Hyde Farm Climate Action Network (Hyde Farm CAN)

Hyde Farm Climate Action Network (Hyde Farm CAN) was established in July 2007. The network currently consists of over 100 households living on the Hyde Farm Estate in Balham, South London, who want to do more to reduce their contribution to climate change. New members are very welcome.

The Hyde Farm is not in Brixton but it is in Lambeth. It is a lively community consisting of 1,800 households, an estimated 4,000 residents and two primary schools. It is in the parish of St. Thomas with St. Stephen's. There are many capable people on the estate, but still many do not know quite what to do or how to do it. By working together as a community we hope to make it easier to take steps - big or small.

To date we have 20-25 households participating in a year-long scheme to reduce their CO2 emissions by 10-20%. This project, called Echo Action, has funding from the European Union.

We have also joined forces with Food Up Front which is encouraging people to grow vegetables in their front garden - even a pot of salad leaves can replace a bag or two of salad from the supermarket each week, saving several kilograms of CO2 over time (we'll do a precise calculation one day!).

We have been shortlisted for the final of the Big Green Challenge and have put together a project called the 40% Hyde Farm Household that will define what it takes to reduce carbon emisisons to 40% of the average household. Looking at food, shopping, household energy use, transport as well as building, water and waste, we will look at what is possible and how much effort it takes. We don't think it takes as much as people might think - by wasting less and shopping more carefully we can achieve big reductions. At the same time we are building community resilience.. this is a big feature of work. All our events are social, practical and fun.

Events take many forms, from film showings and visits to eco-buildings to workshops and reskilling. Most importantly we have got a debate going at a local level - and established a support network. We can help one another..

OPEN EVENING JUNE 11TH 2008 - 7-10PM, Telferscot School, Telferscot Road, Balham We have been awarded £500 from Love London to support this event which will be a social evening with wine and lots of interesting people to talk to. 'Stallholders' will include the Energy Savings Trust, Green Homes Concierge Service, a local contractor specialising in draughtproofing and sash window restoration, plumbing and electrical contractors, a solar supplier, WRAP recycling advisor, Women's Environmental Network Carbon Counters, Food Up Front, local crafts from recycled materials, and much more... ALL WECLOME

For more information on Hyde Farm CAN contact Susan Sheehan

tel: +44 7961 342247

sue.j.brown@btinternet.com

Hyde Farm Climate Action Network.

Visit out website at www.hydefarm.org.uk Join our e-mail group at http://groups.google.com/group/hyde-farm?hl=en-GB or link up with us at Project Dirt www.projectdirt.org/hydefarm

Group email: hyde-farm@googlegroups.com