SUSTAINABILITY
Herts Go Green and Grow update
The October Herts Go Green and Grow meeting was held at Home Farm in Elstree, hosted by Jess Allen-Back and Alice Darby in one of their fabulous barns.
T
his was the first dedicated ‘live’ HGG&G meet and everyone who was able to make the time to attend loved it! The globally shared ‘Wow’ on arrival was a tangible reminder of our innate links to nature and the effect on our wellbeing. Conversation and communication levels were very lively throughout the morning. David Hawes from Net Zero International gave a legislation catch up and was followed by Helen Burridge, Herts County Council, outlining the function and key elements of the Climate Change and Sustainability Partnership (HCCSP) Plan – it is good to see how we all fit in with Hertfordshire plans. (Keep an eye out for the HCCSP exciting news about 2024 conservation days.) It was then the turn of Emma Norrington from the Herts and Middlesex Wildlife Trust and Jess Allen-Back from Home Farm outlining some simple ways that we can all help nature, biodiversity, and conservation issues – as individuals and organisationally. The Herts Chamber Zero Carbon Conference at Rothamsted Enterprises on October 6th was a busy day for HGG&G members.
One of the Headline Sponsors, Edward Rowlandson from the RO Group, was a keynote and panel speaker, whilst the HGG&G group also had its own breakout session ‘Net Zero as a Business Opportunity’ illustrating how different approaches can all achieve success. Run by Estu Global and presented by Simon Littlewood, Alasdair Craig and David Hawes, it was a lively affair! Looking forward, the HGG&G meetings will now be bookable on-line on the Herts Chamber website from November, and these are free for
Coming up on Saturday 9th December, the Frogmore Paper Mill Street Food Market is back with a festive twist all whilst learning about Frogmore Island, a thriving wildlife haven in the middle of Hemel Hempstead! It’s also home to the world’s oldest mechanised paper mill, the birthplace of paper recycling and currently re-developing into an eco-education heritage centre. Find out more at visitors@frogmorepapermill.org.uk
all members with a small fee for non-members A programme change means 2024 meetings will be every other month with agendas published in advance so members can dip in and out as interest dictates, with a new mix of live and virtual events. There are also some exciting new events coming up in 2024 so make sure you check the Chamber website! Finally, this is a sign off for 2023 with a heartfelt plea for a more sustainable Christmas – how can we contribute more and waste less? For example, seven million real Christmas trees go landfill every year in the UK – how about buying a Christmas tree in a pot so it can be planted afterwards, or renting a live tree for return and replanting? Can we get creative with wrapping this year by using newspaper, magazine pages, deflated foil balloons and accumulated boxes and tissue paper instead of using the typical 227,000 miles of warp purchased and thrown away- an average four rolls of wrapping paper each. Can you give different types of gifts which help nature – bird boxes, seeds, bug hotels, or gift subscriptions with last impact. At the very least, can we purchase locally #keeptheheartinherts.
Fiona Edwards JPA Workspaces
INSPIRE
7
