Leeds shopping centres 'go green' in support of World Environment Day

Landsec-owned Trinity Leeds and White Rose Shopping Centre are both getting behind the international campaign, which aims to encourage worldwide awareness and action for environmental protection, by turning their roof lights green for the day.

Trinity Leeds also has plans in place to swap plastic straws in favour of paper straws in Trinity Kitchen, in an effort to be more environmentally-friendly.Speaking of the effort to raise awareness of the campaign, Dan Wharton, marketing manager at Trinity Leeds, said: "World Environment Day is really important.

"We have to act now and do what we can to look after our planet and ensure future generations can continue to enjoy it for years to come."

A green initiative

Both Trinity Leeds and White Rose Shopping Centre are home to aerobic digesters which turn waste food into water, which is then pumped back into the UK water system.

In one calendar year, White Rose Shopping Centre's digester:

Processes 114 tonnes of food (the equivalent weight of a blue whale

Generates 80,000 litres of water (the equivalent of 701 fish tanks)

Saves close to 88 tonnes of carbon emissions (the equivalent of taking 57 cars off the road for a year

Since being installed in November last year, Trinity Leeds' digester has:

Processed 61 tonnes of food waste (the equivalent weight of nine elephants)

Generated 43,000 litres of water (the equivalent of 537 baths)

Saved 12.8 tonnes of carbon emissions, compared to sending it to landfill (the equivalent of more than 20,000 passenger vehicle miles per year)

Reducing carbon emissions

White Rose is also home to the largest solar photovoltaic system at a retail site in the UK.

The installation, completed in 2017 and situated on the roof of White Rose, generates 680,000 kWh of power a year – enough electricity to power more than 200 UK homes for 12 months.

In its first year, the system is expected to reduce carbon emissions at the shopping centre by 250 tonnes.

"World Environment Day is something that every single person and business can get involved with," Nikki Appleton, marketing manager at White Rose Shopping Centre said.

"We take our responsibility very seriously and realise what a postivie impact we can make, which is why we're proud to have our own solar power system and aerobic digesters right here on site.

"We encourage everyone in Leeds to do their bit for the day too, no matter how small."

For more information about World Environment Day, visit worldenvironmentday.global