Britain has some of the least energy-efficient housing in Europe. It is estimated that 56% of greenhouse emissions in Redbridge are from buildings. There is massive public support to fix the problem of wasted heat nationally. Please sign our petition below and consider getting involved.
As well as being essential to solving the climate crisis, installing insulation and powering homes with clean energy is the fastest way to tackle fuel poverty and would lower bills for millions, create hundreds of skilled jobs in Redbridge, reduce NOx pollution, damp and other causes of poor health, and stop funding petro-states such as Russia. Everybody would win. Unfortunately government is not acting with the speed and co-ordination needed.
There something everyone can do to fix the climate crisis. Here are some actions we think are effective and worth your time:
1: Sign a petition to your MP
The Warm Homes campaign is supported by Friends of the Earth and calls for:
- Urgent support for people dealing with sky-high energy bills.
- A new emergency programme to insulate our heat-leaking homes.
- An energy system powered by cheap, green renewables.
If you live in Wanstead, Leyton or Leytonstone (E10, E11 postcodes), please sign the petition to John Cryer MP.
If you live in Ilford, Barkingside or most of the rest of Redbridge (IG postcodes), please sign the petition to Wes Streeting MP and Sam Tarry MP.
1B: Contribute to a community quilt in October 2023.
Craft experience not essential. See our October diary or below.
2: Sign up to Wanstead Climate Action
This way, even if you’ve not signed the petition to John Cryer we can keep you informed about our other campaigns. (You don’t have to live in Wanstead to join WCA, but you may have other East London groups nearer you.)
3: Write to your MP
This may take a little more time, but you only need two paragraphs to ask if your MP or councillors will support a Great Homes Upgrade. You can write a letter, email or use something like Write To Them. New Economics Foundation (NEF) provides a 1-2 page template letter and a slightly outdated page to email your MP, and we have some template letters here that were written for spending decisions in Autumn 2022 (sadly, little happened then). You might like to mention draughty and leaky homes, energy prices and the war in Ukraine as well as carbon dioxide emissions from gas heating. Your MP might email a minister for finance or ‘levelling up’, or ask a parliamentary question. Please let us know if you get a response, as it’s often effective to follow up.
We also want to encourage councils to do what they can most effectively with their limited funds. Please use the contact form above if you have an idea you’d like to pursue with us.
4: Sign up to national campaigns
Relevant campaigns include United for Warm Homes, the Warm This Winter coalition and the Great Homes Upgrade. Warm This Winter is backed by some great organisations, including Possible, 350, FoE and NEF.
The national Great Homes Upgrade campaign is here. The Great Homes Upgrade campaigned for the Government to commit an additional £11.7bn towards retrofits of existing buildings. This is a campaign of NEF, the New Economics Foundation
Fuel Poverty Action’s #Energy4All campaign.
All of the above include outline policies for reducing dependence on gas imports and for economic justice.
5: Consider how to improve your own home’s energy efficiency
Major works can daunt even committed people and there is a lack of practical support and information for local residents to reduce their emissions and bills. Wanstead Climate Action aren’t experts in energy efficiency, but we’ve seen what can be achieved even in Victorian terraces and have started a resource list, including grants and advice that may be available. Reducing your heating bill now is also one of the most effective actions for a climate-safe future.
Click here for information and links to help upgrade your home. (This is from 2022 and slightly out of date – we’d recommend visiting Transition Ilford’s Energy Café for info on grants available.)
6: Spread the word!
It’s often said the most important thing to do in the face of the climate emergency is to talk about it. We want to discuss and remove the obstacles to the vital project of upgrading buildings, which will increasingly become tangible and visible. So please see if friends and family might be interested in joining the campaign too.
Thanks!
Wanstead Climate Action 