OurCoop Offers Carbon-Cutting Lessons to Fellow Co-ops

The transferability of the approach depends on the type of co-op. A retail co-op can adopt refrigeration and logistics advice quickly. A housing co-op may need a different framework for building energy efficiency. OurCoop has not said whether the sessions will be recorded or made available on demand after the fortnight ends. Groups that cannot attend live miss out.

The cooperative sector in Britain includes hundreds of independent groups across retail and housing. Each has a different carbon profile and cost structure. OurCoop's sessions walk through the specific contracts and equipment purchases that worked for its operations. Other co-ops can use that experience to shortcut their own planning.

For a small retail co-op, replacing an old refrigerator can cut energy use by 30-40%, according to general energy-efficiency data. Sourcing renewable power through a green tariff removes most of the remaining electricity emissions. Those two steps alone can account for a large share of a typical co-op's carbon footprint. The sessions show how to execute both without expensive consultants.

The sessions run until July 5. OurCoop has not announced whether it will repeat the program later in the year.