Oxford is my world Your – Guide to saving the planet!

• Home Energy Use
• Renewable Energy

• Food
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• Community
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• Family
• Funerals
• Home Improvements
• Leisure
• Moving Home
• Shopping
• Students
• Using Your Voice
• Weddings

• Recycling

• Travel

• Water Use

• Climate Science Explanation

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LIFESTYLE: Leisure

Just because you care for the environment doesn't mean you have to sit in a darkened room and never go out... quite the reverse! There are plenty of ‘green’ activities that can have benefits not just for the local environment but can help you to get fit, learn a skill or meet new people.

Very Easy

• - Why waste money and energy going to a sterile gym when you could be in the great outdoors, meeting new people? Join a BTCV Green Gym or become an Volunteer Ranger and you can get fit in the outdoors, work on your tan and learn new skills!
• - Oxford Vounteer Rangers meet every Thursday and carry out a wide range of tasks at nature reserves and parks in and around the City. Contact Oxford City Council's Countryside Service for details.
• - Believe it or not cycling is a great sport no matter what the weather; keeping you cool in summer and getting your blood circulating in winter. Get back in the saddle with the help of Sustrans, which has information and routes for the keenest to the greenest cyclists.
• - Go to a seasonal Open Day, Discovery Day or Family Fun Day at one of Berks, Bucks & Oxon Wildlife Trust (BBOWT) nature reserves. They also offer lots of training and volunteering opportunities in practical conservation work.
• - If you're into reality TV, or computer games, Oxford based organisation Red Redemption has combined the two; play Climate Challenge online and you can be the President of the Europe with the world's future in your hands …

Fairly Easy

• - Why not volunteer for a local charity or organisation: Orinoco Scrapstore is looking for people to help in the store and play with scrap.
• - Keen gardeners can buy locally grown plants from the Restore Project, Also try using natural pest controls, such as eggshells to discourage slugs. Natural methods are better for both the immediate and global environment than chemicals.
• - Berks, Bucks & Oxon Wildlife Trust (BBOWT) need help managing the C.S. Lewis nature reserve in Risinghurst; a small but beautiful woodland and pond, once owned by the celebrated author.
• - Holiday in the UK, or take a train to Europe, avoid flying or offset carbon where possible; see the Travel section for more information.

Not Quite So Easy

• - Make a real difference by joining the Oxford Conservation Volunteers on one of their ‘Conservation Days’. They do a wide variety of conservation work, all of which has direct benefits for local wildlife, the public and the environment, activities in 2006 included hedge laying, pond creation and even sheep foot trimming!
• - The Woodland Trust and BTCV organise tree-planting events for schools, groups and individuals.
• - For an environmentally friendly festival try the Big Green Gathering, near Cheddar, it is powered entirely by sustainable energy sources, including pedal power.
• - Want a get-away with a difference? BTCV organises Conservation Holidays and Weekends, both in the UK and abroad, weekend prices start from £60 including accommodation.
• - Ethical Escape has details of eco-friendly accommodation and holidays in the UK.

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