A savvy group of neighbours have launched a new initiative to help through the cost of living crisis – and they’ve called it ‘Potato Mondays’.
A street near Lloyd Park in Walthamstow, east London, started a rota for everyone who wants to be involved to take turns cooking a load of jacket potatoes once a week.
Instead of everyone having to fire up their ovens, one person cooks for everyone else and then delivers what they made to their neighbours.
It will not only save everyone money, but will help the environment too.
Adam Walters, 50, said: ‘Central government is simply moving too slowly to act on climate change. We need everyday people to start changing their habits right away.
‘I tried to think of a way that we could reduce carbon emissions in our area and teamed up with a neighbour who was also interested in creating a greater sense of community in our local streets.’
The group calculated cooking five potatoes in five ovens could cost more than £5, but all five in one oven for an hour costs £1.05 under the latest price cap.
In a year they estimate they could save £200 – which is £40 each.
Using a microwave could cost £0.05 for many meals, as it will cook food in a much shorter time than in the oven.
Adam added: ‘It’s such a simple idea but it works as a quantifiable way to reduce our neighbourhood’s carbon emissions.
‘The more people who take part, the less carbon is emitted.
‘It’s so easy to set up and I’d love to see more communities start their own schemes.
‘We are saving on our energy bills, reducing carbon emissions and fostering a sense of community – what’s not to like?’
Adam and his neighbours focused on potatoes so far as they are so easy to prepare and can provide the basis of any meal – vegetarian or otherwise – but the idea of sharing ovens could be extended to anything people want to cook.
Adam executed the plan by creating a Facebook page and a WhatsApp group called ‘CULE Zone’ (Community Ultra Low Emissions Zone).
They then made a Google Doc so neighbours could request whether they wanted a meal each week, so the week’s designated ‘chef’ knows how many to cook.
They then deliver the potatoes to up to 15 neighbours each week.
The group said it is also creating a sense of community.
Metro.co.uk was hoping for a more alliterative ‘Taco Tuesdays’ or ‘Fish and Chip Fridays’ – so we’ll watch this space for an expansion of the street’s plan…
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