Sustainable Penzance sets out to create a community movement for positive change, to create a resilient and thriving town for future generations.  

For all sorts of reasons, our communities and environment are under immense pressure. The issues we face are inextricably linked and creating a better future is about tackling root causes, not sticking on ineffective plasters.  

We are here to be part of the solution. We want to help create a town that is forward thinking, resilient and works for everyone; without damaging the eco-systems that we are part of and that support us. Where the economy works for the many, not the few. And a place where health, wellbeing and our connection to nature are nurtured, valued and protected.  

The goal? A thriving community based on regenerative and sustainable practice and an economy that builds resilience and puts people, place and planet first. 

Community impact 

We can all have an impact and make a difference, at any level. Whether it’s as individuals; through our habits, choices and awareness, through our work lives or through our kids’ schools or college. The opportunities are endless. 

We can also have an impact on a community level through the organisations we get involved with, and how we choose to live in our community with each other. It can be as simple as having conversations with our neighbours and friends and spreading the word.  

And then there’s community action; when we join together, we can have a voice for a different kind of future. We can all be part of decision-making; after all, we’re a democracy. We have a role in that, and if we take our space and use our voice, we have the power to bring about changes we’d like to see. That’s where we work to help amplify community voices. So the community can play more of a part in decisions and understand how those decisions can make a difference to our collective future.  

Why community voices matter 

We’re lucky to live in a town where the local council has engaged with future-focused projects in a positive way. It passed the Plastic Free Communities motion (check out that project, here), as well as the Future Generations Pledge, giving us confidence that our local council will help to make these things happen.  

Why does that matter? Because it means we can all work together to push these important messages up the chain to county-wide decisions and then help influence decision-making on a national level.  

That’s why, here at Sustainable PZ, we link our local work into county-wide and national campaigns. A great example of this was the recent campaign about reintroducing a harmful chemical called glyphosate into public spaces around Cornwall. Through community action and collective voices, the Cornish community pushed back – and won.  

And a great example of how we work locally to connect to national campaigns (which, in turn, help create change for the future) was our recent community screening of the People’s Emergency Briefing, raising public awareness on the wider issues we need to think about for a thriving future.  

So, what are our aims? 

Sustainable PZ has been set up in response to the need to co-ordinate and strengthen the great work already happening in our community to protect the environment and create a more resilient way of living, working and doing business. 

We work in three ways: 

• Community Info & Action 

Our online portal, resources, workshops and information are aimed at everyone in the community to help and encourage them get involved and take action. To lower impact, connect to nature, and to each other. Check out the toolkits and hubs and keep an eye on our social media for ongoing info, tips and what’s on offer. You can also sign up to our newsletter here. 

• Community Collaboration 

There are so many brilliant organisations already doing brilliant things in the town. We work to help strengthen that work, bring it all together and create a coherent approach; where wheels aren’t reinvented, decision makers know about and support existing work and we can spot gaps where new projects could make a positive impact. 

• Community Decision-Making 

So, you’ve got to be at the table, right? If you want change, you can kick up a fuss, but in the end, you have to put your money where your mouth is. So, we sit at the table. We work with decision makers and stakeholders to get people, place and planet top of the agenda. We ask questions, explore different approaches and hold to account. Big change doesn’t happen overnight but if the will and heart is there, change will indeed come. 

You can find out more about the ten themes we work on here. We are busy creating vision boards for each of them and would love to hear your ideas, so please do send them in to us.  

Our projects  

We’ve worked on a number of projects across town since Sustainable PZ’s inception. Some we’ve run ourselves, with workshops and amazing collaborators along the way, while others we have worked on in a consultant capacity, by sitting on boards and making sure parts of the community get their say in the big things happening on our doorstep. 

From Plastic Free PZ to the Greenways project, and our school and business hubs, there’s plenty happening behind-the-scenes that you can get involved with! 

Find out more about our latest projects, here.

Keep in touch 

Want to stay in the know when it comes to our latest news and projects? Follow us on Facebook or Instagram for the latest news on what we’re up to, or sign up to the newsletter, here. 

If you’d like to help us keep the hard work going, you can also volunteer (just email community@sustainablepz.co.uk for ways you can help) or you can donate – every penny helps us deliver future-proofing projects across town, and you can find out how to support us, right here. 

Thank you to everyone who has supported us over the years. We can’t wait to see how we continue to grow a resilient future for Penzance!