Sikhs Praised for Recycling Record
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.
