despina

name

Despina

background

27 year old Greek ecologist, working on natural resource management for sustainability at the community level, and teaching physical geography.

Leeds (admin)

“”We obviously need effective carbon policies, and rationing was looking disturbingly like the only feasible and somewhat equitable option. So I joined my local CRAG mainly to explore possibilities! Exchanging tips with other people who were also striving to cut on their carbon also seemed like a good idea, but I hadn't appreciated at the time just how valuable a resource my fellow CRAGgers would turn out to be! And kind of nice too.

profile

In the 2006-07 carbon year my house electricity and gas and my non-work travel related emissions were about 4,5 tonnes according to the Leeds carbon calculator. I was already living with lots of people - 6 of us if we are ever all around the house at one time!, and we don't go crazy on the heating, so my house-related emissions were already fairly low. Though a lot of improvements yet to be made on the insulation front! But I had visited my family in Greece once in that period, and had my backpack stolen/missed my train so a little bit of flying that shouldn't have been in there.. In the 2007-08 carbon year, with no flying or travelling abroad, I'm looking at an easy <2 tn.. I'm still on a reasonably steep reduction slope (I think), as a lot of fairly cheap, easy and efficient home insulation measures are in the pipeline (thankyou CRAG, and shame on the 6 of us for not being quicker off the mark..). We are also applying for a grant for some further work on the house.

expertise

Learning about social learning, organising workshops, and building on facilitation and group decision making skills..