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The Green Piece

Leicester was named the first ‘Environmental City’ in the UK in 1990. Europe later selected, as its ‘Most Sustainable City’ in 1996. But how green can we say we are now?

WORDS BY BINTOU SECKA AND KERRY SMITH

Green Action

Three decades have passed since Leicester received the ‘Environmental City’ title in the ’90s. That’s quite a reputation to uphold over time. We looked at Leicester’s most recent environmental initiatives.

The city was ranked third in The UK’s Most Progressive Cities 2022 report by Bank Rate for how we addressed issues such as recycling rates and our number of vegan and vegetarian eateries.

Leicester also came in third place in Packaging Online’s ranking of ‘The Greenest Cities in the UK’. This was based on a range of factors including the amount of fossil fuels we burn, the number of tweets we tweeted in one week using the phrase ‘global warming’, and our percentage of green space versus buildings.

Leicestershire made an ambitious pledge to become net zero by 2045 – five years sooner than the government target of 2050. In order for Leicester to keep moving forward and sustain a clean and safe environment, businesses must play their part.

In 2022, it’s clear that more responsibility has been placed on organisations rather than just the individual. The question is, are Leicester businesses getting more involved in becoming eco-friendly to achieve net zero?

KH hair is an example that businesses in Leicester are helping to move towards an even greener city. The salon promotes an eco-friendly environment by recycling their waste which includes hair, foil, and chemicals. In addition, they use sustainable products and push to reduce pollution in the environment. Then there are local organisations like Michael Smith Switchgear and Space Park Leicester winning awards for their work in sustainability.

The use of local and sustainable suppliers or partners will be beneficial to the city in more than one way. Businesses in larger premises like factories and warehouses can measure and reduce their carbon footprint by coupling improved sources of light with light sensors, wall insulation, and harvesting rain water.

Congestion caused by people traveling to work is also a top concern in the city centre. Leicester City Council’s Workplace Parking Levy proposes a charge on employers providing car parking for their employees. This will fund new, modernised, sustainable public transportation measures and also promote walking and cycling to work.

A fleet of 11 new electric busses should by now have come into service as planned for November 2022. They are 100% powered by renewable energy, benefitting the environment as there will no longer be carbon dioxide being released into the air from burnt fossil fuels like a normal bus usually would. The aim is to see electric buses rolled out to a third of the city’s network by 2024.

Niche wants more examples of green action happening in Leicestershire. If you or your business wants to show off your environmentally-friendly ways, email kerry@crossproductions.co.uk.