Share, Repair, Reduce, Reuse

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News

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

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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

Sustainable South Hams heads to Loop Frome on a composting field trip

Last week a merry band of 16 community composting enthusiasts from 8 communities across South Hams took a research trip to visit the Loop Frome compost project in Somerset, with the hope of applying what we learnt there to new community projects in South Hams.

February 24, 2025

All about the South Hams Tree Warden Network

Tree Wardens are volunteers who are united in their love of trees and hedges and want to conserve as many of them as they can within their parish or town.

January 28, 2025

Nominations open for Wild About Devon Awards

Wild About Devon wants to celebrate the amazing community groups, councils and individuals who are giving Devon’s wildlife a helping hand.

January 27, 2025

Events

TWO DAY Community Composting Gathering & Masterclass

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Positive Tipping Points for Climate and Nature Action

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Home Composting Masterclass

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Resources

A Guide to Repurposing Brown Bins

In 2023, many brown wheelie bins in South Hams became redundant due to the garden waste collection by South Hams District Council (SHDC) becoming chargeable. We have worked with SHDC to explore the potential for repurposing, upcycling, and reusing the bins to save resources.

Community Composting in the South Hams

If you've been thinking of starting a community composting project in your area, this online guide is a great overview of everything you need to know to get started. From planning the project to sourcing volunteers and becoming a community business, this guide is a fantastic resource filled with exemplar projects and resources to get you off on the right foot.

Compost Workshop Materials

Compost Workshop information for Ben Bryant's workshops

Groups

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

Charity

Bigbury Net Zero

Bigbury Net Zero is a community group promoting cooperation between neighbouring parishes in Aveton Gifford, Thurlestone, Ringmore, Kingston & Modbury in order to reduce our joint carbon footprint and rebuild nature between the River Avon and the River Erme.

20-100

Community Association

Sustainable South Brent

We now have a number of well-established projects, including the Marsh Composting Centre, a school garden, a hedges and woodland group and the 4B's. We have more than 200 members. SSB works closely with South Brent Parish Council who declared a Climate and Ecological Emergency in 2019. The Trustee group is presently reviewing strategic priorities and is currently focussing new effort around transport and energy projects.

100+

Charity