Government funding for St Andrews community carbon challenge

Friday 24 February 2017

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The successful partnership of three St Andrews environment groups has been awarded funding from the Scottish Government’s Climate Challenge fund to expand their joint programme aimed at helping local residents to reduce their carbon emissions.

Transition University of St Andrews, St Andrews Botanic Garden, and the St Andrews Environment Network have secured £149,986 to further develop a low carbon living programme and community space within the grounds of St Andrews Botanic Garden.

The project, called the St Andrews Community Carbon Challenge, aims to reduce carbon emissions by 600 tonnes and engage with 1700 people in a range of activities and practical activities.

Activities based at the new community space at the Botanic Garden, called ‘The Kernel’, include:

  • Edible St Andrews: a new “high quality” food growing demonstration space to train growers from the wider community.
  • St Andrews Bike Initiative: to establish a bike maintenance workshop within the Botanic Garden where community groups, schools and individuals can practice bike maintenance through “peer to peer” sessions.
  • St AndRe-Use Town & Gown: to provide a bookable pick-up service for unused household goods (not furniture), which will sort, store and re-distribute items to townsfolk and incoming students.
  • Smart metering and energy advice: a display of information about the energy and carbon consumption of the Botanic Garden to encourage behavioural change through the use and understanding of smart meters and direct householders to home energy advice services.
  • Carbon Conversations with Schools: delivering a tailored programme to Madras College and St Leonards students which challenges them to make changes to their carbon footprint and adding a climate change and carbon-focused education programme for children and adults at the Botanic Garden.
  • Skillshare and Toolshare library: to provide practical help to tackle food waste and set up a tool loan scheme to reduce purchase of new tools and enable local residents to undertake repairs and enhancements at low cost.

Transition UStA co-chair and St Andrews University student, Haley Arnold, said: “Tackling carbon emissions is a challenge and an opportunity. This programme of works will bring people together from across ‘town and gown’ through providing an excellent space to learn, share and repair. We are really happy to once again be working with StAndEN and St Andrews Botanic Garden on developing this scheme further.”

With projects starting in April the partnership is inviting students, University staff, local residents and groups to get in touch if they would like to be involved in the St Andrews Community Carbon Challenge.

Further details of the project will be available on the Transition University of St Andrews website.


Photo caption: Representatives of Transition University of St Andrews, St Andrews Environmental Network, St Andrews Botanic Garden and Men’s Shed St Andrews celebrate news of the funding award.

Background

Transition University of St Andrews is a group of local residents, University staff and students who undertake practical local projects that aim to reduce carbon emissions in the face of climate change. It is one of over 500 local groups that make up the international Transition Towns movement.

St Andrews Botanic Garden is an internationally recognised botanical garden covering 7.3ha of ground within the boundaries of St Andrews. It is home to over 8000 plant species and offers an extensive education programme for over 4000 people a year alongside its 35,000 visitors.

STANDEN is a community organisation set up by the Royal Burgh of St Andrews Community Council, and supported by Fife Council and the University of St Andrews, that provides free professional advice on home energy.

Issued by the University of St Andrews Communications Office, contactable on 01334 467310/2530 or [email protected].


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