As a city in the heart of the country, Birmingham has undoubtedly come a long way from its once industrial past. Through the development of technology and a collective effort from various parties, there are evident glimpses of the city becoming greener and eco-friendly.

So, in what ways has Birmingham become green? What are local bodies doing to continue this growth and development? We will be considering these questions and more here. Read on to find out a little more about how Birmingham, the once infamous Steel City, moves further away from this history and into the future.

Decreased Emissions

Following a year when we have spent more time than ever at home, less traffic has been on the roads, both within the city itself and across the broader country. Less traffic = fewer carbon emissions being created, which has been evident through several studies conducted on this particular subject.

Globally, carbon emissions from the burning of fossil fuels have decreased by 7%carbon emissions from the burning of fossil fuels have decreased by 7% due to people spending time at home, with their cars parked on the driveway for prolonged periods of time. While Covid-19 has undoubtedly changed multiple aspects of our lives, this is one positive thing to come from the pandemic and its subsequent lockdowns.

A Pledge

Birmingham City Council (BCC) announced that they would be working tirelessly to tackle their carbon emissions in various ways as we move forwards. Once named the Cleanest City by the British Cleaning Council, there is no surprise that the local councils are committed to upholding this title.

As the UK government announced they would be phasing out the use of diesel cars by 2030 and moving towards the use of electric, we would understand and respect the changes that city councils across the board will be making, to work in tandem with the government announcement. Whether similar or different to BCC’s decisions, we are confident that they will be making a world of difference and puts confidence in the local people that our councils are doing their part for the environment as well.

With various systems in place working to keep the city clean and tidy, there is no surprise that our wonderful hometown has been dubbed the ‘UK’s cleanest large city’. Investing in schemes that promote and encourage living sustainably while declaring that they will be implementing several electric vehicles charging points across the city, you can see the hard work that is being done by many to make this work and make it happen.

What Can You Do?

Whether you are a resident of the city, someone who frequents often for leisure purposes or are a business owner in the city, there are various things that you can do to positively contribute towards the carbon emissions omitted city-wide. While the
BCC had pledged to roll out electric vehicle charging points from Autumn 2020, we can recognise how this may have been delayed somewhat. Especially with the impacts of the pandemic still taking place today.

As a business owner based in Birmingham who wants to contribute towards leading a greener life and reducing your carbon emissions, there are several things that you could do. Implementing the use of electric vehicles in your business is one such way. More so, if you are a business that travels frequently, you will be using less diesel and other fossil fuels. As a result, you will be producing fewer emissions.

If you are not comfortable with waiting for the local bodies to implement and install electric vehicle charging points in your area and have made the switch to using electric cars already, consider using the services of companies like Clarke EV. Providing businesses like yourself with all your workplace charging needs, you can rest assured that you will still be able to go about your everyday working life, but in a greener and environmentally friendly way.

You will be positively contributing to the environment around you while working alongside the BCC and other bodies’ efforts. Sounds good to us!

What Else?

Whether you live in the city or elsewhere, there are changes that we can make in our everyday lives, of which would make a difference overall. Ensuring that you are thoroughly using your available recycling facilities is an excellent way of doing this. Separating certain materials from one another before throwing them away and encouraging other members of your household means that you are doing your part in combatting climate change.

Not to mention, there are also things that you can do in other aspects of your life too, including that of shopping. Birmingham is known across the country for its excellent selection of shopping and dining facilities. It is a frequented location for those looking to get their luxury goods and their everyday necessities.

While this is very much the case, and there is nothing wrong with buying new clothes every once in a while, there are swaps that you can make when choosing which store to go to, which can make a difference as well. Going to the various thrift stores that line the streets of Brum is one such way; you just don’t know what treasures these hidden gems might be holding!

While the implementation of electric charging points across the city is one way that the local council is making positive changes for the environment, we are confident that there will be other changes made throughout the years. Both as a collective and individually, there are things that we can all do to make a difference.