Eckington swimming pool to re-open with a cut to carbon emissions
Carbon emissions have been slashed by 66%, making it greener than ever
Eckington swimming pool is being reopened in December, and is set to be greener than ever.
They've changed their heating system to slash carbon emissions by 66% as part of a £1.5m investment from North East Derbyshire District Council. The pool will be using renewable energy to keep the pool both warm, and environmentally friendly for it's users.
The initiative is set to help promote greener lifestyles in the community, and support people to become more climate-conscious.
Looking ahead: achieving net-zero carbon emissions in Derbyshire
Although the move is a stepping stone in the right direction for environmentalism, campaigners are also keen for lots more conversations to be ignited about how to stop the planet from getting hotter, so will take even more commitment from the council for them to achieve their goals of being net-zero by 2050.
This would mean that there is a balance between the carbon emitted into the atmosphere, and the carbon removed from it.
With Cop-26 just around the corner, lots of discussions are being had around Derbyshire about how individuals and businesses can work to reduce their carbon footprint, so it is hope that this is just the start of more tangible action. The council has already noted that the "planet does not care about gestures, it cares about numbers."
Cabinet Member for Leisure Councillor Kenyon said:
"It's a key facility for our area, but of course; it is old. One of the key things that needed updating was the energy efficiency of it. The big thing was the heating system. Pools take a huge amount of heating and it's been gas boilers for a long time." "We've taken out the gas system, put in the biggest air source heat pumps I've ever seen, solar panels on the roof and lots of insulation, because you've got to reduce the heat loss from the building."
"Climate change is a massive concern for everybody. What some people might say is anything that emits carbon, just stop doing. But what we've got to do is be very practical, so just cut down the emissions wherever we can."
"Leisure centres are absolutely key for a community. We've seen a lot of things like churches declining, and some of those social hubs of communities have declined a lot over the last 30 years, and leisure centres are a key hub."