What We Do
ChalCan is actively engaged with a range of exciting projects, from energy saving and generation, to recycling and waste reduction, and enhancing our local environment with trees and flowers. There’s a lot to be done and we need your help.
Food, Waste & Plastic
We can reduce our negative impact on the planet in lots of small ways from making relatively easy changes to our shopping habits, lifestyle and diets, using things up and buying less new “stuff”.
Energy & Transport
Both as individual households and by collaborating as a community we can reduce our reliance on fossil fuels, reconfiguring how we travel and both using and developing community resources.
Biodiversity
We live in an area of great natural beauty but like much of the rest of the world, our local environment is seriously threatened.
What we’ve achieved so far
We have:
- Created a mailing list in the parish of 240 people
- Created a Facebook page with over 240 people following
- Set up an Instagram page @chalford.can
- Held Community Events including A Family Walk, A Climate Walk and a Screening of the film Demain, attended by 50 c people (Sept. 2021)
- Held Advice and Information Evenings on Heat Pumps, Solar PV Energy, Wind Energy, Home Insulation (as a result of the latter 17 households signed up for a reduced rate consultation about the needs of their own homes and priorities for action
- Taken a stand at the Chalford Community Market
- Offered a Bike-ability free course for adults to gain confidence in riding a bike
- Created a “One Tonne” insulation in Chalford Hill
- Created a Biodiversity 10km trail around the Parish
- Held a Pre-loved clothes sale with information about the carbon emissions associated with the fashion industry
- Started work at three small areas of community grassland to increase the range of wild flowers and plants. The lessons we learn will help us to manage more land in the future.
- Helped by 50 people of all ages over 2 days we planted 180 native trees including Beech, Rowan, Whitebeam, Birch, Hawthorn, Wild Cherry and a few English Oak at the site next to the Middle hill allotments. The trees will enhance the landscape, help to slow the flow of water down the hill, increase biodiversity and help keep our air clean. They will create a beautiful spinney in years to come. Thanks also to the Woodland Trust and the Environment Agency who donated the trees.
- Started work with local schools to help them develop their own wildlife areas.
- Held a street meeting to discuss climate change issues and what action we can take individually and as a community. Nine people in one locality discussed renewable energy, car clubs, community composting, e-bikes and a whole range of other issues. This could be replicated across the community.