individual impact

Carbon Literacy Training September 2025

Following the great success of our previous Carbon Literacy training courses, we're looking forward to offering the next 4-week course starting 2nd September 2025. After completing the equivalent of one day's worth of training and committing to carbon-reducing actions, you will be deemed Carbon Literate and

water

Great UK WaterBlitz 2025

Last year we wrote a piece1 suggesting you might like to take part in the Great UK WaterBlitz. This is a fantastic initiative that enables us all to do something positive about the shocking condition of many bodies of water in the UK, by using a simple free kit to

council

Net Zero

Net Zero, like its friend ULEZ, has become a rallying cry, a flag up a political flagpole. But the noise of it flapping in the wind cannot drown out the fact that Net Zero and ULEZ are our true friends. And if Net Zero and ULEZ are ultimately good for

meeting reports

Report of public meeting 17 July 2025

July's guest speaker was Ruth Rolls, WNC Nature Recovery Strategy Officer. Ruth gave us an excellent overview of the Local Nature Recovery Strategy for West Northamptonshire. The meeting was recorded and is available to watch on YouTube1, and Ruth's slides are available to download2. On Saturday

council

Council Watch - 2025 Climate Action Scorecards

Council Climate Action Scorecards are produced by Climate Emergency UK – the latest scorecards were released in June based on data from 1 January 2020 up to 31 October 2024 (for most questions). There are 73 questions in total across 7 categories. There’s a careful methodology behind the scorecards, and

podcastshelf

Strong Message Here: The New Brexit

Net Zero is getting a lot of attention recently, possibly even becoming that most cliched thing, a political football. This podcast, presented by Helen Lewis and Armando Iannucci, explores the ‘use and abuse of language in politics’. It’s both entertaining and insightful, and this particular episode focuses on Net

business

Greener Pastures: How ‘Mechanical Cows’ Are Redefining Rural Energy

VIDA Bioenergy is a wholly owned subsidiary of VTTI, a global leader in energy infrastructure, based in the Netherlands. VIDA bioenergy was launched in January 2025, with the aim of it becoming one of Europe’s leading biomethane producers, dedicated to transforming biomass into renewable energy.   As a new developer,

food & farming

Lieutenancy Climate and Sustainability Walk; Saturday 17 May, 2025

After a chilly start, it turned into a glorious day with hedges and ditches a froth of white, hawthorn and cow parsley, meadows with jewels, buttercups and campion, and dark woods carpeted in sinister garlic mustard.  Although we did not count, some thirty people set off shepherded by guides from

individual impact

Take A Break!

Numerous news and consumer programmes on radio and TV have recently discussed the over-use of mobile phones, and in particular, the impact mobile ownership has on children and teenagers.  Schools have banned their use since the first decade of this century, but have been overwhelmed by the impossibility of preventing

recipes

Simple Salads for Sultry Days

It really has been far too hot to cook recently.  We have used up almost all our pre-cooked meals from the freezer, and most of the time we’ve opted for something “quick and simple”.  You can make a salad with almost anything, either raw or cooked and cooled – potato

transport

Reasons to be Cheerful

It is easy to get caught up in a web of negativity so with the sun blazing a path for the blue sky this evening, I decided to take a walk to some of the seedlings of progress that have appeared over the last year or so. The New Junction

bookshelf

Come What May by Lucy Easthope

At CA-WN we’ve talked quite a bit recently about ‘adaptation’ to climate change, especially in our discussion on this topic at our April meeting. It’s evident that as a society and individuals we need to do more to prepare ourselves for a world of changed climate. Lucy Easthope

meeting reports

Report of public meeting 19 June

Our guest speaker this month was Bruce Durham, founder of Harborough Woodland (HW)1. This community group have made a tremendous impact since their beginnings 5 years ago – you can read more about their story here2. They are also running a free training event on Saturday 28 June – details on

council

Reform to what?

I will start with a promise, to myself more than anyone else, that the next thing I write for the CA-WN Exchange will return to the subjects of local transport, pedestrianisation and localism. Subjects that I believe are essential not only to the green cause but to the prosperity of

business

Flour Power: How The Good Loaf Changes Lives Daily

The Good Loaf CIC (Community Interest Company) is a Northampton-based social enterprise that is ‘as passionate about giving people a chance as we are about producing delicious artisan bread’. The Good Loaf has been transforming lives since it opened in 2015. Located in the historic Boot and Shoe Quarter, this

nature

The Riches of Uncut Grass

Eluned Nicholls, Parish Councillor in Kingsthorpe, shares her experience of No Mow May We are now in the third year of No Mow May1 and Kingsthorpe Village’s verges and greens are showing signs of a remarkable recovery from years of being cut to within inches of life. Take a

podcastshelf

Rare Earth Podcast + The Rest Is Politics on Net Zero

Rare Earth - Is Net Zero a toxic brand? It's no secret that not everyone thinks Net Zero is a good idea - those on the climate-sceptic end of the spectrum see it as misguided at best, and even some who understand the harsh reality of climate change

bookshelf

And So I Roar by Abi Daré

This book is the first winner of the Climate Fiction Prize1, launched this year. The team behind the prize explained why: We want to reward and showcase powerful stories that depict the human response to climate change; how it impacts us and how society responds.  For societies to fully grasp

housing

My experience of installing an Air Source Heat Pump

This article comes from Mick Lorkins, CA-WN Steering Group member and founder of Northamptonshire Woodland Community Volunteers. We think it provides exactly the sort of honest and comprehensive information householders need - if you have an experience of making 'green' home improvements that you would like to share,

food & farming

Solar panels trial on polytunnels

CA-WN's Farming Correspondent, Rupert Knowles, shared this article about flexible solar panels on polytunnels being used to power farm equipment, and added some comments of his own on the possibilities of technology for fruit harvesting. Hugh Lowe Farms trials polytunnel solar panelsElectric Berry project powers farm tools and

meeting reports

Report of public meeting 15 May 2025

May’s speaker was Natasha Ginks. Natasha is a qualified Retrofit Co-ordinator with considerable practical experience as well as qualifications in the field of home retrofit. Natasha’s presentation was titled "Where to start with retrofit" - the slides are available to download1 and a recording of the

Carbon Literacy training Summer 2025

Following the great success of our previous Carbon Literacy training courses, we're looking forward to offering the next 4-week course starting in early June. After completing the equivalent of one day's worth of training and committing to carbon-reducing actions, you will be deemed Carbon Literate and

New in CA-WN Exchange for May

This month's CA-WN Exchange highlights the sustainability achievements of West Northamptonshire Council over the past four years1, includes insights from Steering Group member Mick Lorkins2, and features a post about grasses3 along with regular bookshelf,4 podcast5 and recipe6 suggestions. And it's Hedgehog Awareness week7. Local

nature

A Journey Through Grass

Members of CA-WN are involved in a grassland project, which aims to draw attention to the nature recovery potential of areas of grassland from road-side verges to small meadows. As a member of this group I considered it worthwhile to explore the importance of grassland and its relationship to humans.

council

Council Watch May 2025 – End of Term Report

Four years ago, the first West Northamptonshire Council was elected – a unitary authority that replaced four predecessors: Daventry Borough Council, Northampton Borough Council, Northamptonshire County Council and South Northamptonshire District Council. Lots of shoes to fill, and not an easy transition to make. There is now a new group of