Meet the everyday people helping Overton go carbon neutral

Two years and a range of environment-friendly steps later, the Sustainable Overton project has won accolades from across the country.

Its team of 50-odd volunteers working together to combat climate change is today an inspiration for any community looking at Carbon-neutral projects.

According to Alison Zarecky, the chair of Sustainable Overton, it was a simple question by a mum in their parish council meeting that led to the formation of the big climate-friendly project.

“One of the mums asked the Parish Council if we would declare a Climate Emergency,” Ms Zarecky, 56, said.

“I had just joined the Parish Council and we agreed to declare a climate emergency by setting up a group. The first meeting of Sustainable Overton saw a big turnout. We ended up dividing the people into energy, transport, plastic and waste reduction, environment and marketing, communication and social media. We tasked each group with coming up with objectives and thus we cracked on.”

Setting 2030 as the target to become Carbon Neutral for Overton was one of the significant decisions of the group.

“We knew that becoming carbon neutral by 2030 is quite challenging. But on the other hand, I didn’t think there was enough drive for people to think that there is an emergency if the target is anything more than 10 years," Ms Zarecky, a transition coach and a former marketing professional, said.

“I didn’t know that much about solving the issues when we started. So, we tried to find people who specialise in various areas to try and do things that we can achieve.”

Over the next 27 months, the group turned Overton into a plastic-free village (second in Hampshire to do so) with a variety of steps.

Overton bag

But it wasn’t easy for the volunteers to take all these steps.

“Biggest challenge is the lack of legislative framework,” Ms Zarecky added.

“We have a lot of developments in this area. People rightly say nothing should be built which is not carbon-zero or carbon-zero-ready. It’s an abomination, it shouldn’t happen. But it does happen because the builders are not legally required to do it.

“Another concern is single-use plastic. Why are we making all this plastic if we can’t recycle it at all? But until those changes are made and there is a legislative policy that supports these, it is really hard to make anything happen. There’s only a little that you can do at the grassroots level.”

Sustainable Overton volunteer Martin Baker at a Repair café stall

But, looking back at the achievements, Ms Zarecky said she is really pleased with how the community has come together for this mission.

“I’m absolutely delighted,” she said.

“Covid happened shortly after we started, which could have destroyed the whole project. Yet people bothered to have meetings on Zoom and do things remotely. I have been really astonished at how much community spirit there is.

“I know people outside Overton think we are special. But any place can be like Overton. It’s just about the community and how they think. A majority of people are worried about Climate Emergency. If we can find positive steps that help people feel there is a point and if every parish tries something like this, it can have a big impact.”