It?s been a really busy week for Nottingham?s carbon neutral agenda. Today I took part in BBC East Midlands filming of their Energy-From-Waste special.?This energy supply is gaining attention as it solves waste disposal, affordable energy supply and carbon reduction issues for local areas. Nottingham?s plant was chosen to feature as it shows the full journey from the household bin to the energy that?s created being used to power 5,000 homes and 200 local businesses as well as the electric bin lorries that collect the waste itself. ?The feature is expected to be shown on BBC East Midlands Today on Friday.

Tonight I?ll be launching Nottingham Bid?s Green City web presence. The BID are creating a go-to online resource ?for everything 'green' that is happening in our city to support businesses and citizens on their carbon neutral journey. I?m really looking forward to see this develop over the coming months.

And this is all in the wake of last week?s fantastic news that Nottingham was recognised as one of the top 95 cities around the globe that is taking bold leadership on tackling the climate emergency by the environmental impact non-profit organisation, CDP who monitor global action. It?s great to have the city?s efforts recognised in this way and something we can all be very proud of. ?

And finally grant funding is currently available to get free solar panels installed for low income households across the city with a low EPC rating. Through the Green Homes Grant scheme, eligible households can improve the energy efficiency of their homes, lowering their carbon footprint and saving money on energy bills at the same time. You can email [email protected] to find out more.

Christmas is only a month away so time to choose your Christmas tree.?There are lots of beautiful Christmas Trees to choose from at our lovely Woodthorpe Plant Shop, from a huge stock of Nordmann and Fraser Firs.? Delivery is free within a ten-mile radius when you spend ?30 or more and our trees come in biodegradable netting.

When the festivities are over you can also book a collection for ?5 and your tree will be turned into chippings that are used in our local parks.?Plus there is a festive market every weekend 10am?4pm where you can buy beautiful poinsettia in a range of colours,? all grown in our nursery! There?s a fabulous selection of decorations and there?ll be cake and hot chocolate! www.woodthorpeparkplantshop.com

I?m thrilled that work has begun at St Mary?s Rest Garden in St Ann?s to plant 20 ornamental semi-mature cherry trees as part of and funded by a National Trust programme. The central avenue of trees will be seen from all areas across the park and we hope will encourage park users to explore more of this historic open space and help facilitate a connection to nature. We are also creating a path to connect the Rest Garden with Victoria Park next door.

Our landscaping team will move to Lenton Recreation Ground later in December where we will see 28 ornamental mature cherry trees planted as part of the same project along a newly constructed pathway. As a park close to the QMC which is central to the city?s response to the pandemic, we hope to create a space for reflection and remembrance. We know our parks have been a real lifeline for many people during the pandemic and hope these beautiful blossom spaces will give people space for hope and reflection and the chance to enjoy the beauty of spring year after year. These trees also contribute towards our ambitions to plant 50,000 trees over two years and to meet our target to be carbon neutral by 2028.

The Big Reading Challenge is halfway through now. This morning, business leaders took part in a fundraising event in the Council House, and we?re really grateful for their attendance and support.

On Tuesday, I read the story ? ?Shark in the Park? ? to children at Hempshill Hall and Snape Wood Primary Schools. Story sessions so far this week have taken place in schools and nurseries across the city? as well as on a double-decker bus and next to a dinosaur skeleton!

The Imagination Library is proven to improve literacy skills, meaning children are more ready for school, so they achieve more in their journeys through education and are more successful in their working lives. Please continue to support our Big Reading Challenge 2021. Your support makes such a difference. www.gofundme.com/f/big-reading-challenge-2021

Did you know you can book your Covid-19 vaccination online here? You can use this link to book your first, second or booster jab. It only takes a few minutes and you can select the day, time and location to suit you. It will also help you to avoid any queues by giving you a dedicated time slot. Please take a moment to do this now. Getting vaccinated will give you the protection you need to stay safe from the virus ? especially as we move towards winter.

From next month, our bin calendars will be paperless for the first time, in an effort to make savings, save trees and reduce carbon emissions. The change has been simpler as this year all household bin collection days will remain the same over the Christmas period. We know the vast majority of people can access the calendars online so it was time to stop printing 130,000 calendars every year. However, we also know there are still people who do not have digital access, and we?re making sure that they can still get a printed version if they need one.

They can drop into their local library where the staff will download and print their calendar for free, or call the main council switchboard on 0115 915 5555 to request that a calendar is posted to them. The change is made simpler due to residents? bin collection days remaining the same, even over Christmas.

To get your new bin calendar, for 1st December onwards, simply go to https://www.nottinghamcity.gov.uk/binreminders and enter your postcode to download it. There?s more information here.