Here at Open Source Arts we’ve committed to becoming Net Zero Carbon by 2030. In response, we’ve been working incredibly hard behind the scenes to put together a Net Zero Carbon Roadmap and the first bit of work relating to this now is ready to be released into the real world! We also want to take this opportunity to warmly invite you to be involved in crafting our participatory roadmap.
We take our social responsibility seriously and we consider social, environmental, cultural and economic factors in everything we do. Not only this, but we also recognise that we are living in a climate and ecological crisis leaving us faced by a huge challenge globally to respond to the IPCC’s ‘code red’ warning and reduce our carbon emissions immediately to limit warming to 1.5°C.
Everyone has a responsibility to introduce climate positive changes into their life – however great or small – in order to make these carbon reductions possible and start the transition to a healthier, safer, lower carbon, sustainable, resilient world. Moreover, we want to utilise our unique position at the interface between culture, society, arts and environmental engagement. That’s why we’re excited to announce that we’ve committed to inspiring action and improving our environment impact by committing to becoming Net Zero Carbon.
Our first exciting Net Zero Carbon Roadmap Report, one of the first to be published by an organisation of or size in Leeds and a rarity among small businesses nationwide, provides what we hope is an inspiration illustration of why we have committed to becoming Net Zero by 2030, what our carbon footprint is like now, what work we have to do and the beginnings of an ambitious yet realistic pathway to reaching our target!
We have found that our annual carbon footprint comes in at just over 18,000 kg CO2e. This is equivalent to driving the average UK car over 82,000 miles – as far as driving around the equator just over three times or the same as taking nearly twelve flights from London, UK, to Perth, Australia. It is difficult to contextualise this and compare with other organisations the size of Open Source Arts as currently only a few are reporting their emissions. Yorkshire Dance reported emissions of 53,000 kg in 2019-2020, as well as Sustainable Arts in Leeds finding that Opera North, ITV and Yorkshire Dances combined emissions came to of 1,206 tonnes CO2e.
We now really want to get started in taking our own climate action and inspiring and encouraging action from those around us to make the Kirkstall Valley and beyond healthier, lower carbon, climate resilient. We are happy to warmly invite you to join our participatory session on Tuesday 27th September in Open Source Arts or online at 6-7:30pm.
This unique gathering of the Open Source Arts team, artist community and Leeds residents is all about looking at what Net Zero is, why it is so important and its limits, as well as bringing everyone together to explore the vital knowledge, understandings and experiences of everyone and co-produce exciting ideas for action in a participatory workshopping session.
We hope that by coming together, sharing our insights with one another we can begin to connect and encourage climate positive action in the Kirkstall Valley and beyond. Together we can tackle climate change and craft the Leeds that we all deserve.
If you’re interested in finding out more about our Net Zero Carbon commitment and our carbon footprint then give our report a read on our website – or read the summary or full reports. To be part of this exciting project and journey and to help benefit the whole community come on down to Open Source Arts or join us online on Tuesday 27th September at 6-7:30pm.
Planning on attending? The register your attendance here (whether online or in person)
Contact Us
Open Source Arts
Unit 1a Aire Place Mills
143 Kirkstall Road
LS3 1JL
