Resources and links from the event held on Saturday 27th September 2025 at the Cabin, St Mary’s Church, Hardwick, Cambridge, CB23 7QS

Cycle parking was available at the side of the Cabin with car parking available at Geo, over the road from the church and Cabin

Do you worry about the climate emergency and the impact of climate change?

The Hardwick and Dry Drayton Eco Event helped people learn about practical steps you can take in your daily life that will help reduce climate change!

The aim of the event was to highlight what can and must be done to help the environment and to show how each of us can do our bit to bring about meaningful reductions in carbon emissions through our own actions, locally, nationally and globally.

There were talks on how to estimate and reduce your carbon footprint (from Cambridge Carbon Footprint), owning an electric car, installing and running a heat pump, 1000 acts of climate kindness, and others. There were also stalls with exhibitors, and activities for children, as well as lunches and other refreshments, and people could sign up in advance to bring your bike to get it repaired! A film about climate anxiety among children and parents in Cambridge was also shown. See below for details including copies of slides and useful links and resources.

This event built on the highly successful events in 2021 and 2022.

Intrigued about our logo at the top of the page? The map shows countries scaled in size to match their total historical CO2 emissions, showing that the UK has emitted much more than its fair share of CO2 (half as much as China, 20% as much as the USA!) since starting the industrial revolution [adapted from www.carbonmap.org].

Schedule of talks

Talks took place in the church and include time for practical questions.

11.00am Cambridge Carbon Footprint: What is our carbon footprint, and how can we reduce it?

11.30am Miranda Fyfe, Green Party candidate: Unaffordable Electric Dreams. See the slides here.

11.50am Chris Ford: Experience with buying and using a domestic heat pump. See the slides here.

12.10pm Chris Rider: 1000 Acts of Climate Kindness – Acting together in many small and big ways to reduce our village’s carbon footprint. See the slides here.

Lunch break – 1pm Film on climate anxiety among students in and around Cambridge: The majority of young people are worried about climate change and fearful for their future. In this short film, young people, parents and professionals discuss their experience of climate anxiety and describe activities and sources of support that they find helpful. The film was made by Cambridge Moviemakers and directed by John Yates.

1.30pm Fashion Show of reused clothes (at the back of the Cabin)

2.00pm Cambridge Carbon Footprint: What is our carbon footprint, and how can we reduce it? (Same as in the morning)

2.30pm Shaun Hughes: Experience with electric vehicles. See the slides here.

2.50pm Patrick Gordon (Comberton Village College): Climate literacy – quiz about which actions make the most difference. See the slides here.

3.10pm Chris Rider: 1000 Acts of Climate Kindness – Acting together in many small and big ways to reduce our village’s carbon footprint (same as in the morning). See the slides here.

Stalls and activities

PW Cycles: free service for bikes (just paying for parts) – get cycling!

Children’s activities

Cambridge Carbon Footprint: What is our carbon footprint, and how can we reduce it? CCF also gave a talk in the church at 11am and 2pm

Heat leaks – Thermal imaging

Beekeeping

Comberton Village College: Climate science mind map. There was also a talk in the form of a quiz in the church

Vegan recipes

Cambridge Electric Transport

SCDC Zero Carbon schemes

Sense re-used clothes – fashion show with pre-loved clothes at 1.30pm

Looking after the churchyard (the LOTS team)

Cambourne Shed: This encourages people to come together to make, repair and repurpose, supporting projects in their local communities such as planters for local schools, and bird, owl, and kestrel boxes to support local wildlife. More about their repair cafés here and sign up for membership here

Climate change – should we care?

Is climate change real? Yes. Carbon dioxide emitted by burning fossil fuels builds up in the atmosphere. It acts like a blanket, keeping heat from being lost to outer space, but it still lets heat from the Sun in, so the Earth gets warmer. For more information and data, see the BBC’s Really Simple Guide to Climate Change.

Why is climate change serious? As the temperatures rise, we get more evaporation and then droughts in places and heavier rainfall elsewhere or at other times, more violent storms, and failure of harvests. Animals and plants cannot adapt quickly enough to the changing seasons. Parts of the world will be too hot for humans. Hundreds of millions of people will try to get to cooler countries, dwarfing the current numbers of refugees.

Why should I do anything about it? The UK started the industrial revolution, which is when carbon dioxide levels started to rise rapidly globally. The UK has already emitted far more than its fair share of CO2. Our Eco Event logo shows countries’ sizes distorted to match their total emissions – the UK looks huge! We have a responsibility to lead the world in reducing our emissions to zero as soon as possible. Business as usual until 2050 would produce far too much CO2 to keep average temperatures below even 2°C extra.

It’s too late, so let’s give up! Any extra emissions, and therefore warming, will cause more problems. When the ice caps and permafrost melt there will be rapid extra heating and sea-level rise, and tipping points where changes get amplified uncontrollably. Any reductions in emissions made by individuals will reduce the impact of climate change. Does anyone really want to risk a 4°C rise?

What can I do? Reduce emissions from everything that we do – heating, travel, food, holidays, buying goods including clothes, etc. Let politicians know that you want them to be brave and lead us in the right direction.  We can talk to our friends and colleagues about the need for everyone to act and we can lead by example.

How can I do this in practice? Come along to the Eco Event on 27th Sept 2025 (see above) and find out about, and discuss, the many different things we can each do fairly easily, and what things would make the most difference.

Resources for helping to reduce your carbon footprint

350.org

Cambridge Sustainable Food

Vegan food – help with moving towards vegan

Natural Cambridgeshire – What can we do to help nature?

Transition Cambridge Energy Group – Zero Carbon Heating: what are your options for converting your home heating to zero carbon?

Investments – make money out of doing good, and influence your pension provider

The original programme for the 2021 Eco Event is here, and the programme for 2022’s event is here.