Walk4Life has released a teacher pack full of activity ideas aimed at children aged between 7 – 11 years to encourage pupils to get walking. As with the whole Walk4Life scheme, the pack is colourful, bright, inspiring and free! One of the pack suggestions is to plot a local mile with pupils. Most people can’t imagine how far a mile is, or how long it will take to walk. There are free waymarker stickers available to mark out the mile on the ground. Then you can test everyone’s fitness by walking the mile and taking the walking fitness test.

Good news for consumers - the EU Energy Label has just changed. The new label has been designed to give a better understanding of the product’s energy performance. The label shows the total energy consumption, along with additional information relevant to that product - such as the volume of storage compartments for refrigerators or noise levels for dishwashers. Check out the attached leaflet for further information or follow the link to the Come-on-labels website.

The Green Footprints Awards 2012 are now open so start thinking about filling in an application. There are six categories:

• Businesses
• Children & Young People (aged under 25)
• Partnerships & Community Groups
• Schools
• Sustainable Urban Design

You can apply online or download an application form. Deadline for entries is 31st January 2012.

ROCKWARM Insulation, in partnership with North West Leicestershire District Council and the Energy Saving Trust, is offering FREE home insulation for North West Leicestershire homeowners or tenants of private landlords. What’s on offer:

• Free cavity wall insulation for all properties up to 120m in size (with a normal 75mm cavity)
• Free loft insulation for all properties up to 80m in size (that have less than 60mm of insulation existing – ie. FREE 200mm and 250mm top ups).

Please note that this promotion closes on 31st December 2011. For further information please contact Rockwarm Insulation on 0800 132689.

The Free Tree Scheme has once again proved extremely popular with local people, with 628 people signing up for free trees to plant in their gardens. Please note that the deadline for ordering trees has now passed and everyone who has put in an order will receive a letter in due course explaining where to come to collect their trees on Sunday 20th November. According to our web poll, the most popular species by far has been hazel. Pictured with her free trees from previous years is Michelle Sendles of Whitwick, who said: “I‘ve had a tree every year the scheme has been running and I think it is a great idea. Please keep it going."

As part of the Waste Services Efficiency Review the District Council has reorganised the residential waste collection rounds; this will help save money, reduce carbon emissions and make the service more flexible.

This change will take place from Tuesday 1^st November. From this date the Waste Collection crews will be operating on a zonal basis with the district divided into four collection zones (North, South, East and West).

“Remember, Remember the first week in November"

New calendars will be delivered to all local residents by the end of October. So make sure you:

Read it, check it, keep it!

Wonderful news for North West Leicestershire! The Woodland Trust has just announced that its flagship Diamond Jubilee Wood, part of its campaign for six million trees to be planted as part of the Queen‘s Diamond Jubilee, will be in The National Forest. The vast site, of 460 acres, is near Normanton le Heath, not far from Ashby de la Zouch. The Woodland Trust is now starting to fundraise for the site and planting will start in 2012.

The Environment Agency has released its ten most wanted list of alien invaders - the plants and animals that are threatening to take over Britain‘s waterways. Invasive species now cost the UK economy an estimated £1.7billion every year. They cause damage to riverbanks and buildings, increase flood risk, crowd out and kill off native wildlife and become so prolific on waterways that fishermen, boaters and anglers are unable to use them.

Households in the UK looking to install renewable heating systems may now be eligible for up to £1,250 from the Government. The Renewable Heat Premium Payment scheme will help householders across the country with funding towards the cost of installing renewable heating systems. The new £15 million initiative will support up to 25,000 installations.

Approximately 4 million householders in the UK do not have mains gas and have to rely on more expensive, higher carbon forms of heating, such as heating oil and electric fires. The scheme will mainly focus on these households.

The following technologies will be available through the scheme:

• Ground Source Heat Pump - £1,250 grant (for homes without mains gas heating).
• Biomass boiler - £950 grant (for homes without mains gas heating).
• Air source heat pump - £850 grant (for homes without mains gas heating).
• Solar thermal hot water panels - £300 grant (available to all households regardless of the type of heating system used).

Grants will be available on a first come, first served basis and the scheme will close on 31 March 2012.

This is a great opportunity from the Leicestershire Waste Partnership to gain valuable work experience, get to know your neighbours, boost your CV and do your bit for the environment. As a Waste Action Volunteer you could become involved in organising and running competitions, workshops and talks. Or you might like to set up an information stall at your local library or community centre? Or perhaps you could turn your hand at writing articles for local newsletters or blogs?

The initial training will focus on Home Composting, Love Food Hate Waste (a National campaign to help reduce food waste) and Recycling. Additional training modules will be available in areas such as Real Nappies, Reuse and Packaging if you are interested in expanding your knowledge further. As a Waste Action Volunteer you will be asked to complete 30 hours of volunteering in the first year. The course is open to all Leicestershire residents (excludingLeicesterCity) aged 18 years and over. The deadline to apply for the scheme, which includes training, is Friday 2nd September.

For more information visit the Less Waste website, call 0116 305 7005 or email wasteprevention@leics.gov.uk.