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Whether we like it or not, we live in a consumerist world. Walk into any shop and you will see aisles of products packaged in single use plastics, as well as many disposable or ‘short-life’ goods. We are constantly being encouraged to buy more than we really need. Our homes are filled with many items that end their days in land-fill (here or abroad), incinerators or in our rivers and oceans
Here in the South Hams there are a number of projects run through our community groups and companies whose volunteers clean up some of this waste, run re-use and recycling projects and also encourage residents and visitors to consider alternatives when purchasing products.
Hopefully some of the projects on this website may provide ideas and inspiration. Many established groups will be more than happy to talk with you about setting up your own project and may be able to share resources to make it easier. Why write a Risk Assessment from scratch when you can probably modify one that is already written?
If you have a project that fits into this category but isn’t listed here please ‘add a project’ so that we can share the good work you are doing.
Get in touch with Ben Bryant, our Saving Earth Resources Mentor, for any further information or advice on ben@sussh.org
News
Community Compost Opportunities
Our Community Compost focus is well on the way, with lots of opportunities for those of you wanting to get going with community composting projects.
March 1, 2024
A Few New Mentors
As part of our mission to connect community groups with support and inspiration, we’ve been expanding our base of mentors to encompass a wide range of knowledge and experience - read on for an introduction to a few of them.
January 29, 2024
Community Composting: Marldon Success Story and Opportunities for Your Community
Marldon’s community composting group, supported by Sustainable South Hams, offers a great example of the potential for community composting in the South Hams. Read on to find out more, and to hear about how to register for the many opportunities we are opening up for your community’s composting champions.
January 12, 2024
Resources
Groups
Sustainable Kingswear
Focusing on immediate and longer term infrastructure changes, including encouraging electric vehicle use, a community energy scheme, and addressing light pollution. Also working on community schemes, such as encouraging households and landowners to support wildlife, community composting and a Library of Things.
5-20
Volunteers
Parish Council working group
Project Cost
Sustainable Harbourne Valley
Supporting nature-friendly gardens and households; talks/discussion programme; supporting management of churchyards & playing fields for nature; Fruit Corner (community fruit trees/wildflowers); micro tree nursery; seed/plant exchange stall; Sow Grow Show food growing project; Give & Take reuse & exchange day; engagement with local school; supporting river monitoring.
5-20
Volunteers
Community Association
Project Cost
Transition Town Totnes
Transition Streets - a community-focussed initiative supporting social cohesion, carbon reduction, and energy saving; Incredible Edible Totnes - supporting local and accessible food growing in public spaces; Totnes Climate Hub - a public space for creating community support and local responses to our global challenges; REconomy Project - a project inspiring economic regeneration locally; Time to Breathe - a meditative space for personal wellbeing support
20-100
Volunteers
Charity
Project Cost
Projects
Create Climate & Nature Lending Library
ReUsing the Big Red Telephone Box as lending library for climate & nature books
<5
Volunteers
Free
Project Cost
Connect Communities to Take Practical Carbon Saving Action
Transition Streets is an award-winning project that brings neighbours together
Volunteers
Project Cost
Engage your Community with a Nature & Climate Fair
Village summer Fair for South Brent with a focus on sustainability
20+
Volunteers
£5k - £50k
Project Cost
