Rob Veck of the Colden Common Greening Campaign explains what promped him to give up a well-paid career at IBM to concentrate on climate change at http://www.facebook.com/notes/act-on-co2/greening-colden-common-and-rob-vecks-three-levels-of-carbon-reduction/377572867462

On the weekend of 27/28 February 2010, the normally peaceful streets of Fulflood were bustling with people moving from house to house to find out how their neighbours saved money and fuel, and reduced their carbon footprint. Altogether there were just under two hundred visits to eight open homes. 

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Major organisations in the Winchester District have pledged to reduce their carbon footprints in a pioneering local declaration on climate change.
Winchester District Strategic Partnership (WDSP) has been working with Winchester Action on Climate Change (WinACC) on 20:12, the campaign to cut the carbon footprint of Winchester by 20% by the end of 2012.

The first wave of organisations to sign up include the University of Winchester, Winchester Area Community Action, Winchester City Council and Winchester College. Winchester and Eastleigh HealthCare Trust is already working to a NHS scheme for carbon footprint reduction, but as a local public service organisation it has the same goals as the Winchester Declaration and has also signed. Since the launch, DC Leisure has also signed up. DC Leisure is the Council's partner which runs the River Park Leisure Centre.
The Winchester Declaration on Climate Change gives organisations of all types, including businesses, charities and the public sector, the opportunity to pledge to reduce their carbon emissions by 20% between 2009 and 2012. For more information about climate change, how you can make changes, or to pledge to reduce your emissions, click HERE.

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WinACC’s third low carbon champion programme  is now taking place on the evenings of 4, 11, 18 and 25 March. The programme is now full.  
WinACC plans to run similar programmes later in the year - some in central Winchester, others in specific neighbourhoods, and some aimed at people from faith communities.  Find out more from Chris.holloway@winacc.org.uk on 01962 827083.

The Solent Centre for Architecture + Design invites architects, engineers, planners, artists, design students and anyone else interested in the future of the city to work in teams to design a sustainable city by the year 2020.  After a briefing at midday on 19 March, the teams have 24 hours to come up with a proposal which they will present to an audience comprising other teams, local dignitaries and public at midday on Saturday 20 March.  A vote will choose the best design. If you want to be on a team, email chris.holloway@winacc.org.uk. More at http://www.solentcentre.org.uk/home/24hrstosave .

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The snowy weather is good for spotting who's insulated the roof - see the contrast between neigbouring roofs in our pictures of Winchester on 6 January.  If you still haven't got round to topping up your roof insulation, the Energy Saving Trust explains what to do and how to get a grant.

 In case you're wondering: insulating the roof means that the heat stays indoors, instead of leaking out and melting the snow.

Winchester Action on Climate Change (WinACC) is launching a new programme to help faith communities in Winchester tackle carbon emission and take up the climate challenge. The first course of Carbon Conversations started on 22nd February, running every Monday for 2 hours for six weeks. New courses starting throughout the spring - email faith@winacc.org.uk for details.

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A new £5000 Plug-in Car Grant will be distributed directly to the consumer at the point of purchase and will be available across the UK from January 2011. To support this, the Government will roll out a £30m trial network of electric vehicle charging points, called Plugged in Places. 

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If you've been disturbed by recent media attacks on the science of climate change, read on... 

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COIN is recruiting for a Mobilisation Project Manager, Low Carbon Communities Network Administrator and a Developer/ Designer/ Project Manager for our forthcoming Flipping Point website.     Find out more...

Households and communities who install generating technologies such as small wind turbines and solar panels will from April be entitled to claim payments for the low carbon electricity they produce.  Energy and Climate Change Secretary Ed Miliband announced the feed-in tariff (FITs) levels on 1 February 2010.

The tariff, which is available from April 2010, will be administered by Ofgem and energy suppliers will be responsible for paying the reward to their customers.

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Panorama |(the BBC documentary programme) is Dying for a Biscuit about some of the issues surrounding Palm Oil  production - BBC One 22 February 2010 20:30.  See the website for more details at:
www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/panorama/raphaelrowe/2010/02/the_making_of_dying_for_a_bisc.html
 

Here at COIN we are never short of ideas, although some of them have to remain on hold until we can fund them.  Check out our list of emerging ideas and future projects and see where we're headed from exploration into the language of climate change denial and evasion to updating the popular "Funny Weather" comic.  Find out more...

The Walking the Walk Training Guide has now been published and is ready for download. Walking the Walk is a fun 20-30 minute group activity which enables participants to learn about the greenhouse gas emissions of the average UK resident.  It provides a memorable visual of how we can have a major impact on reducing our own personal emissions and has formed a central part of COIN's widely acclaimed Climate Change Condensed training course for several years. Download your free copy...

WinACC's monthly Saturday morning open meeting coupled with the Annual General Meeting. This will be followed by a social lunch.

WinACC open meetings take place on the first Saturday of each month. They usually have a topic for discussion, and an update about recent activities and future plans. An opportunity for newcomers and memers to get involved

WinACC's monthly Saturday morning open meeting coupled with a stocktaking and planning meeting.

WinACC open meetings take place on the first Saturday of each month. They usually have a topic for discussion, and an update about recent activities and future plans. An opportunity for newcomers and memers to get involved

WinACC's monthly Saturday morning open meeting coupled with a debate on food. This will be followed by a "lunch and share" in the garden.

WinACC open meetings take place on the first Saturday of each month. They usually have a topic for discussion, and an update about recent activities and future plans. An opportunity for newcomers and memers to get involved

Winchester City Council wants your comments on the draft economic strategy for Winchester - see press release. Please give any comments or feedback by completing the online survey, emailing 

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"GinACC", WinACC informal drinks and chat for anyone interested, on 23 February for a drink - and on the last Tuesday of each month from then on. At the Hyde Tavern, Winchester SO23 7DY from 6.30pm. We guarantee there'll be someone to talk to till 8.30 - after that, it depends on you!

"Love Your Home" activities in several locations around Winchester district on the weekend of 27/28 February. Details of Alresford, Bishops Waltham, Olivers Battery, Colden Common, Fulflood and Whiteley. Also, news of guest speaker Sarah Harrison at WinACC's open meeting on 6 March on retrofitting an old home. To view more information about the events and to view a map of their locations, please see our Love Your Home page.

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