Parish council join the fight against climate change

MELKSHAM Without Parish Council is exploring how it can help villages reduce their  contribution to climate change.

The parish council has proposed to install drinking water fountains in the playing fields of Shaw and Bowerhill to help reduce the use of single use plastic, and is  also applying for funding to explore the possibility of installing renewable energy sources, such as solar power, in community buildings across the parish.

The move comes in support of Wiltshire Council’s declaration of a ‘Climate Emergency’ in February, pledging carbon neutrality across the county by 2030. 

The ‘Climate Emergency’ movement, which has also received backing from the UK Government,  was sparked by a United Nations report published last year, which stressed that the world has less than 12 years to make the necessary changes to avoid the worst impacts of climate change.

Clerk for the parish council, Teresa Strange, told Melksham News, “When the parish council met at the end of July they looked at practical ways to support Wiltshire Council’s pledge to be carbon neutral by 2030.

“One of the projects is to provide drinking water fountains, initially at the two playing fields (Shaw and Bowerhill) to reduce use of single use plastic.  This ties in well with Community Action Whitley & Shaw (CAWS) project to contact local companies to see if they would be happy to provide drinking water for residents in the villages of Shaw & Whitley, as part of the Refill campaign, which is an app that shows where you can refill your water bottle from participating businesses.

“The other project relates to applying for the Rural Community Energy Fund for the feasibility study into the provision of renewable energy sources for community buildings across the parish.”