Our 10 Big Green Challenge finalists were selected from over 350 applications to compete for a share of the £1m prize fund.
They had 12 months - from October 2008 until October 2009 - to develop and implement their plans to significantly reduce CO2 emissions in their communities. The finalists reduced CO2 emissions in their communities by between 10-46% in this time.
The winners, each receiving £300,000 to further develop their community-based carbon reduction schemes, were:
The runner-up, receiving £100,000, was Low Carbon West Oxford
Read about their journeys over the Big Green Challenge year. All of the projects continue and we have added updates to the profiles below detailing what some of the finalists are doing one year on.
Back 2 Earth, Hackney City Farm
Hackney City Farm is home to Back 2 Earth, an environmental project which is pioneering 60 ideas for achieving a 60 per cent reduction in carbon emissions across the farm site and in the wider community.
—Read more
Low Carbon West Oxford
Low Carbon West Oxford is a network of local people working to reduce their individual and community carbon emissions by taking practical action on renewable energy, traffic, food and waste.
—Read more
Faith and Climate Change in Birmingham
Faith and Climate Change brings together a wide range of organisations in Birmingham to address environmental issues in places of worship and in faith communities.
—Read more
Global Generation, Kings Cross London
Global Generation’s Living Buildings – Local Links project gives young volunteers opportunities to develop food growing spaces, biodiverse green roofs and plant-filtered grey water systems on office rooftops, school grounds and development sites in the King’s Cross area of London.
—Read more
Household Energy Service
Household Energy Service is a community-based energy service company that helps households to reduce carbon emissions, improve energy efficiency and save money on fuel bills.
—Read more
Isle of Eigg Heritage Trust
Residents of the Isle of Eigg are working together to create a green island by generating renewable electricity, installing insulation and solar panels, producing local food and developing low-carbon community transport schemes.
—Read more
The Meadows Ozone Community Energy Company, Nottingham
Meadows Ozone is a community-owned energy services providing local people with advice on energy efficiency and interest-free green loans. Their initiative aims to combat fuel poverty at the same time as reducing carbon emissions.
—Read more
The Green Valleys, Brecon Beacons
For the vast majority of people living in the central region of the Brecon Beacons in Wales, shock fuel rises are part of every day life. Most of the 30,000 inhabitants are not connected to mains gas and rely on oil to heat their homes. Rising costs have been a reality for years, and local residents claim the past three years alone have seen the cost of heating a home in the area shoot up by 400 per cent.
—Read more
Waste Oil Recycling Project in Prisons
The Waste Oil Recycling Project in Prisons is reducing carbon emissions at the same time as helping offenders to develop new skills.
—Read more
St Bede’s Catholic High School, Lytham
St Bede’s Catholic High School in Lytham is aiming to become one of the first ever carbon-neutral schools by installing renewable energy equipment and creating a green culture throughout the school.
—Read more
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