Communities can conserve energy and save money under green scheme
An award-winning scheme that helps neighbours connect, save money and reduce their carbon footprints will soon roll out in Three Rivers.
Three Rivers District Council and its partner, Grand Union Community Energy - a community energy cooperative – are on the hunt for a street with a group of six to eight households within the district to pilot the newly launched Transition Streets programme.
Under Transition Streets, small groups of neighbours meet in each other’s homes over a few months to complete a FREE programme of seven short, home-based workshops covering key topics to save money and cut carbon emissions: energy, food, travel, water, resource use, and nature.
The Transition Streets programme helps people reduce their bills and live more sustainably by taking practical action together.
The scheme will be funded by a slice of a £298,000 grant that was awarded to the council and its partners earlier this year from Innovate UK, which is the UK’s national innovation agency.
In 2009, the Transition Streets programme was piloted in Totnes, Devon, and involved over 550 households during its first phases. Each household saved an average of £570 a year on their bills and shrunk their annual carbon footprint by 1.2 tonnes. Since then, Transition Streets has spread across the UK and around the world.
Cllr Jon Tankard, Lead Member for Environmental Service, Climate Change, and Sustainability, said: “We are so pleased to be able to bring the pioneering Transition Streets programme to Three Rivers that will not only help our residents reduce their living costs but also support the district in achieving the ambitious target of net-zero by 2045.
“We hope our residents will take the opportunity to participate in Transition Streets with their neighbours and make their streets more caring, connected, and greener places to live in a fun and sociable way.
“I encourage any resident who is concerned about the climate crisis, interested in reducing their bills, or simply wanting to get to know their neighbours better, to sign up to Transition Streets.”
Sarah Burgess, Development Officer at Grand Union Community Energy, said: “We’re delighted to be able to work with Three Rivers District Council to bring Transition Streets to the district.
“At a time when every household is feeling the squeeze from rising household bills and many people are concerned about climate change, this free programme supports residents in reducing waste, saving money, and fostering stronger connections with their neighbours.
“So many amazing project ideas have come from Transition Street workshops around the world, and we can’t wait to see what the residents of Three Rivers will do”.
Residents interested in applying to the Transition Streets programme should complete a simple online form: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfqJmwp8DUuBTQIs-x6XMdrH1igsOcWdmcjyOK-0cULJUo7Wg/viewform
Find out more about Transition Streets in Three Rivers by visiting Grand Union Community Energy’s website: https://guce.org.uk/get-involved/