Caring for Creation

Our commitment to the future of God’s world

In the unique surroundings of Salisbury Cathedral we pursue excellence in environmental management – our commitment to the future of God’s world.

We are working to reduce the carbon footprint of the Cathedral and its activities in support of the Church of England’s Routemap to Net Zero. We are actively installing new technology, including solar panels (2019) and LED lighting (2023). We are planning towards other opportunities, including electric vehicle charging points and heat pumps. Our power is supplied through a green tariff: all our electricity comes from renewable sources. We have a zero-landfill refuse partner: some of our waste is recycled and the remainder used for energy. We monitor our consumption of gas and electricity to track progress and motivate next steps.

In celebration of the diverse flora and fauna of the Close, Salisbury was the first Cathedral to receive an Eco Church Gold Award (2021). Since this award, committed members of the Cathedral community have overseen the creation of a wildflower area on the west side of the Close (2022) as well as an area of winter-flowering shrubs to help pollinators through the cold months of the year (2023).

We regularly preach and pray about the care of God’s creation. In 2024 we will be encouraging reflection on the climate crisis through the summer art installation ‘Our Earth’, plus tours of ecology in the Close and wider area.

Our environmental agenda is overseen by a dedicated committee of the Cathedral Chapter. You can explore our environmental priorities and achievements through a special playlist on our YouTube channel.

 

A woman in light jeans and an orange high viz jacket stands in the middle of a large flowerbed. She is holding a small plant, and looking at its roots.
Becky Twigg, the Project coordinator, explaining the tricks of the trade when planting.

 

A number of volunteers in high viz jackets are hard at work on the flowerbed.
The Cathedral volunteers get to work.

 

Volunteers in high viz jackets stand in a line, partially behind a metal fence. Canon Treasurer Kenneth Padley is stood to the left of the volunteers.
Canon Padley, the Canon Treasurer, comes to admire the planting with the volunteers.