Ashton Hayes Going Carbon NeutralGarry Charnock – Ashton Hayes Parish Council, Chester

Ashton Hayes - Background

• 1000 people

• 350 houses

We are aiming to be England’s first carbon

neutral village

Our objectives

• A grass-roots project that will help people to take low/no-cost actions that can save money while cutting carbon dioxide emissions

• To share our experiences with like-minded communities

Project launch 26th January

Freezing night

400 people attended

75% of adult population

Community support – the catalystPrimary school involvement

Energy Saving Trust (EPPLUS)

Local business sponsors give £3500

Women’s Institute

Chester University

UEA Cred team

Chester City Council

Chester County Council

Launch night activity at the school

Press coverage – a key motivation• BBC NW Tonight• Granada ‘Party People’• BBC Radio 4 • BBC World Service (20M)• Chester Chronicle articles• Dee 106.3 Radio regular feature• Local & national newspapers• The Guardian G2• Cheshire Life magazine• NW Renewables film• NALC newsletter• WI national newsletter

Kate Simms, BBC NW Tonight

Children – the other key motivators

3 H a l l L a n e K e l s a l l

T a r p o r l e y C h e s h i r e

C W 6 O Q Y

D e a r M r . B l a i r I a m a y e a r 5 p u p i l a t A s h t o n H a y e s P r i m a r y S c h o o l . A s h t o n i s t h e f i r s t v i l l a g e t o b e c o m e a C a r b o n N e u t r a l v i l l a g e . W h a t a r e y o u d o i n g f o r t h e e n v i r o n m e n t ? I h a v e a f e w s u g g e s t i o n s :

1 . P l a n t m o r e t r e e s 2 . M a k e c a r s r u n o n a l t e r n a t i v e f u e l 3 . M a k e p e o p l e c y c l e o r w a l k m o r e o f t e n i t w o u l d s t o p l o a d s o f p o l l u t i o n & p e o p l e w o u l d

g e t m o r e e x e r c i s e 4 . I m p r o v e p u b l i c t r a n s p o r t e s p e c i a l l y i n r u r a l a r e a s b e c a u s e i t s e e m s o u r b u s s e r v i c e i s g o i n g t o b e c u t 5 . I m p r o v e r e c y c l i n g I a m l o o k i n g f o r w a r d t o y o u r r e p l y

Y o u r s s i n c e r e l y

D e a r M r . B l a i r I a m a y e a r 6 p u p i l a t A s h t o n H a y e s P r i m a r y s c h o o l i n C h e s h i r e a n d I a m t h e R e c y c l i n g O f f i c e r . O u r v i l l a g e i s t h e f i r s t t o m a k e a d i f f e r e n c e a n d b e c o m e a C a r b o n n e u t r a l v i l l a g e a n d w e a r e d o i n g a r e b e s t t o h e l p t h e e n v i r o n m e n t . H o p e f u l l y o t h e r v i l l a g e s , t o w n s , c i t i e s o r m a y b e e v e n c o u n t r i e s w i l l f o l l o w u s a n d r e d u c e t h e e n e r g y c o n s u m p t i o n s o b y r e d u c i n g g l o b a l w a r m i n g a n d p r o t e c t i n g a n d c o n s e r v i n g t h e e n v i r o n m e n t f o r f u t u r e g e n e r a t i o n s . I f w e d o n ’ t w e m i g h t f i n d o u r p l a n e t u n i n h a b i t a b l e . I a m v e r y i n t e r e s t e d t o k n o w w h a t y o u a r e g o i n g t o d o t o h e l p . I l o o k f o r w a r d t o y o u r r e p l y .

Y o u r s S i n c e r e l y

L a u r a N u n n e r l e y

Chester University - verification

Baseline survey May/June 2006

• 6-week door to door survey

• Survey developed through collaboration between the Universities of Chester, East Anglia (UEA) and the EST/EPPLUS teams

• Focuses on household efficiency and lifestyle

• Has key questions for Parish Plan

Tree planting and biodiversity

GIS mapping

What’s happening?

• Our rubbish is being weighed each month and we have topped the local

recycling league for 3 months (28%)

• We are installing solar panels and wind turbines on the school and houses and

planning demonstrations

• We have the enthusiastic support of the school and other organisations

including Chester City and County

• We are seen as a ‘pilot’ small community for the UK and our website is quoted

widely. Our methodology will be used

• We are making a toolbox and giving direct help to villagers

Solar thermal panel installation

Sharing our experience

• Invited to share experiences in:– Stratford upon Avon– Hay on Wye (Brilley)– Gloucester– Chew Magna– Wirral– Kelsall– Blacon

Future possibilities

• Estate agent Legat Owen allocating 6000 trees

• PWC offering free verified audit of our public buildings

• BP expressed an interest in ‘adopting’ the village

• EA Technologies assessing the options for a technology test bed

• Cheshire CC funding EA scoping study

• Seeking DEFRA grant funding for our toolkit

Recording our progress

For further information

www.goingcarbonneutral.com