Being ‘eco’ doesn’t have to mean wearing yak wool jumpers, slurping lentil soup or chaining yourself to the nearest tree in protest over plans to build motorways.
Doing your bit for the planet could be as simple as living in a green neighbourhood.
And, despite being known as the Big Smoke, there are plenty of areas in the capital offering stylish living as well as ways to help the environment.
As such, an increasing amount of people are choosing eco towns and green lifestyles in London. Here’s our pick of sweet spots for do-gooder living …
Mudchute, E14
Why it’s eco: Just south of Canary Wharf, Mudchute is home to one of London’s largest city farms, Mudchute Park & Farm (mudchute.org), situated on 32 acres of greenery.
Slap bang on the Isle of Dogs, you’ll find sheep, goats and horses grazing beneath the looming towers of the financial district – we kid you not.
Here you can volunteer with charities such as Froglife ( froglife.org), which conserves the habitats of newts, snakes, frogs and toads.
Living: London island life is sleepy. The area consists of new detached and terraced properties that attract professionals and families.
Don’t expect raucous weekends or a buzzing town centre, but a tranquil oasis in a concrete jungle.
Going out? Try the Lotus Floating Chinese Restaurant moored in nearby Thames waters (lotusfloating.co.uk).
Tube: Mudchute – DLR.
Dalston, E8
Why it’s eco: Dalston is way ahead of the city when it comes to organic lifestyles.
For shops selling healthy produce, residents are spoilt for choice.
Tuck into fresh sourdough sandwiches and slurp on smoothies in cafe Healthy Stuff (healthystuffe8.co.uk). Or become an urban farmer and have a go at growing your own food.
Clever environmental concepts, such as FARM:shop (farmlondon.weebly.com) and Dalston Roof Park (managed by bootstrapcompany.co.uk), encourage locals to grow vegetables and herbs in allotments and on rooftops.
Living: “The majority of people moving to Hackney are of the younger professional generation, mainly creatives,” explains Nick Karamanlis, of Stirling Ackroyd estate agents.
Expect a smorgasbord of artistic music, art and theatre in the area, too. Our favourite is Café OTO (cafeoto.co.uk) for avant-garde performances such as Korean experimental electro or bizarre opera.
Train: Dalston Junction – Overground.
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Angel, N4
Why it’s Eco: Save the environment by riding a bike, rather than driving.
Angel has access to canals connecting pedestrians and cyclists to London Fields, Broadway Market, Camden and Paddington.
The routes offer stunning views; you’ll witness sleepy canal boat life, river wildlife and breathe in smog-free air while you’re at it. For comprehensive maps see tfl.gov.uk.
Living: Angel has classic townhouses and lively nightlife. Try 69 Colebrooke Row (69colebrookerow.com), a tiny bar serving cocktails to write home about, or Barrio North ( barrionorth.com) , a South American eatery oozing energy and kitsch decor.
Tube: Angel – Northern line.
Enfield, EN2
Why It’s eco: This part of London is a recycling fanatic’s wet dream. It’s got a ginormous EcoPark (londonwaste.co.uk), with points for paper, cans, fridges and metals.
Plus there’s a compost centre where you can pour away your kitchen waste without feeling bad.
No, it’s not exactly glamorous, but living here means you’ll be a little closer to guilt-free consumerism.
Living: Consider this neck of the woods’ variety of inexpensive suburban Victorian Houses.
Travel time into central London is 35 minutes, and its town centre has independent and chain restaurants, such as the Italian chain Caffe Uno (caffeuno.co.uk) and Bar Ten (bar-ten.co.uk) for grilled grub.
Train: Enfield Town – National Rail.
Richmond, SW14
Why It’s eco: Here you’ll find the biggest urban park in Europe.
This green space is a whopping 2500 acres and comes complete with a National Nature Reserve, woodland gardens and grasslands – as well as 600 stunning wild red and fallow deer wandering freely about the place.
With conservation galore, residents will reap the benefits of fresher air and birdsong in the mornings. Sounds bloody delightful to us.
Living: Richmond is 20 minutes from central London and offers everything from stately homes to well-finished flats.
Meanwhile, social activities are in abundance – you won’t be bored here.
Get cultural at Richmond Theatre (atgtickets.com), the Museum of Richmond (museumofrichmond.com) and numerous art galleries (therichmondhillgallery.com).
Tube: Richmond – District line, Overground.
My Area
Nicola Richards
Designer, 28
“Peckham Rye Park in south London is quite lovely. The community in Peckham works really hard to preserve it – there’s even
a great community wildlife garden.”
Hannah Garmen
Chef, 23
“The City of London is very good about offering recycling as a service, not just rubbish. Most major cities don’t do that. Hopefully it guilts people into recycling.”
Sarah Wolsley
Life coach, 28
“London is famous for its parks, but Dalston in Hackney has several allotments. I love that you can find something so green and down to earth in such a big city.”
Norina Mingoya
Teacher, 26
“South Bank does a great job of using boats to get to Canary Wharf instead of public transportation. It’s eco-friendly in a way that’s not typical, which I love.”
Lily Alston
Student, 23
“London is actually a relatively clean city that puts a lot of effort into maintaining itself, especially its lovely parks, like Regent’s Park.”
Photos: Thinkstock; Getty
