Hansard

I congratulate Claire Baker on securing the debate and I join her and David Torrance in commending Greener Kirkcaldy’s work. The debate is important, because we know that the green movement starts at home. It is all very well for us to pass lots of legislation, but we must take practical measures ourselves, which is exactly what Greener Kirkcaldy does.

Greener Kirkcaldy is driving change and serving as an inspiration for environmental groups elsewhere in Scotland. As we have heard, reducing waste, slashing bills and increasing energy efficiency are at the heart of what Greener Kirkcaldy is trying to achieve. By providing a free, friendly and accessible service, Greener Kirkcaldy advisers are driving positive change in their community.

Encouraging people to be more energy efficient and less wasteful will be crucial in managing carbon emissions. In 2012, Scottish households produced more than 80 million tonnes of carbon dioxide, of which 8.6 million tonnes were generated from household heating. That is why initiatives such as cosy Kirkcaldy are important.

Everybody wants a warm home, but nearly 40 per cent of Scots families are plunged into fuel poverty in trying to provide one. In the past year, Greener Kirkcaldy has helped thousands of Fifers with insulation and energy advice through home visits or outreach events or in its advice shop. Between October and December 2013, 1,030 people contacted Greener Kirkcaldy advisers for energy advice.

For residents who are looking for insulation solutions, Greener Kirkcaldy runs advice courses that offer tips on do-it-yourself draught proofing and loft insulation. The latest such event was held last Saturday and I understand that it was well attended. Advisers provide free, impartial advice on a range of energy issues and can help residents receive a free insulation top-up, clarify energy tariffs and simplify the application process for Government insulation grants.

With energy bills rising faster than any other commodity, home owners are rightfully concerned about their costs. The United Kingdom Government, via the green deal, has helped make more money available for insulation schemes than any other Government in history. However, for many people accessing those funds is a confusing and complicated process. By simplifying the process, Greener Kirkcaldy is helping residents access funds that can help lower emissions and, perhaps more important, lower bills.

Another important aspect of Greener Kirkcaldy is its work to reduce food waste. UK households wasted 7 million tonnes of food last year, half of which was avoidable. To put that in context, it is the equivalent of 80 million wheelie bins full of food. If we stopped wasting edible food, the reduction in emissions would be the equivalent of taking one in four cars off the road. If those incentives are not enough, it is also the case that wasting food costs the average household between £500 and £700 annually.

To help combat that problem, Greener Kirkcaldy has set up a series of cookery workshops aimed at setting out good practice on food preparation, which are free and open to anyone. Lovely leftovers is a soon-to-be-held course that will teach residents how to cook appetising meals from yesterday’s dinner. Meal planning is central to avoiding food waste and Greener Kirkcaldy is keen to help residents better organise their weekly shops. Other courses will include tips on batch cooking and cooking for children, which will be particularly helpful for young mothers.

The Ravenscraig orchard is another example of the community spirit that Greener Kirkcaldy has helped foster. The site was covered in nettles and weeds, and volunteers from the charity cleared the site, built paths and planted more than 50 fruit trees. The garden will serve as a classroom for teaching interested residents the dos and don’ts of gardening, which will not only be incredibly rewarding but will help to cut food bills.

Everyone can do their bit to be environmentally friendly, and Greener Kirkcaldy has taken that concept and shown residents the simple ways in which to do it. Going green often saves money and that has broad appeal. Volunteers have given up their time to advance the green movement and I commend them for that. Greener Kirkcaldy has worked tirelessly to raise public awareness and I hope that its efforts can continue past 2016. I encourage the Scottish Government to commit funding to the climate challenge fund beyond 2016 to help community initiatives such as Greener Kirkcaldy, which will be central to reducing waste and increasing energy efficiency across Scotland.

Again, I commend Claire Baker for securing the debate and I congratulate Greener Kirkcaldy on everything that it has done so far. I wish it future success.