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Our annual report 2011 is now available to download!

Find out what we've been working on over the last twelve months!

In 2011 we have delivered on over 20 different projects ranging from working with local faith groups to help them understand climate change, to launching the Forest for Peterborough.  

Download it now as a PDF.




If you need a printed copy please contact Lisa Taylor on This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or call 01733 568408.

Tags: Nyree Ambarchian | Peterborough Environment City Trust

Are you participating in Zero Waste Week?

 

Zero Waste Week is an annual city-wide event celebrating Peterborough’s legacy as the first UK city to gain Defra ‘Zero Waste Place’ accreditation. After the success of our award-winning project, over 3,200 tonnes of waste was diverted from landfill and over 1,500 tonnes of CO2 saved.

PECT has a week of activities for staff to take part in, from staff pledges to reduce waste at work and at home and a staff litter pick in the city centre, to a bring and share lunch with lots of homemade goodies and no wasteful packaging.  Zero Waste Week is really a lot of fun. It’s a great excuse to share a meal, come up with innovative waste reduction ideas, and focus on purchasing and the packaging associated with it.”

 
Today's activity was a litter pick.  Staff chose from four heavy traffic areas and pledged at least a half hour to pick.  Enterprise kindly lent us gloves, bags and litter pickers.  My group went along the underpass to the train station and the path leading to the station.  To be honest, it wasn't that riddled with rubbish.  We did still manage to partly fill 5 bags.  And though it's a little cold, and the job is grubby, we felt great afterwards.

Tomorrow holds an opportunity to learn best practice from the regions high flyers. Investors in the Environment members – IKEA Distribution Centre, Queensgate Shopping Centre, Anne Corder Recruitment and Bakkavor Freshcook have all achieved top level green accreditation and want to share their facts and know how. One business is Zero Waste to landfill, one is a paperless office, the others have some of best green credentials that we have seen in a long time. Together they are the Super 4. On the day we will hear a great range of stories from a great range of different business sectors.

Tags: Do your bit for the environment | Zero Waste Peterborough | Peterborough Environment City Trust | Investors in the Environment

 

PECT Gets Ready for Zero Waste Week!

In the run up to Zero Waste Week (22nd November), PECT staff are bringing and sharing, both their lunch and their rubbish!
 

After sharing a home made package free lunch, we'll get educated on how to reduce waste in the workplace and at home.  I know, I know, we're an environment charity, we should know all of this!  But it is difficult to keep on top of what can and can't be recycled, and why.  There are also local restrictions that can be hard to keep up with, alternatives for those items that can't be recycled in Peterborough, and heck, we all like a bring and share followed by a bit of education.

If you're a business that is taking part in Zero Waste Week, you're invited to join us for the education bit.

When: Thursday 18th November (get prepared for ZWW)
Time: 1.45 - 2.30
Where: Here at the PECT office - The Green House, 4-6 Cowgate

15 minutes
Andrew Goode from Donarbon Waste contractors will be covering:
 

• Targets for recycling and waste

• Relevant legislation and how it effects us?

• How waste and recycling systems work

• What CAN and CANNOT be recycled and WHY?

 

15 minutes
Stuart Foster from ReCOUP plastics will be covering:
 

• How ReCOUP work

• The recycling of useful plastics and systems

• What CAN and CANNOT be recycled and WHY?

15 minutes

Bring with you any samples of waste/packaging that you have questions or queries on as we will be having a 15 minute discussion at the end.

Please RSVP by email confirming your attendance ASAP to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Tags: Lisa Taylor | Do your bit for the environment | Zero Waste Peterborough

PECT staff step it up for Walk to Work Week.

PECT staff again participated in the Travelchoice Walk to Work Week competition, cruising a total of 150.7 miles for the week long event from 26th - 30th April.

The event encourages employees to walk more as part of their commute and working day, and helps workplaces encourage and promote walking amongst their workforce.  It's an excellent way to add some exercise into your day and does wonders for your physical and mental well-being.

Hugh, Rachel and Dave Smith from Scott Wilson motivated the team by walking in from Stamford for the second year in a row.  Nyree walked in from Werrington and Karen walked in from Eye.  Even our staff that work out of Peterborough and commute in walked to and from train stations, in Patrick's case over 3 miles each way.  Even I managed to walk to work, allergy to all things exercise and effort aside.

For our efforts, PECT won two of the competitions categories, Top Coordinator (that's me!) and Best Small Business.  Congrats to PECT staff for their effort and as always their enthusiasm in taking part.

Tags: Peterborough Environment Capital | Lisa Taylor | Healthy Living

Green Festival Launch, this Saturday from 10.00 - 4.00.  My 3rd, and I can't wait.  Nyree and Stuart have done an amazing job organising this years festival.  We have had so many people ring in interest, ask to volunteer, and wanting to participate, it's been amazing.  The festival truly does get better and better every year.

The actual launch day is so much hard work, but so much fun.  Stuart I imagine will be in Cathedral Square as the sun comes up to organise stalls, awnings, stages and whatnot.  The majority of PECT staff will come shuffling round at 8.00am.  There are bits to carry, lug, drag and display.  People to organise, shift, and direct.  After at least 8 hours on our feet, Kim will still be bouncing round, Nyree and Janine will be arm in arm laughing, Hugh will be fatherly and ask us all out for a pint in thanks, Rachel will be exuberant, Karen will still be chatting with anyone and everyone at the Greeniversity stall, and me, with my swollen ankles and burnt nose, will be in awe of the people I work with and their constantly positive attitudes and sense of community and spirit.  I'll have a big smile on my face, probably a tear in my eye, filled with respect and love for my PECT comrades, from CEO to volunteer.  Aww shucks.  See you Saturday!

Tags: Green Festival

Walk to Work Week 2010

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Crop to Shop

All I can say is...WHAT?  Well, I suppose I can say more...

I watched part of (football argument and I lost) Crop to Shop - Jimmy's Supermarket Secrets on BBC1 earlier in the week and I'm still stunned.  The programme had Jimmy Doherty exploring the global logistic of "fresh" food from around the world to a shop near YOU.

Potatoes, I like a bit of mash, not so keen on the baked, but hey, potatoes are good food.  But, did you know that potatoes are grown in Egypt and shipped to the UK.  The logistics are incredible.  Egyptian farmers buy seed potatoes from Scotland.  The grow the potatoes in sand, which has no nutrients.  They therefore need to water and fertilise the seed potatoes.  Water + desert = huh?  Well, there is a finite water source deep deep deep under the desert.  They have tapped that for watering the potatoes and fertilising at the same time.  Cool, the potatoes grown where none have grown before...Then the potatoes are harvested and packed in peat moss.  Peat Moss + desert = huh?  Ah, so, they import Peat Moss from Ireland, known for great Peat Moss... Then they ship the lovely winter pots to the UK.

So, although our British potatoes can be stored for months, supermarkets are importing winter potatoes from Egypt.  A round trip of over 11,500 miles.

Egypt + potatoes = WHAT?!

Buy + Eat + Grow + Local British Potatoes = Common Sense

Now that my maths are out of the way...I'm hungry

Tags: Lisa Taylor | Climate change | Do your bit for the environment | Peterborough Environment Capital

What Turns You On?

I love windup because it doesn't take anything from the environment to turn on and I can count on the item working with a little wrist action.

There is a plethora of products available that use windup energy.  Everything from toys to flashlights and radios.  The main alternatives are resource high electricity and portable batteries.   But, if you're turned on by batteries, there are new measures to help make it easier to dispose of them.

Effective 1st February 2010 regulations covering collecting, recycling and reprocessing portable batteries came into force.  Which means, in battery terms, any member of the public can return waste batteries to any shop that sells in excess of 32kg of batteries per year.  

If you are a business that uses portable batteries, your supplier will operate a take back scheme.

The disposal of waste industrial batteries and automobile batteries in landfill and by incineration is banned.  The battery producer or automotive garage will take back used batteries when you buy a new one and will dispose of them accordingly.

For more information on how to dispose of batteries, contact your local council.

To avoid all of this, get turned on by windup. 

 

Tags: Creating the UK Environment Capital | Do your bit for the environment | Lisa Taylor

Composting / Biodegrading / Anaerobic Digestion

James Barker, member of the Chartered Institute of Waste Board, will be educating people about composting / biodegrading / anaerobic digestion.

Attendees will gain an insight into the various methods of food waste disposal both domestic and commercial and why there is no perfect solution. Progress to date, and what householders can do to reduce landfill. Methane gas from landfill is 25 times more dangerous than C 02. Also the various landfill directives are simply target driven with no advice on suitable methods.

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