Our Changeprint
Our Changeprint can be measured by the reduction in our own carbon footprint; our increased care for nature around the precincts and beyond; and by elevating awareness, promoting sustainable practices and celebrating community efforts towards environmental preservation.
Our story
Wells Cathedral is committed to becoming carbon neutral and environmentally friendly. Over the past year, we have been looking at all areas of Cathedral life including our energy usage, the products we use and how the outside areas could be used to promote biodiversity.
In August 2020, Wells Cathedral received the Silver Eco Church Award from the charity A Rocha, which is working to protect and restore the natural world. The Cathedral has also developed a 60-step guide towards being green to encourage others to look at their own carbon footprint.
The Cathedral is increasing the use of energy-efficient lighting, which in some cases requires change to the infrastructure and is investigating alternative forms of energy. A huge number of measures have been carried out over the last few years including retrofitting the building with new loft insulation and double glazing on all the windows where possible. We have also reduced wastage and paper usage, and increased the use of recyclable goods. The biodiversity of the precincts has been increased by creating wild areas in the Camery Garden and by increasing the size of the meadow area under the cedar trees in the Liberty.
The Cathedral is engaging with local environmental groups such as the Somerset Wildlife Trust and encouraging the congregation and visitors to the Cathedral to become aware how they can make a difference.
All packing in the the Cathedral café is now plastic free and biodegradable, and the surrounding land in Vicars Close is being used to encourage wildlife with swift boxes and bug hotels, and surveys of bats and other species have been undertaken.
Our advice
As Christians, we believe that we have been given the responsibility of caring for this earth, of protecting the poor and vulnerable and or working for justice. Faced with a problem as huge as climate change, it is tempting to believe that there is nothing we can do, but our faith teaches us to have a dynamic active hope. If each of us makes some simple changes and works together as a community, it will make a difference.
