Big Carbon Challenge Competition Winners Announced!

And the winners are...

In January 2011, ORCC and Climate-X, in conjunction with the Oxfordshire Rural Housing Partnership and Cottsway Housing Association, launched The Big Carbon Challenge- a carbon reduction competition.

There were six entrants from community groups, which competed to drive down the carbon emissions of their competition group.  Entrants were trained in the Carbon Conversations method of low-carbon living and undertook a range of climate action activities in their communities. 

The judges were very impressed with the number and quality of events that entrants organised and the other community groups they involved.  Some worked with the local school and the village Age Concern group, some ran community composting days, seed swaps, swap shops, bicycle repair workshops...  Others held a green fair.  

All in all the competition was a fantastic showcase of the means and methods that can be used to get all the community involved in working to a common end, which is really what carbon reduction initiatives are all about- generalising the message. 

And the winners were!

• The most inspiring community engagement strategy- East Hendred. 

• Second place in this category went to Hailey

• The group with the largest carbon reduction, 5.4 tonnes total- Shrivenham

• Second place with 5.2 tonnes of carbon savings went to East Hendred

• Special prize for ongoing work in the community- Eynsham

The winners shared a total of £1500 in prize money, which will give a real boost to these groups and lead to ongoing climate action work in their communities.