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The successful projects went through a two-stage application process and were selected from 112 original applications. Launched at the same time as Defra’s Third Sector Strategy in November 2008, the Greener Living Fund aims to help individuals and communities in England to live more sustainably, reducing their carbon footprint and reducing pressure on natural resources.

The fund has been made available to projects that have a clear understanding of who they are trying to influence and their potential to change behaviour and will give them two year funding. Most of the projects selected look at a range of behaviours that are good for the environment, like home energy, waste and water, but some of the chosen projects are more specialised and will focus on seasonal food and sustainable fishing.

Hilary Benn said:

”It’s a pleasure to launch the Greener Living Fund today, and to announce the eight successful projects from around England which have won funding for the next two years.

Each of these projects will make a real difference in helping individuals and communities to live more sustainably – reducing their carbon footprint and reducing pressure on natural resources.”

Tim Baster, Executive Director, COIN said:

"The partnership of Climate Solidarity is delighted to be part of the Greener Living Fund. This is a wonderful opportunity for trade union members from CWU, NUT, PCS, UCU and the wider trade union movement to work together to create the sustainable and just society that we all know is necessary."

Helen Seymour, Head of Projects and Development, Co-operatives UK said:

“The lifeblood of co-operatives is involvement with their members. Through the project Greener Together - the co-operative way, co-operative enterprises will engage with their individual members to achieve a real and measurable change in greener behaviour - in waste, energy use and personal transport. Co-operativesUK, the national apex body for co-operatives, with its partners the Plunkett Foundation and the Confederation of Co-operative Housing, will work with eco-champions in each co-operative to provide advice, guidance and support.”

Richard Leggatt, Marine Stewardship Council Senior Fundraising Manager said:

““The MSC has already achieved an enormous amount of behaviour change in the field of seafood consumption with the help of Defra funding: nearly 15% of English primary schools are now serving sustainable MSC fish on the school lunch menu to over 900,000 pupils as a result of the MSC’s  EAF-funded ‘Fish & Kids’ project.  Our selection as a delivery partner for the Greener Living Fund has presented us with a fantastic and timely opportunity to use a similar model with far wider target audiences.”

Wes Streeting, NUS President said:

"Students in the UK care passionately about the environment, the Greener Living Fund means the NUS can support them to live greener lifestyles, and enthuse those around them to do the same.  Students today will have a major influence on the world tomorrow meaning the impact is direct and long lasting".

Jenny Sansom, National Trust Local Food Co-ordinator said:

“Food is one of our most fundamental connections to the living Earth. This grant gives us a fantastic opportunity to inspire hundreds of thousands of people, reconnecting them to what they eat and where it comes from prompting them to think about their wider impacts on the planet.”

Rob Wall, Sustrans Project Manager said:

“Sustrans’ TravelSmart has already proven to be successful in reducing car use and helping to lower carbon emissions.  The Greener Living Fund is providing a great boost, allowing us to extend the benefits of TravelSmart to 25,000 households in Ipswich and Hertfordshire. We are also taking the opportunity to develop Sustrans' online mapping, offering people across the country the chance to produce, save and share the sort of local sustainable travel maps available to TravelSmart participants. This has real potential to help people across the whole of England change their travel behaviour.”

Jacob Tompkins, Waterwise Managing Director said:

"We know that in the coming years there will be more people and less water in the UK. We also know that people want to live sustainably. The Greener Living Fund has enabled Waterwise to bring together water companies and social housing providers to makeover homes so that they waste less water - and to support community teams help the people living them waste less water too."

Trewin Restorick, CEO Global Action Plan said:

“Thanks to the Greener Living Fund thousands of people will be able to get together to take joint action that will be good for the planet and for their pockets.  EcoTeams helps groups of people to make a real environmental difference in a sociable setting.”