Shropshire Climate Action: Eco anxiety Dealing with eco anxiety What is eco anxiety? E co anxiety (also known as ‘eco distress’ and ‘eco grief’) describes the wide range of negative thoughts and emotions people may expe rience when they hear about the global challenges our planet is facing. It can include an overwhelming sense of hopelesness and doom. The Royal College of Psychiatrists describe a range of emotions such as feeling anxious, worried, upset, scared, sad, angry, distressed, vulnerable, or unsure about the future. Research by Marks et al. 2021 showed the impact of eco anxiety among young people aged 16-25. Watch these short videos by psychotherapist Ro Randall on Coping with the Climate Crisis (2020) to help understand and accept these intense feelings. How to deal with eco anxiety First, it is important to acknowledge that these feelings are rational and show how much you care. Secondly, people should be allowed to express their distress about the climate crisis. It is important to listen to each other. Consider joining a climate café (see below), which offer safe, informal spaces for people to talk about their feelings, fears & uncertainties about the climate and ecological crises. In the words of We Are Possible, “The best remedy to climate despair is to take action, together.” Further actions Explore this website to make a difference in reducing carbon emissions and protecting Nature. You will be joining millions of others across the world.. Sign up to We Are Possible - a UK based organisation who “face our climate dread with a can-do attitude and sense of fun” for practical actions and approaches. The Climate Majority Project is enabling mass citizen-led climate action across the UK, connecting people across social, political and strategic boundaries, and building communities so that the climate majority can find their power and voice. “Most people sense that we’re in deep trouble with climate change, and they want to do something. We help projects to grow, get funding, and connect with as many willing hands as possible… Join us in creating the future you want, wherever you are, however you can, with all that you’ve got." Sign up to The Cool Down newsletter which provides lots of information on how to be green, save money and read good news stories about climate action. "How to live in a chaotic climate" Check out this book “How to Live in a Chaotic Climate: 10 Steps to Reconnect with Ourselves, Our Communities, and Our Planet” (2023) By Laura Schmidt, Aimee Lewis Reau, Chelsie Rivera “Eco-distress is real. How to Live in a Chaotic Climate is here to help you rediscover meaning, joy, and connection as the tumult around us increases. Based on the Good Grief Network’s acclaimed 10 Steps to Resilience and Empowerment in a Chaotic Climate program, this book unpacks the social, political, and spiritual nuances of the climate emergency, step by step" Listen to this 10 mins segment about Eco-grief and anxiety on BBC4 Women's Hour (broadcast 15/6/23) in which climate scientist turned campaigner Jen Newall from the Climate Majority Project talks about: how growing numbers of people are experiencing eco-grief and anxiety explores what exactly is the impact on people and how we can turn the tables and help people to feel more hopeful about the environment. Climate cafés: Joining with others to support one another Online Climate Cafés facilitate talking and listening to people who share your concerns and who want to take action. The Climate Psychology Alliance (of therapeutic practitioners, researchers, artists and others) hold regular climate cafés online each month. Follow this Eventbrite link to find a date that suits you. Consider starting a climate café in your area: Contact Climate Café® who have been running climate cafes across Scotland and in Solihull for seven years. They love to share ideas, support and guidance and can connect you with others to create a safe, welcoming and inclusive venue.

Improve efficiency Fabric first Most of us don't live in recent, energy efficient homes. We need to add (or retrofit ) energy-saving measures. Plan a series of steps, which can be implemented over time, saving money and disruption. It's best to start by improving the energy efficiency of our houses, addressing the 'fabric first': Improve insulation, air-tightness and ventilation: Window and door replacement. Loft insulation. Wall insulation - cavity, internal and/or external. Floor insulation. Air tightness. Appropriate ventilation / moisture control, to avoid issues with damp and mould: Trickle vents, extractor fans, heat recovery (MVHR). Take opportunities to insulate You can insulate your loft at any time, although it's more comfortable up there in the spring or autumn. But adding wall, loft or floor insulation is more disruptive. Plan to do it when opportunities arise, possibly a room at a time over a number of years for internal work. Fit internal wall insulation if you are: Installing a new kitchen or bathroom. Replacing or repairing plaster or plasterboard. Or just emptying and decorating a room. Fit external wall insulation if you need scaffolding, which is a significant cost, for any reason: Working on rendering or painting. Fitting replacement windows. First Retrofit priorities Draughts. Drainage - maintain gutters, downpipes and drains. Condensation and damp - a vital topic we'll return to. Asbestos - may be discovered during a retrofit and likely to require specialist removal or treatment. Windows and doors Replacing single-glazed windows, with modern double- or triple-glazing, and old draughty doors makes a home feel far more comfortable and significantly reduces energy losses. It's important to avoid thermal bridging around the frames. The reduction in energy use, at current prices, means that replacement double-glazed windows typical pay for themselves over 15 to 20 years. Loft / roof insulation Adding loft insulation is usually the most cost-effective way of reducing the energy lost from a house. If you have none, adding 300mm of loft insulation will typically pay for itself in one to two years. There are few better investments. Care is required if you have a 'room in the roof', have ceilings immediately under a flat or sloping roof, or have dormers. Insulation needs to be installed to avoid condensation, either by having a moisture-proof membrane on the warm side of the insulation or, in certain older properties, using a fully-breathable structure. Make sure that any air leaks into the loft space are blocked. For example, this could be from behind plaster board in the top-floor rooms or through downlighters. Wall insulation It's almost always worth fitting internal or external cavity wall insulation to houses that have solid walls (without a cavity), as the work has a short payback period, typically of a few years. Returns are also good for adding cavity wall insulation to houses that have cavity walls but no insulation in the cavity. It can be worth adding internal or external wall insulation to houses with cavity wall insulation, built up to about 2002 (to 2006), when the building regulations standards were tightened. Houses built since then should have reasonable wall insulation, and it's currently not likely to be worth improving on this. Floor insulation This is a paragraph. Use this area to add any information you want to share with users. Just click "Edit Text" or double click here to change the text and make it your own. You can also adjust the paragraph's font, size and color so it fits your website’s theme. This is a great place to tell users a story about your website and let them know more about what you offer. You may want to share information about your company's background, your team, or the services you provide. Be sure to keep the tone and voice consistent throughout the site so users become familiar with your brand.

Shropshire Climate Action: Recycle & Refill Recycle & refill According to WRAP 3% of global greenhouse gas emissions come from plastic packaging – more than the 2.5% contribution from global aviation. The best way to reduc e the need to recycle is to avoid buying overly packaged items in the first place. 76% of the 8,300 million tonnes of plastic produced between the 1920s and 2015 became waste. Back then only 9% was recycled. While recycling rates have increased , we can’t recycle our way out of the plastic problem. For example, despite 60% of people in the UK saying they use a refillable water bottle, 10m single use water bottles are still bought e very day, 700,000 of which are disc arded as litter. Surfers Against Sewage have identified the worst companies for plastic pollution in their Citizen Science Brand Audit . Actions you can take The following websites contains ideas and actions for how you can reduce you plastic use. Get involved in the campaigns and Big Plastic Count surveys of Every Day Plastic Surfers Against Sewage have a Plastic Free Communities campaign you can sign up to, to encourage your community and local businesses to go plastic free and they organise litterpicks and beach cleans Shropshire Against Pointless Plastic shows all of the local Shropshire communities who have already taken this step. Bridgnorth has been awarded Plastic Free Community status by Surfers Against Sewage Sign up to the Plastic Free July® challenge , an initiative of the Plastic Free Foundation. You will be sent weekly emails with tips, stories and news from the global movement Make your lunch box zero waste (poster is designed by Generation Zero Carbon Shropshire). Local Refill opportunities There are refill shops across Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin (see the list below) where you can refill your food, cleaning and toiletry products to avoid packaging and reduce your plastic consumption. The Refill website also helps you to find places to eat, drink and shop with less waste. Get inspired by Shrewsbury Cup - a reusable cup available in cafes across Shrewsbury. Customers pay £1 deposit, enjoy their drink and then return the Shrewsbury cup to any participating café to get their £1 back. The cups are washed ready to be used again. Harvest Wholefoods Glebe Farm, Lydham, nr Bishops Castle, SY9 5HB. Further information Myriad Organics 22 Corve Street, Ludlow, SY8 1DA. Further information Honeysuckle 53 Church Street, Oswestry, SY11 2SZ. Further information Pomona Grocery 1-2 Castle Gates, Shrewsbury, SY1 2AQ. Further information Refill Your Boots 31 High Street, Whitchurch, SY13 1AZ. Further information Pantry Severn Lasyard House, Underhill Street, Bridgnorth, WV16 4BB. Further information Simple Life Unwrapped 12 High Street, Much Wenlock, TF13 6AA. Further information Green Options Zero Waste Darwin Shopping Centre Pride Hill, Shrewsbury, SY1 1BN. Further information The Green Cove Wellington Market, Wellington, TF1 1DT. Further information Entertaining Elephants 43 High Street, Church Stretton, SY6 6BX. Further information The Little Green Pantry Newport Indoor Market, Stafford Street, Newport, TF10 7LU. Further information Minimise Shrewsbury Market Hall, Claremont Street, Shrewsbury, SY1 1HQ. Further information The Little Green Pantry 2 Crown Street, Wellington, TF1 1LP. Further information Recycling in Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin Recycling in the UK is c urrently the responsibility of Local Authorities . Find out what you can recycle where you live by clicking on the following Council websites: Shropshire Council's Recycling tips and Recycling and rubbish FAQs Telford and Wrekin Council's Recycling Information and A To Z of Recycling And Rubbish The TerraCycle scheme also helps people to recycle the unrecyclable (including crisp packets, cheese packets, pens, bread bags, coffee pods etc. etc). You can find your nearest collection point and what can be recycled via the website. Material Focus has created a tool to help consumers find recycling points for electronic item s.

Move to Renewable Energy Make the move to using energy from sources that don't produce carbon emissions. Buy energy from a renewables tariff - it can be cheaper. Consider a tariff with off-peak periods and shift your energy use. The proportion of energy generated from renewable is usually higher during off-peak periods. Many appliances can be timed. Charge an EV during off-peak. Home batteries can be charged during off-peak. Change your heating system to one that uses renewable energy. Probably a heat pump or electric heating. But insulate your property first. Install solar panels - if your property is suitable. Renewable energy tariffs This is a paragraph. Use this area to add any information you want to share with users. Just click "Edit Text" or double click here to change the text and make it your own. You can also adjust the paragraph's font, size and color so it fits your website’s theme. This is a great place to tell users a story about your website and let them know more about what you offer. You may want to share information about your company's background, your team, or the services you provide. Be sure to keep the tone and voice consistent throughout the site so users become familiar with your brand. Off-peak tariffs and time shifting Many suppliers offer tariffs with a lower-cost, off-peak period, although the day-time cost is often higher than a flat-rate tariff. As well as reducing costs, you will usually reduce the net carbon emissions you create if you time-shift your electricity usage into an off-peak period. This is because, on average, renewables contribute a larger proportion of energy generation during off-peak periods. Use the timers on home appliances, such as dishwashers and washing machines. Tumble driers (except for heat-pump ones) can be a fire risk, so it may be best not to use them at night. Electric Vehicles can be charge overnight, using the car's timer or one in your charge point. Home batteries, with or without solar panels, can be charged off-peak and used to provide power during the day. Heat pumps This is a paragraph. Use this area to add any information you want to share with users. Just click "Edit Text" or double click here to change the text and make it your own. You can also adjust the paragraph's font, size and color so it fits your website’s theme. This is a great place to tell users a story about your website and let them know more about what you offer. You may want to share information about your company's background, your team, or the services you provide. Be sure to keep the tone and voice consistent throughout the site so users become familiar with your brand. Solar panels This is a paragraph. Use this area to add any information you want to share with users. Just click "Edit Text" or double click here to change the text and make it your own. You can also adjust the paragraph's font, size and color so it fits your website’s theme. This is a great place to tell users a story about your website and let them know more about what you offer. You may want to share information about your company's background, your team, or the services you provide. Be sure to keep the tone and voice consistent throughout the site so users become familiar with your brand.

Shropshire Climate Action: Energy advice and funding Advice & funding Many of the energy-saving measures have reasonably short payback period and if you can afford them they will pay for themselves ECO 4 grants are available for those eligible, including people on benefits The most recent ECO Plus grants (aka the Great British Insulation Scheme) will be available to anyone in poorly insulated (EPC D or below) houses in council tax bands A to D. They are not means tested The Boiler Upgrade Scheme provides grants of £7,500 towards the installation of a heat pump Build your own retrofit plan using the MEA's Plan Builder This Local Installers Directory can help you to find a recommended retrofit installer. What is a Household Energy Survey (HES)? A Household Energy Survey (HES) is a thorough analysis of your home and energy use and would normally include: Heating – boilers, heat pumps, electric heating, controls, radiators/underfloor heating Hot water – storage, distribution and use Insulation – roof/loft, floor, walls, windows and doors and related structural issues Draughtproofing, cold air infiltration and ventilation Lighting and appliances Historic/real-time energy consumption, bills and advice on tariffs Opportunities for renewable energy generation and storage Read on below for local HES providers. Household Energy Survey providers Marches Energy Agency (MEA) provide: free energy advice on saving money on your energy bills and home energy efficiency home visits to conduct Household Energy Surveys via Keep Shropshire Warm/Healthy Homes Shropshire support accessing grants for heating and insulation, resolve issues with energy suppliers and fuel debt energy advisors can also provide drop in advice sessions in local communities. Lightfoot Enterprises provide the following services in south Shropshire and Powys: Household Energy Surveys (HES) : Household Energy Surveys (HES) and associated advice on how to make your home more energy efficient. there are also opportunities to be trained as a volunteer to conduct HES. Stretton Climate Care provide: Household Energy Surveys and information on retrofit for people living within a 5 mile radius of Church Stretton. a free drop in advice session on Thursdays 10-12pm at the Wellbeing Centre, Easthope Road, Church Stretton for any energy related questions including support with energy bills More info Get in touch Find a local trusted installer for your retrofit project A Directory of local trusted contractors for your retrofit project is available on the Marches Energy Agency's Future Ready Homes website . The Directory provides details of recommended installers, trades people and professionals who can help you with retrofitting a building. The area covered by the Directory includes Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin. Click here for the Directory Further helpful websites Energy Saving Trust Financial support for home energy - Energy Company Obligation grants The Boiler Upgrade Scheme - support for low carbon heating systems, such as heat pumps and biomass boilers Shropshir e Council Sustainable Warmth Shropshire - supports low income and vulnerable households to improve energy efficiency. Grants are currently restricted to dwellings that do not have a mains gas connection

Shropshire Climate Action: Schools & Youth Groups Resources for schools & youth groups Schools, youth clubs, Scouts and Guides groups play a vital role in educating young people about the climate crisis, sustainability and active travel and showing how they can be part of the solution. Generation Zero Carbon Shropshire - a group of young adults aged 16-30 living in Shropshire during the covid pandemic who were affiliated to Zero Carbon Shropshire - and Deborah Murphy, a former deputy head teacher, created many of the resources on this page. They wanted to ensure Shropshire’s younger citizens have a voice in the ongoing debate about carbon emissions. Resources have also been provided by the Teach The Future campaign which aims to reform the UK education system around the issues of climate justice, the natural world, and sustainability. Let's Go Zero - a national campaign uniting teachers, pupils, parents and their schools to become zero carbon by 2030 - also provides support to schools. You can book one of their Climate Action Advisors to give free and tailored advice to help green school buildings, transport, menus and more. Watch this video Young people from Generation Zero Carbon Shropshire created this video for Key Stage 3 students. Listen to what they have to say about the climate crisis and what young people in Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin can do about it. Key Stage 3 sustainability resources These sustainability resources for schools were designed by Generation Zero Carbon Shropshire and former deputy head teacher Deborah Murphy to be used for stand-alone sessions with KS3 students. This material is intended to launch discussion about the climate crisis, sustainability and the goal of zero carbon emissions in Shropshire by 2030. This lesson will suit a range of settings including: PHSCE, Citizenship English - extend into persuasive letter writing Flexible Learning Days Catch up Literacy sessions Youth Club, Scouts, Guides, youth group sessions . Click the orange links to download the resources : the video above - suitable for assemblies, tutorial time, break times etc. lesson plan for a stand-alone lesson that can be adapted to meet specific needs. Activities can be stretched to allow deeper exploration if required powerpoint presentation to accompany the lesson plan key words sheet sustainability pledge sheet What can I do now poster letter template for a school action plan to email to Shropshire Climate Action via: contact@shropshireclimateaction.org Active Travel to School For more information about the support available to schools to encourage their pupils to walk and cycle to school see our page on Active Travel (scroll to the bottom of the page) How to decarbonise a school in Clun Read the Action Learning Project case study of St George's CE Academy, Clun and their journey to decarbonise their school. including: which strategies are most effective in encouraging participation in activities designed to reduce carbon emissions at a community level what barriers and challenges lay in the way of the group making progress. The action learning project report (2025) was produced by South Shropshire Climate Action with support from a grant from Shropshire Council to explore how communities in Shropshire can achieve Net Zero by 2030.

Shropshire Climate Action: Our climate reports South Shropshire's "Next Steps" Report (2021) South Shropshire Climate Action wrote the ‘Next Steps’ Climate Action Plan which was launched in May 2021. The plan set out practical and achievable steps to enable the Ludlow constituency (as it was known then) to achieve a carbon net zero target by 2030, whilst also contributing to human and environmental health and well-being. The report covered the themes of Land & Biodiversity, Transport, Energy & Buildings, and Communities & Education. In June 2021 (in the frenetic days leading up to COP26) Philip Dunne, M.P. for the Ludlow Constituency, presented the 'Next Steps' Report in the House of Commons and placed the report written by his constituents directly into the hands of the chair of COP26, Alok Sharma M.P. To download the South Shropshire Climate Action report (2021) click on the links below. Download the Next Steps Report (Summary) Download the Next Steps Report (Full - 72mb) South Shropshire Climate Action's End of Project Report (2025) Over 3 years, South Shropshire Climate Action (SSCA) has engaged with community groups, businesses, schools and local networks to begin implementing the strategy outlined in the “Next Steps” Climate Action Plan. Funding from an anonymous donor paid for two Project Co-ordinators, Nick Read and Fiona Morgan (working as a job share). The End of Project report (2025) outlines the Project Co-ordinators' activities, in conjunction with the many volunteers, organisations and networks that comprise South Shropshire Climate Action. Whilst some thematic areas have seen significant progress and a fifth theme of Repair-Reuse-Recycle has been added, others have been difficult to implement. A grant from Shropshire Council’s Climate Change Task Force enabled a research project involving four case studies to be conducted, using Action Learning Research methodology, to ascertain why some approaches to decarbonising Shropshire communities were successful, and others not (see the link to the full Action Learning Research Project report 2025 below). SSCA also helped with Shropshire, Telford & Wrekin’s first county-wide climate conference, drawing delegates from all over Shropshire, on the theme of how to accelerate change towards achieving net zero carbon. Of particular interest was the inclusion of young people in the conference planning and delivery through the Environment Leadership Programme (ELP). The End of Project report concludes with reflections on the last three years, to inform future developments, as the work continues under the auspices of Shropshire Climate Action. Download the Next Steps End of Project Report 2025 Download the Action Learning Project Report 2025 The Zero Carbon Shropshire Plan (2021) The Zero Carbon Shropshire plan was produced by Shropshire Climate Action Partnership in 2021 and looked at how Shropshire as a whole could get to net zero by 2030. Download the Zero Carbon Shropshire Plan A note about Net Zero We appreciate that achieving net zero by 2030 is ambitious, requiring resources and commitments from national and international agencies far beyond our ability to influence. However, SCA in conjunction with Shropshire Council and the Church of England have all adopted 2030 as the date because more urgent action is required than is being achieved by the government’s commitment to achieve net zero by 2050.

Sustainable Bridgnorth Contact us on Facebook Contact us via Email Sustainable Bridgnorth encourages residents, businesses, and organizations to take steps towards environmental sustainability, including water conservation, waste reduction, and working towards Net Zero. It aims to empower the local community to adapt to the effects of climate change and promote positive attitudes towards the environment. It's current main activities are: Energy Reduction: Volunteers from Sustainable Bridgnorth offer advice, in collaboration with the Marches Energy Agency charity, to local residents and businesses on how they might reduce their energy use, thereby saving money as well as reducing carbon emissions. We hold advisory sessions once a month at Bridgnorth Library (as publicised in their events sheet) and on a couple of Mondays each month at Bridgnorth Food Bank (held at the Baptist church on West Castle Street). It's best to contact us by email at energyadvice@sustainablebridgnorth.org.uk to book an appointment, either at an advisory session or at your home. We give advice on quick steps to reduce energy usage, how to improve insulation and energy efficiency in your home and on available grants. We also have an Infra-Red camera to help identify areas of heat loss. We are looking for more volunteers to be trained as energy advisors. Prevent Pointless Plastic: Running since 2018, this campaign has raised awareness of the issue of single-use plastic in the town, to reduce waste generated and plastic pollution of the River Severn, in addition to inspiring people and businesses to seek out re-usable products, re-use systems and recycling. It has involved local businesses, residents and church and school groups on projects such as Refill Bridgnorth . The town was accredited in 2020 by the marine conservation charity, Surfers Against Sewage, as a Plastic Free Community . Contact us via Facebook . How to join : contact the membership secretary at membership@sustainablebridgnorth.org.uk .

Shropshire Climate Action: Local businesses What can you do as a local business? 1. Get advice on making your business more sustainable Businesses of all sizes have a vital role to play in climate action and becoming more sustainable. There are steps your businesses can take whether you’re just starting out or further along the road to net zero emissions. Search the Marches Growth Hub website and their Marches Net Zero Information Hub for net zero advice and support including green finance, funding and local authority support or use their Support Finder and search ‘Net Zero’ for the latest programmes. Sustainable Leaders in Business is an online sustainability award which helps you assess your business’ current environmental performance and set some goals for future improvement. The tool auto-fills some actions to enable you to achieve your sustainability goals, so you’re not faced with a blank canvas. Sustainable Leaders in Business: helps you to get started on your sustainability journey de-mystifies sustainable jargon celebrates your successes trains you and your staff to carry out all jobs in a greener way is there to support you through this journey. Visit the Sustainable Leaders in Business website for more information or email info@e4environment.co.uk to find out more. 2. Sign up to a Climate Fresk workshop Climate Fresk is a 3 hour facilitated workshop where you can get to grips with climate change in small groups in a safe, non-judgemental space, learn how to take action and enjoy some thought-provoking discussions. The workshops explore key drivers, mechanisms, and impacts of climate change, and map out where we are today and where we could be headed if we join forces. Previous participants have said: ‘I knew a fair bit about climate change but I learned so much new stuff. It was incredibly powerful sharing ideas in the group and understanding how everything is connected. We discussed next steps we could take and I left feeling focused and upbeat’. If you are a businesses or organisation and want to book a half day Climate Fresk workshop find out more via the BizEd Projects website. or email climate@bizedprojects.com 3. Get financial support to make your business premises more energy efficient The Marches Energy Grant (MEG) scheme provides SMEs from all sectors with free advice, energy assessments and grants for energy efficiency and renewable energy measures across Herefordshire, Shropshire and Telford & Wrekin. Sign up via: www.marchesgrowthhub.co.uk/marches-energy-grant 4. Install roof top solar panels on your business premises (Big Solar Coop) (see below) Big Solar Co-op installs solar panels on rooftops which are the size of a tennis court or bigger, and where the building has high electricity usage (prior to 2022 prices, at least £20k in electricity bills). See their website to find out more or submit information about your site via https://bigsolar.coop/submit-a-site/ for an assessment and response from the local coordinator.

Shropshire Climate Action: Food waste & composting Rot (food waste & composting) The impact of food waste Food waste contributes 8-10% of total man-made greenhouse gas emissions (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) and global food systems contribute 30% (according to WRAP ). If food waste were a country, it would be the world’s third largest emitter after China and the USA. Food waste occurs at all stages of the growing, selling, cooking and eating process but in the UK 70% of food waste comes from our homes . Emissions from the total food waste in the UK is equivalent to 10 million cars on the road. According to Shrewsbury Food Hub , food waste costs the average UK family £700 a year. How to manage food waste Food waste contributes to greenhouse gas emissions both directly (for example as methane emissions from landfill sites where food is decomposing) and indirectly, since waste implies that for a given level of consumption more food needs to be produced than is actually being consumed. Shropshire residents produce an average of 486kg of waste per person per year (Shropshire Council, 2020). Data from Herefordshire Council (2019) showed that: 37% of all household waste is food and drink (1.9kg/household/wk). 59% of food waste was of a home-compostable type (1.1kg/hh/wk). Just under a quarter (23%) of the home-compostable food disposed of was within its original packaging. 41% of food waste was non home compostable (0.7kg/hh/wk). Over half (53%) of the non-compostable food waste was still in its original packaging. On average 35% of all discarded food waste (0.65 kg/hh/wk) was still within its original packaging. (The Food Waste Hierarchy diagram on the left shows what steps we can take, and in what order, to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions.) Actions you can take The first step to prevent food waste is don’t buy it if you don’t need it. Plan your meals: Love Food Hate Waste has tips including portion and shopping planners, food storage guides and recipes for leftovers. Sign up to Shrewsbury Food Hub’s Taste not Waste Challenge to reduce your own food waste and save money at the same time. V isit your local Food Share or community fridges/freezers where organisations collect surplus food from shops, manufacturers and farms to share with local communities: Shrewsbury Food Hub supplies regular food shares across Shrewsbury Foodshares also operates in Broseley, Bridgnorth and Highley. Food is available for a £1 voluntary donation. See facebook.com/foodshareproject for details of each event Hands Together Ludlow have a community fridge open each weekday 10am to 4pm In Oswestry OsNosh provide a weekly lunch on a Pay as You Feel basis using surplus foo d Check out Shropshire Good Food Partnership’s website for guides on how to preserve food, set up a gleaning network and more Composting The final thing to do with food waste is to compost it! Use the Garden Organic 'how to make compost' link below to check what food waste can go into your compost bin. According to Garden Organic each home compost bin saves 150 kg of waste from having to be transported away and saves you money if you use the compost to grow your own food in your garden. Action you can take Garden Organic has an easy to follow guide on how to make compost You can also volunteer as a Shropshire Master Composter and promote home composting in your local community. Training is provided.

Shropshire Climate Action: Car travel Car travel Clean Air: How to tackle air pollution in our communities Air pollution is a hidden environmental and health challenge. The most common and hazardous pollutants are: Nitrogen dioxide (NO2), a gas that comes from combustion processes powering petrol and diesel vehicles Particulate matter (PM), small airborne particles released from tyres and brakes. Air pollution contributes to 43,000 premature deaths each year in the UK.  Health risks from this air pollution include asthma, lung disease, and heart attacks. Air pollution is particularly harmful to children and the elderly. In Shropshire there are several poor air ‘hotspots’: Shrewsbury (Castle Hill area) and Bridgnorth (Pound St area) have Air Quality Management Areas (AQMAs) due to having exceeded 40ug/m3 of NO2. The M54, A5, A41 and A49 are also major traffic routes. There are also industrial and industrialised agricultural sites. What can we do to improve air quality? Avoid driving into towns, especially at peak times. Use the park and ride for Shrewsbury and local bus and trains where you can. Walk or cycle for shorter routes if you can. Do not sit in your car and have the engine running (idling). Not only is this illegal (Highway Code rule 123) but it reduces the vehicle’s fuel economy, costs money, and creates pollution. Idling for more than 10 seconds uses more fuel and produces more emissions than stopping and restarting the engine does. Use this guide and email proforma to report engine idling to Shropshire Council. Read more information on engine idling. (data from Living Streets and Shropshire Council ) 20's Plenty www.20splenty.org/briefings 20's Plenty for Us is a national movement with almost 700 local groups, campaigning for a speed limit of 20mph on residential streets and in town and village centres. Most of the UK's larger cities have adopted 20mph for their residential streets 28 million people in the UK live in places where 20mph is the urban/village norm At least 8 Shropshire town councils endorse the 20's Plenty campaign: Shrewsbury, Shifnal, Oswestry, Ludl ow, Bridgnorth, Bishop's Castle, Broseley, Cleobury Mortimer. There are multiple benefits including road safety, car bon emissions and environmental quality. Join the 20’s Plenty Facebook Campaigner’s Group or go to the 20's Plenty website. Photo credit: 20's Plenty Read more... Why the 20mph speed limit plan for Wales is a fantastic idea' | Will Hayward (August 2023) Car share clubs Co Wheels was set up to provide an environmentally friendly, community-based alternative to car ownership. Co Wheels has grown to become the UK’s largest community interest car club operator, operating pay-as-you go car clubs, pool car fleet management and franchise operations in over 60 towns and cities across the UK with a 24/7 call centre. Co Wheels’ Shropshire Car Club has cars in Shrewsbury and Ludlow. Y ou can join this Shropshire car share club here. CoMoUK is a national organisation that provides help with setting up new car share clubs Electric Vehicles Sustainable Bridgnorth’s leaflet provides useful inform ation on using electric vehicles for both short and longer journeys, how to charge your car at home and the costs involved. Read more here CANCELLED Shrewsbury North West Relief Road At a Shropshire Council cabinet meeting on the 9th July 2025, Shropshire Council's new leader, Cllr Heather Kidd, declared the Shrewsbury North West Relief Road "dead in the water". This is a huge victory in terms of preventing ~140,000 tonnes of emissions and massive nature destruction, including the loss of veteran trees like the Darwin Oak. Campaigners across Shropshire helped make this happen by raising the alarm about the project's spiralling costs and environmental damage, helping to ensure it didn't progress. The proposed road was due to be constructed between the A5 at Welshpool Road roundabout to the Ellesmere Road roundabout and estimated to emit about 70,000 tonnes carbon dioxide equivalent (tCO2e), taking until at least 2070 to offset these emissions. Read our objection here Read our Independent Critical Assessment