World Environment Day takes place on 5 June and this year’s theme, A Global Call for Climate Action, invites us all to step up and play our part.
It’s a day that encourages communities everywhere to think big, act boldly, and work together for a healthier planet.
At North East Derbyshire District Council, we’re celebrating by shining a light on what Climate Action really looks like across our district.
From enthusiastic school eco teams leading the way in classrooms, to our zero‑carbon‑emission sports centres setting new standards in sustainability, there’s plenty to shout about.
Cllr Steve Pickering, Portfolio Holder for Environment and Place, said: “It’s encouraging to hear about all the great things happening in our district to make the planet an even better place.
“By all doing our bit we can help to look after the environment for ourselves, our children and all the generations that follow.”
What we are doing at North East Derbyshire District Council
- Rainwater harvesting at our Eckington Depot.
- Electric and hybrid vehicles on fleet.
- Biodiversity hub, sustainable planting and community initiatives.
- 98.5% of residual waste converted to energy.
- Air source heat pumps, solar PV panels and a new air handling system, leading to a 66% reduction in carbon emissions at Eckington Active.
- Clay Cross Active has the latest technology to reduce its carbon footprint including two air source heat pumps and 360 solar panels.
- Dronfield Active is now fully decarbonised (more info below).
Dronfield Active Decarbonisation
March 2020 marked the beginning of Dronfield Active’s sustainability overhaul, and it’s been quite the transformation.
The first phase focused on simple but effective upgrades, replacing fluorescent lighting with efficient LEDs and adding cavity wall insulation to reduce energy use and running costs.
By 2022, the project moved forward with the installation of 239 solar panels and new Air Source Heat Pumps. In their first two years alone, the panels generated an impressive 185,060 kWh of renewable energy.
Further improvements followed in 2024, including new pool covers and triple‑glazed window units along the poolside to help retain heat and improve overall efficiency.
Thanks to Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme (PSDS3a) funding and the Government’s post‑Covid Swimming Pool Support Fund, we were able to deliver full decarbonisation at Dronfield Active.
To find out more about how Dronfield Active as decarbonised, visit Dronfield Active – North East Derbyshire District Council.
How local schools are championing sustainability
Spotlight on Lenthall Infant and Nursery School.
Lenthall Infant and Nursery School have placed climate action at the heart of its values, weaving it into both the curriculum and the everyday life of the school.
Their pupils are leading the way with an inspiring range of projects, one of the most exciting being the creation of the bee pollination and sensory garden.
This beautiful space has been shaped entirely with the help of the school’s passionate, planet‑saving pupils. They have taken part in every stage, imagining the design, planting native species, and tending to the garden with care, all while learning just how vital pollinators are to the health of our ecosystems.
The final piece of their vision will be the addition of a beehive, completing a project that has already brought so much life and learning to the school grounds.
Their environmental efforts don’t end there. The children have also been building habitats for other wildlife, exploring what sustainability truly means, and taking responsibility for caring for their school environment. Through these hands‑on experiences, they are discovering what it means to be thoughtful, responsible global citizens.
The school received a grant from North East Derbyshire District Council and funding from other organisations for the project.
Izzy (Y1 Green Gang) said:
“I love our bee garden because the flowers are so colourful and the bees come to visit them. It makes me happy knowing we are helping them to make honey and look after nature.”
Max (Y1 Green Gang) said:
“I liked learning about food waste and how we can help the environment. My favourite part was sitting in the food waste truck and beeping the horn—it was really exciting and made me want to help even more!”
Pictured: Cllr Pickering with students from Lenthall Infant and Nursery School – one of the winners of our recent food bin lorry naming contest.
Climate action starts at home: quick ideas to get you involved
- Turn off the lights when you leave the room
- Hang your washing out rather than using the tumble dryer or putting it on a hot radiator
- Avoid standby mode on electronic devices
- Shorten your showers by 1-2 minutes
- Put the lids on pans when cooking to boil the water faster
Why do small actions matter?
Each action might feel tiny on its own, but if everyone did these simple actions, the emissions savings would be huge.
For example, if every house in North East Derbyshire consistently turned off their lights whenever they left a room, the energy savings would be roughly the same as the yearly electricity use of about 1,000-2,000 homes.
And if everyone in the district shortened their showers by 1-2 minutes every day, around 10-20 litres of water would be saved per shower, meaning that around half a million to a million litres of water saved every day.
When small everyday actions are multiplied across an entire community, they become powerful.
Being mindful of our energy and water use show that meaningful climate action doesn’t always require big sacrifices.
When thousands of people make small changes together, the collective impact is enormous, proving that everyone has a part to play in protecting our planet.
- For more information about what we are doing to tackle climate change, see our website.
