Summer Edition 2026 

Welcome to the summer edition of Environment Matters.

With the World Cup kicking off this week, alongside a host of festivals and sporting events, many of you will be planning to get together to enjoy food and drink with friends and family.

As you enjoy the celebrations, please remember to recycle your bottles, cans and other packaging.

If you’re preparing food, try not to over-cater and if you do have leftovers, make the most of them by saving them for another meal.

For more helpful tips on reducing waste, visit our Lesswaste website. 

Help monitor the health of nature across Leicestershire 

If you love being in nature we are encouraging you to play an active role in monitoring the health of wildlife locally by recording sightings of key “Indicator Species” across Leicestershire, Leicester and Rutland. As part of the Local Nature Recovery Strategy (LNRS), 100 Indicator Species have been identified to help track the state of nature across the area.  

These species – including many types of mammals, birds, reptiles, fish, butterflies, beetles and plants - provide valuable insights into how well local habitats are functioning and how they are responding to conservation action. 

By monitoring how these species are doing, partners can better understand the overall health of the environment. When indicator species are thriving, it’s a sign that habitats are healthy. When numbers decline, it can highlight where action is needed. 

Residents are invited to record sightings whenever they encounter these species and submit their observations via NatureSpot, the local online wildlife recording hub. Records can be added directly at www.naturespot.org/indicator-species or by using the iRecord app and linking observations to NatureSpot. 

Further information about the 100 Indicator Species and how to get involved is available at:  https://www.naturespot.org/indicator-species 

Enjoy barbecue season safely with less waste 

As the summer season sets in with hot temperatures, cooking outdoors on a BBQ can be a good way to keep the temperature of your house down and a great excuse to spend more time outdoors with family and friends. However, they can also be surprisingly wasteful, costly and, without proper care sometimes dangerous.  

We’ve put together three simple guides to help you enjoy BBQs safely and with minimal food waste so you can save money, relax and focus on making the most of the sunshine: 

• Handling and disposing of BBQ coals and ashes safely 

• Disposing of gas cannisters / bottles safely

• Avoiding food waste at BBQs 

Be part of the Environment Action Volunteers this summer

If you are looking for a way to get out, meet people, help change behaviours and make a real difference for Leicestershire’s environment, this might be a great opportunity. We are inviting Leicestershire residents to join a growing community of Environment Action Volunteers (EAVs) – and you could be one of them. 

EAVs help reduce waste, support sustainable travel and promote nature through education; supporting community events and sharing simple tips that make everyday actions count. Volunteering is a brilliant way to turn your passion for the planet into positive action. If you can spare some time, there are opportunities for everyone – no previous experience is needed.

Typical activities EAVs perform include attending events, writing articles or social media posts, hosting workshops or simply sharing great advice with your neighbours.  

Volunteers gain new skills through training, networking to build confidence, and connection to experts. You’ll be part of something meaningful, practical, and genuinely impactful. 

Specialisms you can choose include: 

• Master Composter 

• Recycling Advisor 

• Active Travel Champion 

• Nature and Biodiversity Champion 

• Love Food Hate Waste Advisor 

Reducing nappy contamination in Leicestershire’s recycling 

Every day, around 4,000 nappies are removed from Leicestershire’s recycling. These nappies have the potential to spoil other materials they come into contact with, are unsuitable for recycling and, it should go without saying, are extremely unpleasant and unhygienic for staff, who have to remove them by hand once they reach the sorting facility. 

Please ensure that nappies never go into your recycling bins and only ever go into your general rubbish as even clean ones cannot be recycled owing to their mix of materials. 

Better still, why not try reusable nappies, which won’t need throwing away, and can save you money over time.  

Remember, disposable nappies are rubbish…not recycling.

Help control Himalayan balsam on the River Wreake

Volunteers are being sought to help tackle invasive Himalayan balsam along the River Wreake. 

As part of ongoing efforts to manage non-native invasive species, the Leicestershire & Rutland Invasive and Non-Native Species Initiative is hosting a series of practical volunteer workdays at Brooksby Campus, Melton this June.

These sessions form part of Invasive Species Week 2026—a national campaign raising awareness of invasive species and how everyone can help prevent their spread.  

Join us on Monday 15 and 22 June, 10am–2pm, for a rewarding day clearing balsam along the scenic River Wreake. It’s a great opportunity to get outdoors, meet new people, and make a real difference to the local environment. 

No experience is needed. Full guidance and equipment will be provided, and you’ll even have the chance to learn how to use traditional scythes.  

If you would like to stay connected with local nature projects, you can join our Nature Network, a friendly online community for anyone with an interest in nature. 

Meetings take place every six weeks on varying evenings and include: 

• Local nature news and updates 

• Talks from guest speakers 

• Seasonal conservation tips and opportunities 

To book on one of the volunteer sessions, or to find out more about the Nature Network please email: EnvironmentTeam@leics.gov.uk

Introducing the Sustainable Communities Toolkit 

Are you part of a parish or town council, or a community group in Leicestershire, and looking for ways to make your local area more sustainable?

A new Sustainable Communities Toolkit has been created to help you take action whether you’re just getting started or building on existing projects. Packed with practical ideas, guidance and inspiration, the toolkit covers everything from simple, low-cost changes to larger community-led initiatives that can make a real difference. 

Developed in partnership with Green Living Leicestershire, a collaboration between local councils across the county, the toolkit supports communities to take positive action for both people and the environment. 

From reducing waste and improving green spaces to encouraging sustainable travel, it’s a useful guide to help your community make a positive difference.

The toolkit will be available on the Greener Future Leicestershire website or via the Leicestershire Communities website from July.

Warm Homes advice and home visit offer

Energy regulator Ofgem have recently announced the latest price cap for domestic gas and electricity prices, seeing a 13% increase for the period July to September compared to the current price cap period to the end of June. 

This is largely driven by events in the Middle East affecting fossil fuel production and supply.  Our Warm Homes team is offering support to help residents reduce energy costs and keep their homes warm and affordable. 

The summer months can often be a good time to have works undertaken when it is least disruptive in readiness for colder weather ahead. Government’s ‘Beat the heat’ advice pages can help with how to keep cool during extreme heat. 

Eligible residents can access free one-to-one advice at home from a visiting officer, who can provide tailored guidance on improving energy efficiency and reducing bills. The team can also help identify grants and schemes to support home energy improvements. To speak to an advisor, call 0116 305 2524 or complete the online self-referral. 

Funding available  

Did you know households (that use heating oil or LPG) may be eligible for government funding of up to £9,000 to upgrade to low-emission heating systems, such as heat pumps, through the Boiler Upgrade Scheme?

The scheme can also subsidise air to air heat pumps which provide both heating and cooling functions which may be a welcome benefit during the hotter summer months and more extreme weather events. 

Households struggling with the cost of heating oil or LPG deliveries can access support via the Crisis and Resilience Fund. 

For more information visit our advice pages.

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