London Green Points is a scheme that incentivises people to reduce, reuse and recycle their waste by offering a range of rewards including discounts and other special offers from local retailers as well as Green Points, earned as a result of the reduction in waste people throw away. These Green Points can be spent on themselves or donated to local charity projects.
Earlier this year the London Borough of Bexley was announced as the first area in the UK where the scheme is to be introduced. The scheme, which brings together a wide range of partners, is starting with 2,000 flats in Thamesmead followed by a further 13,000 homes across the borough within two years. These first phases will focus on flats and the Borough has been awarded a grant from the London Waste and Recycling Board’s Flats Recycling Programme to part-fund the scheme, as well as support through Recycle for London. There are plans to extend the scheme to all 90,000 homes in Bexley in future years if successful.
Throughout September, residents in flats across East Thamesmead will be receiving their welcome packs for the first phase of the scheme and a team of advisors will be out and about making sure people know they can participate. There is an official launch of the scheme planned for 3rd October.
Legendary broadcaster Neil “Doctor” Fox, host of Magic FM’s Brighter Breakfast Show, and ‘ambassador’ for the London Green Points scheme, is really pleased with the response so far and says, "We already have 29 local retailers signed up offering a great range of special offers for participants on their local high street as well as three really strong local charity projects selected by a Community Leaders Panel.”
The Mayor of London Boris Johnson says: ‘I know the good people of London's suburbs are keen to be green and to recycle whatever they can and I'm also aware that it is not always easy to do that. Bexley's London Green Points Scheme is great, offering residents the chance for community investment in return for recycling. I have always been a huge enthusiast for this kind of scheme which revolutionises the way people think about waste and recycling.'
Cllr Gareth Bacon, Bexley’s Cabinet Member for the Environment said: "Thanks to the efforts of our residents, Bexley is already London's top borough for recycling. We have achieved a 50% recycling rate in each of the last two years but we do not want to rest on our laurels. To continue to be the best we must consistently look to improve and come up with new ways to reach the challenging targets we have set ourselves."
Mandy Doe, Operations Director for Gallions Housing Association and a member of the Community Leaders Panel said; “Community regeneration and creating sustainable neighbourhoods are at the forefront of what we do. This is a great way to raise awareness for local charitable projects as well as helping to raise funds. I hope the local community in Thamesmead really gets behind the initiative.”
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