Electricity is the biggest single source of carbon emissions in Britain – but it’s not the only one of course.
The big three are Energy, Transport and Food: between them accounting for 80% of the carbon we generate as individuals. The one thing they have in common is that Energy plays a vital role in them all…
Solar flair at the farm
“I sometimes think of our field crops as a vast array of leaf-shaped solar panels. Here at The Community Farm, we are in the business of harnessing and harvesting the sun’s energy and feeding it to you in the form of vegetables. Sunshine on a plate!In November we hosted a D.I.Y solar panel making workshops lead by the brilliant team at Demand Energy Equality. Their grass-roots practical energy workshops really do give power to the people. They are the brains behind the Solar Tree installation in Millennium Square and contributed expertise to the Greenpeace 2030 Energy Scenarios Report ahead of the Paris climate talks.
At the workshop participants from Bristol Drugs Project, with the help of Trevor from Demand Energy Equality, constructed a solar-powered boom box, to provide music while we work.
The workshops were a real highlight during a wet and windy November on the field. Between wintery showers of hailstones we even had the sun shining on the array. Affectionately named 'Badger’, the boom box is now installed in our dedicated propagation tunnel where we spend days at a time sowing seeds and raising plug plants ahead of the growing season. Now we can 'plug in while we prop' and listen to a little of what we fancy. In the dark days of winter, we could even warm up with a tea-break disco in the polytunnel!
Check out the webpage for Demand Energy Equality and if you know some D.I.Y-enthused folk in London, do tell them about the build-your-own solar panel workshops there.”
- Becky Chenery, Traineeship Leader 2015
Ecotricity
Ecotricity was the world’s first green electricity company. When they started back in 1996 they kick-started the now global Green Electricity movement. Their mission was, and still is, to change the way electricity is made and used in Britain. Then in 2010 they introduced the concept of green gas to Britain and in the process evolved into a fully-fledged green energy company.
Bills to Mills
Ecotricity is a not-for-dividend company using customers’ energy bills to fund the building of new sources of green energy. They are on average spending more each year per customer on new sources of green energy than any other energy company in Britain.A perfect partnership
Switch your supply to Ecotricity and they'll donate up to £60 to The Community Farm. It couldn't be easier and takes less than 5 minutes.Call Ecotricity free on 08000 302 302 or visit
www.ecotricity.co.uk/community-farm
When you sign up please quote: COF
This article is part of our Do 15 series.
