Hi everyone,

Hart here! As my placement as the Step Up to Net Zero Coordinator at the Village comes to an end, I wanted to share an update on the progress we’ve made together over the past few months.

Storytelling naturally aligns with sustainability – stories are intrinsically environmentally friendly and can be constantly retold & reimagined, embodying circular principles. At the Village, we’ve put this ethos into action by reusing materials in our community projects and working on a database of materials available for reuse in future projects. We’ve also connected artists with resources like the Circular Arts Network to further embed circular practices in our work. 

In December, instead of our usual Secret Santa, we organised a Used Book Swap. It was great to see everyone enjoying this simple, meaningful way to give previously loved books a new life. You can read more about it in our blog post here.

Practically, we’ve significantly improved our sustainability in daily operations. We’ve worked to make our entire supply chain more sustainable by shifting towards local & environmentally responsible suppliers whenever possible. We also transitioned our cleaning products to environmentally friendly, refillable alternatives, cutting down dramatically on single-use plastic packaging. 

Our energy audit with Business Energy Scotland has given us insights on improving energy efficiency and engaging our landlord in sustainable changes to the building. Calculating our Scope 1 & 2 carbon emissions has provided a solid baseline for tracking our future sustainability efforts. 

We’ve also focused on reducing food waste in the office through better purchasing practices and clearer communication about leftovers. Food waste accounts for up to 10% of annual global greenhouse gas emissions, so even these small changes can have a big impact. 

The staff have enthusiastically embraced sustainability, actively engaging in circular economy & net-zero training sessions and regular discussions during team meetings. Staff also contributed to a blog post about sustainable ways to get to work, accompanied by a list of public transportation routes to the Village. 

Looking ahead, I’m excited about our upcoming “Connecting Pollok” event, which has strong themes of environmentalism throughout. We’ve also committed to printing the Connecting Pollok book sustainably, and have chosen to work with a local eco-friendly printing company on this project.

It’s been so rewarding working with everyone at the Village, and I’m excited to see how the sustainability journey continues to grow from here. I am confident that the team will carry forward this enthusiasm, creating even more positive environmental impacts in the future.

Thanks for all your support,

Hart