Planet South Bank

Here’s our press release on this weekend’s Street Recycle:

Residents in York’s Southbank and Clementhorpe areas are linking up to turn household decluttering into a community event this Sunday.

The Street Recycle will see local people swapping, sharing, upcycling and giving away unwanted possessions from their front yards and gardens.

Now in its third year, the pedestrian friendly event allows passers by to locate participating addresses on a map. It’s produced by Planet Southbank, which fosters sustainability through a range of activities with an emphasis on fun and sociability.

Residents wishing to be included on the map are asked to sign up by midnight on Thursday 15 September by email to info@planetsouthbank.org.uk or to contact 07536 030550. The map will be promoted on the Planet Southbank website and Facebook page and will also be available on from Saturday in Sainsburys on Bishopthorpe Road and local shops.

“Here in the UK, people consume three planet’s-worth of resources, despite the Earth being our only home,” said Kate Lock of Planet Southbank. “We can all do things to change that. Making better use of the stuff we already have by giving it away or recycling it when it’s no longer needed is a good start.”

The event helps to boost the “zero waste” ambition of One Planet York, a network of organisations working together to help make York a sustainable, resilient and collaborative “One Planet” city. One Planet York launched in June and has also produced an app to help residents with waste and recycling.

Councillor Andrew Waller, Executive Member for the Environment for City of York Council, said: “Events like the Street Recycle encourage people to make the best use of our city’s resources, reduces waste and gets neighbours sharing. These actions convert One Planet York into a reality from the pages of a committee report, and the council is happy to support days like this all over York which come from the community wanting to make a difference in the place that they live.”

The event takes place on Sunday 18 September from 11.00am until approx 3.00pm. More information from www.planetsouthbank.org.uk

Terms: items in the Street Recycle event must be legal, safe and suitable for all ages. No electricals or livestock! Keep items on your property and do not spill out onto the pavement or highway. Residents are asked to clear up afterwards and to donate left over items to local charity shops or to recycle as appropriate.

Notes for editors

Planet Southbank emerged from the York Green Neighbourhood Challenge, a pilot project undertaken by the Stockholm Environment Institute with the support of the City of York Council and partners, with the aim of helping householders to reduce their carbon footprints.

The group is open to anyone living in the  broadly defined ‘greater South Bank’ area covering the area East to West between Bishopthorpe Road and Tadcaster Road and North to South between the city walls and the former Terry’s site.

Community gardening is at the heart of the group’s activities and Planet Southbank manages an edible garden at St Clement’s Church on Nunthorpe Road.

The group’s previous events include running information stalls, recycling and composting awareness, workshops for making Christmas decorations to promoting common values, scarecrow and craft trails, baking and jams, seed and plant swaps and even musical events.

Our successful, community-building swapping and giving-away event will be running again this September.

Sunday 18th September from 11am – 3pm. Sort out stuff you’d like to give away, and display it at the front of your house from 11.00am. Swap, sell or give away items (your choice) to those who come calling.

To make sure you’re on the map for people to find you, register by e-mailing  info@planetsouthbank.org.uk. Please provide your name, address and a contact phone number.

We’ll put up a list of participating households here on the website, and in hard copy at Sainsbury’s on the day of the event.