Sikhs Praised for Recycling Record

BendItLikeBexs · Site Admin Joined: 23 Apr 2007 Posts: 5

The greenest Gurdwara in the country - Guru Nanak Darbar in Lower Road, Belvedere - was visited on Sunday, 15 April, by Bexley's Cabinet member for Environment, Cllr Gareth Bacon, and members of the borough's recycling team.

In keeping with the principle of protective and loving guardianship at the heart of Sikh feelings towards the earth, the Gurdwara has been running a record breaking recycling project with Bexley Council for the last two years. More than 80% of the waste from its 24-hour kitchen has been diverted away from landfill. All cardboard boxes, plastic bottles, cans and food waste are recycled in Council recycling bins in the car park.

This successful collaboration has played its part in Bexley achieving Beacon status for Waste and Recycling 2006/07 and becoming London's top recycling borough. To mark the achievement, Cllr Bacon and the team joined the congregation on one of the Gurdwara's busiest weekends of the year to celebrate Vaisakhi, the annual event signifying the Birth of Khalsa and the coming of the harvest.

Thanking the 600-strong congregation, Cllr Bacon showed them the National Recycling Award that Bexley achieved late last year. He said: "Other local authorities and Gurdwara communities are looking at us as an example of what can be done. We should do all that we can to help them be as successful as we have here."

With all the visitors to the Vaisakhi celebrations eating, as is the custom for anyone entering the Gurdwara, lots of recycling took place over the weekend.

For more info: http://www.bexley.gov.uk/news/2007/04/2302.html