Council’s Website

Many local schools measured the air quality in and around their schools as part of the Green Air Schools Project (GASP) run by the Eco Schools team, in conjunction with Liverpool John Moores University. For access to the data, please contact the individual school.

Friends of the Earth Clean-Air Campaign has good information about the different types of pollution, where the worst hit areas are

More locally, Rethink CIC works with schools to measure air local quality and put in place measures to improve it. Contact them to find out how your local school could get involved.

The biggest impact on air pollution on the Wirral that we can make is to walk, cycle, use public transport or electric vehicles and plant hedges and trees.

Three things you can do

Reduce your car journeys
Plant a (or some) trees and hedges
Ask your organisation, Council or community centre to support low carbon travel

Get in touch

Content provided by Wirral Environmental Network

Wirral Environmental Network is a local charity which aims to advance the education of the public about the preservation of our world’s natural environment.

< Published on Wed, 03 Feb 2021 16:43:32 GMT
Modified on Thu, 04 Feb 2021 11:06:59 GMT

Energy

Wirral has 14 megawatts of renewable energy available. If the area matched the best of similar local council areas it would have 136 MW.

CLEAN ENERGY AND EFFICIENT USE:

Generating clean energy

Wirral has 14 megawatts of renewable energy available. If the area matched the best of similar local council areas it would have 136 MW. Wirral Community Renewables have completed a feasibility study looking at potential sites for solar developments.

Improving efficiency

Highest levels of emissions in Wirral come from the domestic sector (42.5%). Of domestic emissions in Wirral nearly 70% emissions come from gas and 30% from electricity consumption.

Energy performance of domestic dwellings is measured by Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs). Over 70% of private sector housing stock is EPC band D or below and more than half the new EPCs being lodged on the Wirral (2019) are band D or below.

Three things you can do

Save heat and electricity in the home
Switch to a green energy supplier
Ask your organisation, Council or Community Centre to switch to energy saving principles and green energy

Wirral based charity Energy Projects Plus (EPP) offers a free Home Energy Check (HEC) to help you to save on your heating bills, free small energy saving measures (LED lightbulbs, radiator panels etc), insulation and in some cases new boilers.

Get in touch

Content provided by Wirral Environmental Network

Wirral Environmental Network is a local charity which aims to advance the education of the public about the preservation of our world’s natural environment.

< Published on Wed, 03 Feb 2021 16:38:05 GMT
Modified on Thu, 04 Feb 2021 11:05:54 GMT

Content provided by Wirral Environmental Network

Wirral Environmental Network is a local charity which aims to advance the education of the public about the preservation of our world’s natural environment.

< Published on Wed, 03 Feb 2021 16:59:54 GMT
Modified on Thu, 04 Nov 2021 15:08:50 GMT