Updated Tuesday 18 February 2025

Sustainable Whaddon is an initiative that came out of the consultation exercise carried out in connection with the new Whaddon Plan. It is clear that a significant proportion of our community are interested in exploring ideas for a more sustainable lifestyle and are keen to see initiatives for a 'greener' Whaddon. A small group of villagers meet every couple of months, looking at opportunities to improve sustainability, enhance ecology and biodiversity and to reduce our carbon footprint. Some of the areas that we focus on are listed below.

• Promoting alternative energy provision in the guise of heat pumps (air source and ground source) and solar panels/battery systems.
• The planting of trees by individuals, the wider community and the Parish Council.
• Dedicated cycling routes in particular to Meldreth and the station.
• Sustainability in the guise of growing vegetables, a seed exchange, the importance of compost, a forum to share and promote good practice.
• Dedicated wildflower areas whether they be 'planted', encouraged via rewilding or based on existing schemes.
• Water, as in its scarcity and the implications for the chalk streams.
• Sustainable gardening, encouraging residents to view their gardens as mini-nature reserves and to promote the use of climate resistant plants/gardening techniques.
• Village verges that promote biodiversity and the need for guidance on how this might be achieved whilst acknowledging issues of 'safety' and 'aesthetics'.
• Reusing and recycling of 'waste' materials.
• Contact with and learning from other local groups such as Sustainable Shepreth, South Cambs Climate Action Network and Bassingbourn Zero Carbon Community.

The group can be contacted at Sustainablewhaddon[at]whaddon.org and everyone is welcome to attend the meetings.