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Climate in the Community

Read about the ways you can get involved and help fight climate change, from supporting biodiversity to joining a local group.

Get involved in a local group

Find a local community group in your area and help in fight against climate change.

Got an idea? Get funding

Here you can find the most recent grants to help enhance your community

Upcoming Events

Information about upcoming events that support our climate emergency declaration.

Green Schools Forum

Swale Green Schools welcome parents, guardians and governors and provides training and support to help reduce your carbon footprint.

Green Grid Community Forum

Green Grid helps support local communities through environmental projects aimed at green spaces.

What We're Doing

Read about the things we're doing to help fight climate change, including the objectives of our climate and ecological emergency declaration.

Our Declaration

Information about our climate emergency declaration on 26 June, 2019.

Our progress

Information about the progress we're making towards a climate emergency declaration.

Planning

Information about planning policies that help support the aims of our climate emergency declaration.

Air quality

Information about the improvements we're helping to make to air quality across Swale.

Swale Cycle Recycle

Promoting sustainability by recycling old bikes to encourage active travel, a healthier lifestyle and a cleaner, greener environment.

What You Can Do

Advice on the things you can do yourself to help in the fight against climate change.

Businesses

The climate crisis is escalating, but your business can all make a difference.

Transport

Tips on how to minimise your impact on the environment whilst travelling

Ecology and Biodiversity

Encouraging biodiversity in your gardens

Waste and Recycling

Find out what you can do to help reduce your affect on climate change by helping to manage your household waste.

Energy, Fuel and Water

Find out what you can do to limit your home's emissions, and how Swale can support you.

Food

There are lots of everyday ways that you can help to reduce the impact of climate change, including shopping locally.

Ways to get in touch with our Climate and Ecological Emergency Project Officer.

Planting for pollinators

Help pollinators by planting up your gardens and driveways

Many of our pollinators are in freefall. If this does not concern you in itself, then you might consider the fact that these insects are incredibly important for us in ways we have only recently begun to understand. Pollinators are thought to contribute to over £690 million the UK economy, mainly in the agricultural sector.

Why not try to make your garden borders as diverse as possible? Planting a wide range of plants that flower at different times will make even a small space brim with biodiversity, providing an aesthetic but practical space for pollinators. Pollinators, who's numbers have declined by 65% in the last 17 years alone, are so-called because they carry the reproductive dust, pollen, from flower to flower to grow the new generation of plants. Without them a significant number of plants from trees to strawberries could not reproduce, representing a major ecological and economic disaster. The RHS has some great resources to help you if you are planning to make your garden pollinator friendly:

If you have a lawn, pledge to forgo mowing for just one month as part of the annual No Mow May campaign. Not only can this make your lawns look interesting, but will help pollinators thrive, absorb pollution and can even lock carbon underground. In 2023 hundreds of Kent residents pledged to leave more than 131,510m2 (approximately 503 tennis courts) of lawn to grow, will you be a part of the 2024 campaign?

If after May you have enjoyed seeing wildlife in your garden thrive, why not supplement your lawn with Clover, Seedums, Creeping Thyme and Chamomile, or if you're really keen continue with Let it Bloom June?