MEETBUSTAANDPONG

HELPOURTREES

THEMODERNFIREFIGHTER

ENGAUGE

GREENCLUBGREENDIGGERS

FIRESAFETYCHECKS

RECYCLIN

G

RUBBISHGREENING

CAMPAIGN

TRAVELWISECRAWLEY

LOW ENERGY

LIBRARY

GREEN BUSINESS

SMALL CHANGEBIG DIFFERENCEMaking West Sussex…greener, cleaner and safer

If you would like more copies of this booklet or you need this information in another format such as in large print, on audio CD, or in another language, please contact us on 01243 642106.

Produced on behalf of West SussexCounty Council by Better Tomorrows

Community Interest CompanyPrinted by Ancient House Press PlcDesigned by WSCC Graphic Design

PS050 August 2009

MAKING A DIFFERENCEThis booklet tells you about some of the steps people like you aretaking across West Sussex to make our towns and villages greener,cleaner and safer places to live.

We face enormous challenges – waste, road congestion, and climate change are just some of the ways 21st century lifestyles are taking a toll.

But there are things we can do. It is possible to change things for thebetter, and save money at the same time. Read how some remarkableindividuals and communities, together with local services, are making areal difference. Find out what advice and services are available free or ata very low cost.

Hopefully, this booklet will inspire you to do your bit in your owncommunity. It is also packed with great money saving offers to help youlook after the very special environment of West Sussex.

Please show it to your family and friends because together we can make that difference!

� Get in touch – read on, make that call and get involved.� Win – fantastic prizes by taking part in our survey. � Offers – great money saving deals.

See back pages for details.

Do you feel

inspired?

“T he newsletter is an excellent introduction to

‘gardenology’. It ’s attractive and very readable.

I now follow every bit of advice.”

And, if you introduce a friendto the Club, they’ll even sendyou a free pair of gardeninggloves!

diggersGreen

Meet the Barker children (pictured) – they grow their own,pick their own, and then, with a bit of help from mum Louise,cook their own.They are all enthusiastic members of the Green Diggers – an offshoot ofthe Green Club. The club’s designed for the budding gardeners of thefuture, and they also get a special newsletter, seeds to get started, andmany other benefits.

Not only are ‘Green Diggers’ doing their bit for the environment, they arehelping cut food bills, and learning something new. And, you don’t need abig garden to get started. So why not encourage your children to sign upand see what they can serve up fresh from the garden?

HOWDOESYOURGARDENGROW?

GreenClub For more than 2,000 members of the West Sussex Green Club, the

answer comes ‘naturally’. They have been discovering the pleasure ofgrowing everything from fruit and veg to flowers and plants, in a muchmore environmentally friendly way, thanks to tips from the Club.

Every member of the Green Club gets abook on composting, a seed pack,quarterly newsletter packed with advice,plus a membership card that includes a10% discount at participating gardencentres and ‘members only’ special offers.

A key aim of the club is to encouragepeople to turn their hand to homecomposting and transform garden andother waste into a natural and healthy

material to help produce even betterresults.

Not only does composting help reducethe amount of waste going to landfill, it also reduces harmful greenhouse gasesthat affect climate change.

It is easy and with great deals on homecomposters, there is no better time totransform your garden and save money.

JOIN IN!web: wsgreenclub.org

phone: 01243 642106email: info@bettertomorrows.org.uk

Anthea Rossouw (pictured) did, andbecame determined to change things atthe block of flats where she lives.

She launched her own one-woman driveto make Crawley’s Walstead Court ashining example of how to cut black sackrubbish. Fellow residents and staff at the26 flat assisted living complex, backed herto the hilt.

Teabags and a whole host of other itemsincluding left-over food and gardenwaste are put into a Green Johanna fooddigester to produce compost.

The answer’s Spaghetti. That’s why a simpleportion measurer has been finding its way intomore and more homes thanks to a campaigncalled ‘Love Food Hate Waste’.

It was launched because of the mountain offood that gets thrown away in the UK everyyear, and the environmental problems thiscreates. Waste Prevention Advisors advisepeople on ways of making the weekly shop goeven further and save money.

As well as the Spaghetti portion measurers, theteam also have:

� Recipe cards to helpturn leftover foodinto tasty meals.

� Tips to keep food likebread, cakes and crisps fresher for longer

More than 150 people are also using specialfood waste diaries to record how they aremaking sure as little as possible of the weeklyshop gets wasted.

If you woud like to complete a food wastediary and receive a cookery book call 01243 642106.

WASTE

ADVISORSPREVENTION

A LADY WITH BAGS OFENTHUSIASM!They may not weigh that much but just think how many tea bags getput into black sacks up and down the country every day of the week?

Check the offers page

for details of the

Green Johanna.

The amount of black sack waste beingcollected at Walstead Court has beenslashed by 60%, and all the residents arekeen recyclers too.

It spurred Anthea on to become avolunteer waste prevention advisorworking with people across the county tohelp reduce the amount of rubbish goinginto dustbins.

She says – “We are a nation of tea drinkersso think how many of these get buried inlandfill sites with all the other foodwaste.”

And, Anthea believes there are manypeople who can follow her example –“The great thing about this country is thatwhatever we set our minds to, we can doit. All we need is the information andpeople to guide us.”

FOODFORTHOUGHTMamma Mia!Do you know what’s one ofthe top foods we throwaway because we cook toomuch of it in the firstplace?Want a visit from an advisor?

Phone 01243 6 42106

JOIN THE VOLUNTEER SCHEMEweb: bettertomorrows.org.uk

phone: 01243 642106email: info@bettertomorrows.org.uk

Tree

Wardens

Trees are vital to our environment and in West Sussexthere is an army of volunteers making sure they get thelove and attention they deserve.

There are now around 185 Tree Wardens working withparishes up and down thecounty to check the health oftrees and help plant new ones.

It’s really rewarding work asJudith Steedman (pictured)discovered when she signedup to work in the parish ofUpper Beeding which includesSmall Dole.

As well as keeping a watchfuleye on existing trees, Judithenlists the help of local peopleto water new trees planted onverges outside homes.

Thanks to a grant schemecalled ‘Trees for Shade’, Judithhelped with the planting of 20trees in her village to mark the

Books have been flying off the shelves at the ‘greenest’library in our county, which comes complete with a coffeeshop, and easy to use self-service terminals.

Crawley

LiibraryA REALLY

‘EXPRESSO’LIBRARY

Sustainability was at the heart ofthe design of the new CrawleyLibrary. The team behind itbelieve it will become a flagshipfor what can be achieved.

It is a low-energy buildingdesigned to reduce carbonemissions, with its own wood fuelboiler, solar heating and a livinggreen roof, acting as an excellentinsulator.

It is proving very popular, figuresfor the first three months showedit loaned 154,000 itemscompared with 106,000 taken outfrom the town’s old libraryover an identical period.

A key aim of the LibraryService is to encouragereading from an early age –

that’s why a 70% rise in children’sbooks being borrowed has beenputting a smile on faces.

West Sussex people aretremendous readers – a recentsurvey of all County Councils putyour service fourth in popularity.

Libraries are also powerhouses ofinformation and have internetterminals. It’s a 24 hour service atwww.westsussex.gov.uk. You canjoin a library, browse thecatalogue, ask questions, searchdatabases, use electronicreference books, and much more.

BRANCHOUTHELPOURTREES

JOIN IN!web: westsussex.gov.uk/treewardens

phone: 01243 642119email: treewardens@westsussex.gov.uk

20th anniversary of the ‘GreatStorm’ that did so muchdamage to our landscape.

In Selsey, local Tree Wardenshave established a uniqueorchard of rare Sussex apples.

At St Wilfrid’s Primary Schoolin Angmering, a Tree Wardenhelped youngsters gatherseeds to plant and the bestsaplings will one day beproviding a shady spot in thegrounds.

It’s really easy to get involvedwith caring for trees – all TreeWardens get full training, atwice yearly newsletter andbenefit from help and advicefrom the Tree Council.

JOIN IN!web: westsussex.gov.uk/libraries

phone: 01243 642111email: libraries@westsussex.gov.uk

3IN1CARD

That’s just one of the reasons whyencouraging public transport is soimportant to reduce congestion on our roads, and improve the quality of the air we breathe.

One major scheme that is cutting the cost of bus travel for literally thousands of families is the 3in1 card.

It’s free for every young person from five through to 19 living in West Sussexand in full-time education.

And the savings really do add up in cashas well as environmental terms.

For example, 16 to 19 year-olds travellingwith the card pay half the adult rate – and the card can be used seven days aweek at all hours of the day.

David Veitch (pictured), 18, fromHorsham, is just one of more than 32,000card holders who can make daily use ofcheaper bus travel to get to college, orjust to meet up with friends.

But the savings do not end on the bus –the card is called 3in1 because it alsogives young people discounts in agrowing range of shops and attractions,and is nationally recognised as proof of age.

JUST THE GREEN TICKET!Did you know that a double decker buscarries the same number of people as20 fully occupied cars?

“I’ve more independence and don’t have to

ask mum or dad for a lift all the time.”

� 96% of schools have been given help to develop travel plans that can lead to cash towards projects such as cycleshelters, local road improvements andwaiting shelters for parents.

All this plus School Safety Zones,including flashing 20mph warning signs, have given many parents moreconfidence to allow their children to walk or cycle.

More than 1,500 people in WestSussex have signed up to car sharethanks to an easy to use website.

The scheme is estimated to be saving 658 tonnes of CO2 every year – that’s the same as planting a staggering219,333 trees!

The website westsussexcarshare.com isjust one of the many TravelWise initiativesin West Sussex designed to reducecongestion and pollution on our roads.

The TravelWise and Safer Routes toSchool team offers free advice to schoolsand works with employers to develop

Travel Plans that cut the need for car journeys. They also encouragewalking and cycling which is good for ourhealth as well as the environment. And, itcan save you money!

A large part of their work is in schools. Didyou know that an estimated 20% of carson the road at peak times are linked tothe twice daily ‘school run’?

There have been some significantachievements:� A record 61,330 pupils from 226 schools

took part in ‘Walk to School’ Week 2009.� 33 primary schools have a daily

escorted ‘walking bus’.

TRAVELWISE GREENER

WAYS TO GETTO WORKAND SCHOOL

JOIN IN!web: westsussex.gov.uk/travelwisephone: 01243 642105email: travelwise@westsussex.gov.uk

JOIN IN!web: yourspacewestsussex.co.uk

phone: 01243 777330email: info@yourspacewestsussex.gov.uk

There is always going to be waste thatsimply cannot be recycled but thereare exciting plans to turn it into avaluable resource.

A state of the art facility is being plannedin West Sussex that has the potential toturn our non-recycled waste into eco-friendly fuel.

Subject to planning and operatingpermissions, it will turn rubbish intocompost and electricity by mechanicallyshredding the waste and separating theparts that easily rot.

This will be treated to produce a fuel gas that can be used for buses or eventhe lorries taking waste to the site!

The remaining material is also turned into a fuel that can be used in a variety of processes such as cement kilns as asubstitute for fossil fuels.

THIS ISNOT THEEND OFTHE STORY...

Busta and Pong are characters devised by Wastebuster to interactwith primary age children and inspire them to be a generation thatreally cares about the environment.

The new MRF is so much more than just a sorting centre for itemsthat can be recycled. It contains an education room and viewingplatform where community groups can learn about waste and howstep-by-step West Sussex is tackling the issue.

During school visits youngsters will get to know Busta andPong, who are the current face of the Recycle Now SchoolsCampaign, led by WRAP, the central governmentWaste and Resource Action Programme.

The education centre is the first in the countryto feature the duo whose exploits are beingpromoted via education packs in schoolsacross the UK.

WE’RE GETTING ITSORTED

The multi-million poundcomplex is one of the mostadvanced in the country and isnow sorting the different itemswe put into our kerbsiderecycling bins.

Just watch out for details from your district or boroughcouncil about what you can putin your recycling bin.

The plant is making use of thelatest technology to sort itemsand prepare them to be sent tocompanies who then recyclethem into everything fromclothes to water filters and evenmaterial to surface roads.

The MRF is just part of anambitious programme in West

An ultra-modern Materials Recycling Facility (MRF) openedin July at Ford near Littlehampton.

Sussex to cut the amount ofwaste that gets buried inlandfill. Waste not onlyproduces greenhouse gasesbut also harms our pocketsbecause of the tax on everytonne we dispose of. WestSussex County Council facesfines if it exceeds a fixed quotaon the amount going tolandfill.

So instead of treating rubbishas a problem, we are turning itinto a valuable resource.

You can do your bit simply byincreasing the amount yourecycle and by reducing theamount of rubbish you put inyour black sack.

MONKEY

MISSION!His name is Captain Busta and aided by his trusty, but slightlysmelly, engineer Pong, he has arrived on earth with a mission toexplore how well we are doing to prevent and deal with waste.

RECYCLINGRubbish WITH A

JOIN IN!web: recycleforwestsussex.org

phone: 01243 642106email: fordeducation@viridor.co.uk

Kim Wilde at the opening

of the MRF in Ford

GREENINGCampaign

IT’S GREEN FOR GOIN BUSINESSIt’s never easy running a business – in good as well as tough economictimes. That’s why more companies are finding that a ‘Green Business’campaign is not just cutting their costs but helping the environment.

Hundreds of businesses have takenadvantage of free help, advice and grantsfrom the West Sussex SustainableBusiness Partnership over the last tenyears to cut their costs.

During that time it is estimated that 1,919tonnes of CO2 has been saved. Businessesare £440,000 better off and 933 tonnes ofwaste have been diverted from landfill.

JS Humidifiers (pictured bottom left) ofRustington has not only saved £3,470 onits energy bills, it actively promotesrecycling within its workforce.

A staggering 13billion plastic carrier bags

a year are given free to UK shoppers, andtake years to decay.

But the people of Henfield have saidenough is enough. Dozens of thevillage’s retail outlets are giving outenvironmentally friendly alternativesinstead (pictured below). As a result ofthe campaign, Henfield hopes to stop

using at least half a million plasticbags a year!

PEOPLE POWERHELPING OURENVIRONMENTCommunities in West Sussex are coming together asnever before to show that even small lifestyle changescan lead to massive benefits for the environment.

From housing estates toparishes, more and morepeople are joining forces towork with the GreeningCampaign, a not for profitorganization backed by localauthorities.

Each community chooses itsown environmental challengesfrom a list supplied by theCampaign, and is later giventhe financial and the CO2

savings it has made… andthey certainly add up!

Changes can range frominstalling energy efficient light bulbs to composting,using less water or growing your own food.

Projects can be tailored to suitlocal areas, and there is helpand advice at every stage.

Can your community help tomake West Sussex a greenerand cleaner place to live?

Such as Parklands – an estatein Chichester where more than100 people have so farachieved a saving of 45 tonnesof CO2 – the same as 45 hot airballoons – entering ouratmosphere!

GREENBUSINESs

JOIN IN!web: greening-campaign.co.uk

phone: 01243 642119email: info@greening-campaign.co.uk

JOIN IN!web: westsussexsbp.org.ukphone: 01243 756869email: sbp@westsussex.gov.uk

Engauge

IMPROVINGSUSTAINABILITYIN SCHOOLS

Experts check out how well schoolsare performing in eight categoriesincluding saving energy and water,

travel choices that avoid congestionand pollution, general health, andsensible eating.

The scores in each category are uniquely displayed inthe form of a ‘SusGauge®’ flower, with each category

achieved earning a petal. This means schools and pupilshave an at-a-glance indicator to see how sustainable they

are, plus an incentive to grow more petals! Weak areas can be pinpointed and targeted with advice and assistance from local experts so further petals can be added.

There are already some innovative schemes taking place in schools ranging from growing vegetables to using reclaimed rubber for new play equipment.

EGGSCITINGShipley Primary (pictured left and right) has two hens called ‘Sage’ and ‘Onion’ and their eggs are regularly used in school meals with other local produce. The school hasschemes to recycle paper, plastic and food scraps.

WHAT’S COOKING?Students at Warden Park, Cuckfield, devise their own recipes using local produce for ‘Parkes’ the school’s café. The till is cashless with students using a payment card that also gives them discounts in some shops and on taxi fares.

Almost two thirds of West Sussex schools have taken part in a uniqueassessment called a ‘SusGauge®’ which measures how sustainable aschool is. This is part of a project called ‘Engauge®’ which is helping ourschool children learn more about achieving a sustainable lifestyle.

JOIN IN!web: wsfgl.westsussex.gov.uk/engauge

phone: 01243 777479

email: engauge@westsussex.gov.uk

“We sleep on the third floor of a town house, and the advice from the firefightersgave us extra peace of mind.” All young people are

fascinated by fire. Anestimated one in three willexperiment at some stagewith matches or lighters.

In most cases parents orguardians can nip potentialproblems in the bud.

But for others it can becomean obsession. Every yeardozens of children die as aresult of fires they have started– lives and family possessionsare wrecked.

That’s where a totallyconfidential service called

PLAYING WITH FIRE

FIRESAFETY

FACE can help – short for FireAwareness and CommunityEducation.

Specially trained firefightersoffer guidance, and help re-educate young people whohave shown a fascination orplayed with fire. The scheme isfree to any parent, guardian orcarer.

The advisors will make anappointment to see you andthe young person to discussthe situation and design anappropriate programme tohelp them move from ‘fire risk’to ‘fire safe’.

The Fire and Rescue Servicehas two FireBikes. They helpdeliver road safety messagesto the places where bikersmeet, to try and reduceaccidents amongst one ofthe most vulnerable groupson our roads.

The FireBikes, with theirdistinctive livery, will also beat the Bike Safe courses runby Sussex Police with theWest Sussex Fire and Rescue Service.

Contact: www.bikesafe.co.uk

JOIN IN!web: westsussex.gov.uk/fire

phone: 01243 786211

email: wsfrs@westsussex.gov.uk

SEEN A FIREFIGHTER RIDINGA MOTOR BIKE RECENTLY?

Yes, they respond to 999 callsto fires, road accidents and

other emergencies.

But, a modern firefighter is alsoat the heart of making our

communities safer places tolive. More than 35,000

people in West Sussex havealready taken advantage

of a free Home FireSafety check – available

to all residents.

During a pre-arranged visit, local

firefighters willcarry out a

complete safety

audit of your home and help youplan an escape route in the event offire. If necessary, they will even installsmoke detectors free of charge orreplace faulty ones.

Community Fire Safety advisors alsofit alarms which include strobe lightsand vibrating pads, that alert peoplewith hearing problems to danger.

Systems called Carelineand Community FireLinkare also available in thehome for the veryvulnerable.

MEET THE MODERNFIREFIGHTER

FIRE AND RESCUE

JOIN IN!web: westsussex.gov.uk/firephone: 0800 3286 487 (fire safety check)email: cfb@westsussex.gov.uk

Young people aged 17 to 25 account for just 10% of UKlicence holders, yet they are involved in 20% of all accidents.

It’s aimed at the over 60s whomay be worried about theirdriving. Health professionals andloved ones can also encouragepeople to take part.

The EDA isn’t a test. It’s anassessment of driving ability andskills, so your licence cannot betaken away on the basis of thefeedback.

Advanced instructors talk to themotorist before they even goout on the road. They’ll find outwhat sort of journeys theyusually make, and the concernsthat led to asking for an EDA.

MAKING OUR ROADSSAFE FOR ALL AGES Bullying against our children can come in many forms –

from name-calling and spreading rumours to physical harm. It is often motivated by prejudice.

ACTION AGAINST

BULLYING

Every year around 1,000people in that age range arekilled on the nation’s roads.

They’re just some of thereasons the Young DriversSkills Course was launched inWest Sussex.

The course includes an on road assessment of drivingskills from an advancedinstructor and even thechance to drive a speciallyadapted car on a skid pan.

The effects can be long-lasting and devastating with some victimsbecoming depressed and evensuicidal.

A countywide partnership called‘Action Against Bullying’, was set-up as a direct result of youngpeople’s concerns.

It supports schools, colleges andyouth organisations through ananti-bullying co-ordinator; itsupports children and youngpeople through a casework service.

A Support Line is also provided forparents, carers and professionals inWest Sussex on 0845 075 1010.

Many schools in West Sussexactively support anti-bullying work,

including:� Bognor Regis Community

College has a group of studentscalled M8s who support otherstudents by promoting zerobullying.

� Felpham Community College hasa ‘CyberMentors’ scheme – 23students were among the first inthe country to complete theirtraining as on-line peer mentorsto help students being bulliedonline.

“T he course made me much more aware of my driving

abilities, and the Ferrari taught me the proper

place for speed is a racetrack.”

Roadsafety

There is also the chance todrive round the famousGoodwood circuit with aninstructor in a car they can onlydream of owning – a Ferrari.

Although everyone benefitsfrom fewer cars on the road, formany older people they are alifeline.

That’s where the ‘ExperiencedDriver Assessment’ (EDA)supported by Age Concern canhelp.

JOIN IN – EXPERIENCED DRIVER ASSESSMENT

web: westsussex.gov.uk

phone: 01243 777554

email: drivertraining@westsussex.gov.uk

JOIN IN – YOUNG DRIVERS SKILLS COURSEweb: westsussex.gov.uk/youngdriversphone: 08452 600650email: driveradmin@westsussex.gov.uk

JOIN IN!web: westsussex.gov.uk/aab

phone: 0845 075 1010email: community-safety@westsussex.gov.uk

Reclaim soilconditioner

Home composting also allows you to add materialthat cannot be collected as part of your green wasterecycling service. This includes fruit and vegetablepeelings, tea bags and eggshells.

You can even put in small quantities of cardboardwhen home composting (loo roll tubes help to aeratethe compost). By home composting you also keepthis raw kitchen organic waste out of landfill.

To help get you going, we can provide homecompost bins at heavily discounted prices.

QUOTE CODE SCBD09 WHEN ORDERING.

The ‘Green Cone’ takes all cooked anduncooked food scraps (meat, fish,bones, dairy products, vegetablepeelings, fruit cores, etc). Using naturalheat, worms and good bugs, the food isbroken down into water and essentialnutrients to nourish your garden. Itssealed design means no flies, novermin and no pongs.

Complete assembled height 112cm(44”) of which 42cm (17”) is buriedbelow ground.

The ‘Green Johanna’ also takes allcooked and uncooked food scraps butyou can also put in garden waste toproduce a rich, nourishing compost allyear round.

Complete assembled height 94cm (37”) with a diameter of 81cm (32”) at its base.

SAVE £55 (RRP £69.55)*

We also provide bags ofsoil conditioner madefrom the materialcollected as part of yourlocal recycling service.

‘Reclaim Organic SoilConditioner’ comes in 40litre bags. You can buybags from mostHousehold WasteRecycling Sites (HWRS).

Buy for £14.95 including delivery

Plus get a free kitchen Caddy

SAVE £80 (RRP £98.99)*

Buy for £19.95 including delivery

Plus get a free kitchen Caddy £4 per bag

£10 for three bags01243 642106BUY YOUR LOW COST BIN TODAY*

0800 052 0462TO ORDER A GREEN CONEOR GREEN JOHANNA CALL

Offers

web: bettertomorrows.org.ukemail: info@bettertomorrows.org.ukQUOTE CODE SCBD09 WHEN ORDERING.

� Win lots of goodies in our free prize draw bycompleting our online questionnaire.

� Go to westsussex.gov.uk/haveyoursay to enter.

� Closing date is 27 October 2009.

QUOTE CODE SCBD09WHEN ORDERING.

Food waste digesters Bags of TasteThese roomy, environmentally friendlyjute bags are perfect to carry all yourlocal produce.

Buy one of our ‘Bags of Taste’ for just£2.95 each or two for £5 plus 50ppostage and packaging.

01243 756842web: westsussex.gov.uk/tasteemail: taste@westsussex.gov.uk QUOTE CODE SCBD09 WHEN ORDERING.

Data ProtectionWest Sussex County Council isthe Data Controller for thePurposes of the Data ProtectionAct 1998. This means that WestSussex County Council isresponsible for makingdecisions about how yourpersonal data will be processedand how it may be used.

The purposes for which yourdata will be processed is solelyto provide you with informationabout this competition and tokeep you informed about newinitiatives within the scope of‘Small Change, Big Difference’.The information you providewill be treated confidentially atall times, and will not be passedto any other organisation. If youdo not wish us to send youadditional information, pleasetick the box on the onlinequestionnaire.

Small Change

BIg differenceDo you feel inspired?

*OFFERS END 31 MARCH 2010

web: recycleforwestsussex.org If you would like us to send you a paper copy of the questionnaire, please phone

01243 642106

Hopefully you have been inspired by readingthis booklet and will take the opportunity toget involved.

Win!Home composting