Green Living

Reduce your carbon footprint!

Green Living includes much more than energy efficiency. It is about our lifestyle – making choices that help reduce our carbon footprint. There are things we can all do to reduce environmental damage and provide greater sustainability for future generations. A lower carbon lifestyle is possible, by taking action as individuals and as a community. The new homes at Cholsey Meadows are built to very high standards of energy efficiency. Whether you live at Cholsey Meadows or in the surrounding communities, there are lots of ways you can be more energy efficient.

One-third of our carbon emissions are from houses (heating, lighting, cooking, etc). Another third is from transport and the rest is from us buying and consuming things. 

There are many small things you can do to reduce your carbon emissions and save you money:

Quick Wins

  • Switch off standby devices
  • Reduce your room thermostats by 1 degree
  • Don’t heat rooms you are not using (use smart heating controls)
  • Replace all light bulbs with LEDs
  • Buy low-energy appliances
  • Draught-proof doors and windows
  • Reduce the temperature you wash your clothes to 30’
  • Take shorter showers
  • Switch to a green energy supplier

Longer Term

  • Get your house energy assessed (e.g. http://www.cosyhomesoxfordshire.org)
  • Improve the insulation of walls and roof
  • Install triple glazing
  • Replace your gas boiler with a heat pump
  • Install solar panels
  • Install rainwater harvesting
  • Campaign for improved building regulations for new housing

The longer-term actions can be expensive, but there are Government grants available. Visit http://www.simpleenergyadvice.org.uk/grants to explore further.

Public Transport

Car usage makes up a large portion of our carbon emissions. Vehicles cause air pollution and are noisy. Cholsey is well served with regular public transport, with local buses and a mainline train station. Please click on the links for up-to-date travel information. Cholsey train station is open Monday – Friday 06:10 – 12:40, Saturday 07:00 – 13:30, and Closed on Sunday.

Cycling

Although there are no dedicated cycling lanes in the village, there are a number of alleyways that provide direct routes into the village and train station. Useful sites for cycle routes are: www.cyclinguk.org www.sustrans.org.uk

Walking

There are many lovely walks around the village and surrounding countryside, which can be found in the village publication “Parish Potters” available at £4. Click here for more information or to purchase a copy. Further information on how you can improve your fitness through walking can be found at South Oxfordshire District Council.

Car Share Schemes

Information can be found at: www.oxfordshire.gov.uk https://liftshare.com/uk

Recycling

Useful contacts for the free exchange or re-use of goods and recycling are: www.southoxon.gov.uk www.freecycle.org/group/WallingfordUK www.sustainablewallingford.org www.southoxfordshire-lets.org.uk

2019 Green Travel Survey and Report

In 2019, Cholsey Meadows residents were surveyed to enable the CDT to determine whether they had met its green living objectives and to shape its Green Travel Plan. The main issues, which the CDT will explore further, with the help of the wider community, are:

  • Better information about footpaths and walking groups
  • Better and more frequent bus services to Wallingford; better connectivity with train times; wheelchair-accessible buses to come onto the site
  • More parking and lifts to platforms at Cholsey Station
  • Better and more segregated cycle paths
  • Dial-a-Ride service
  • Promoting a greener lifestyle (as embedded in the CCDT constitution)

2019 Green Travel Survey

Travel Plan Report