greening colden common

University project update meetings - 18th & 20th Oct

2011-10-11T02:24:00.000-07:00

We are planning identical meetings/presentations on the 18th and 20th of October for residents taking part in the University project. This will include overview of the online software for tracking your energy usages, and some workshops type activities.

Photos from Spring Greening Event

2011-10-11T02:09:00.000-07:00

Finally got some photos from the Spring Greening Event, held in March. Here's three of them. I will upload more to flickr shortly, and add a link here.

Low Cost Energy Saving Ideas

2011-07-26T04:54:00.001-07:00

Fit a hot water tank jacket
Put reflector foil behind radiators
Fit DIY secondary glazing film to windows
Stick draft excluder around draughty doors and windows
Fit draft excluder brushes to your letterbox
Use thermal lining paper when wallpapering external walls
Use Energy saving light bulbs
Lag the hot water pipes in your airing cupboard
Use thermal paint additive when painting external walls
Fit shelves above radiators

Click this link for a printable list - Low Cost Energy Saving Ideas

Have you got any more suggestions? if so, please add them in a comment below...

Zero Cost Energy Saving Ideas

2011-07-26T04:17:00.000-07:00

Remember to change your heating settings when the season changes
Only boil the amount of water that you need in the kettle
Turn off TV’s, computers and other appliances when not in use.
Dry your hair with a towel (not a hair drier)
Only iron clothes that really need it (forget your pants!)
Wash clothes at 30 degrees
Turn down radiators in rooms you use the least
Turn down hot water heater to 60 degrees
Dry clothes on an airier or outdoors, not in a tumble drier
Only use a dishwasher when you have a full load
Put lids on pans when cooking
Unplug mobile phone chargers
Check out Freeinsulation.co.uk and see if you qualify

Click this link for a printable list - Zero Cost Energy Saving Ideas

Have you got any more suggestions? if so, please add them in a comment below...

Fete 2011 - Bicycle Recycling and Elderflower Champagne

2011-06-23T11:54:00.000-07:00

The fete was a tad damp this year, with huge downpours interspersed with bright sunny spells. One of Mike's large posters lasted about 20 minutes before the wind and rain ripped it to pieces!

This year we teamed up with Bicycle Recycling, with Guy offering Free bicycle checks and bike maintenance tips. This was very fortunate timing, as the 19th of June was the start of Bike Week, which aims to get more people cycling, more often.

In spite of the weather, the Elderflower Champagne was very popular, and bought in enough money to cover the price of the stall, and a few pennies extra.

"Spring Greening" Event - Photos

2011-04-03T13:28:00.000-07:00

Photos from our "Spring Greening" event in March will be posted here shortly, once we trackdown who's camera they are on!

University of Soton Project - ECO Refit

2011-02-17T15:41:00.000-08:00

This is a research project involves finding households in Colden Common who would be willing to have their energy usage measured for a period of 3 years, in exchange for free loft insulation, or cavity wall insulation.

It has taken quite a lot of organising - including many meetings with the university

We will produce leafets to drop through resident's letterboxes, asking for volunteers.

"Spring Greening" Event

2011-02-05T10:29:00.000-08:00

Our "Spring Greening" event will be on Saturday 26th Mar 2011 at 2pm at Colden Common School.

Children can enjoy a mobile farm with chickens, pigs, goats, sheep and other farm animals to pet.

Stalls will include: a home brewing table, Colden Common allotments, energy saving tips, Winchester Action on Climate Change, Update on home energy monitoring project with Southampton University, solar PVs, local veg box scheme (and £100 worth of vouchers to give away), nature and wildlife table, tea and coffee, eco-cleaning display.

Newsletter - October 2010

2010-10-03T19:14:00.000-07:00

Read our latest newsletter here - Newsletter 2010.

"Love your own food" event photos.

2010-03-07T09:38:00.000-08:00

Click here to see more photos...

“Love your own food” Event

2010-01-12T09:24:00.000-08:00

Our "Love your own food" event will be on Saturday 27th Feb 2010 at 1-4pm at Colden Common School.

It's a FREE springtime event to encourage local people to grow their own food. Home-grown produce is greener by far, can be sociable, healthy and fun. To launch their campaign, the Greening Campaign has got together with local gardening experts & businesses to offer help and advice on everything from compost to carrot fly, plus advice on energy savings to help reduce your carbon footprint.

There will be plenty to entertain the kids, with a pet farm on site, displaying live llamas, goats, sheep, ducks and more! Food-tasting, seed-planting and face-painting activities should give children a taste for healthy food and the ‘good life’!
With plenty of freebies, plant swops, stalls offering locally made food, and refreshments, why not cheer up February by coming along to this free and fun event!

2010 focus - Local Food

2010-01-01T18:22:00.000-08:00

This years focus is about enjoying local and home grown food, with a food event planned for February.

Fete 2009 (medieval theme)- Photos

2009-07-10T09:51:00.000-07:00

Click here to see more photos...

Colden Common Fruit Trees & Bushes

2009-04-10T10:06:00.000-07:00

After the Love your own food event, we've collated all the data from the huge Colden Common map, and created a Google map, plotting all the Fruit trees and bushes in colden common...

Colden Common Fruit Trees & Bushes

Thank you to everyone who contributed to the map during the event!

Feel free to comment of this post, if you want us to add more entries.

Some people seemed quite coy, and were keen to keep their favourite spots a secret!

"Love Your Environment" Day

2009-01-13T10:11:00.000-08:00

Our "Love your Environment" event will be on Saturday 14th Feb 2010 at 2pm at Colden Common School.

There will be speakers, stands and films providing useful advice and tips about how to save energy and reduce carbon footprint. The pupils of Colden Common Primary school will be presenting the work they have been doing during their own Eco week in the week preceding the launch.

Rob Veck, one of the organisers of the campaign: 'This is intended to be a fun and informative event that should help persuade people to realise that when faced with seemingly insurmountable problems like climate change and fossil fuel depletion, even small individual actions like turning off the lights can make a big difference, if enough people do them. The Greening Campaign is all about giving people that confidence.'