The hunt is on for teams in Hambleton
and Richmondshire who think they can measure up!
A carbon cutting competition – ‘Green
Neighbourhood Challenge’ for community groups across York and North
Yorkshire is being launched today (Feb 9) by Sustainability 4
Yorkshire (S4Y).
Until January next year, S4Y will work with one group from each
local authority area of Hambleton, Richmondshire, Harrogate,
Ryedale, Scarborough, Selby and York to reduce the groups’ carbon
footprint by 11% by the end of 2011. The project, funded by
the Yorkshire and Humber Improvement and Efficiency Partnership
(YoHR Space), will help raise public awareness of low carbon
lifestyles across North Yorkshire, foster community cohesion, and
earn the community that makes the most carbon savings the laudable
title of North Yorkshire’s ‘Greenest Neighbourhood
Team’.
Groups will have their carbon footprint calculated by the
Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI) based at York University, and
receive a tailored action plan to reduce it. S4Y will provide
regular, expert advice to make sure they save - and earn - money,
as well as creating greener communities for themselves and future
generations. Workshops will cover reducing energy, transport
fuel, water usage and waste, and investigating the potential for
renewable energy.
Denise Hall, the Project’s Coordinator at S4Y says: “Building on
a similar successful campaign in York last year, community teams
will work together to reduce their carbon emissions - they really
enjoy and rise to this type of challenge. Prizes - money for
further energy saving measures - will be awarded for the team
who’ve reduced their footprint by the most over the year. This
really is a win: win situation!”
Bryony Wilford, Sustainable Development
Officer for Hambleton and Richmondshire District Councils,
considers this a great opportunity for local people to get involved
in an exciting new project: “Teams will learn how best to save
money, make their homes more comfortable, and earn money from
renewable energy generation, by cutting their climate-change
causing emissions. And working as a group, they will achieve
much more than they might on their own.”
Each team must have at least 10 members, and
be an already-established group. They do not necessarily need
to be actively involved in environmental issues, as long as they
have an interest taking up the challenge and sharing their
experiences. Good examples are WI’s, schools, religious
institutions, community hall groups, book clubs or other interest
groups.
To enter your group or club for the Green
Neighbourhood Challenge, contact Denise Hall on 01904 554465.
You can also download a form from http://www.sustainability4yorkshire.org.uk/.
The closing date for community group
applications is 7th March
2011.