We are delighted to share the continued success of our Environmental Sustainability Action Plan and announce details of Ecofest 2024 and the Refill campaign.
We are currently working on an Environmental Sustainability Strategy and will be engaging with the local community, schools and youth groups over the next couple of months.
The Council is well on track to meet its aim to be carbon zero by 2030. The Council started improving its own green credentials in 2021 and this year it was noted that “impressive progress” has been made in implementing many green initiatives, including significantly improving the energy efficiency of Hertford Castle, the eco-sustainability of our events and our work to promote practical measures to promote nature in our open spaces.*
As well as installing a new efficient infrared heating system, replacing the inefficient lighting throughout with LEDS and refurbishing the draughty windows, improvements totalled:
- A 30% fall in total energy consumption at Hertford Castle**
- A reduction of 33% in electricity usage across all premises and
- A reduction in paper usage from 660,000 to just 43,000 A4 sheets per annum - saving 77 trees per year for a decade, equating to saving a small woodland with 770 trees!
Leader of the Council and Chair of the Environment and Community Services Committee, Cllr Vicky Smith, commented: “The Council is delighted that we can really do our bit to help the environment in such a practical way and that the hard work of our team to make the Council more sustainable has been recognised with such a successful audit.”
“At Hertford Town Council we like to practice what we preach and as well as improving the sustainability of our own buildings we are encouraging all residents to help however they can. We send out regular eco-tips with suggestions on practical things residents can do to enhance and protect our beautiful natural environment in Hertford and we invite residents to attend our new Ecofest event on 22nd September 2024 and support the Refill campaign which encourages using refillable water bottles across Hertford and beyond.”
The Refill campaign allows residents and visitors to Hertford to fill their water bottles at local stations – Hertford Castle and the Town and Tourist Information Centre are Refill stations as well as many local businesses who are displaying the blue Refill logo. We are working together with Ware Town Council on this campaign to encourage both a reduction in the single-use of plastic bottles and a decline in the amount of plastic pollution on our local streets and in the ocean.
For more details about the work of the Council on environmental sustainability, Ecofest and the Refill campaign see: Hertford Town Council - Green Initiatives
* Eco-audits in 2021 and 2024 were completed by ‘3 Acorns Eco-audits’.
** Figures do not yet reflect a full year of the benefits of the new infrared heating system.