A neighbourhood approach to circular economy
Heston in the Loop — transforming consumption habits starts with homes and communities
Actions have consequences, and the choices we make have repercussions. Whether it’s a click to secure an online purchase, or tapping your bank card in-store, every decision sets off a sequence of events, which subsequently has a lasting impact for our planet.
The flip side to this is that we can harness communal behaviours for the collective good, and this unity of purpose with everyone working together towards a common goal can be a game changer.
The ‘impact’ of day-to-day living on our environment and atmosphere is undeniable — 45% of global greenhouse gas emissions come from all food, materials and products that we manufacture and consume every day.
In London, 99% of the food we eat is imported from outside the city — with nearly a million tonnes of this food lost or thrown away. What’s even more shocking is that 67% is edible!
Open a wardrobe in the UK, and you’ll find that, on average, a quarter of the clothes have been worn less than once a year, and half of all fast fashion is binned within 12 months.
Most Londoners will tell you they want to make the right choices and are committed to implementing small changes to behaviours that will protect and enhance our environment. [1]
So, how can we pass on the power to individuals and communities so that they can make better, more informed decisions? Decisions that ultimately lead to greener, more resilient, and thriving communities.
Hounslow Council is part of a small cohort of London boroughs developing a ‘Future Neighbourhoods’ concept (supported by Mayor of London and the Greater London Authority). This has culminated in the ‘Future Neighbourhood 2030 for Cranford and Heston’, which sets out a flexible framework for prioritised actions in the area (see Figure 1). These actions are formed through co-design principles and reflect the visions and ideas of residents in the local community.
To raise the ceiling of what can be achieved through community partnership, Hounslow Council, alongside its partner ReLondon, has implemented ‘Heston in the Loop’ — a pioneering circular economy neighbourhood demonstrator.
Located in the west of the borough, Cranford and Heston have undeniable socio-economic challenges and prevalent areas of climate vulnerability. Its strong and active community, however, have been integral to the design and rollout of the interventions already supporting sustainable consumption.
This 18-month project has already proven successful, attracting more than 15 businesses to provide a range of circular services for the neighbourhood, including free food growing and composting sessions, repair cafes and workshops, eco-refill stations and shops, and apps that support a zero-waste sharing economy.
Younger generations must also be involved if we’re to effectively tackle the climate emergency. This means Heston’s school children have a big part to play. Several schools across the neighbourhood are working in conjunction with Pupils Profit to host ‘refill shops’, offering monthly pop-up shops that encourage households to cut down on single-use plastics. The power of pop-up shops has been driven by school pupils’ active participation, as well as their effective communication with families about the individual actions that make a positive difference.
The wider project has delivered community capacity building through employing trained advisors from the local area to promote sustainable lifestyles and more resourceful consumption options. Working with Cultivate London and Heston Action Group (both local organisations), a programme of community-growing sessions is currently underway. It helps to develop growing skills, produce locally sourced food, and teach composting techniques.
The repair cafés are equipping communities with the skills needed to keep their items in working order for longer, and helping residents save money in the process. Our partners’ apps are also being promoted locally — helping households, businesses, and charities to share things for free and avoid food waste and plastic pollution.
The average household has around 20 electricals lying idle that are forgotten about but still usable, which reinforces the need to encourage residents to reduce, recycle, and reuse in neighbourhoods.
While Hounslow’s ‘Heston in the Loop’ pilot will run until March 2024, this will not mark the end of the council’s mobilisation of services, facilities, and organisations to ensure residents participate in a neighbourhood-based circular economy.
Applying the full breadth of all lessons learned, this circular approach will be rolled out to other areas across Hounslow, with ReLondon looking at how best to integrate its London-wide application.
Steven Wilding — Head of Net Zero Neighbourhoods and Green Economy at London Borough of Hounslow
Find out more at Hounslow Council’s webpage or Heston in the Loop’s Instagram and Facebook.
This Medium space is for London borough officers and London Councils’ climate programmes to share their work on net zero and adaptation. If you wish to contribute by writing a post or have any questions, please get in touch with Katrin Vangelova — Climate Change Communications Officer at katrin.vangelova@londoncouncils.gov.uk.
