Sustainable living

Living sustainably is beneficial for the environment, you and your neighbours and your wallet! This page outlines a few things that you can do to reduce your impact on the environment by making a few small changes in your day to day living...

Recycling

Find out how you can reduce your waste and reuse or recycle unwanted items in your neighbourhood by visiting recyclenow: www.recyclenow.com. Alternatively contact your local authority's recycling team. 

Water saving

Contact Sutton and East Surrey Water Company for information about how to save water. You can get free low-cost water saving products. Visit: www.waterplc.com/

Take the 4 minute challenge!

Reducing water in the home can also help not only save water but reduce your energy bills as you reduce the amount of water you need to heat. Raven has small number of shower timers to give away which can help you reduce your time in the shower and use less hot water!

Showers can use up to 12 litres per minute so a 20 minute shower can lead to you using 240 litres of water which is nearly two baths of hot water! 

 Growing your own food

 Raven has supported residents to grow their own food.

As part of Reigate and Banstead Borough Council’s ‘Love Where You Live Awards’ in  November, Raven Housing Trust presented its own ‘Green Award’ to a Raven resident who has gone the extra green mile.

Cherryl Hawkins from Rydons Way in Redhill won the inaugural ‘Green Award’ for her part in developing a community allotment on spare ground outside her home. Cherryl approached Raven to ask if she could plant raised beds in her communal space to grow food with her neighbours and children. With the help of Surrey Wildlife Trust, Raven staff and residents then built raised beds and planted them up. By the time summer arrived there was a bumper harvest of strawberries, followed by raspberries, peas and carrots.

Some 40 other nominees were recognised at the awards for their involvement in a vast array of different green activities, from turning gardens into a wildlife havens, litter clearing and forming small groups who share ideas about how to save natural resources the nominees – known as ecoteams. 

Nominations for Raven residents can be sent to Raven's sustainability manager and awards are given out every two years.

Know your carbon footprint

Measure and get tips on reducing your carbon footprint. For more information visit Act on CO₂: www.actonco2.direct.gov.uk