Vital step to saving the planet

lessen our impact on the planet.

How are we going to achieve this?

Well, we have already taken some important measures; most of which you may not be aware of.

For instance, thanks to your help, we have doubled our household recycling rates, which used to languish at the bottom of regional league tables.

We also replaced all of our outdated and inefficient street lights with more environmentallyfriendly versions.

As well as saving money, this has really reduced the amount of energy required to light up our roads.

We are also replacing old council vehicles – including the mayor’s - with electric or hybrid ones, reducing the amount of single use plastics in our buildings and (much to the chagrin of some) introduced paperless meetings.

Number One Riverside, where the council’s offices and the central library are based, is also an energy efficient building with lots of features that reduce our carbon ●●This week’s Big Picture is the children’s bee and butterfly garden at Hare Hill Park, Littleborough, and was submitted by Peter Sykes. Email your pictures to us at rochdaleobserver@menmedia.co.uk or upload them to flickr.com/groups/ rochdalepics footprint.

Alongside this we are working with other councils in Greater Manchester to introduce more charging points for electric vehicles and developing a strategy to reduce pollution in the region’s worst-affected areas.

I want to see the pace of change speeded up so that we can meet our ambitious target so will be looking for more measures that we can take.

However, we are not alone.

Every single one of us needs to take steps to reduce our impact on this fragile planet.

That’s why it’s so good to see local businesses like Crystal Doors, whose managing director is said to be one of the greenest in the UK, and the Paper Concept, whose aim is to rid the market of single use plastics, leading the way.

I may not be around to see whether we meet our target but, to paraphrase someone else, we have to plant the seeds of change now so that years from now future generations can enjoy this planet as much as we have.

SIGNS OF GOOD SENSE

PUTTING up notices to the visitors to keep the beautiful area of Hollingworth Lake clean and tidy.

It just takes common sense.

As for the fines, £150 litter dropped, £50 dog mess.

It should be the other way.

Dog mess is a big unhealthy issue. A Rochdale visitor name and address supplied