Flitton and Greenfield Carbon Challenge

Here's a reminder of some of the projects and actions identified at a community meeting back in 2008.....

Improve building insulation – homes and local community buildings
Wind power and solar power for church hall
Encourage walking and cycling
Discourage car use – school run; provide alternatives
Local green waste recycling
Local natural waste water treatment – use grey water for agriculture (and households)
Buy local or British produce whenever possible; sell produce from local allotments
Walking bus for school
Improve paths and pavements
Encourage householders to have solar powered external lighting
Encourage switching off of lights and turning heating down and closing curtains, wear woolly jumpers
Reduce traffic
Encourage car sharing – via local web site and school
Better public transport – more info and timetables
Return of village store and post office – community scheme in church hall?
More use of allotments
Unplug transformers and other standby equipment
Restore Flitwick Mill to generate electricity
Recycle batteries
Solar panel buying club
Collect cooking oil
Low energy light bulb scheme
Encourage council to convert refuse lorries from diesel to veg oil
Food waste collection
Enforce 30 mph speed limit
Encourage home working and or provide local base for homeworkers e.g. Church Hall
Local timezone - Change time of getting up
Plant trees – e.g. along A507 to also reduce noise; encrouage more in gardens; seek sponsorship
Publicity re carbon footprints
Geothermal project for village
More information on energy efficient appliances
Wood burning stoves and fires – using local wood
Set up local network of energy volunteers or wardens or advisers on neighbourhood basis
Bulk purchase of energy saving appliances
Free order/collection of regular items – papers/milk
Promote public transport
Biodiesel project/ storage facility
Education
Mirrors to reflect sun into space – increase albedo
Local wind turbine – possibly near Industrial estate
Switch off pubic lighting after 11pm
Ban Christmas lights
Ban patio heaters

Given that the meeting was a brainstorming session it is understanable that some of the ideas are a bit ambitious but a surprising number have been taken up subsequently and others are waiting for us to take action. Other ideas and projects have been proposed since. These include the solar panel project for the school which picks up on some of the earlier suggestions for solar projects and for awareness raising and education.

Projects or ideas which are progressing include:

Encouraging "walk to school" - the parish council and school governors have been working to ensure safer routes for children to walk to school; the school have installed a bike rack and organise regular walk to school days

Improving paths and pavements - the parish council have been lobbying Highways for improvements to pavements

Enforce 30 mph zone - the parish council have been organising speed checks and pushing for traffic calming to be installed

Allotments on Flitton Hill are now more fully utilised

Food waste collections now cover Flitton and Greenfield

Information on energy efficiency - we had a presentation from the local energy advice centre

There is a lot more which has not been progressed. I would be keen to see more energy projects happening. I am currently in discussions with the Central Beds Council to see if we can get some energy meters on loan which could be distributed to people interested in finding out how they can save electricity in the home. A number of people have expressed interest in solar panels which could be an opportunity for a buying club - potentially leading to discounts and easier access to grants. To progress these ideas though we need volunteers willing to help with coordination.