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Minutes 5th CRAG Meeting 6 September 2007.
Present :
Caroline Copelston
Mary Bassendine
Louise Shrubsole
Ian Smith
David Bassendine
James Bassendine
Susan Fallmann
Philip Webb
Agenda
1. Our CRAG rules: Allowances & Prices: Group or individual allowances? (involving high emitters) What level of allowance are we going to go for in the coming year? * Are we going to use financial penalties and rewards? If so, what should be the price, should there be a cap, and to what use would we put any proceeds?
last year’s footprints: David: 3.4t, Rosemary: 8.3t, Sue: 3.2t, Mary B: 14t, Mary E: 4.3t, Caroline: 4.76t, Lisa: 6.7t (estimate)
2. Bills or meter readings? Are bills regular enough to cover our carbon year, or do we need to
take meter readings? If so, how often should we take readings and how should we collate that information
3. Meeting schedule. How many meetings do we need for basic CRAG stuff, and should these be compulsory? Other meetings for C reduction, visits, etc?
4. Biomass / community projects. Feedback from the last biomass visit to Ian’s place? Should we do this under a wider framework eg Transition Towns, Low Carbon Communities? How are we going to take forward a public biomass meeting?
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4. Biomasss
First we discussed the item 4 on the Agenda, (our counting does get better later….)
about Biomass( we were going to hold a public info eve about it.) and publicity for the group. We feel frustrated and sad that there aren’t more people coming but realise we need to advertise it far more and sort of relaunch it. We went on to see if worth doing the Biomass public meeting as soo expensive for householders anyway.
Louise mentioned there is to be a Biomass Meeting at T Wells& it might be part of the S East Energy Conf – sponsored by SEEDA – ask Louise for details. Ian Smith mentioned REA might be good to get in touch with.
Philip mentioned Transition Towns ( which deal with Peak Oil & Climate change. Group discussed this and felt Peak Oil could fudge issue as some not 100% convinced about Peak Oil.
Caroline mentioned she was going to explain Carbon Footprint at WI meeting locally.
Louise mentioned CAFÉ website – community action for energy.
Susan said she’d send everyone details about low carbon communities.
If we did do Biomass it was suggested that we get Glen Morris along and rep from Low Carbon Commission or Carbon Trust along, Energy Savings Trust too.
Mary was keen for us to more informed and trained to counter arguments and Louise mentioned training sessions available for some areas:in Carbon/Energy Champions. : Otford, Shoreham, Westerham and Hextable. She will look into whether we would qualify too.
We felt Shoreham would benefit from Biomass talk but no one at group from Shoreham at meeting!. So , we will look into it but not a priority.
1&2. CRAG rules & Bills and Meter readings:
Next meeting 4th October we will recalculate our Carbon and then on will do it every 3 months . Please email figures to David before the meeting if u cant make the meeting.
Discussion on allowance – personal one or a group set one?
V interesting discussion followed . Louise suggested money should go to a fund for someone who cant afford roof insulation or similar as it would be a good thing to give too.
Discussed separate figures and with /without flights.
Decided that all had to be included and there should be a group average target of 5 tonnes each or less and that there should be a sliding scale of percentages for those to achieve.
So :
Those with 15-20 tonnes to reduce by 25% in year 1
Those with 10-15 tonnes to reduce by 20%.
Those with 7-10 tonnes by 15%
Those with 5-7 tonnes by 10%
those with 5 Tonnes or less by 5%
This allows for the fact that it gets harder as you reduce the carbon. We will include everything ( incl flights). It is also important to engage high emitters in the group, and keeps low emitters on their toes!
Financial penalties are per kilo exceeded. Stern report puts carbon at 4p so £40-00 per tonne.
Capped at £100-00 per year ( discretionary for those on low income)
We should us this as a publicity tool, and mention have the account with green bank – Triodos or Ecological if free.
3. Meeting Schedule.
Decided need to meet as email not enough and suggestion of public meetings to get more people involve and first one should be about green travel.
So everyone will research getting somewhere green for next meeting on October for public meeting/workshop in November.
Mary – India
Caroline- European city break
Susan – Spain
Philip – cruise
James – France
David – Scandinavia
Louise – Devon
Ian – UK
David also said he’d look into designing leaflet/posters and Louise suggested piggy backing a parish council meeting so we have a ready audience. She will investigate.
Also idea of a meeting about a Carbon free Xmas.
Finished up by discussing more publicity with the Chronicle, the Vine, an event Photo
With a Big footprint ( re Carbon ) etc. More ideas please!
Maybe use Bonfire night too.!
Keep cutting that Carbon!! Every small action adds up to a big difference!!