Cumbria CVS Green – No2 April 2024
April 11, 2024
Welcome back to Cumbria CVS Green! This month we’re reporting on Zero Carbon Cumbria: Emission Reduction Action Plans.
Read on for links to useful resources, information and news, updates on our own climate commitment, blog posts from colleagues about what they’re doing (in a work capacity and privately) to minimise environmental impact and more.
If you have any suggestions about what you’d like to see in our regular updates, let us know! Contact us by emailing info@cumbriacvs.org.uk
You can find our what we’re doing to minimise our environmental impact and find details of organisations supporting positive environmental action in Cumbria on our Climate Commitment page here
Catch up on our other blog posts here
In our Second blog post, Cumbria CVS Community Resilience Coordinator, Carolyn Otley, reports on current ZCC activity…
Zero Carbon Cumbria: Emission Reduction Action Plans
At a personal level, I’m mainly wondering what it’s possible to make with rhubarb, as once again, our monster plant is already in full flow (I think it likes living in a damp corner next to the compost bin). Any ideas beyond crumble, jam, and gin would be most welcome!
However, the focus of this month’s blog is to let you know what’s going on within the Zero Carbon Cumbria Partnership. ZCCP brings together more than eighty organisations, working to reduce carbon emissions in the county, and to help reach Cumbria’s target of becoming a net zero county by 2037.
That, as you can imagine, is no mean feat, and the partnership’s recent work has focussed on developing Emission Reduction Pathways for four of the sectors that produce the most significant carbon emissions.
The draft Emission Reduction Action Plans (ERAPs) for:
- Buildings
- Transport and Mobility
- Farming and other Land Use
- Consumption and Waste
were all launched at the Zero Carbon Cumbria Summit on 20th March
But don’t worry if you missed it – you can still have your say!
The draft action plans are all on the Zero Carbon Cumbria website – just follow this link, and then click on the logo for the sector you’re interested in.
There’s lots of information in there, but there’s also the opportunity for you to feed in any priorities or specific actions you think are missing – and it’ll all inform the development of Cumbria’s overall Decarbonisation Plan, due to be published by the end of the year.
if that sounds a little daunting, why not simply have a browse around the Zero Carbon Cumbria website or sign up to receive the Cumbria Action for Sustainability newsletters, and start to learn a little more about what’s going on?
Now, how many new outfits it is reasonable to buy from Vinted to accommodate the impact of this year’s Easter Eggs?
Training and Events
Westogether: A wilder vision for Walkmill Community Woodland
23 April. Meet the apprentices working for West Cumbria Rivers Trust at the Walkmill Community Woodland project, with options for walks, talks, trying out activities.
The Great Big Green Week
8 – 16 June 2024. Gen involved in Great Big Green Week! Organise an event to raise awareness of the need for action on carbon emissions.
Small grants of up to £300 are available from CAfS for not-for-profit groups seeking to ‘do their bit’ on the environment, thanks to Westmorland and Furness Council. Click on the thumbnail image for more information.
Find out more about Great Big Green Week here
Event Planning for Great Big Green Week
Monday 22 April, online. Get prepping for your Great Big Green Week events with Cumbria Action for Sustainability’s online skill swap session which will cover planning, promotion, and how to make your event as low-carbon as poss.
Click here to book your free place
Climate & Carbon Literacy
Tuesday 14 May, Kendal. The next open Climate & Carbon Literacy course from Cumbria Action for Sustainability will be a face-to-face event in Kendal. Meet like-minded individuals all looking to cut their carbon emissions, get the latest climate science and develop an understanding of carbon footprints.
Use this new new-found knowledge to reduce your impact at home, in our communities and at work.
Find out more and register here
Climate & Carbon Literacy for SMEs
Thursday 9 & 16 May, online. Cumbria Action for sustainability’s award-winning Climate & Carbon Literacy course tailored to Small & Medium Enterprises (including social enterprises) in the Westmorland & Furness Council area will help you to decarbonise your business. It’s subsidised by 70% so available at just £39!
News and Information
Cumberland Council spring Environment and Climate newsletter
The newsletter contains lots of article from the council, including:
- Welcome from the Executive Member, Councillor Bob Kelly
- Enforcement Officer wins Keep Britain Tidy Excellence in Enforcement Award
- More than 300 delegates take part in Cumberland Economic Summit
- Exploring sustainable initiatives at Millom Network Centre
- Spring forward with the Local Nature Recovery Strategy (LNRS)
- Planting for Pollinators in Whitehaven
- Shaping the future of waste services!
- Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) new rules for developers
- Food Waste Action Week
- It’s the little things that count! Top tips to make a difference.
- Environment Officers visit Maryport!
- Planting for Pollinators – FREE event in Cleator Moor
- New Baa-ttery recycling campaign launches in Carlisle
- Trading Standards continue illegal vape crackdown
- Update from CAfS
- Community Panels: Local people help with local decisions!
- Allotments in the Cumberland patch
- Single use plastics
View the newsletter online here
Government must raise ambition for nature positive development
Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) is now mandatory for major developments in England, and will apply to minor sites from April. The new guidance means that wildlife habitat must be left in a better state than it was before a development took place.
However, The Wildlife Trusts are concerned that BNG is not on track to play its part in addressing the severity of the nature crisis – and that current ambition is set too low.
Read more from the Northumberland Wildlife Trust
Big Give – Fight for our Future
Cumbria Action for Sustainability’s Big Give campaign kicks off on 18 April, aiming to raise £20K to support their work. The totally awesome thing with the Big Give is that each £1 you donate is matched by corporate funders, doubling your contribution!
W&F Green Enterprise Hub
Still wondering how the W&F Green Enterprise Hub can help your organisation- get in touch for free tailored advice! We can get you started on your journey by recommending the services that would have the greatest impact. Whether its a carbon audit, EV charging advice or connecting you with a business that has been through the process, we’ve got you covered.
Find out more and listen to a podcast to learn more here
The Carbon Copy Podcast
The Carbon Copy podcast shares stories of people doing brilliant, brave, big-thinking things to protect their communities, livelihoods and loved ones from the impacts of climate breakdown.
In Lines In The Sand, hear the shocking story of Kevin Jordan, a retired marine engineer from Norfolk, who lost his cherished home to coastal erosion. Carbon Copy explore the link between his experience, and the dangerous human-made heating of our planet.
