PECT turns 25!

PECT was originally set up as ‘Peterborough Environment City Trust’ after Peterborough’s designation in 1992 as one of four UK Environment Cities, along with Leeds, Leicester and Middlesbrough.

2018 marks the year when PECT turns 25! Help us mark a quarter of a century of environmental work by getting involved with our events and initiatives.

Stay tuned by signing up to our e-newsletter on the home page of our website to hear all our latest news and events. You can also get involved by sharing your green pledges with #PECT25.

PECT’s top 25 tips for living more sustainably 

1. When shopping, remember to take a reusable bag with you so you don’t get caught out. Peterborough Reuse takes hessian and jute sacks – previously used for coffee beans – and turns them into reusable shopping bags.  
2. Say no to plastic straws and stirrers in drinks. An estimated 500 million plastic straws are used and discarded every day in America alone. 
3. Look to use reusable water bottles rather than buying new each time. See PECT’s current refill campaign here. 
4. Take food to work for lunch rather than buying supermarket lunches every day. Not only will it save you money, but it will also cut down on the use of packaging you are using. 
5. Plan your meals for the week and only shop for the ingredients you need. This will help to cut down on food waste. 
6. Keep an eye on use-by dates and freeze items to stop them going to waste.  
7. Get creative and made dishes from all the leftover items you’ve got left. Some great recipes can be found at www.lovefoodhatewaste.com.  
8. Buy local and in season when you can. Your local market will often be a much cheaper option for fresh food too.  
9. Introduce more veggie and vegan meals into your diet. A plant-based diet requires only one third of the land needed to support a meat and dairy diet. Some great recipes can be found at www.recipes.vegsoc.org.  
10. Grow food! It helps us appreciate all the input that goes into it and can stop us from wasting so much. From a windowsill to allotment or community garden, everyone can get involved. Find some top tips here www.rhs.org.uk/advice/beginners-guide. 
11. If you have a garden or allotment then plant insect friendly plants like cornflowers, asters, calendulas and marigolds and consider putting up an insect hotel.  
12. Support bird life in your garden with trees, hedges and shrubs for nesting, providing cover and food. You can also support your feathered friends with bird feeders. By providing a variety of feeding sites, you can attract a wider range of birds into your garden.  
13. In the last 10 years, hedgehog numbers have fallen by 30%. Hedgehogs need to be able to roam far and wide in search of food so get together with your neighbours to cut a hole in your fence to connect your gardens.  
14. Don’t be too tidy! Leave some wild areas, such as nettle patches, log piles and leaf litter for butterflies and other little beasties.  
15. Only trim hedges when birds aren’t likely to be nesting – avoid cutting branches back between March and August.  
16. Have a pond if you have space, because just a little one can support so many different wildlife species. See www.froglife.org for guidance. 
17. Plant a tree! PECT’s project Forest for Peterborough is planting trees across the city. Pick up a tree at one of our tree giveaways or if you don’t have space for one at home join one of our volunteer planting days – and bring your friends and family! See www.pect.org.uk/forest.  
18. Make 2018 your year to get involved in making a difference! Volunteer with PECT at www.pect.org.uk/volunteer or get litter picking with RiverCare, see www.facebook.com/ThorpeGateRiverCare/. 
19. Walk or cycle for short journeys rather than jumping in the car. It is a great way of increasing the amount of healthy exercise included in your day.  
20. Use sustainable transport to get around where you can. Take a look at www.travelchoice.org.uk. 
21. Buy second hand – see if you can last a month without buying anything brand new and see what you learn about your buying habits. Opt for charity shops instead.  
22. Look for items that have a lower impact on the environment and other social benefits, such as organic, fairly traded and locally produced.  
23. Get energy smart at home. Switch off monitors, TVs and phone chargers when not in use – see some top tips at www.energysavingtrust.org.uk/home-energy-efficiency/energy-saving-quick-wins.  
24. How smart is your workplace? Could more be done on energy, waste, transport? Raise your suggestions with your manager and ask if your business is on a renewable energy tariff too. See www.iie.uk.com and www.greenenergyswitch.co.uk for support and ideas.  
25. Spread the word: tell others what you think and gain support for making things better. Write to your local MP and tell them what you think needs doing to better protect our environment.

Got some top tips of your own? Share them with us on social media @SustainablePECT and #PECT25. We’d love to hear your thoughts.