Sustainability News & Events across Cumbria

October 2019

Cumbria Climate Survey 2019 goes live!

What do Cumbrians REALLY think about climate change? Is it all a big fuss about nothing? Should we all be doing more to tackle it? CAfS has launched a county-wide climate survey to hear from people with all different viewpoints, and from all walks of life in Cumbria.

The survey results will be hugely helpful to CAfS and potentially to others in Cumbria. They will give us a much better understanding of how people feel about climate change and some of the options for tackling it, helping us to plan the support and services we offer.

The survey is open now and you're the first to know about it. Please would you help us make it a success by filling it in and sharing the link with everyone you know - including Uncle Jack who isn't into this 'green stuff'! To thank you for your time, you'll have the option to enter our survey prize draw to win £100.

Fill in Cumbria Climate Survey

Announcing our new CEO!

We are delighted to announce that we have appointed Karen Mitchell as our new chief executive, after a very extensive recruitment campaign. Karen, who is currently the fundraising manager at Friends of the Lake District, will bring an exceptional breadth of expertise to CAfS. We are very happy to have found a new chief executive with the combination of experience, knowledge and networks that we need at this time of unique opportunity for CAfS.

Hundreds enjoy green build festival events!

Our 14th annual Cumbria Green Build & Sustainable Living Festival 2019 draws to a close today, Sunday 29 September, after a programme of fifty inspiring events across the county.

Hundreds of people took up the opportunity to gain information and skills for almost every aspect of building a low-energy home or renovating an exisitng one, or to learn about other ways to make life more sustainable - from growing food to community energy.

The good news is that you won't have to wait a whole year for more events! We're very excited to announce that we're putting together a smaller series of green build and sustainable living events that will run throughout the year. Watch this space in the next newsletter for more details.

CAfS team on Cold to Cosy mission!

Our Cold to Cosy Homes Cumbria team have been out spreading the word about this brilliant new service to help people to save energy and cut their bills.

Tina and Andrew from CAfS were at Ulverston’s bustling Eco Fair on Thursday 26 September, sharing information about the benefits that householders can tap into. A free home visit by our trained energy advisors, draughtproofing and energy-saving kit, LED bulbs, advice and referrals for other improvements are all on offer as part of the scheme.

“This free support is available to a wide range of people, so we’d encourage everyone to take a look at the broad eligibility criteria, which relate to health, benefits, income and some special circumstances,” Andrew said.

CAfS addresses business leaders

Our chief executive, Hazel Graham, addressed the board of Cumbria Local Enterprise Partnership on Friday 27 September, explaining the urgency of the climate crisis. Hazel was speaking along with Colin Cox, director of public health, about the scale of the transformation required for a transition to a zero carbon Cumbria and the wealth of benefits this would bring.

LEP board members were extremely positive and proposed to include the climate crisis as a standard agenda item. They emphasized the potential benefits for businesses and communities of decarbonising and acknowledged the opportunity it offers.

Cumbria LEP will be represented at the county-wide climate change sub-group and will feed their views into a funding bid being led by CAfS for a Zero Carbon Cumbria Partnership, to enable a programme of work to cut emissions in the county.

Mike Berners-Lee speaking at our food sustainability event

Food businesses skill up for changing diets

Cafes, restaurants and caterers tucked into expert advice and experience to help them prepare for the trend towards diets with less meat and dairy, at our sustainable food event in September, co-hosted with Eco-innovation Cumbria.

The wide of range of businesses also heard how they could work more sustainably in other ways, too - from reducing food waste to using renewable energy.

The event was possible thanks to funding from the European Regional Development Fund via the University of Cumbria, and South Lakeland District Council.

CAfS speaks at climate strike

It was wonderful to see people out on our streets across Cumbria calling for urgent action to halt the climate crisis on Friday 20 September, joining in a week of global action. CAfS was delighted to be asked to speak at the Carlisle rally, alongside dozens of inspiring speakers and performers.

Major lottery bid in progress

CAfS is leading a major partnership bid to the new National Lottery Climate Action Fund, to drive forward emission reductions in Cumbria. Partners include leading businesses and public/third-sector bodies. If your organisation would like to be part of the bid, please email [email protected].

Breathable products are among those listsed on the CAfS directory

CAfS supplier directory now online

Our Cumbria Green Building & Lifestyle Directory has gone live! We're still building it up, and we'd love to hear from any firms that install renewables, design and build low-energy homes, help with horticulture, and more!

Visit directory

Cllr Simon Pickering speaking at the Cumbria Climate Emergency Action Summit

Action Summit shares expert info

A packed room of councillors, council officers and community groups gained practical information to take forward climate emergency plans at our Action Summit on Sat 21 Sept in Carlisle, supported by Ecology Building Society.

An interactive exercise at the CAfS Carbon & Climate Literacy training course

Carbon literacy trial proves successful

Our pilot courses in September to raise awareness about the causes of climate change and the solutions proved popular with our attendees. CAfS is now putting together a bid to roll the courses out widely across Cumbria.

News around Cumbria

Allerdale stops short of climate emergency but sets zero carbon aims

Allerdale District Council debated a climate emergency motion put forward by the Labour Party on Wed 25 Sept. The original motion was not passed, but the council voted in favour of an amended motion, with the aim of reaching zero carbon by 2030 in the district.

Do you have an energy idea that needs funding?

Electricity North West has launched a new Empowering our Communities Fund for community and local energy projects wanting to investigate new ways of working. Grants range from £1,000 to £15,000. The deadline is Friday 8 November.

Community energy workshop leads to new guide on help available

Finance is one of the top three issues facing community and local energy stakeholders, according to feedback shared by Electricity North West. The firm held a workshop in July to explore this issue with community energy groups, local authorities and others, in partnership with Quantum Strategy and Technology. One of the outcomes was a new guide to resources and support for the different stages of developing a community energy project.

Download guide to support for community energy projects

Download the summary of discussions at the event

Download Electricity North West’s Introduction to Community Energy guide

In the headlines

Fresh wave of climate strikes around the world

BBC publishes impressive new briefing on climate change and energy

Commuters urged to hitchhike to work to cut pollution

Action!

Your guide to petitions, campaigns and actions you can take to help tackle the climate crisis.

Sign a petition

A petition has been launched to instruct the UK Oil and Gas Authority to cancel the 32nd Offshore Licensing Round in response to the climate emergency. Read a report on this.

Sign the petition

Take an action

Cut your food carbon footprint by avoiding foods that have been flown here. Check labels to see where foods have come from. Foods that perish quickly are likely to come via air freight.

Volunteer

Join a beach clean and help remove plastic and other litter from Cumbria's waterways. See the end of this email for ways to get involved.

Get the knowledge

Use the new Natural Cumbria directory to find environmentally friendly services, from accommodation to foods.

Visit the new Carbon Neutral Keswick page on Facebook.

Events

Appleby Remote Cinema Sustainability Film Festival -Yan Planet (Nae Plan B) & Appleby Apple Day | Sat 19 Oct | Apple juicing & identification from10am | Films 2-10pm in Appleby Public Hall
2pm: This Changes Everything, followed by talk on local sustainabilty initiatives with Phil Davies, CAfS.
4.30pm: Living the Change, followed by supper.
7pm: Woman at War. See the trailer

Green GB & NI Week | 4–8 Nov | Week of activities exploring how clean growth will change our futures and how we can contribute to action on climate change. We'll keep you posted on any local events.

Further afield, but worth knowing about:

Doug Maw (Allerdale & Cumbria Green Party) speaking at Green Monday anti-fracking protest | Preston New Road, Lancashire | For details about carshares contact Henry Adams: [email protected]

International Rebellion, London | From Mon 7 Oct

North of England Climate Action Cobenefits Toolkit launch | Tue 8 Oct | Lancaster

Annual Transition Network gathering | Sat 12 Oct | Liverpool

Slow Fashion Lancaster Show | Sat 19 Oct | Lancaster Town Hall | Afternoon: stalls, workshops & debates | Evening: catwalk

Farmers' markets

Carlisle - First Sat (With Give & Take stall)
Cockermouth - First Sat
Brampton - Last Sat
Brough - Third Sat
Houghton - Second Sat (village hall, 9am-1pm)
Kendal - Last Fri
Kirkoswald - Third Sat
Orton - Second Sat
Penrith - Third Tue

Environmental & plastic-free markets

Sustainable Pop-Up, The Hub, Market Place, Cockermouth. Second and fourth Saturdays, 9.30am to 12.15pm | Stock up on pantry staples, refills, handmade cloths, toiletries, cleaning products & breads. Plus TetraPak recycling and Give & Take stall.

Keswick Plastic-free Market | Last Sunday of the month | Methodist Church | 2.30-5.30pm | Plus: Tetrapak recycling drop-off point, vegan soup, scones inc gluten free for sale

Sedbergh Environmental Market | Sat 12 Oct | 10am-3pm | St. Andrew's Church

Sustainability networking

Repair cafes

Bring along items that need fixed and volunteers will do their best to help. You might even learn a few skills along the way.

Penrith | Sat 12 Oct | 10am-1pm | Old Fire Station (Eden Arts), Bridge Lane

Keswick | 1st Sat of month | 10am to 1pm, Riverside Bar (Cons Club), 14-15 Penrith Rd

Shap | Sun 6 Oct | 10am-1pm | Memorial Hall, Main Street

Freegle Give & Take events

Shap | Sat 19 Oct | 9.30am- 12:30pm | Memorial Hall, Main Street

Beach/river cleans

Help cut down on the plastic and other litter in our oceans. There are periodic beach cleans by Cumbria Wildlife Trust. For Solway area beach cleans contact John Gorrill: [email protected].

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Cumbria Action for Sustainability
Eden Rural Foyer, Old London Road, Penrith, Cumbria CA11 8ET

01768 210276 | [email protected]

Company Number: 6492907
Registered Charity Number: 1123155

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