Caring for Creation

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, and at the start of every summer we participate in ‘No Mow May‘. This campaign is organised by Plantlife (a national charity that is based very locally to us in Salisbury), to encourage everyone to leave their lawns to grow during the month of May. A healthy lawn with long grass and wildflowers benefits wildlife, tackles pollution and can lock away carbon below ground.

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.