Environment Policy

Registered Company No 2612775

Recently the Club committee agreed an environment policy. Why? Well Canoeing is an intrinsically environmentally friendly activity, passage by canoe down waterways has no harmful impact on the environment. However, some elements of the Club’s activities can and do have an impact on the local and global environment. The policy sets out to identify practical ways that the Club and you our members can play an active role in reducing the impact of canoeing activities on the environment.

But that’s not all some of these can help save the club and you money too!

Reducing Energy Waste

By doing this members can help reduce waste energy and save the Club money on it’s utility bills. Our electric bill is over £200 per quarter!

The Electric showers in the Club only take a few seconds to warm up, so leaving them running wastes both water and electricity. Please switch them off when you have finished. This will also save water - which is on a meter too!
Electric Fan Heaters burn lots of electric - please ensure these are switched off when the building is unoccupied, particularly if you are the last person out of the changing room on a night.
While most of the lighting within the Club is reasonably energy efficient, turning off the lights when not needed is good. E.g. the changing room lights don’t need to be on when everyone is on the river.
The Club’s riverside floodlights are connected to the Club house lights to ensure they are switched off when the upstairs lights in the building are switched off. This prevents these being left on for long periods. However there is a separate switch for the lights, which should be switched off whenever the river lights are not needed (i.e. as soon as all paddlers are off the water). For example this could potentially save half an hour of electricity each evening that the lights are used, as well as making sure the lights aren’t on in day light when the club lights are on.

The club will put up notices will soon be going up by switches and exits to remind members of these simple steps they can help with.

Equipment

The Club can have an impact on the environment through its purchase of new equipment and the disposal of old equipment. For example most modern kayaks are made of polyethylene so can be recycled!

New Club equipment – consideration should be given to the environmental sustainability of all new equipment purchased by the Club, such as the ability for it to be recycled in the future.
When disposing of old or surplus equipment the Club will, where equipment is still safe and serviceable, offer it to members or other canoe clubs as second hand equipment.
Members are also encouraged to make their old or surplus equipment available second hand. Space to advertise equipment is available on notice boards and the website.

Recycling

The building that the Club does not currently have recycling collections.

Investigate with Calderdale Council the provision of recycling collections from the Club and in the interim encourage members to take recycle-able waste (plastic drink bottles etc) back home to their household recycling facilities.
Provide a facility for paper, card, cans and plastic bottles to be recycled at slalom events.

Cleaning of the Club

Being water users we are aware of and could be adversely affected by water borne pollution. Therefore it is important that we set an example and do not pollute the water environment.

All cleaning products used in the Club should be environmentally friendly and / or bio-degradable

Travel

Travel by car is the only realistic option for paddling. However, transporting canoes on roof racks and driving with an empty roof rack attached reduce the fuel efficiency of a car by at least 10%. Despite this, Club members can still reduce their impact on the environment while using private cars

We encourage members to car / lift sharing for all trips and activities away from the Club.
The Club’s canoe trailer can be used to transport canoes to an activity, so the fuel efficiency of most vehicles travelling to an activity is not reduced.
By taking your roof rack off when not needed you can boost your cars fuel efficiency. Ok it might be a pain to take it off and on, but you wouldn’t drive round with a pile of tenners blowing off your roof would you?

Environmental Improvements

As highly visible water users in the local community it is important that the Club is seen to be ‘custodian’ of its local section of river and works to maintain and improve the river environment in Sowerby Bridge.

The Club will continue to organise regular ‘clean ups’ on the River Calder adjacent to the Club and remove other rubbish from the area as necessary.
Member will be encouraged to report other pollution and rubbish dumped around the river to the relevant authorities for removal.

So please help us to try and reduce our impact on the environment and our utility bills.