Interesting Idea (That Won't Happen) | Wild About the British Isles (WABI)

Psamathe
Senior Member

Posts: 352

Interesting Idea (That Won't Happen) Apr 20, 2023 10:42:28 GMT

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Post by Psamathe on Apr 20, 2023 10:42:28 GMT

An interesting report/idea from a University of Sheffiled study

Britons who keep gardens green should get council tax cut, study suggests
Move suggested to tackle rise in plastic grass and paving, which exacerbate wildlife loss, flooding and summer heat

Eco-friendly gardeners should be given a cut in their council tax, scientists have recommended, as research shows cities may have lost as much as 50% of their green garden space over the past two decades.

Paving over gardens and using plastic grass has become a trend in recent years, which contributes to rising urban temperatures and biodiversity decline.

Now, research from the University of Sheffield has suggested policymakers should offer incentives such as council tax or water bill discounts to encourage gardeners to use environmentally sensitive techniques to help combat climate breakdown and boost communities’ health and wellbeing.
...
(from www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/apr/20/britons-who-keep-gardens-green-should-get-council-tax-cut-study-suggests

Ian

Tringa
Supreme Member

Posts: 2,632

Interesting Idea (That Won't Happen) Apr 20, 2023 14:22:39 GMT

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Post by Tringa on Apr 20, 2023 14:22:39 GMT

Yes an interesting idea.

It reminds me of something I read on another forum a few years(probably close to ten) ago.

It was from a member in San Diego. California was, and I think still is, suffering from an increasing demand for and lack of water and his local council offered a reduction in the council tax if residents would convert their gardens to essentially a desert ones - replacing lawns and water requiring plants and shrubs, with gravel and xerophytic plants. I think there was also an element of the council being able to measure the individual water use and would investigate if an unusually high usage was found.

He said he was more than happy to do it as it helped the demand for water, reduced his costs a bit, and gave him an interest in plants he otherwise would not have considered.

Seems like a good idea to me.

Dave

Psamathe
Senior Member

Posts: 352

Interesting Idea (That Won't Happen) Apr 20, 2023 15:19:52 GMT

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Post by Psamathe on Apr 20, 2023 15:19:52 GMT

Apr 20, 2023 14:22:39 GMT Tringa said:

Yes an interesting idea.

It reminds me of something I read on another forum a few years(probably close to ten) ago.

It was from a member in San Diego. California was, and I think still is, suffering from an increasing demand for and lack of water and his local council offered a reduction in the council tax if residents would convert their gardens to essentially a desert ones - replacing lawns and water requiring plants and shrubs, with gravel and xerophytic plants. I think there was also an element of the council being able to measure the individual water use and would investigate if an unusually high usage was found.

He said he was more than happy to do it as it helped the demand for water, reduced his costs a bit, and gave him an interest in plants he otherwise would not have considered.

Seems like a good idea to me.

Dave

With these things I often wonder about how effective the actual direct measure is vs the changes in attitude they can cause. Same with e.g. solar panels (which I'm not criticising in any way) but these sorts of measures families can look daily at how much they save, how much they pass on to the grid, watch the credits from their low water garden and in addition to saving water or generating electricity it keeps the issue in the forefront of many people's minds - in effect they are continually being "self-reminded" that e.g. water is a limited resource or that electricity is expensive and still not as renewable as we'd like, etc. Sort of double benefit, direct from the direct action and indirect from the continual indirect self-reminders. Also children get made very aware of the issues and that there is a responsible way to helping. etc.

(badly explained but hopefully got the idea across!)

Ian

ianr
Supreme Member

Posts: 1,786

Interesting Idea (That Won't Happen) Apr 21, 2023 6:01:11 GMT

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Post by ianr on Apr 21, 2023 6:01:11 GMT

Who pays for such waste of time studies?

I get what their saying and even agree that too many gardens are paved and covered with plastic grass but a council tax rebate not a chance in hell.

What about the drought there already talking of this year and so early on. Let alone promoting more watering of gardens.

Sometimes I wonder if these universities have nothing better to do than to come up with half ***** ideas that are dead in the water "pun intended" before they get started.
ian