Public vote opens on Loulé students' ideas for greener, better-connected city
Final-year students at Loulé's secondary school have drawn up proposals on cycling, public transport, waste, urban gardens and green space, and the public can vote on them for 30 days from 26 October. The vote is part of WWF's "We Love Solutions" campaign, which also runs in Sintra and Torres Vedras and forms part of the EU-funded LIFE ASAP project. The ideas include safer cycle lanes, a shared-bike scheme, more frequent buses to outlying parishes and community gardens that would help needy families. The results will be passed to local authorities.
Camacha school completes €2m retrofit expected to halve its energy costs
The Dr. Alfredo Nóbrega Júnior school in Camacha, Madeira, has finished an energy-efficiency and rehabilitation project that is expected to halve its energy spending. The work cost €1,744,000.01 before VAT, which takes the total above €2 million, and was paid for through the Recovery and Resilience Plan (PRR). It added solar panels for self-consumption with batteries, switched all lighting to LED and insulated about 150 windows and the roofs. Water, sewage, electrical, telecoms and fire-safety networks were also renovated, along with outdoor areas. The school has 419 pupils, 90 teachers and 51 non-teaching staff. Regional President Miguel Albuquerque visits on 26 October.
Moura runs climate awareness campaign urging residents to change daily habits
The municipality of Moura is marking International Day against Climate Change with an environmental awareness campaign for residents. It points to human activity as the main driver of warming, chiefly the burning of fossil fuels and deforestation, which raise greenhouse gas levels in the atmosphere. The campaign also promotes practical ways to cut a personal carbon footprint: public transport, walking or cycling, saving water and electricity, wasting less food, buying local, and reusing and recycling. The council sees this as a step towards a more responsible community and more sustainable development. Funding comes from the Alentejo 2030 Regional Programme, under the Local Development Plan of the Bioregion of the Left Bank of the Guadiana.
Batalha pays €1,500 a week to clear illegally dumped rubbish
Batalha council is spending an extra €1,500 every week on clearing rubbish left outside recycling points and bins, a cost the executive considers high. The issue was raised at a council meeting by a resident who described a site in Golpilheira with around 15 square metres of waste. Mayor André Sousa said an extra service from waste operator SUMA is already being requested, and that cleared spots quickly fill up again. The council plans to reinforce 130 eco-islands next year and fines offenders when they are identified. He blames population growth and a lack of civic sense.
Madeira's fuel use hits a record as the island's vehicle fleet swells by a third
Fuel sales in Madeira between January and September 2026 reached 130.2 million litres, 18.5% above 2017 and the highest in the series, though only 0.5% above 2025. The main driver is fleet growth: insured vehicles rose about 34% between 2017 and 2024, so fuel use per vehicle actually fell roughly 15%. Petrol explains almost all the increase, and its real price has barely moved since 2010. Diesel is up about 27% in real terms and has stagnated, with sales dipping after each sharp price rise. Sales also include fuel bought by tourists.
