Who is this for?
2023 was the hottest year on record, and we are already at the limit of 1.5 degrees C. Climate change is with us, and nature will take its course. Action on climate change has also become a political football, with the government announcing they want to go slower in this emergency. If a house was on fire would you go slower?
Changing our lifestyles can save us money as well as save the planet, but everyone needs three questions to be answered before they will make changes to what they have done for years:
- Genuine discontent with the present situation
- A clear vision of what the future will look like
- A proven plan of how to get there
Come along to this workshop to get answers to these three questions.
We will show you why we think we should be unhappy with the current situation. We will go through the evidence, why it is urgent we take action, and why it is certain. The research shows that 7 % of people in the UK know this and are taking action, but the rest do not think that taking action is a priority. This is for that 83 %.
We will explain Carbon Footprints. We will also go through what life would look like if you lived in a low-carbon way. We will look at food, transport, energy, what you buy, and what actions you can take. We will also show you how energy costs can be reduced by 80 %, food costs can be reduced by 30 % and how better travel can help everyone. You can reduce your travel costs from 15 pence per mile to 3 pence per mile. You can help yourself and others meet the cost of living crisis which will be worse this winter.
We will also give you a plan of how you can change your lifestyle, and change others’ lifestyles so we can all benefit. We have a plan for you to take action.
At present, we feel that people are waiting for things to happen. But we passionately believe that action to tackle climate change must be demand-led and not supply-driven. Consumers can and will provide the leadership on where we need to go to improve our lives.
Find out more about the workshop in this short video
Carbon Literacy Project
This workshop has been approved by the Carbon Literacy Project. They are a brilliant organisation that researches and develops the training material and then enables others to deliver the material. They define carbon literacy as:
“An awareness of the carbon dioxide costs and impacts of everyday activities, and the ability and motivation to reduce emissions, on an individual, community and organisational basis.”
They also help develop organisations to become better at increasing this awareness. We are a platinum-level Carbon Literate Organisation – which is the highest award available.
They believe that one day of education is enough to enable people to be confident in what they know, pledge actions which they take to their community, and help others to understand why they need to take action. Any less than that is just a taster, that does not ensure action.
Following your one day of education, you can become Carbon Literate qualified by completing their assessment. You clarify what you have learned and then pledge two actions. One as an individual and one as a group. They will assess you and if your answers are good, then they will provide you with your certificate.
It will also look good on your CV.
What is the agenda?
The course will cover:
- The Basic science – so that you will know how to be confident in the scientific evidence, and counter the usual arguments about the fact this is not an emergency. We will also illustrate the consequences of climate change so you can see and explain why we need to take action in our private and public lives. This will show you why you should be discontented.
- How to reduce your carbon footprint. We all create carbon and other toxic gases, and there are several software programs to help you measure your personal, and community impact. We will show you how to use those tools, with a practical example, and use that measure to change what you do on a day-to-day basis. We will deal with food, travel, energy, and what you buy. We will show you how much you can save by doing the right things for the planet. We will point you to the right providers for energy for instance. We will show you how to save energy costs, reduce travel costs and eat the right things. This will help you create your vision.
- International, national and local action. We will give you the background of the international work that is going on, the UK legal framework, progress on targets, and how you can take action locally. We will show why going slow on cars, boilers, red meat and air travel is wrong, based on factual evidence and the impact of this on increasing our emissions.
- Creating a plan. We will provide ideas of what you can do, and how to make a plan of how to make change happen in your personal lifestyle and by helping others to change their lifestyles. This can contribute to you creating a pledge of action in your personal life, and a pledge of what you can do with others to make change happen, through local groups.
- Communication. If you leave the course and talk to ten people about what needs to be done, and those ten people talk to another ten people and so on, we will soon all go in the right direction. But communicating by telling people what they must do does not work. It is helpful to listen, understand, and ensure that communication is directly relevant, The best practice is to avoid scaring people. It is better to show how change is relevant to their own lives, and will benefit them financially as well as in the way they live.
How long is it?
The 7 1/2-hour course is structured around three 2 and-1/2-hour sessions scheduled across three separate evenings.
You have to attend all three sessions to qualify for the Carbon Literacy certificate, and there is a little bit of homework to do to find out your footprint. We also point you towards various websites and videos that will give you more background.
How much does it cost?
The price is normally £110.00 per person (no VAT is charged), which includes the materials, and the teaching, and includes the £10.00 certificate application fee to the Carbon Literacy Trust.
We use this money to help fund projects in communities. A recent attendee has applied for a grant to create a shed, buy some tools, and grow local produce. Brilliant.
You will also learn how to save money and energy. We pointed out that the Energy Saving Trust recommend you have a four-minute shower instead of an eight-minute shower to save £ 95.00 per year. One delegate “confessed” that they spent 45 minutes in the shower, so they will be saving around £ 1,000 per year after coming to this course !!!
Please do view this brilliant BBC TV programme “Shop Well For the Planet” which featured a couple in Shrewsbury who saved themselves £ 1,000 per year, and reduced their carbon footprint by 2 tonnes per year:
Click on the following button
If you want to donate to our cause, then please click on the DONATE button at the side of the page.
When is it?
The next SOS CIO courses are scheduled at the following times:
Jan 10,17,24 2024 6.30 pm to 9.00 pm
April 15,22,29 6.00 pm to 8.30 pm
June 13,20,27 6.00 pm to 8.30 pm
Where is it?
We will deliver the course over the internet using Zoom. We will send you the link shortly before the course to enable you to join for three days.
Book it
Please fill in your personal details, go to the Course Name, and select Householders Course.
Then go to the Date box and select the date for the course
Terms and Conditions
The booking is subject to our normal terms and conditions concerning payment of a deposit, payment in full and cancellations 30 days before the course date. Please review the Ts and Cs by clicking on the following button:
