Welcome to the Low Carbon Blog

In April 2007 Chester played host to the UK's first conference on Carbon Neutrality for grass roots communities.

Funded through DEFRA's Climate Challenge fund, delegates from all over the UK spent the day sharing experiences of the challenges we all face in trying to reduce our carbon footprint.

Organised by Ashton Hayes, it soon became apparent that although this small village in Cheshire had received world wide coverage of the Parish Council's aim to be the first carbon neutral village in England, it was by no means the first group to be established and many of us from the village left the conference enthused and inspired by the people we had met.

In the following months several low carbon groups in the Chester area joined Ashton Hayes and began to find ways to engage the community in energy reduction activities. Cheshire's Year of Action on Climate Change highlighted the work and events of many groups and the debate has slowly moved on.

At the start of 2008 the topic of discussion among my neighbours isn't about whether human activity contributes to climate change but how we can all reduce our impact on the planet by making simple changes in our lifestyles. I have witnessed several neighbours installing solar thermal panels to heat hot water and seen more children walking to the village school.

My own family's low impact lifestyle was first featured in the Chronicle in January 2006 and we have continued to make changes, such as the recent installation of a wood burning stove. We know our carbon footprint could be even lower, but at least we are trying and have proved that such a life doesn't have to be about discomfort and self denial.

I've been an active environmental campaigner since the 1970's and have seen first hand what a powerful force for change individuals can be when they join together to act on an issue (witness the campaign to ban ozone damaging chemicals in aerosols). Over the past 12 months I've visited low carbon community groups all over the UK and there is a definite feeling that the climate movement is growing.

Very soon our elected representatives will have to sit up and take notice of the growing demands of consumers to make a low carbon lifestyle easier and more affordable. Over the coming months this blog will share the experiences of the many low carbon groups in the Chester area, I urge you all to join in and share your own stories as we travel this journey to a low carbon future together.