British Gas Green StreetsHyde Farm CAN was recently confirmed as one of 14 community groups around the country to be part of the British Gas Green Streets programme. Around 40 households are participating in the scheme. They and the local school will receive around £100,000 worth of energy efficiency and renewable energy measures from British Gas.

The Hyde Farm 'Eco-House' or The 40% Hyde Farm HouseholdWe have been working out how to reduce our household carbon emissions and reckon we can achieve a 60% reduction without a radical change to our lifestyles. It depends on the starting point of course, so we have decided to try to define the '40% Hyde Farm Household' - a household that emits around 40% of the emissions of an average Hyde Farm household, or the equivalent of less than five tonnes per person per year.
We hope that if we can get a number of people to try to become '40% Hyde Farm Households' we can demonstrate exactly what is needed and what kind of advantages it can bring. It will make it easier for people to understand what they need to do to reduce their carbon footprint. We live in leaky Victorian/Edwardian houses, which are difficult to treat, but we have found some good solutions and local suppliers. If we can make people aware of the opportunities for internal wall insulation when they are decorating or making alterations to their house, this will help. Otherwise we have a fantastic choice of organic food shops in Balham, and charity shops. Using these shops is perhaps an easier way to achieve a quick reduction in carbon emissions, than making changes to our houses. Of course insualting and draught-proofing will be particularly important, with 40% energy price rises forecast for next winter.
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The Hyde Farm Community Garden is based around the disused St Thomas’s Church Hall in Radbourne Road and is worked as a community project, aiming to encourage more people to take part, to learn more about organic food growing, to grow some food at home themselves and maybe take a fresh look how the food we purchase affects the wider environment. Garden produce is shared with those that help and any surplus sold to raise funds for rent, insurance, seeds and equipment. Please see discussion below for some recent news.
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