NEWS Shopper has launched a new competition for the area's councillors called How Green Is Your Council Leader?

In the last episode we heard from Bexley Council leader, Councillor Teresa O’Neill, who spoke about the green changes she has made to her home, and her concern for the decline of the Red Squirrel.

This week we put the same questions to Greenwich Council leader, Councillor Chris Roberts.

The winning answers will be judged by News Shopper's Green Household Champion Elizabeth Greenwood, who has made many environmentally friendly changes to her Chislehurst bungalow including installing solar panels.

At the end of the series she will present the champion council leader with a special secret prize.

1. What do you do to help the environment?

I walk to and from work each day. I recycle everything I can and I use low energy lighting and equipment at home. As leader of the council I am fortunate to be in a position to pursue policy options which will help the environment in the long run. So I try to make sure that decisions we take, like lobbying for major public transport infrastructure, seek to reduce the need for reliance on the private car.

I have overseen, through our planning policies, the expansion of green space in the borough.

2. In one sentence, how would you encourage residents to be green?

The most efficient single thing for residents to do is to insulate their home, whether they own it or whether they need to get their landlord to do so.

3. How many cars do you own and what are they?

None. I do not drive and I have never even had a lesson.

4. How far do you have to travel to work?

About a mile. It takes me about 15 minutes to walk to work (downhill) and 20 to walk back (uphill).

5. How do you get to work?

I walk. Very occasionally if I am late and one is passing, I might hop on the bus.

6. How many miles a year do you drive?

None.

7. Do you own a bike?

Yes.

8. What changes have you made to your house to save energy?

I’ve installed low-energy bulbs and my fridges, freezers and washing machines are A-rated - but it's only a small flat and I'm hardly ever there so I think my domestic carbon footprint is pretty small!

9. If you could make one change to make the world a greener place, what would it be?

I'm a great fan of pedestrianising our streets, so while I guess I could never get away with ridding the world of motorised engines, I'd like to see us pedestrianise our major civic spaces, make them more human and claim them back for people. Watch out for our forthcoming consultation to partially pedestrianise Greenwich town centre.

10. If you could bring back one extinct animal, what would it be and why?

I'm afraid I am too pragmatic for that. Why don't we just commit ourselves to preventing the world losing any more species on our watch? Watch Stephen Fry's Last Chance to See. A terrible indictment on what we are doing to our planet.