About
What is Cambridge Carbon Footprint?
Cambridge Carbon Footprint is a local, voluntary organisation concerned with climate change. Our aim is to help people work together creatively to make real reductions in their CO2 emissions. Our Team
Our Team
Rosemary Randall, Director & Founder
Rosemary, with the Trustees, is responsible for the overall management of CCF and development if its programme of activities. Rosemary is also responsible for developing our Carbon Conversations groups nationally and spends time networking with local and national stakeholders to share information on CCF’s key aims, projects and approach. Her background is in psychotherapy and she is responsible for our emphasis on psychological understanding about climate change.
Andy Brown, Founder & Trustee
Andy is a co-founder and trustee of CCF. Andy qualified in both engineering and social sciences at the University of Cambridge and works at Cambridge Architectual Research. He has carried out research at the Energy and Environment Research Group at the Open University and The Martin Centre for Architectural and Urban Studies at the University of Cambridge.
Tom Bragg, Trustee
Tom has a degree in Natural Sciences from Cambridge, teacher training qualification and life long experience in building and living in communities. He has spent 3 years teaching science in a Kenyan village as a VSO volunteer, and on returning to the UK joined Delta-T Devices, a newly formed worker co-op designing & making environmental monitoring equipment. He remained there for over 30 years, responsible for a variety of roles including R&D, production manager, co-op development and HR. Much of that time he lived in Parsonage Farm, an eco-commune in Burwell, before moving into Cambridge in 2002 with his wife Anne. These days, when he is not campaigning for a low carbon future he is often to be found walking or kayaking in wild places and can sometimes be spotted performing at Cambridge Folk Club.
Gill Kent, Trustee
Bev Sedley, Trustee with special responsibility for fundraising.
Siobhan Mellon, Projects and Volunteers Co-ordinator
Siobhan is responsible for the Akashi Project, co-ordinates the work of volunteers running the office and organises our events calendar and information stands.
Sally Davis, Intern
Sally joined CCF in September 2009 for six months, and manages the day to day running of the CCF office.
Volunteers
CCF is extremely lucky to have a number of dedicated volunteers working in a variety of ways to achieve our aims and help implement our projects.
How we started
CCF was started in June 2005 by Andy Brown and Rosemary (Ro) Randall.
The impetus came from a paper Ro wrote “A New Climate for Psychotherapy” exploring the psychological dimensions of public attitudes to climate change which she gave at the ‘Trajectories’ Conference at the Centre for Alternative Technology in May 2005.
What we do
Our core activities: stalls, presentations, workshops, training in climate change communication for volunteers, carbon footprint/conversation groups, carbon reduction network, anumber of projects concerned with Energy in the Home , Akashi project, consultancy and a monthly newsletter.
Resources from the Carbon Conversations members handbook are available to download.
You can find out more about what we have been doing in our Annual Reports.
Core Principles
it is easy to feel powerless and confused when faced with the scale of climate change and its consequences. At CCF we start from an understanding of the psychological as well as the practical barriers to action. Our guiding principles:
The importance of the personal
We believe that it is essential to work through personal contact, starting from where people are now, not from where we would like them to be. When people’s personal experience is valued and understood they become able to contemplate change.
The necessity of connection
The difficulties of climate change require a sense of common purpose and a common project. When people are supported and connected to others they become able to act. Working with others helps to reduce fear and isolation, and shows people they can make a difference.
The power of creativity
We believe it is essential to create spaces where people can use both their inner resources and the resources of their communities. When there is space for creativity, people take ownership of problems and develop solutions.
The richness of diversity
We believe that our work is enriched by embracing the distinctive views of our diverse communities.
The translation of the technical
Understanding climate change involves grasping complex ideas in relation to science, society, technology, culture and politics. We believe these ideas can be presented in ordinary language without compromising on their substance. We work to devise learning materials which are clear, accessible and culturally appropriate for a diverse audience.
