Greener Eynsford
We have created a new section for our website to give help and information about how we, as a community and a council, can become 'greener'.
Some useful information and tips are listed below - also check out our Greener Blog page! which gives the latest news on what our Green Team is up to.
We have created a survey to find out what you think about green initiatives in our village. You can access our Green Team Survey (November 2020) here. This is the link to the Green Team Survey.
We welcome your comments and ideas.
How to Go Green
This page
contains information that we hope will enable everyone to reduce their waste,
improve their recycling, and to reduce their carbon footprint.

Photo by Sylvie Tittel/Upsplash
Rubbish
and Recycling
Eynsford’s
household rubbish is collected weekly by Sevenoaks District Council. To find
out what to put in your recycling bag and your black bag, please check
here.
Glass,
cardboard and textiles can be recycled at Sevenoaks District Council’s
recycling sites. The nearest is just south of Eynsford on the A225. There are
number of other sites nearby which can be found via this
link.
Many
products have different recycling logos on them. You can find an explanation of
all the symbols via this link.
https://www.recyclenow.com/recycling-knowledge/packaging-symbols-explained.
However, please also check what your local council will collect as it will not
always recycle everything marked as recyclable.
For hard to
recycle waste, check out
Teracycle
collection points for items including crisp and snack packaging, beauty
packaging, pet food pouches and more. The parish council is collecting empty
crisp packets – just drop them into the parish office. Empty, clean, pet food pouches can be taken to Pets Fayre [link to Pets Fayre]
in Southborough and second hand bicycles can be taken to Wildside Cycles in
Tunbridge Wells [link to Wildside Cycles] where your bike will the donated to
trusted partners in Africa.
Reduce
your Waste
Here are
some ideas of how you could reduce your waste every week. Although it is good
to recycle, its even better to reduce your waste so that there is less to
recycle!
Groceries
- ·Compost your (non meat) food waste
- ·Try to buy products with less packaging
- ·Buy fruit and veg that is loose, not wrapped
- ·Take your own containers to meat/fish/cheese
counters at the supermarket and request no plastic
- ·Make your own bread
- ·Try out one of the refill stores nearby where
you can take your own containers to fill with dry goods and household cleaning
products. Try the Eco Pantry at Seal Chart or Stanhill Farm Shop, Wilmington.
- ·Try planning your meals so that you do not end
up with wasted food.
- ·Put food you will not use straight away in the
freezer – it’s surprising how many things you can freeze.
- ·Don’t throw away your leftovers – reuse them in
another meal or feed to pets (if suitable).
Cleaning
& Toiletries
- ·Change to a bar of soap or a bar of shampoo –
they work just as well as the liquid type and last longer.
- ·Change to a bamboo toothbrush and toothpaste in
a jar or tablet form.
- ·If you use plastic disposal razors, consider
replacing them with a stainless steel razor with replaceable blades.
- ·Use a refill for household cleaners or look at
using natural products such as vinegar.
- ·Replace your sponges with non-plastic based
cloths and scrubbers including natural loofahs and cotton cloths.
- ·If you are having a baby, consider using cloth
nappies instead of disposable ones.
- ·Stop using wet wipes and take some damp washable
cloths instead.
Out and
About
- ·Try to take a reusable cup for hot drinks and
your own water bottle
- ·Consider taking a packed-lunch instead of buying
takeaway food
- ·Take your own shopping bags – you don’t need to
buy anything special, just use a bag you have already
- ·If you need to buy a drink, a can is better than
a plastic bottle, or if you are having a coffee, why not stay in the café and
use a china cup?
Reduce
your Carbon Footprint
There are lots
of ways to reduce your carbon footprint. Here are a few ideas of what you can
do.
- ·Try to reduce the number of car trips you make,
maybe combine a trip to the shops with other errands.
- ·Consider water usage – as well as there being
pressure on natural resources, energy is used to clean and pump your water
supply. Try a shower timer, don’t wash your clothes unless they are actually
dirty, use a cup when brushing your teeth.
- ·Change to a green energy supplier that uses
renewal energy sources
- ·Hang up your clothes to dry instead of using a
tumble dryer, wash your clothes at a lower temperature.
- ·Grow more trees and plants! Plants absorb carbon
dioxide and help to clean the air. Leave some wild areas in your garden to
encourage pollinating insects and other wildlife.
- ·Try to shop seasonally and locally – food that
is grown nearby has a lower carbon footprint and will be fresher. Eating less
meat and dairy products can also help to reduce your carbon footprint for a
variety of reasons. You can find out more here
https://www.ciwf.org.uk/your-food/sustainable-food/
and in many other places.
- ·When buying new appliances, try to buy those
with the highest energy efficient ratings. More information can be found
here
https://energysavingtrust.org.uk/home-energy-efficiency/home-appliances
- ·Consider reducing how many flights you take –
can you travel by train or sea instead? This website has lots of useful
information about travelling in Europe by train
https://www.seat61.com/.
What else do
you think we should include here? Send your tips and ideas to
info@eynsfordparishcouncil.org.uk