Sustainable Cottenham is Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) formed out of a volunteer group of Cottenham residents, originally a working group to Cottenham Parish Council.
Our charitable objectives are To promote for the benefit of the public in and around the civil parish of Cottenham Cambridgeshire:
(1) the advancement of education in the subject of sustainable* living in particular, but not exclusively, by raising awareness of the issues associated with sustainable resource use
(2) the advancement of education in the conservation, protection and improvement of the environment, in particular but not exclusively by encouraging the prudent use of natural resources, reducing pollution and raising awareness of environmental issues
Our vision is for Cottenham to be a greener, cleaner and better place for current and future residents.
Our method is to identify opportunities for collective and individual actions to to reduce consumption of resources, and to enhance the community’s environment and health.
Our actions include:
- plastic free’ initiatives – to eliminate unnecessary single use plastics
- litter picks – to reduce environmental pollution and boost pride in our community
- cycle path maintenance – to encourage cycling and improve safety
- thermal imaging surveys (for heat loss) – to help residents understand whether their house insulation could be improved
- yard sales – to enable reuse of unwanted items
- we support our local repair café – to help extend the useful life of household goods
- we are currently looking into ways in which social cohesion can be enhanced e.g. by means of social events where young and old can meet to exchange tales, skills and cakes
*The UN defines sustainability as ‘meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.’ Sustainability encompasses economic and social aspects as well as environmental.