Leicestershire Residents Invites to Carbon Literacy Courses

A local community group is inviting Leicestershire residents to engage in a days' worth of learning about the climate crisis and the ways in which individuals and communities can tackle it, having received a grant from Leicestershire Council.

Transition Loughborough has received a SHIRE Environment Grant from Leicestershire County Council to run online Carbon Literacy courses for Leicestershire residents during 2021. Carbon Literate Leicestershire follows on from a successful Carbon Literate Charnwood project which began during 2020 and will conclude in 2021.

The first two courses will run in May and June. Anyone living, working and/or studying in Leicestershire is welcome to sign up: www.eventbrite.co.uk/o/transition-loughborough-17009317560

Carbon Literacy is defined 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." The course will cover topics such as climate change science, the ways in which the climate crisis is already impacting us, both locally and globally, and what we can do to act as individuals, communities and organisations.

All attendees will make two pledges to cut their own, and their communities, carbon footprint and attendees can receive a certificate of accreditation once their pledges have been assessed by the national Carbon Literacy Project.

Caroline Harmon, a member of Transition Loughborough and the lead trainer for the project, said:

'We are delighted to be able to bring this training to the whole of Leicestershire. The course we will be running has been designed with Leicestershire residents and communities in mind, but participants will be joining more than 17,000 people around the UK and the world who have completed a Carbon Literacy course.'

Christiane Startin-Lorent, a Town Councillor and a trainer for the project, said:

'Carbon Literacy courses are a great way to help ensure we reach Leicestershire's target to be net zero by 2045. They encourage peer-to-peer learning and will allow communities across the county to share ideas and experiences of tackling the climate crisis at a community level.'

Jon Knight, also a member of Transition Loughborough, said:

'Transition Loughborough has been working on local, practical solutions to the climate crisis for more than a decade. We are excited to combine our experience and knowledge with a Carbon Literacy course.

'In 2020 we ran Carbon Literate Charnwood courses (funded by Charnwood Borough Council) and these were well received. Participants made pledges as diverse as setting up a community car club, exploring the possibility of putting renewables on community buildings, and encouraging their employers to pursue net zero carbon plans. We really hope that people from across the county will find the courses just as useful and that they will help accelerate Leicestershire County Council plans for the county to achieve net zero by 2045.'

A participant on one of the Carbon Literate Charnwood courses said:

'I thought I knew a lot about climate change before I started, but quickly discovered I didn't know as much as I thought! It really made me think about what more I can do on a personal and an organisational level.'

The courses are open to anyone living in Leicestershire. Unfortunately, they are not open to Leicester city residents.

Contact: Caroline Harmon: transitionlboro@gmail.com / 07954 377569