There are many climate champions already working to transform Portsmouth, in business, in our communities and with a campaigning focus. Explore them below or view them by topic.
If there is a business or group you think should be added: please email us.
We’re also developing a documents library.
A globally renowned firm, based in Farlington, that provides a lifetime guarantee on all their domestic lamps, and goes out of their way to source parts even for older models. They mapped their plastic usage during Covid, and have reduced it by 70% since.
This company are truly world leaders: they take old laptops and re-manufacture them to a BSI Kitemark™ standard that certifies laptops 'equal to or better than new'. The final product costs between 30 - 40% cheaper than new ones, and re-use 99% of the original materials.
Green Box Associates is a technical consultancy based in Portsmouth that helps architects, planners, construction professionals and private individuals to use sustainable construction techniques to build energy efficient and eco-friendly buildings.
Herbies is a health store providing wholefoods, vitamins, supplements and plant-based alternatives. They have an extensive organic and gluten-free selection and customers can refill their domestic cleaning and personal care products. Delivery and click and collect are also available.
Little Orangutan make baby and toddler clothes and accessories from repurposed, recycled and organic materials. They also provide sustainable family living tips via their blog, as well as events for busy parents wanting to make greener choices.
Package Free Larder is a plastic-free grocery store that was founded by Zero Waste Portsmouth. It is a social enterprise run entirely by volunteers. A lot of the food is vegan and you can bring in your own containers, weigh, then pay.
Southsea Nature Nursery offers a wide range of innovative play and learning opportunities, created wherever possible from natural resources. The children are encouraged to learn about sustainability and the importance of looking after our natural world.
Squidmoo is a newly created local and independent business which focuses on creating and selling plastic-free products. They aim for their planet-friendly products to be manufactured to the highest quality, using sustainable materials throughout.
Portsmouth's only B Corp sells and donates used furniture / equipment from businesses to keep them in reuse. They also donate 25% of their profits to a 'Sustainable Future Fund', which supports artisans, makers etc. to join the circular economy.
Tweedy Clothing is an independent 'slow fashion' label that provides sustainable and ethical clothing. They use skilled adult workers who are paid fairly in great conditions, source recycled, natural or vegan fabrics and reuse any returned stock and offcuts.
UK flyers is a local printing company that also delivers flyers and posters. They have recently secured funding from the Council’s workplace sustainable travel fund for an e-cargo bike and pool bike. Their standard flyer stock is FSC certified and any paper used is recycled locally.
This business takes used trainers, then repairs, cleans and resells them at affordable prices. In doing so it reduces the 300 million sneakers that go to landfill every year. As the co-founder says: ‘Everybody wants to do the right thing, but they need someone to facilitate that for them.'
Supported by the Heritage Fund, CITiZAN (Coastal and Intertidal Zone Archaeological Network) is a community archaeology project whose aim is to record and monitor coastal and intertidal heritage at risk from coastal change and climate change.
Final Straw Foundation, also known as Final Straw Solent, is a registered UK charity working with local communities and businesses to highlight the impact of plastic pollution. It aims to minimise the amount of plastic entering our local seas and wider oceans.
The local Greenpeace group for the Portsmouth Area (Gosport, Fareham, Wickham, Petersfield, Chichester, IOW etc). They say: 'Come along to our monthly meet-up to have a beer and a chat and help us plan our activities for the next month!'
The Hampshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust is the leading nature conservation charity in the two counties. They protect local wildlife and inspire people to love nature through our area’s beautiful nature reserves and their programme of events.
Let Pompey Breathe is a campaign for safe air quality in Portsmouth. It is a joint initiative involving Portsmouth Green Party, Portsmouth Friends of the Earth, Milton Neighbourhood Forum, and other groups concerned with the dangerous air quality locally.
Pompey Street Space is a resident-led campaign asking for a city-wide joined up network of cycle and walking routes. They have worked with local health professional in particular to highlight the costs to our health of a city dominated by cars.
Portsmouth Cycle Forum is an award winning, independent, volunteer led campaign group representing the needs of people who cycle, or would like to cycle, in Portsmouth.
Portsmouth Friends of the Earth wants to create a safer climate, flourishing nature, and healthy air, water and food, now and for future generations. They work with the local authority, and other campaign groups with this goal.
The SCT vision is that heritage buildings be brought back into sustainable, productive use for the benefit of the community. It is a non-profit organisation that operates under the principle of the Circular Economy.
Zero Waste Portsmouth is a group that aims to bring awareness around responsible consumption. They run workshops, and other events about how to live more sustainably, and have an active Facebook group of over 1000 members.
The Community Cycle Centre is a volunteer run project to recycle, repair and distribute bikes. It takes in unwanted, unloved and abandoned bikes and nurses them back to health. These are then given, in return for a small donation to cover costs, to those without wheels.
Cornwallis Crescent Community Orchard is situated on ½ acre of land in an economically deprived area of Portsmouth. The site, destroyed by a German bomb in 1940, now now hosts about forty different kinds of fruit trees and bushes, and involves about 100 volunteers.
The Cycling Without Age service gives those who may be socially isolated a chance to experience the outdoors. Electric trikes are used to take up to two passengers out in Portsmouth or Hayling island for some fresh air. All Pilots are specially trained cyclists with a strong awareness of road safety who offer a kind ear, and good conversation.
A small but growing group of Portsmouth citizens inspired by the Incredible Edible movement. Their vision for Portsmouth is one of fruit trees on every corner and vegetables growing around our schools, community centres and local businesses.
The Milton Neighbourhood Planning Forum is a group of local residents, councillors and businesses who want to sustain the community of Milton, its green and spacious character and its protected shoreline through appropriate development.
The Portsmouth & Southsea Tree Wardens plant and care for trees locally, and develop imaginative projects to encourage others, including schoolchildren, to value their local trees and woods.
Every three months local people who are interested in environmental issues meet up at informal sessions known as Green Drinks. Everyone invites someone else along, so there’s always a different crowd. For dates and locations visit their website.
Library of Things is similar to a normal library but for borrowing things- DIY tools, garden equipment etc- rather than books. It saves users storage space, money, and carbon. The library is in the middle of town (Cascades) and members can join for £1.
Pompey Living Streets are a group of residents who would like to make our streets the focal point of community again: safe, vibrant and enjoyable places to socialize, walk, cycle, play out and organise events.
Portsmouth Playing Out is part of a parent and resident led movement restoring children’s freedom to play out in the streets and spaces where they live, for their health, happiness and sense of belonging.
Need help fixing household electricals, clothes, toys & more…? Sessions are available at their hub in Cascades Shopping Centre or at pop-ups around the city. Visit their website for opening times and to book a slot.
The Trash Cafe is a network of ‘pay as you feel’ cafes / shops that include hampers available for collection in Portsmouth and Gosport. Their aim is to save good food from going to waste. Customers decide the value of the food by paying in time, cash, skills or item donations.
1.Raise awareness of the climate and ecological emergency
We
want to cut through the jargon and get the residents of Portsmouth fully engaged with the
nature of the problem- our current way of living, travelling and
heating our homes- and the solutions available.
This conversation
would look at how we can prepare for a more unstable climate, but also
most importantly how we can reduce emissions and change our relationship
with nature.
2.Inspire and facilitate climate action in Portsmouth - within all sectors and communities
To
do this we will use this website to showcase examples of best practice
and signpost to existing support, as well as establishing themed groups
such as Education, Greening and Air Quality to facilitate change in
those sectors.
We will also be acting as a funding platform for
community groups that want to help green and rewild our city, and work with partners in business and the public and third sector to speed up the green transition locally.
In March 2019 Portsmouth City Council declared a Climate Emergency, which committed them to decarbonising their own operations and the city by 2030. See the Climate Emergency motion that was passed here. To help oversee this decarbonization they set up the Portsmouth Climate Action Board. After five years the Board transitioned to a Community Organisation, called Portsmouth Climate Action, whose remit is to deliver community climate action.
PCA now consists of a team of local residents who want to speed up the green transition in Portsmouth, by offering educational courses, creating community projects, and working in partnership with other organisations in the city to synergise our impact. If you have an idea and want to make it happen get in touch: we can help you raise funds, link you up with industry experts, and promote the project on our website and social media.
We are actively looking for people with graphic design and web editing skills. We are also wanting to see more women and people of colour on our team. If this is you, or you have a recommendation, please get in touch.
This table gives the breakdown of carbon emissions of Portsmouth residents in 2018 based on the Scatter tool. It also details some of the best understood and most effective solutions, their mechanism of delivery and how the public can help those happen.
Portsmouth City Council has been conducting a review into its biodiversity policies via the Traffic, Environment & Community Safety Scrutiny Panel. Our submission included proposals around mowing frequency, pesticide use, strimming and flailing of hedges / verges, communications between ground maintenance teams etc
The world is complex, interconnected and volatile; each decision has a bearing on predictions for the future. Risk assessments for climate change tend to assume that some sort of action will be taken in the future to alleviate climate risks. This risk assessment focuses upon the situation right now, not what we could, should or may plan to do at some point.
Local businesses have the power to reduce their own emissions and influence the emissions of the entire city. We are looking to support them in reducing their emissions and showcase their achievements to the people of Portsmouth. This first toolkit will outline how to conduct a very straightforward carbon audit.