Newark & Nottinghamshire Agricultural Society’s Environment Area is the topical initiative at this year’s County Show.

The Rt Hon John Gummer, MP for Suffolk Coastal, will formally open the Environment Area on the show’s opening day, Saturday 10 May. Mr. Gummer is a past Minister for the Environment and still retains a strong interest in environmental issues and climate change.

This Show Society’s innovation has received support from Newark & Sherwood District Council’s Risk and Resilience Service, which will be the major sponsor.

Supporting the initiative are Severn Trent Water, EON, Nottinghamshire County Council’s Emergency Planning Department, Newark & Sherwood District Council’s Waste & Recycling, Fly-Tipping and Sustainable Energy Teams, the Environment Agency and the Forestry Commission.

Full of practical ways in which the public can participate in slowing down the process of climate change, the Environment Area will be innovative, educational and fun.

Based on the four elements of Earth, Wind, Water and Fire, the new area will encompass activities, lectures and information stands that will display examples of recycling and alternative use, many of which can be used in and around the home.

Turning waste into compost, reusing water, solar and wind-powered energy, bio-fuels, wood burners, electric vehicles and using hemp or jute bags instead of plastic carriers are all practical methods that can be introduced into our daily lives.

New product innovations, such as recycling discarded rubber tyres into rubber crumb for play areas and using reed beds for sewerage disposal as well as automatic passive detector lighting and heating valves will be on display.

Recent climate change reports and events such as the floods last summer have highlighted the increasing need for all communities and individuals to consider their actions in light of climate change. We hope this imaginative project will help us all do that.

"We hope the Environment Area will show the public how easy it is to incorporate energy saving into their lifestyle in a fun way.”