Southend-on-Sea in Transition

Joining the Three Tonne Club simply represents an aspiration and commitment to minimising your carbon emissions. As individuals we need to cut our average footprint from 13.4 tonnes to a more sustainable three tonnes, and we need to start doing it now. WEN thinks the changes we need to make can, and should be, enjoyable; and to that end we have produced a carbon-cutting handbook and put sociabiltiy and fun at the heart of it.

South East Essex Women’s Environmental Network are thinking of starting one in the future so if you are interested now contact them to register your interest at their website SEEWEN.

Three Tonne Club Handbook
The Three Tonne Club Handbook is a guide for groups and individuals who want to take action to cut their carbon footprint. It has been very well received: click here to see what others have said about it.

The Handbook recommends:

• shift 1 tonne off home energy footprint with home energy savings

• cut land travel emissions by walking and cycling more

• reduce flying emissions by replacing short haul flights with travelling by train or ferry

• cut food CO₂ by adopting a healthier diet

• compensate for other tricky tonnage by enabling organisations and workplaces to change

Almost everyone in the UK accepts and understands that climate change is a big issue and many people want to take action but they don’t know where to start. With the Three Tonne Club, members have the opportunity to ‘weigh in’ their carbon footprint, to learn about climate change, to share tips and ideas, and find the support they need when times are hard. Success can be measured by ‘weighing-out’ when all of the sections of the handbook have been covered. You can start by showing the handbook to a friend and measuring each other’s footprints.  Make it fun – like a party not a protest march!

The Handbook forms an important element of the Three Tonne Club initiative, offering a simple and easy-to-follow reference and framework for establishing 3TC groups in real communities, whether they are communities of locality or of interest.

The Three Tonne Club Handbook is written by Ann Link, Jo Budd and Biba Hartigan, published by Women’s Environmental Network, and features cartoons by Angela Martin and an agony aunt called Three Tonne Tina who answers common questions and deals with confusing myths.

How you can get involved

• Start a Three Tonne Club!
  The Three Tonne Club Handbook costs £3.50 including p&p. Order your copy from WEN by using the print and post form or Contact Tamara Rayment, Three Tonne Club Project Officer for more information about getting started: climatechange@wen.org.uk Tel: 020 7481 9004

Filed under: Awareness Raising |