The Hillingdon Cleaner Greener Festival
Save money – save the planet
• Can I save with home renewables?
• Which bird falls asleep as it flies?*
• What’s the range of a small electric car?
All these questions were answered at the Hillingdon Cleaner Greener Festival on
Saturday 20th September. The event was officially opened by The Worshipful the Mayor of Hillingdon, Cllr Philip Corthorne, of Ruislip.
‘The stalls are amazing’, said one visitor, ‘Do it more
frequently,’ said another. ‘A fantastic event,’ said MP Danny Beales. Eastcote residents Hardip and Jess, who are members of Hillingdon Friends of the Earth, were amongst the people who rolled up their sleeves to make this happen.
In a first for Hillingdon, traders in home renewables sat alongside conservation and
climate campaigners. There was a series of expert talks and plenty of fun and
games for all ages. Mayor Cllr Philip Corthorne opened the festival, which took place at
St Margaret’s Church in the heart of Uxbridge. Its goal? A healthier sustainable future for
everyone in the borough.
Energy-saving and renewables experts covered everything from affordable DIY projects
to installation of solar panels, heat pumps and insulation. Residents could join
Hillingdon nature groups and sign up to Friends of the Earth actions, while children took
up the challenge of a treasure hunt around the stalls.
Flight Free UK had great tips on holidaying by train in Europe. Hillingdon London Wildlife
Trust celebrated our natural hotspots and recruited volunteers. Recycle-A-Bike showed
affordable reconditioned bikes for sale. Ruislip Woods Management Trust made insect
hotels from old logs to boost bio-diversity. Recycling is high up the order list for
Hillingdon Council, who were promoting their kitchen waste service.
Planet Over Profit, which campaigns for businesses to budget for ethical supply chains,
was promoted by Hillingdon Friends of the Earth. HFOE also ran a Restart stall with
examples of how fettlers fix broken household appliances for free. The kids even got the
chance to assemble and take home a toy solar car!
Other children’s activities included an art workshop for little ones and wooden table-top
games for older children.
* It’s the swift that falls asleep as it flies – Hillingdon London Wildlife Trust
EXHIBITORS AND TALKS
**Clean Energy Traders
Octopus Energy – Energy supplier and installer of low carbon solutions,
Infinity Energy and Daikin Heat Pumps – renewable energy surveyors and fitters
Solarbility – solar panels and battery storage
NRG Consultants – renewable energy surveyors and coordinators
EcoTiffin – expert eco builders and retrofitters
Rebel Design Studio – crafting energy efficient buildings
Unity Lime – natural insulation for homeowners and builders
Leap – free advice to stay warm and save on bills at home
Wallrock – cheap insulation to save heat and £££
Recycle-a-bike – Affordable reconditioned bikes and fixes (Fassnidge Park, Uxbridge)
Flight Free UK – take a year flight-free year and discover great new ways to travel
Hillingdon London Wildlife Trust – conserving one of London’s greenest boroughs
Hillingdon Friends of the Earth – Campaigning for Planet over Profit, Clean water in the
Colne, Restart repairs, No Third Runway, Drink tap water
The Talks
Heat Pumps – a £7500 free lunch?
Hack You Bills – quick money savers
Electric Cars – time to switch?
Waste and Recycling – in Hillingdon
Nature Gardening – for bio-diversity across London
Flight Free Holidays – looking at Europe
Solar – what to know