Welcome to our Mar/Apr '08 bulletin. We have a champions theme this month. Our champions are often part of a community's trusted network and are in a good position to powerfully communicate a project's message whether it be to save water, empower more deprived communities or to boost understanding of climate change. Read on for some examples of how our champions are making a difference in a number of diverse projects. 
Samantha Heath
Director, London Sustainability Exchange

Local estate champions get eco-justice
Improving dark, inaccessible subways, tackling fuel poverty and cleaning up Padnall Lake are some of the issues taken up by our new Enviro-Justice Champions. Locally recruited from estates in Lewisham and Barking and Dagenham, they're empowering residents to secure safer, cleaner neighbourhoods. Issues identified have already been adopted by the Councils' 'Neighbourhood Action Plans'. Our toolkit to enable decision makers to map these injustices will be available later this year. For more details contact Shalini Jayasinghe on 020 7234 9408 / s.jayasinghe@lsx.org.uk.

Hindu water champions
Hindus in East London have pledged to use save-a flushes and save more water thanks to our new Hindu water champions. Our six champions were trained to deliver fun, interactive workshops to demonstrate easy and innovative ways to cut water use. This community-led initiative with Thames Water builds on successful work from last year which made the link between the Hindu faith and water conservation. Click here for more details or contact Afsheen Rashid on 020 7234 9407 / a.rashid@lsx.org.uk.

Help for London businesses to win 2012 contracts
A new business 'dating agency' to help London businesses of all sizes compete for contracts linked to the 2012 Games has been launched by the London Development Agency. Competefor will help firms bid for the thousands of opportunities offered by the Games by matching companies in London with opportunities in the 2012 supply chain. Moreto help companies across London  for thousands of business opportunities linked to London 2012 games. More
    
 

Upcoming events in London
Governing Change - what to do and how to do it - how the private, public and 'third sector' can benefit from project management, Institute of Directors, 116 Pall Mall; 1st April 2008
2008 Capital Clean-up campaign;  18th June 2008; Contact oliver.jones@encams.org.
London Sustainability Weeks, 1st-21st June 2008
Sustainable Procurement in Construction - Meeting the triple bottom line, London W1; 5th June 2008 ; For more information including the full programme call 0845 056 8069 quoting LSXSPC1 or email constructconferences@emap.com

Get it on tap
Londoners should demand tap water with pride and boycott bottled says the Mayor of London. His new London on Tap campaign with Thames Water aims to highlight the impact of bottled water on climate change and the environment as well as empowering consumers to be more confident in requesting tap water. Producing, transporting, storing and disposing of water bottles mean a massive 'carbon footprint'. And tap water can work out up to 500 times cheaper than bottled said the Mayor. More

New money for waste projects 
Grants of ?5,000 - ?25,000 are now available to fund projects that work with local communities to promote environmental improvements and sustainable waste management in Lambeth, Wandsworth, Hammersmith & Fulham and Kensington & Chelsea. The Western Riverside Environmental Fund (WREF) is managed by Groundwork. The deadline for the next round is 29th August 2008.  More.