Urbanism
Environment
Design

info@urbed.coop

The Carbon Co-op is an URBED Co-op initiative, managed by Jonathan Atkinson of Low Winter Sun, aimed at setting up bulk buying co-operatives to help make low carbon technologies more affordable and simpler for people to buy: Clubbing together as streets and communities people will be able to buy energy saving goods at a discount, everything from energy monitors to solar panels, helping them save money on energy bills and do their bit for the environment.

The Kindling Trust has been working with the Co-op to run a series of carbon budgeting workshops in homes and streets around South Manchester. Using social networks, the Co-op target groups of friends and neighbours to help them work out what they are spending on energy in their homes and how they might reduce that figure. The Co-op looks at ways neighbours might work together to instigate larger projects such as community-owned solar panels or Combined Heat & Power units.

The aim being: to overcome the Catch 22 situation that low carbon technologies are too expensive for mainstream take up but wont drop in price until demand picks up significantly.

For more information please visit the carbon coop website.