Going Carbon Neutral

1. Going Carbon Neutral Dr Alina Congreve Housing Studies Association York April 2008

2. From the international to the local Much of the attention on climate change has focused on the international level At City level - US Mayors Climate Protection Agreement - action in over 600 cities London - Climate Change Action Programme Bristol, Leeds and Manchester signed up in December to a new scheme - Low Carbon Cities Programme Low carbon cities run by energy saving trust and carbon trust - funded by defra - �250,000Low carbon cities run by energy saving trust and carbon trust - funded by defra - �250,000

3. Focus on the individual

4. Go Carbon Neutral Funded by Wates Foundation Centrally administered by CIVA - small NGO with record in youth projects Evaluated by the University of Reading Aimed at the individual and community levels

5. Introducing the projects One project based in Cranberry Lane, Newham. Run by East Thames Housing

6. Cranberry Lane

7. Knowle West Second project based in Knowle West, Bristol. Run by Knowle West Media Centre

8. Knowle West

9. Community and individual At household level carbon passbooks have been developed by Knowle West Media Centre Similar to diaries used in other fields - transport, waste, healthy eating Bringing households together - so diary activity not isolated Community wide events - some �fun� some community enterprise

10. Community directed Organising community events in community outdoor spaces, such as a carbon carnival or a green fair. Tree planting in public and private spaces, including fruit trees. Reducing food miles and productive use of front and back gardens for growing food locally. Bringing into use local green spaces Walking or cycling to school, and encouraging cycling generally. Pledges regarding flying, holidays, walking, cycling and other actions. Recycling and the composting kitchen waste. Involving young people in taking action in the school, at home and in their lives.

11. Funding for project �100,000 strategic grant received from the Wates Foundation �20,000 (community-level have-a-go) awards from UnLtd. CLG have supported evaluation �15,000 Local projects have put in staff. Potential NDC money in Newham

12. Evaluating Go Carbon Neutral Baseline data collection - surveys of all joiners and a sample of non-joiners at start and end of projects Questions based on actions and attitudes Monitoring of energy use with meters Observation of events - fetes, open days etc

13. Surveys Surveying carried out by local residents In Cranberry Lane every household approached Good response rate - 1/3 of households In Knowle West all of �joiner� (about 60) approached and sample of non-joiners

14. Home energy meters Quality rather than quantity - Watsons

15. Interim results from baseline survey

22. Current rates of improvement in car vehicle efficiency are very modest, with cars sold in 2005 only 0.4% more efficient than those from 2004 (SMMT, 2005). Current rates of improvement in car vehicle efficiency are very modest, with cars sold in 2005 only 0.4% more efficient than those from 2004 (SMMT, 2005).

23. Interim results of projects - Knowle Successfully recruited participants - but negative about level of interest locally Questions about how many have been involved with other Media Centre projects Produced diary resource to support project Rich in time - two volunteers but short on cash Active programme of forward event planning for spring/ summer Difficulties in larger estate to get neighbourhood effect Questions about partnerships with other bodies

24. Interim results - Cranberry Lane

25. Cranberry Lane No project activities after over five months. No forward planning for events to take place later in spring and summer Launch event a fiasco Lack of organisational priority given to project? Lack of community development skills in key staff? Questions over where project goes from here�..

26. Lessons for evaluators Make sure there is buy-in at all levels into the evaluation process Think carefully about advantages and disadvantages of employing local people Link evaluation and funding for evaluation into initial project design Think carefully before becoming involve with the actual project