The Cockney sparrow was once a regular fixture in our London gardens, parks and squares. However, the city lost 68% of them between 1994 and 2000. The RSPB are asking Londoners to spend an hour, sometime between 18 June and 12 July, looking for house sparrows in their gardens and/or local green spaces and parks. It will help identify where populations are doing well, just…

The North London Waste Authority which includes Hackney has been developing the North London Waste Plan which will drive investment in waste management infrastructure for the next 20 years.  The NLWP will have significant implications for what happens to  Hackney's waste in future.

It was partly the need to come up with a "preferred option" for managing Hackney's waste as part of the NLWP which was behind the recent decision to…

http://www.apictureofsustainability.com

Hackney residents are encouraged to submit photos of local projects in a competition to find London’s Picture of Sustainability. It’s your chance to champion the things that you are proud of in your area!  You could win a ‘year of holidays’ from Canopy & Stars.

Individuals and communities across each of the London boroughs are challenged to…

Hackney's cabinet has approved two new planning documents which will have a major influence on the future development in the borough.

• Development Management DPD development policies for the borough
• Site Allocations DPD specific sites for future development

The consultation period runs from…

Hackney Council is replacing the previous neighbourhood forums with 19 ward forums.  Some forums have already started and others are having their first meetings in the next few weeks.

This could be an opportunity to get involved and get green issues onto the agenda for your area.

For details of the forum meetings for your ward see Hackney Ward Forums

Ward…

The Hackney Council Voluntary & Community Sector Grants Programme supports the voluntary and community sector (VCS) to deliver services to local people, in line with the Mayor’s Priorities for the borough and to support the delivery of Hackney’s Sustainable Community Strategy which aims to reduce inequality and poverty in Hackney.

The Council will be launching its 2013/14 Grants Programme on Thursday 5 July at the Picturehouse on Mare Street.

The event will present…

Do you have green fingers? Are you interested where your food comes from and the rise of urban agriculture? Up to much this summer?

Come join one of London's most exciting sustainable food enterprises for a three month volunteer internship this July, August and September.

In 2010 we transformed a derelict shop in Dalston into an urban food 'Hub', cafe and arts venue - the FARM:shop - complete with mini aquaponic fish farm, rooftop chicken coop and polytunnel.

Called “a…

Friends of the Earth are running an exciting new campaign (alongside the Bees!) about energy - Clean British Energy. (www.cleanbritishenergy.com). It's about Government action to support more UK renewable energy, and also encouraging people to switch their own suppliers.

We're also looking at renewables in Hackney, and at the recent Greener Hackney event (12 May) I agree to try and draw together people who were interested in…

Hello, 

I am in desperate need of 50L of active organic soil. 

I live near Victoria Park and my only transportation is a bike

Any suggestions? Advice? Comments? Jokes

Many thanks, 

Alec

Following feedback from residents at the Greener Hackney event, we have pulled together planning guidance on a range of energy efficiency and renewable energy measures into a single page.

http://www.hackney.gov.uk/greenerliving-green-homes.htm

We hope that this will provide useful information to homeowners on whether a measure is likely to be suitable, and whether it is likely to need…

A bus company in Coventry is the first in the UK to use a fast-charge all-electric bus;

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-18409830

I appreciate that London generally needs large buses - as opposed to this smaller one - but surely there's a role for smaller ones which operate as school, shuttle buses, dial-a-ride, etc?

It seems odd that if it is economically viable for a "small family business" in Coventry to run…

I have a feeling some of you could make wonderful use of this opportunity (regardless of your feelings about the Olympics!)

From the London Legacy Development Corporation:

The LLDC wishes to invite submissions for proposals for ‘meanwhile uses’ to be delivered on a vacant site at 67 Rothbury Road, next to Hackney Wick station for 4 months during summer and autumn of 2012.

Please see the project brief at the link below for full details. The deadline for proposals is noon…

There is just over a week to get your entry in to Hackney in Bloom

For details see: http://www.hackney.gov.uk/hackney-in-bloom.htm

The online application is very simple and takes a couple of minutes

A charity that works in Bulgaria and the UK is encouraging people to buy an extra tin or packet of food when they visit the supermarket and then donate it to a food bank so it can be given out to someone in crisis or with insufficient benefits, with a Christian message or two.



The charity, Trussell Trust, point out that 13 million people live below the poverty line in the UK and that UK Foodbanks fed 128,697 in 2011-12,…

Dear all,

I’ve posted a photo I took recently of the Lea at Bow Locks, in Bromley-by-Bow.

The river is already looking green. That’s because of the high levels of phosphates in the water. It acts like a fertilizer. As the weather gets warmer the soup-like water gives plants like Floating Pennywort and Duckweed the perfect conditions to flourish. Spreading over…