How-to guides

Sometimes it feels hugely challenging to engage and excite people to take action against climate change.

Yes, there are some people who immediately understand the importance of this and start taking personal action. The first step of any campaign is to reach them and get them involved. But talking beyond this small group to the large majority of people – who are often confused or doubtful about the issues, suspicious of the messengers and pre-occupied with their day to day lives - can be frustrating and sometimes daunting.

Effective planning will help make sure your community project is a success.

So you've set up your project. But how can you tell if it's going well? This guide tells you all you need to know about monitoring and evaluating what you're doing - from why it's important to what tools you can use.

The social enterprise model is an increasingly popular way to launch a sustainable energy scheme, or take an existing project to a new level. By combining the flexibility of a business with a commitment to social ideals, you can deliver benefits to both local communities and the environment. For example, setting up a social enterprise could help make carbon saving in your community self supporting. The community can sell the power created by a renewable energy installation to fund further energy conservation projects in the area.

Community groups can play a vital role in raising awareness of climate change, and helping people understand the role they can play in reducing carbon emissions.

One way community groups can help people recognise the impact they have on the climate is by conducting a community-led carbon footprint survey. This survey will reveal what actions are needed for people in your community to reduce their impact on the environment. Importantly, it will bring your community together behind a common cause.

This guide provides an introduction to parish planning, the opportunities for tackling climate change through parish plans, and the support and resources available to help you do this.

Many communities across the UK have already embraced the responsibility for reducing the amount of waste they produce. By doing so they are reducing the amount of resources they consume each year including energy.