Village Sustainability Newsletter, August 2025

SUSTAINABILITY – WORKING TOWARDS THE COFE’S CARBON NEUTRAL TARGET 2030

When is enough enough?

Do you ever read those weekend quizzes that ask how you are making your lifestyle more sustainable, your home less carbon-guzzling, the waste you leave less harmful, with a score sheet rewarding you with a satisfying rating on the tick list and a warm feeling?  

But whatever we do is never enough.  Those who took exams will remember the mantra of “get the easy marks first”.  Look at how we reduced plastic bag use in this country, initially by charging shoppers just 5p for a bag.  No-one expects a free bag anymore – a success.  But with the easy wins won, we must tackle the more difficult ones.  If we have made a start on reducing our carbon footprint – fantastic!  But it remains a start and there is always more we must do. 

Eminent scientist Lord Kelvin famously said “If you cannot measure it you cannot improve it.”  This is true for the environmental difference we are making.  I urge you to find a tool to measure your household or personal carbon footprint and then repeat it annually.  You will need to make some assumptions, and perhaps even some guesses, but be precise in your process, note down your assumptions and reuse them when you repeat the exercise in a year’s time, so you can check that your efforts are working. 

When it comes to “doing more” it's uncomfortably true that doing the right thing for the environment is usually a pricier option.  Eating locally produced, organic produce, buying our food and non-toxic household cleaning products packaging-free from independent retailers, installing solar panels on our homes, buying electric vehicles all cost significantly more than less sustainable alternatives.  High cost is uncomfortable – to the extent of making these measures unattainable for many.  And some people just don’t like spending money, even if they can afford it.  There are many reasons why our progress towards carbon net zero is so faltering.

At a festival in a couple of years ago, we (together with thousands of others) were challenged to promise substantial changes to our family lifestyle.  We have achieved most of them - reduced the amount of meat we eat, improved the house’s insulation, installed solar panels and bought an EV.  The last task is to change our bank - to one which we are certain does not invest in fossil fuels.  This has been the hardest because we are used to the familiar online app of our old bank.  A feeble excuse.  But we need to accept change and hassle in favour of doing the right thing environmentally. 

We on Chieveley’s PCC are working on the silver level of Eco Church awards.  The bronze award scooped up the easy wins.  The actions we now need to take are harder: more controversial, require more research and collaboration.  They may need to be argued or fought for.  How neat do we want the churchyard to be, knowing the harm mowing and clearing away past season material does to pollinators and other insects which form part of the vital local ecosystem?  Can we persuade environmental health inspectors that so called “green” cleaning products are as effective as more harmful ones?

If we hadn’t written our family sustainability promise down on a scrappy piece of paper on a Sunday morning in a Northamptonshire field, signed it and stuck it on the fridge, we wouldn’t have achieved what we have.  But can’t afford smugness.  We need to ask ourselves “what next?” 

As I write there is talk of further hosepipe bans after a very dry spring and three early heatwaves.  We need to consider water-resistant plants when we are remodelling our gardens, and minimise watering.  We are reluctant to give up our daily powerful, hot shower - but could we halve its duration?  Can we wash the car with a bucket, or not all?

We are more comfortable here, now, than probably anyone has ever been.  Our expectations for daily health and comfort exceed what even our grandparents dreamt of.  But that comfort is a privilege, not a right.  And at what cost? 

So many questions.  Just like that quiz in the paper really.

Julia Hoaen