May 2022

Why 2,000 homes in Ellesmere Port could help solve climate crisis

An area in Whitby, Ellesmere Port could be home to the UK’s first ‘hydrogen village’, following a proposal put forward by gas distribution network, Cadent and British Gas, and supported by Cheshire West and Chester Council. If the proposal is taken forward, up to 2,000 homes in the area would stop using natural gas for heating and cooking, and instead use hydrogen.

Find out more about the hydrogen village proposal

Read the latest stories on the Climate Emergency Inspire hub

The Climate Emergency Inspire hub is a place for individuals, organisations and businesses across the borough to share what they are doing to address the climate crisis. Read the latest news, including a story about a resident switching their car to a bike to cycle to work, how to support bees, and Chester Cycling campaign’s free bike maintenance classes, in conjunction with Bren Bikes.

Visit the Climate Emergency Inspire hub

Solar powered e-scooter trial in Chester extended

The current e-scooter trial in Chester has been extended to 30 November 2022, and is now using the latest solar panels and Tesla battery charging facilities to power and charge the Ginger e-scooter fleet. This means every scoot across the city on one of the rental scooters is now 100 per cent powered by the sun.

Read more about the e-scooter trial

Council’s new green cleaning machine

The Council’s StreetCare teams are now using all-electric street sweeping machines for their day-to-day clean operations. The machines, which are quieter to operate, will help to ensure the borough remains clean, whilst reducing emissions and helping the Council to become carbon neutral by 2030.

Read the full story

Litter pick hubs 

Eco Communities, a local environmental group, has been organising litter picking events in the area for a number of years, and has recently received funding from the Council to set up Litter Pick Hubs in the borough. The hubs will provide a central place where people can borrow litter picking equipment, supporting them to collect litter in their communities. The Eco Communities website provides details of where the hubs are located and who to contact if you want a hub near you.    

Find out about more about the litter pick hubs

How to help bees this summer

Recently it was World Bee Day, a great time to highlight the importance of bees and what we can all do to help protect them. The Council has started delivering its five-year Wildflower and grasslands Strategy, which includes creating 45 mini native wildflower meadows across the borough this summer.

Find out more about our plans and what you can do to support bees

Bike Week 2022

Residents are being encouraged to get on their bike and enjoy their community from the saddle as part of this year’s national Bike Week, which takes place from 6 – 12 June. The Council's road safety team are offering free cycle training for families over the summer, plus the Cycling UK website has lots of helpful tips to get you out on your bike, including an inspiration page, full of ideas and routes to explore. 

Find out more about Bike Week and the family cycle training

World Environment Day – 5 June

The 2022 World Environment Day campaign #OnlyOneEarth calls for collective, transformative action on a global scale to celebrate, protect and restore our planet. Ahead of the big day, the team at World Environment Day has put together a practical guide on how to live more sustainably.

View the #OnlyOneEarth practical guide

Hedgehog Watch

Chester Zoo is encouraging local residents to Act for Wildlife, by taking part in this year’s Hedgehog Watch. The project highlights the plight of hedgehogs, whose numbers have steeply declined in recent years. Visit the zoo’s website for details of what is involved and how to take part in this citizen science project.

Find out more about Hedgehog Watch