SEAD (Scottish Education and Action for Development)

Stuck for ideas on how to get your wider community engaged on climate issues? Here are some top tips from other community groups, and some new, fun event ideas for you to try.

Top Tips

A big tip from lots of groups, for getting the message out there is offering carbon footprinting advice to the public; showing that offering a free service or advice is an effective way to start community conversations about carbon. Especially if it saves people money!

Cambridge Carbon Footprint project started with just two volunteers and the Centre for Alternative Technology carbon calculator, back in 2005. They found that the calculator combined with the face to face method really helped engage people’s attention and opened up a dialogue about carbon consumption. The group now has two paid members of staff, eighty volunteers and attends thirty events per year.
Their top tip: is to use carbon calculation as a conversation opener, but not to force advice on people.

Going Carbon Neutral Ashton Hayes got started in 2006. They offered carbon reduction advice after local students carried out a carbon survey with the town’s residents. This led to an average 14% reduction in householders’ carbon reduction in the first year, amongst those who took part.

Their top tip: is to work with all other community groups in a town so that everyone is more inspired to do something positive. For example, they held a lightbulb library in their local Brownie group, and got students working on the survey.

Alyth Climate Action Town sprung into action after the G8 summit was held near their Perthshire village in 2006. They have found the Energy Saving Trust Community Action For Energy (CAFE) project a great source of carbon reduction ideas. CAFÉ offer courses in Finding out about Energy, Energy Auditing and Funding Community Projects.
Their top tips: They particularly liked the Energy Saving Trust’s Carbon footprint Card Game for engaging the public.

This entry was posted on 8 October 2008 at 9:59 am and is filed under Opportunities for community groups, SOCC News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.