Sustainable Living Guide: INTRODUCTION

INTRODUCTION

Southampton is a great city with a history going back to the Stone Age. It has been a Roman settlement, a Medieval port and a Georgian spa town. It has its problems, including poverty and air pollution, and as a coastal city is at risk of sea level rise. But it is also a City of Sanctuary – and is on its way to becoming a National Park City (see Southampton National Park City’s website https://www.southamptonnpc.com/ )

TRANSITION SOUTHAMPTON
We are a community of volunteers who care about making our city happier, healthier and
greener. We work with local communities, organisations and local Government and our activities include practical projects, talks, social events and more. Everything we do comes from the passions of our volunteers.

IMAGINING A BETTER FUTURE
In 2016 we ran a series of meetings called Imagine Southampton, imagining what a happier, healthier,
greener city would look like. Our Time Machine project continues this theme by inviting participants to imagine a trip to 2030.

SoCAN (Southampton Climate Action Network)
We are founder members of SoCAN https://www.sotoncan.org.uk/ a coalition of community groups, organisations, businesses and individuals that promotes Southampton’s work towards becoming an environmentally sustainable and
regenerative city. SoCAN now hosts our Southampton Sustainability Directory which contains information on the groups, people, businesses and organisations making a positive difference to our city. The directory contains much more information and useful links than we have space for in this guide.

DOUGHNUT ECONOMICS
We were part of SoCAN’s series of 2023-24 workshops on Doughnut Economics, an economic model that considers both human needs and the planet’s limits. https://www.kateraworth.com/doughnut/ The doughnut ring represents the ‘safe and just space for humanity’ where we can all thrive amid the abundance of the natural world. The hole in the middle is where people lack adequate access to shelter, education, water, food, equality, freedom etc (the UN sustainable development goals). Outside the ring is the space where we take too much of the earth’s resources, leading to climate change, water stress, biodiversity loss etc (the nine planetary boundaries). Doughnut Economics prompts the question
“How can Southampton be a home to thriving people, in a thriving place while respecting the well-being of everyone and the health of the whole planet?” This guide aims to help answer this question.

We are taking too much of the earth’s resources, leading to climate change, water stress, biodiversity loss etc (the nine planetary boundaries.) Doughnut Economics prompts the question “How can Southampton be home to thriving people, in a thriving place while respecting the well-being of everyone and the health of the whole planet?” This guide aims to help answer this question.

CONTENTS
Many of the ideas in this guide will save you money. If you are lucky enough to have spare cash, the guide also contains suggestions for using your money for the benefit of planet and people. building a better Southampton.
HOMES: how can we all have comfortable homes while reducing our greenhouse gas emissions?
WATER: how can we enjoy this precious resource in our homes and the landscape while reducing pollution and over-use?
“STUFF”: how can we live within our means on our finite planet without exploiting the people who make our goods?
TRAVEL: how can we get around our city and visit other places without damaging our environment?
FOOD GARDENING & BIODIVERSITY how can we grow healthy food without harming the natural world we depend on?
COMMUNITY & LOCAL ECONOMY how can we build a fairr, inclusive society and ensure that more of the money generated in our city stays here to support the local economy?

HOMES AND ENERGY

How can we create a Southampton where every home, whether owned or rented, is warm and comfortable, and where our homes take as little of the earth’s resources as feasible?

KEEPING THE HEAT IN
Homes produce 25% of UK carbon emissions, so the more you can do to insulate yours, the better. Most heat lost from a home is through walls and roof so, if you can, insulate these first. Loft insulation should be at least 270mm. Try cheap, simple methods like draught-excluders, thermal curtains and reflective foil behind radiators. Fill unwanted gaps around doors etc but never block key ventilation such as air bricks, and remember you need good ventilation after fitting insulation.
Southampton Healthy Homes (free, personalised help for residents struggling to keep warm or manage their energy bills) https://environmentcentre.com/southampton-healthy-homes/
My Home Made Better (free, impartial advice for homeowners looking to future-proof their home energy and save money on energy bills) https://myhomemadebetter.org/
Retrofit Southampton (a platform for residents of Southampton to connect with each other and share energy saving retrofit experiences; also offers impartial advice and guidance to owners of older properties on how to make them more energy efficient) https://retrofitsouthampton.org/
Great British Insulation Scheme (Government scheme offering grants for home insulation to those, including tenants, in certain council tax bands with poorly insulated homes) https://www.gov.uk/apply-great-british-insulation-scheme
Warm Homes: Local Grant (Government-funded scheme delivered to provide grants for energy performance upgrades and low carbon heating to low-income households living in the worst quality, privately owned homes in England) https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/warm-homes-local-grant
Southampton’s very own Superhome in Highfield shows what can be done in an ordinary home to increase energy efficiency https://superhomes.org.uk/homes/j-adrian-pickering/

ENERGY-SAVING TIPS
Cheap ways to save including thing switching off at mains when not in use, using a washing line to dry clothes and using a smart meter or energy monitor to see what uses most power in your home.

KEEPING WARM
Gas heating is a big part of a home’s carbon emissions. Don’t be seduced by the promise of hydrogen home heating. Green hydrogen is scarce and expensive, and if it’s not ‘green’ it’s even worse than gas.

HEAT PUMPS
These work by taking heat from the air or ground, giving 3 or 4 times as many units of heat per unit of electricity used. A properly installed system will keep you warm for a similar cost to a gas boiler. The Government’s Boiler Upgrade Scheme offers £7500 https://www.gov.uk/apply-boiler-upgrade-scheme
Our members with heat pumps are willing to share their experiences: see our blog about fitting an air source heat pump at https://transitionsouthampton.org/category/blog/
Retrofit Southampton also has customer experiences https://retrofitsouthampton.org/

INFRARED HEATERS
These heat objects and people rather than the space around them. They are cheaper to install than heat pumps but more expensive to run. Portable versions may be useful if you don’t own your home.

WOOD-BURNING STOVES
Unfortunately even the most modern and efficient wood burning stove, while potentially carbon-saving if you use waste wood, will add to air pollution inside and out. Much of Southampton is in a smoke controlled area so burners must be DEFRA-approved and used responsibly. See https://burnright.co.uk/

WARM PLACES IN WINTER
Various places in Southampton offer a warm winter welcome to those who are worried about the cost of heating their homes. For next winter, search https://www.southampton.gov.uk/ for “warm welcome”.

SOLAR POWER GENERATION
We are fortunate to live on the sunny south coast. Subsidies for solar electricity panels have ended, but it is still worth fitting solar panels. If you have a suitable roof. Many electricity companies will buy the electricity you export. If you have hot water tank (you’ll need one for a heat pump!) a solar immersion diverter will heat your water for free in summer with spare solar electricity.

SO Solar Advice (local, independent, unbiased advice on buying solar PV panels and home battery energy storage) https://www.facebook.com/SO.Solar.Advice

ENERGY SUPPLY
‘Green’ electricity tariffs don’t necessarily mean the supplier is generating green electricity or even buying it from renewable generators – they may just be buying ‘REGO’ certificates to match renewable electricity already put into the system. Only three suppliers offer genuinely green tariffs – but note they are not covered by OFGEM’s price cap, so may cost more.
Ecotricity https://www.ecotricity.co.uk/
Good Energy https://www.goodenergy.co.uk/
100Green https://100green.com
They also also offer ‘green gas’ from anaerobic digestion (Good Energy and 100Green) or grass (Ecotricity)
Octopus energy offers an innovative range of tariffs including one for heat pump owners https://octopus.energy/
Energy Company Obligation (ECO) is a duty on energy companies to help fuel poor and vulnerable customers heat their homes https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/environmental-and-social-schemes/energy-company-obligation-eco

APPLIANCES AND ELECTRONICS
Because of the material and carbon footprint of manufacturing, the most environmentally-friendly appliance is generally the one you already have. If you do need to buy new, choose the smallest one that meets your needs, and check out its energy efficiency and total energy consumption before buying.

TENANTS
Many tenants are stuck in poor quality, expensive to heat properties. Southampton Tenants Union is for private and council tenants (including students) in the SO postcode area, building a movement to fight back against the exploitation of tenants in our city and offering support and advice. Non-tenants can support it financially. https://www.southamptontenantsunion.org.uk/

GREEN BUILDING
A home isn’t just about energy use. If you are refurbishing, many ‘green’ building materials are now available, including natural paints and flooring materials such as lino (local supplier Lemon Tree Flooring 535 Winchester Rd, SO16 7DJ)
These materials may cost more, but are kinder to the environment and often more durable. Depending what you plan to do there may be cheaper options for reclaimed materials or DIY solutions. It’s amazing what you can get on sites like Freecycle https://freecycle.org/
Cement has a high carbon footprint, so using reclaimed paving etc where possible is better for the environment. Using gravel instead of hard paving allows water to flow, reducing the risk of flooding.

Links to other sections:
HOMES WATER STUFF TRAVEL FOOD COMMUNITY