Transcript Newer Parish Plan Consultation Methods

Cutting carbon in Shelthorpe
Ideas for projects and events
Andrew Reeves, RCC
Shelthorpe Community Association EGM, Tuesday 20th July 2010
Communities Cutting Carbon
• Two year project, started in March 2010
• Supported by DMU and local councils
• Supporting community groups in
Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland to
act on climate change
• dedicated support for 10 communities,
including Shelthorpe
• Help with
• ideas for projects and events
• funding (grants of up to £5000)
• training on green issues/solutions
• My background
• academic research
• grassroots action
Meeting aims
• Discuss ideas for community projects and events
• Info on ideas from elsewhere in the UK
• Select most popular idea(s)
• Meeting community’s needs
• Viable (volunteer time, funding, etc)
• Complements existing activity
• Decide upon next steps
• Future activities
• Next meeting?
Background
• 21st century challenges
• Fossil fuels getting scarcer and more
expensive
• Changing global climate
• Economic downturn
• Responses
• Meeting needs using local resources
• local food, local renewable energy...
• Developing new skills
• growing food, insulating homes...
• Planning for a positive low-carbon future
•Benefits of a low-carbon community
• Brings community together
• Healthier lifestyles
• Reduced fuel bills
Ideas: Local food
• Growing
• Tree planting (e.g. community orchards, “Fruity Corners”), community
herb gardens, new allotments, gardening training courses
• Composting
• Advice and training, cheap containers
• Collect and use on community garden?
• Sharing and celebrating
• “Big Lunch” day
Ideas: Energy
• Energy efficiency fairs
• Information and advice
• “Big switch Off” day in October?
• Energy audits for community buildings
• RCC and Energy Saving Trust can help
• Install renewable energy?
• Run a local “Green Doctor” scheme
• Short home visits with advice, and simple
energy efficiency measures installed
• Training for energy champions?
• Renewable energy
• Support to install solar panels?
Ideas: Green skills
• Training events for young people,
• Visit to Stevenson College
• Renewable energy taster
• Woodland experience and skills
• e.g. http://www.wildthings.org.uk
• Crafts exhibition in Circle of Life garden
• gardening skills (grow your own food,
organic methods, garden design...)
• clothing (darning socks, knitting,
weaving...)
• making art (from recycled materials?)
• Local skillshare courses
• local people organise programme of
workshops to share craft skills
Ideas: Travel
• Events to promote greener transport options
•e.g. cycling, public transport
• Campaigning for improved walking/cycle routes
• Car pool groups
• Walking school buses
Ideas: Carbon challenges
• Promote and run Ecoteams
• 5 meetings with friends/neighbours
• Learn about environmental impacts
• Support with making changes
• Carbon challenges
• People in Shelthorpe pledge to
reduce their carbon footprint over 6
months
•e.g. one family, one business, one
street
• each participant monitors and
shares results
• Work with local schools
• arts project on saving energy
•name the project
Ideas
FOOD
ENERGY
SKILLS
TRAVEL
CARBON
CHALLENGES
OTHER
Big Lunch day
Energy saving
fair
Green skills
fair
Walking school
bus
Ecoteams
Training on
green issues
Pocket
Orchards
Energy audits
Visits/trips for
youth
Car sharing
group
Carbon
Challenges
Herb gardens
Green doctor
Craft courses
Improved
routes
Project with
schools
Community
Composting
Solar panels
Community
events
CHECKLIST: Meets community’s needs? Viable (volunteer time, funding, etc)? Complements
existing activity?
Contact details
Andrew Reeves
Community Climate Change Officer, RCC
0116 268 9718
[email protected]
http://www.ruralcc.org.uk/climate-change.html