{"id":45,"date":"2011-12-09T15:37:00","date_gmt":"2011-12-09T15:37:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/chug.tmrshl.webfactional.com\/?page_id=45"},"modified":"2026-01-20T08:15:44","modified_gmt":"2026-01-20T08:15:44","slug":"sustainability","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/chug.org.uk\/?page_id=45","title":{"rendered":"Sustainability"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Sustainable Living<\/strong>
While the moorings provide shore power, water, and a sluice to residents, all boats are by their nature conceived to minimise use of energy and allow independence of land-based services for as long as possible. Also, boats are characteristically excellent examples of designs that maximise storage and save space.\u00a0The moorings are a community that shares resources, information, and services. Formal meetings and informal get-togethers ensure all matters are communicated amongst moorers and decided consensually.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The Allotment Barge\u00a0<\/strong>
The heart of our gardening endeavours is our floating allotment barge, which was established in 2009 with the help of Shoreditch Trust and Capital Growth. Here we grow salads, vegetables, fruit, and herbs for our own use. We create our own compost and don\u2019t use any pesticides.\u00a0The \u00a0allotment barge is a true community asset and a local attraction to boost, beloved by local residents and towpath users alike.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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This floating garden also provides a habitat for bees, butterflies, ladybirds, lacewings, dragonflies, mayflies, and other insects vital for the waterside food chain, as well as offering perching space, cover and food for song and other birds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Compost<\/strong>
We previously won a bid for a community composting scheme from Hackney Council, giving us state-of-the-art composting equipment, smell-free and efficient. This allows us to supply compost for all our own gardening & planting endeavours.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Wildlife<\/strong>
CHUG cares for, protects and enhances the wildlife in the basin and its environment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When we first arrived in Kingsland Basin it was abandoned, surrounded by low sheds and buildings accommodating light industry and brownfield sites. Over the last thirty years we have worked to conserve the wildlife and improve conditions for wild plants and animals to thrive: we plant trees and shrubs to create safe nesting sites for birds and bats, and install boxes and feeders. We sow wild flowers, and create beetle banks. Kingsland Basin has transformed into an oasis of green within the city, and has become a haven for insects, song and sea birds, bats, amphibians, fish and shellfish.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Focal points of our efforts have been:<\/p>\n\n\n\n