Impact of participating
The difficulty of engaging with people has meant that Bryony isn't sure how accurately they're sticking to their pledges. "I'm hoping that the new scheme where you can make your own pledges will improve things" she says. "It's a good move for this audience where people are probably already doing some of the standard pledges".
Although Sally’s knowledge hasn’t expanded as much as she’d wanted from being part of Greener Together, she admits that she’s much more aware of a global energy problem than she was before. “Things being made a little more difficult for me also gives me a better understanding of what it must be like for people in other parts of the world. It’s made me think more globally by acting on a more local, personal level”. She also thinks that she’ll be more ready to ask questions than she was in the past when purchasing bigger items, such as a new fridge.
ScienceDirect - International Journal of Educational Development : Women and literacy in rural Mali: a study of the socio-economic impact of participating in literacy programs in four villages
The costs benefits of cutting down energy use have also been a positive impact. However, Sally also acknowledges that the financial returns on some of her efforts won’t be as immediate. “We’re putting photovoltaics on the roof and although we’ll get the feed-in tariff benefits immediately, the return on the panelling is going to be a few more years down the line. However, it will be a positive return in the end because it will have benefitted us, and it’ll also be good for the price of the house when we come to sell”.
Sally admits that although the couple were going to get the panels anyway, it’s becoming part of Greener Together that has galvanised her to discuss it with her husband and do it sooner. “We’re discussing the issues far more and I don’t think I would have prompted things to happen as quickly before. I would have just waited for my husband to take the initiative. Being part of Greener Together has definitely accelerated some changes.”
ESW is concerned with the search for globally sustainable, whole and ecologically sound technologies and ways of life. Within this search the role of ESW is to explore and demonstrate a wide range of alternatives, communicating to other people the options for them to achieve positive change in their own lives.
Mission
Inspiring - instilling the desire to change by practical example
Informing - feeding the desire to change by providing the most appropriate information on renwables
Enabling - providing effective and continuing support to put the change into practice.
ESW has a holistic approach to its work, integrating ideas and practice relating to land use, shelter, energy conservation and use, diet and health, waste management and recycling.
What The papers Say
Projects MSC on the Menu: Triggering Wider Demand for Sustainable Seafood Eat Into Greener Living Aiming Higher Broadening the Reach of TravelSmart Climate Solidarity Greener Together EcoTeams Share: Social Housing Action on Resources and Environment Resources Climate
Eco News
Top ten energy saving tips
•Stop wasting energy
•Tips to save water
•Get a grant today
SolidarityClimate Outreach and Information Network (COIN)< >Entry Information >< > Greener TogetherCo-operatives UK< >Entry Information >< > EcoTeamsGlobal Action Plan< >Entry Information >< > MSC on the MenuMarine Stewardship Council< >Entry Information >< > Eat Into Greener LivingNational Trust< >Entry Information >< > Aiming HigherNational Union of Students< >Entry Information >< > Broadening the Reach of Travel SmartSustrans< >Entry Information >< > SHARE: Social Housing Action on Resources and EnvironmentWaterwise< >Entry Information >< > Behaviour."
Events
'Social enterprise and the environment' event June 25, 2011
FREE Training - how will climate change affect your community? June 25, 2011
Greener Living Fund launch - first pictures June 25, 2011
Wood Energy
Greener Living Programme launched June 23, 2011
The third sector gave us the welfare state, can it give us the sustainable state? June 22, 2011
UK Climate Projections launched (significant!) June 18, 2011
Funding Central launched June 17, 2011
Third Sector Climate Change Declaration June 15, 2011
Real Help for Communities: Volunteers, Charities and Social Enterprises June 7, 2011
Every Action Counts Film June 5, 2011
Energy Saving
The difficulty of engaging with people has meant that Bryony isn’t sure how accurately they’re sticking to their pledges. “I’m hoping that the new scheme where you can make your own pledges will improve things” she says. “It’s a good move for this audience where people are probably already doing some of the standard pledges”. 
Wood Burning Energy
The renewable energy industry in Wales is providing the potential for new Wood Energy Businesses to be established by entrepreneurial individuals or co-operatives. www.woodenergybusiness.co.uk A Wood Energy Business will need: 1. A guaranteed, local supply of wood or processed wood fuel 2.
Solar Power
The Government has set targets for the number of UK households that will have installed solar panels to their home. Contrary to popular believe the UK has over 65% of the radiation that Spain receives which is more than enough to guarantee a the function of a Solar PV system. With the Government's feed-in tariff in place that allows an income to be produced from installing solar energy the number of homes that rely soley on solar power is set to rise.