London Week: Going green?

Large cities are often hubs for social change. They’re also places where change is slowest to spread, at least visibly. Here are a couple of things I’ve noticed that seem to indicate a desire for greener living.

The G-Wiz micro car, designed in California and manufactured by Indo-US Reva Electric Car Company based in Bangalore, has been available in the UK since 2003 and can be seen everywhere in the capital. It’s compact, fully electric and according to the goingreen website can save you up to £9,000 per year.

The forthcoming Olympics have prompted worldwide partner Coca-Cola to sponsor a recycling initiative in the City of Westminster (which encompasses a large part of Central London). The ubiquitous kerb-side trash bins have been transformed into 3-headed units: one side for the recycling, one side for the trash and a middle tray for cigarette butts. Whilst this scheme’s intentions are laudable there seems to be a rather disconcerting lack on interest or effort on the part of the average Londoner. We spotted myriad bins stuffed indiscriminately with all manners of rubbish, aluminum cans in the garbage side and food waste in the recycling side.

On a similar note, Starbucks seems to be introducing a new style of store, though I am waiting for confirmation of this from a regional manager. The Conduit Street (at Regent Street) store features separate recycling and trash bins, allowing customers to separate their rubbish and dispose of it appropriately. The same scheme is also finally in place in some of the— numerous—Prêt-à-manger restaurants around town.

Sadly, most parks are lacking recycling bins on the premises—aside from one near Embankment which we didn’t see used once during our one-hour visit—and only offer standard garbages. Given the popularity of the parks at lunch time, especially in fair weather, it seems a missed opportunity.

From my recollection of living here and my observations on repeated visits since then the problem seems to be a communication one. Whilst boroughs seem to be doing their part in providing some recycling facilities—and I’m sure residents are taking part as well—public spaces as a general rule still suffer from the speed at which people live. Little thought is given, by tourists and locals alike, to where garbage, recyclable goods and cigarette butts are disposed of, making it difficult for even the most well-meaning of governments to implement effective methods of waste reduction and management.

Is it a job for graphic design? A sensitization campaign on caring about garbage? Is it some kind of coercive approach involving fines? What makes you care—or not—about how much waste you generate and where it might end up?