Sustainability blogs & films

January 8-14 2026 is UK Houseplant Week. Our Climate Change Officer, Tabetha Wood, explains how houseplants can help you clean the air inside your home.

Our Sustainability and Climate Change Lead Officer loves a sustainable Christmas. Here, she gives some ideas on how to make yours great for the planet as well as you and your loved ones.

Helen Anderson from TICA (Thermal Insulation Contractors Association) explains why sustainability is so important to the business and how they are training the next generation of installers.

A series of short films about Climate Change in practice at Darlington Council.

Rob Macdiarmid from Zigup is also the Chair of the Darlington Employers Environmental Partnership. Here he explains the importance of innovation and why DEEP was established.

Bethan Still, the Diocesan Environmental Officer for the Church of England's Durham Diocese explains how the churches in her patch are making a difference.

Halloween can be a scary time but don’t make yours scary for the wrong reasons!

It’s National Allotments Week – Monday 12 – Sunday 18 August. In our latest climate change and sustainability blog post, our Library Engagement Officer Chris Holmes talks about his passion for his allotment.

Bees' Needs Week, asks everyone to take five simple steps to help our bees and other pollinators. We are sharing a blog written by Sian Watts, of Defra's Pollinators and Biodiversity Pressures Team.

If you think you’re too old to get on a bike, think again! Back in 2017 and after a 35 year gap, Rose Drew (then aged 57) took to two wheels and has never looked back. Rose is a writer and a passionate advocate of bicycles as mobility aids for disabled people. Here she describes her return to cycling.

Have you been to the Fixit Café yet? Whether it’s a toaster that’s not toasting, a kettle that’s not boiling or a cherished family heirloom ornament that’s broken in two, there’s very little the repair team at Darlington Fixit Café won’t have a try at mending. Cat McConnachie, Darlington Fixit Café volunteer, explains in the latest Blog post.

The 7th Global Recycling Day falls on 18 March this year. Brian Graham, Head of Environmental Services, explains why it’s so important to recycle what we can.

Local charity group, Darlington Lions, has been helping Darlington residents live more sustainably for more than 40 years by recycling books and spectacles…read on to find out more about this not so hidden gem in the town centre.

Around 75% of crop plants require pollination, including many of our everyday fruit and vegetables. Of all the different animals and insects that serve as pollinators, the most important are bees. The Darlington Beekeepers Association explain how they're doing their bit.

Lauren Gibson, the Council’s Ecologist, will be taking part in this year’s Big Garden Birdwatch. Here she explains why it is important to understand what is happening to our common (and rare) birds.

Read our latest blog from Rachel, the manager of the Darlington Oxfam shop, who wants to tell you all about Secondhand September - and hopefully encourage you to join in!

This week it’s National Allotments Week and the theme for 2023 is recognizing the importance of gardening with nature in mind.

Following on fast from World Environment Day comes a whole week of celebrating UK community action to tackle climate change and protect nature.

As we reach the 50th World Environment Day, Margaret Enstone looks at what we can all do to help fight plastic pollution

Earth Day is an annual global event to demonstrate support for environmental protection. Corporate Training Officer, Eleanor Walker, will be celebrating her birthday on this year's Earth Day.

In National Tree Week, Darlington Forest Project shares how their passion for trees is helping Darlington's air quality, biodiversity and carbon emissions.

Joseph Baggaley owns and runs Earth Warriors on Skinnergate. Here he explains what Plastic Free July is and why he thinks reducing the amount of plastic we use is so important.

On World Environment Day, Margaret Enstone is going to be enjoying Darlington's green spaces.

Georgia Goncalves explains the support available for voluntary, community and social enterprise organisations as they develop their climate change plans.

On Global Recycling Day, Chelsea Johnson of Darlington Cares explains how the School Uniform Exchange works.

Take part in this year's survey of garden birds and learn how to attract them to your garden.

Margaret and Emma from the Climate Change Team share some tips on how to make your Christmas more sustainable.

On Fuel Poverty Day, Gemma Poppleton, Private Sector Housing Officer explains what fuel poverty is and where residents can get the help they need.

Emma Moore, Climate Change Officer shares her love of gardening and the impacts of climate change.

Margaret Enstone, Sustainability and Climate Change Lead Officer talks about what books mean to her.

Cllr Heather Scott, Leader of Darlington Borough Council, introduces our new sustainability and climate change blogs