With international concerns mounting over the environmental issues facing the world today, a number of steps have been taken in Nottinghamshire to ensure everything is being done to tackle climate change.
With the rise of Extinction Rebellion, which has held demonstrations in Nottingham and urges authorities to declare a 'climate emergency', the environment is at the forefront of many people's minds.
But businesses, councils and public bodies are also looking at what they can do to improve the environment for the people around them.
In particular in Nottingham city, which has experienced poor air quality in recent years, a number of schemes have been introduced to reduce the environmental impact of city life.
While there is no single thing that can be done to solve the issue of climate change, we’ve had a look at some of the more eye-catching things being done around the county and city to tackle the issue.
1. Robin Hood Energy
It’s not been without its critics, but it is the 海角视频’s first publicly-owned, not-for-profit energy company, and as of July last year, all of its energy comes from renewable sources.
It was originally funded by the city council, and is now paying back loans it received, as well as turning a small profit, which it has re-invested into schemes designed to help customers lower their energy usage.
With around 115,000 customers, it supplies clean energy to thousands of homes and business, both inside Nottingham and elsewhere in the country.
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It also has ‘white label’ affiliations - essentially partnerships with other local authorities - which mean its energy can be bought by people living across the country from companies like ‘RAM Energy’ in Derby, ‘Leccy’ in Liverpool, and Angelic Energy in Islington, of which Jeremy Corbyn is a customer.
2. The tram
Like most major infrastructure projects, the tram has not been without its critics over the years.
But it now takes millions of passengers annually, with many journeys which otherwise would have been by car.
It’s now powered by renewable energy too.
It is partly funded by the equally-controversial workplace parking levy. The city is still the first and only place to have this scheme in the country, but Glasgow, London and Oxford are all looking into adopting a similar scheme.
It is a charge for businesses with more than 11 parking spaces, raising £61m since it was introduced in 2012.
In part because of the tram, more than 40 percent of all journeys in Nottingham are on public transport – among the highest levels outside London, with over 62m public transport journeys last year – up by 13m since 2003.
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Congestion is still growing in the city, but at a much slower pace than most other 海角视频 cities.
3. Beer delivered on a bike
You can now buy beer from Nottingham’s most well-known brewery, Castle Rock, which has been delivered by bike.
Although beer might not be the most environmentally-friendly beverage, at least the transportation is about as eco-friendly as it gets, with cycle couriers We Go running beer around the city.
The pedal-powered courier can take six kegs at a time - a weight of 250kgs.
4. World's largest fleet of biogas buses
After they first hit the streets in 2017, by the end of the year Nottingham City Transport will have 120 gas buses on the road, helping to emit 7.5m kg less of CO2 per year, and 59,000kg less of NOX per year.
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The buses have a range of 250 miles, and take about three-to-four minutes to refuel.
Apart from being cleaner, they’re 20-30 per cent cheaper to run than diesel buses, and are quieter too.
Greater Nottingham also has one of the largest electric bus fleets in Europe, with nearly 60 electric buses.
5. Thousands of solar panels installed
Across the county, the city council has installed tens of thousands of solar panels, including on 4,000 council houses.
Together, they’ve created 10 million Kw/h - that’s enough to power a single TV for the next 11,415 years - until the year 13,434 AD.
As well as installing the solar panels on council houses, Nottingham City Homes has carried out 40,000 energy efficiency measures, including 14,221 more-efficient boilers, 4,140 loft installations and 12,588 cavity wall measures.
A huge solar farm in Gedling - complete with six bee hives - creates enough energy for 1,000 homes a year.