I'm Chris Carus, running my first marathon on 16th October 2022 to raise funds for community-led action on home energy bills and carbon emissions.
I'm a co-founder of Loco Home Retrofit CIC, a new non-profit co-operative of over 100 households and buildings experts in Glasgow. We are a community-led and -owned intermediary that helps households cut their energy bills and carbon emissions.
Energy bills and climate change are out of control, and people are being let down by market failure, lax regulation and weak political leadership. Co-operatives have always responded effectively to this kind of situation.
75% of this crowd funder will go towards employing our second member of staff (I am the first) to work on collective approaches to installing energy efficiency measures and low carbon heating. We have funded projects and a paid advice service. £5k will top up the cash flow we need to hire employee #2. Further contributions will accelerate progress through appropriately paid freelancers.
Our collective projects for deep retrofit have a long lead time. To enable more urgent help this winter, 25% of funds raised will go to South Seeds. They have an established history at the intersection of urban sustainability and poverty issues in South Glasgow. Funds will go towards their Tool Library, enabling more advanced DIY energy efficiency interventions.
This is the second 'first marathon' I’ve trained for this year. The first attempt, Edinburgh in June, was defeated by COVID. Now I’m registered to run the Loch Rannoch marathon on 16th October 2022.
Follow me on Twitter for updates (and nerdy energy and climate chat).