What is The Greening Campaign?

The Greening Campaign is about local people taking local action about climate change. Instead of people feeling helpless in front of such a frightening topic, we believe that if individuals in a community take small actions, all those add up to make a big difference. We also believe that if lots of communities join together to take action, then the difference we make may start to reduce the effects of climate change. So far 180 communities are running the Greening Campaign – including Horsham and Henfield.  To find out more visit their website. It is supported by West Sussex County Council, SEEDA, Government Office, and the Campaign for the Protection of Rural England.

What’s happened so far?

Steyning 10:10 decided to launch our own local Greening Campaign.   We held a Public Meeting on April 27^th 2010 to choose a set of challenges for households to commit to in our community.  Around 50 people attended representing 30 different organisations and community groups.

Phase 1 Launch Event – 23 October 2010

The launch event was aimed at engaging the whole community in the campaign, explaining the challenges, and illustrating how people can make a difference through taking simple actions.  There were stalls with energy saving tips, green demos, a solar energy display (courtesy of Southern Solar), plus songs, and competitions – all illustrating the 9 Green Challenges that will form the heart of the campaign.  Outside there was a fantastic Art Bus – full of children’s pictures from local primary schools, plus a free Bike Clinic (courtesy of Pro Cycles).  And there were loads of delicious homemade cakes for sale, baked by volunteers.

The Launch was sponsored by a grant from the Chanctonbury County Local Committee, and Southern Solar.  Around 40 different organisations took part or helped out – running stalls, providing raffle prizes, or offering support of other forms.  It was a fantastic team effort.  So a BIG thanks for everyone who helped!

The Challenges

The following simple challenges were chosen at the Public Meeting to form the heart of Phase 1 of the campaign:

1. Turn off lights when you leave a room

2. Change 3 light bulbs to low energy

3. Turn off all standbys

4. Wash laundry at 30° C

5. Walk if the journey is less than a mile

6. Top up loft insulation

7. Boil only the amount of water needed

8. Turn the thermostat down by 1° C

9. Turn off taps when brushing teeth

The challenges card were delivered to every house in Steyning, Bramber and Beeding.  People were asked to put the card in the window when they had committed to 5 of the challenges.  A month later, in early December, volunteers went round every street to count how many cards they could spot.

The results were encouraging.  Including last minute corrections, a total of 310 cards were spotted in windows across Steyning, Bramber and Beeding.  This is 7.69% of the households counted – a very creditable showing for a community our size.  It compares well with results from other towns and villages, and shows the Greening Campaign has a very good base to build on.

The results of the card count are now in.  A total of 310 cards were spotted in windows across Steyning, Bramber and Beeding.  This is 7.6% of the households counted – a very creditable showing for a community our size.  It compares well with results from other towns and villages, and shows the Greening Campaign has a very good base to build on.

Bramber scored highest in percentage terms – an impressive 17.6% of the total number of houses.  Beeding showed 7.3%, and Steyning 6.9%.  A full breakdown,street-by-street, is attached.  Steyning High Street, Penns Court, and the Ridings had the most cards up.  Sixteen streets had at least a 20% showing, and four broke the 40% mark.  But our volunteers did not spot any cards in 61 out of the 165 streets counted. If your street is not shown in the list, but you had your card up, let us know.  We may have missed you.  And in case you’re wondering – you can take your cards down now!

So what does this mean in terms of the total savings made?  Using data from the Energy Savings Trust, the Greening Campaign headquarters has calculated that between us this works out as an annual saving of:  171 tonnes of carbon dioxide, 143,000 litres of water, and over £31,000 in cash terms. These figures are based on averages of the  activities on the cards and assumptions of typical annual use for a three bedroom semi-detached property with gas central heating and an average occupancy of 2.9 people, and average use, cost and carbon content of gas and electricity.  So it’s an approximation, rather than a precise figure – but impressive all the same.

And in case you’re wondering – you can take your cards down now!

Plans for Phase 2

The  Campaign is now moving on to Phase 2.  This involves choosing some specific projects to get stuck in to.   A public meeting is being held on Weds 26th January 2011 at Steyning Cricket Club to canvas

Sophie Goodall announcing the results of the vote

views on where we should focus.  Around 50 people came along.  After a lively evening of discussion, a vote was taken on which of the sixteen main ideas had the strongest support.  These were then taken up by the Steyning 10:10 Steering Group, and were whittled down to four main priority themes for 2011.

The Campaign will kick off in the Spring with a plan to raise awareness of the excellent government incentive scheme now in place to encourage householders to fit solar photovoltaic (PV) panels on their roof.  A meeting will be organised where people can hear all about the scheme, meet some companies that fit solar panels, and talk to local residents who already have panels on their house.

Recycling will be the focus over the summer, and there’s various ideas being discussed on how to encourage more recycling in the community, including things links like unwanted furniture, clothes and other household items.

Next up will be an ‘Insulation Month’ timed for the early autumn.  Information on grants and suppliers will be made available, and people will given a nudge to get their insulation topped up in time for the winter.

The final part of the Campaign will be a ‘shop local’ push timed for the run up to Christmas.

There were a range of other ideas raised at the January meeting that we would also like to support.   Steyning Parish Council’s has proposals to improve cycle parking arrangements, for example, and there’s also plans afoot to encourage tree planting and create a ‘seed swap’ scheme for allotment holders.  The Greening Campaign will be backing these, and also carrying on with our efforts to promote Green Transport.

Green business campaign

Local businesses in Steyning, Bramber and Beeding are getting behind the Greening Campaign by taking on the “Green Business Challenge”.  Click here to find out more about shops and businesses can take action to cut their carbon footprints, save energy and save money.

How you can get involved?

We have an excellent group of volunteers who have signed up to help with the campaign.  But we could always use more help!  If you would like to get involved, contact us at 1010steyning@gmail.com