What You Can Do

What you can do

However small you start, you can help to build a better future for everyone, protecting and restoring nature. Maybe you want to start by measuring and cutting your carbon footprint, or you might want to save money, protect nature or help others. Here are some things to you may want to try:

  1. Cut out waste – (Make this your first step) Look at where you are using most energy, and start by considering where you can cut out any waste. A good place to start is your bills: gas, electricity, water, vehicle fuel. Then have a look at your spending on other things, food, clothing, furniture. By using less, you can make a big difference fast, and save money too.
  2. Switch to renewable energy – If you are able, and if it doesn’t cost you more, there are some switches you can consider when it’s time to chose: 100% renewable electricity supplier, solar panels on your roof, investment in a community-owned renewable electricity installation, electric heating, car and equipment.
  3. Support nature – If you have a garden, stop cutting the grass, plant trees and flowers, and create habitats and ponds that will support wildlife. Ask government to protect forests, peatlands, wetlands, soils, water, and other natural systems.
  4. Share – Join one of the many activities working with the Glastonbury’s Climate Emergency Advisory Committee, or start you own. Talk with your friends, family and neighbours about what interests you. Use your buying power – ask how things are made and where they come from. Put pressure on Government.
  5. Prepare for the changes ahead – Check that you home is protected from flood and storm, and that it is cool and ventilated as the summers get warmer. Connect with your neighbours and community groups. If you’re concerned about the changes ahead, that’s normal and natural. Acknowledge your concerns, talk with people you trust, and learn what helps.

 

Litter pick

On the last Sunday of each month, a lively and friendly group of people come together to pick up any stray bits of litter around the town. During the last couple of gatherings, we’ve filled our bin bags to bursting with cigarette ends, food wrappers, bottle tops, drinks cans and bottles, plus 2 broken prams, cooking pots and half a scooter. And when we’re done, we share our tales of litter over a coffee.

If you would like to join our band of merry pickers, we’ll be meeting outside the Town Hall at 10am on the last Sunday of each month. You’ll be provided with picker sticks, HiVis jackets, gloves, bin bags and hoops to keep the bags open. It’s a lovely way to meet new friends, while exploring and caring for the town we love.

Contact: 07729618368 email: lb.hpc3@gmail.com

 

Repair Café

A regular event held monthly – contact: glastonburyrepaircafe@gmail.com

See here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uwro1NabPYo for a report on the opening.

Repair Cafés are free meeting places and they’re all about repairing things (together). In the place where a Repair Café is located, you’ll find tools and materials to help you make any repairs you need. On clothes, furniture, electrical appliances, bicycles, crockery, appliances, toys, et cetera. You’ll also find expert volunteers, with repair skills in all kinds of fields. Visitors bring their broken items from home. In the Repair Café, they start making their repairs, together with the specialists. It’s an ongoing learning process. If you have nothing to repair, you can enjoy a cup of tea or coffee. Or you can lend a hand with someone else’s repair job. You can also get inspired at the reading table – by leafing through books on repairs and DIY.

 

Top Tips on How We Can Save the Planet

Many of us feel overwhelmed, and find it difficult to know where to start. This list of tips was produced by Laura Sorenson, and she suggests that we can start with the little things, ticking off what we can do one by one, and feeling good about contributing in a positive way. The list of actions is arranged into each area of your life: General; Home; Energy Use; Shopping; Garden; Travel and Transport; Lobbying, Campaigning, Voting, Influencing.

 

Thermal Imaging Camera

We have a thermal-imaging camera available to show where your house is leaking heat.  Please contact the our Climate Emergency Officer climate@glastonbury.gov.uk  if you are interested. Once we have a group of interested people, we can book the camera.  This service is only available during colder weather and not during the summer.