AS THE science behind global warming was last week substantiated with the UN's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change releasing its bleakest and most confident assessment yet, one Yorkshire Dales council is set to launch a fund aimed at encouraging schemes that protect the environment.

...the environmental benefits should far outweigh the expenditure

Richard Cooper - Harrogate Borough Councillor

The Environmental Initiative Fund was created by Harrogate Borough Council to provide for extra schemes to protect the environment, the first of which has already gone before the council's Cabinet.

The scheme is to supply an energy efficient light bulb to each household that puts its recycling box and bag out for collection. Once the refuse teams have collected the recyclable material they will leave money off vouchers for the light bulb in the box.

Councillor Richard Cooper, Cabinet Member for the Environment, backed the bids at the Cabinet meeting on 6 February. He said: "The beauty of this scheme is that it encourages more people to put out their recycling box and bag full with recyclable material.

"At the same time we introduce people, who may not have thought of switching to low energy light bulbs, to this environmentally friendly initiative. Running this scheme does cost the council some money but the environmental benefits should far outweigh the expenditure."

A small number of residents don't yet benefit from the box and bag recycling scheme although the Council is set to roll out the scheme to 95% of households this year. They will still qualify for a money off voucher if they agree to have a home energy efficiency survey over the telephone to see how they can reduce the carbon footprint of their home.