organisations promoting zero waste and low carbon living

CAT has been at the forefront of the environmental movement in the UK since it was first established as a self-sufficient community on the site of an disused slate quarry in the 1970s. 

Today  

it is an educational charity dedicated to researching and communicating positive solutions for environmental change.

They speak to government and campaigners about policies that would help create a zero carbon Britain; they train students in all aspects of sustainability; they help schoolchildren to understand the importance of action on climate change; and they give advice to householders on what they can do in their own homes.

Environmental Smart create and deliver sustainable projects and campaigns, with solutions and actions that can reduce emissions and support, educate, inform and inspire to benefit society, from school kids to community groups, businesses to the public sector.

To do that they work with communities, individuals and organisations to put their environmental values into action.  

St Nicks is a centre for nature and green living a mile from York City Centre. Set in a re-wilded former landfill site, they run eco-therapy courses on site for those experiencing or recovering from mental illness. They also have a range of online learning resources around sustainability, zero waste living and the environment.

  Speak Carbon are an accredited training provider for the Carbon Literacy Project. Their objectives are to provide easy to access online courses to: help people make meaningful progress in reducing their carbon footprints by getting to grips with the fundamental principles of climate change; and to give people the tools to talk persuasively and engagingly about the climate crisis in order to inspire others to make changes as well. If you know of an organisation or community group who could benefit from learning how to speak carbon, or if you would like to learn to deliver this training yourself, please get in touch. 

 An amazing project promoting zero waste living by helping people across Leeds to learn how to repair broken items that might otherwise go to landfill. Currently offering advice online via their Facebook page, they hope to be able to return to running socially-distanced face to face sessions as soon as it's safe to do so. Join the group and check for updates on the link above.  

 If you want to reduce the amount of plastic you're using and throwing away/recycling, there are several zero waste shops now operating in West Yorkshire where you can take your empty containers to be refilled. Check out Refill and Go in Garforth,  Seagulls Refills in Kirkstall and Waste Not in Burley in Wharfedale. If you know of any others you'd like us to include here, drop us a line through the contact us form and we'll be in touch.  

Leeds Environmental Design Associates are an engineering and architectural co-operative specialising in environmentally friendly, energy efficient design.  The LEDA team use their knowledge and skills to provide the widest sustainable benefits to clients and communities. They focus on how people use and understand buildings and combine passive strategies with active technologies to create pleasant and healthy environments that are easy to control.   

Recycle Now is the national recycling campaign for England, supported and funded by Government, managed by WRAP and used locally by over 90% of English authorities.

They help people recycle more things, more often. More than six out of ten people now describe themselves as committed recyclers, compared to less than half when the campaign began in 2004. 

Rooted Wings runs forest school sessions and wild-ness retreats for children and families. 

Otley 2030 is doing great work in connecting environmental initiatives and causes in the Otley area with the aim of cutting emissions by 20% a year every year in order to reach net zero by 2030. 

Otley energy aims to tackle emissions through energy generation & use and has been involved in several projects including getting solar panels fitted on a local school. They are currently working with Leeds City Council to create a one-stop-shop providing information to local residents on how to increase the energy efficiency of their homes.

  Leeds Community Energy are working to develop community-owned renewable energy generation projects. Their aspiration is to combat fuel poverty and create a fair and clean, sustainable environment for future generations. Promoting renewable and sustainable approaches including energy conservation by educating the general public and lobbying authorities.  

York Community Energy works to address energy and climate issues in the City of York area. Their mission is to promote the principle and practice of community-owned renewable energy, to build support and ultimately install one or more energy sources to sell electricity to local consumers or to the grid at large.