The sprouting idea of sustainable living is emerging in Highland Perthshire
By Charlie McCarthy, Bylines Scotland
We are all aware of the need to green our economy, reduce our carbon footprint and embrace new opportunities in the Green future. We’ve had this drilled into us, not least by Ed Miliband, the new UK Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero. Greening the economy will take time, commitment and new leaders who will create new opportunities and show us the economic potential amongst the rhetoric.
‘Sprout’ is the brainchild of a small group of such leaders, based in Pitlochry, Highland Perthshire. I obtained an exclusive interview with Carol Aitkin, one of the founding directors of the organisation. Sprout is an idea generated in the Pitlochry Climate Café.

The Climate Café is an open inclusive space for people to get together to talk about and act on climate change. Sprout was conceived as an umbrella project to look at the issues of travel, energy and reducing waste in our community. All these issues have to be addressed if we are to live more sustainably. Men’s Shed is an idea grounded in the need for a purpose for men approaching retirement, or who are newly retired. Many men struggle with their changing role in the world, where they are not as certain of their place in the scheme of things that once was obvious to them. Men’s Shed is a campaigning organisation that tries to address these issues of well-being and mental health.
Remake Scotland
Remake is a similar organisation run by volunteers and staff based in Crieff. It’s now a community reuse charity but started off as a Community Investment Company. Its purpose is to promote the reuse of materials and to “inspire second-hand to become first choice.” To create an income stream they run a second-hand shop “filled with everything from crafting & fabric to DIY tools, furniture and homewares.”
The goods on sale are certified by Revolve, the national re-use quality standard offered by Zero Waste Scotland. The aim of this organisation is stated clearly on its website:
Zero Waste Scotland exists to lead Scotland to use products and resources responsibly, focusing on where we can have the greatest impact on climate change.
Revolve’s aim is to increase reuse by improving professionalism, customer experience and visibility of the re-use organisation. Sprout’s success will be measured across Perthshire with decreasing the amounts of waste returned by the council to the landfill.
Increasing the availability of quality secondhand goods will also help in the efforts of Perth and Kinross Council’s fight to reduce poverty, particularly in rural areas. It will also open training opportunities in restoration and repair. But the biggest environmental benefit is using a new raw material harvested from what has previously been considered rubbish.
The need for a base in Pitlochry
Sprout needs a base, similar to Remake in Crieff. The Sprout directors’ team are now working on a Community Asset Transfer for such a base in Pitlochry. In the words of Carol Aitkin, a Sprout Director: ‘’The idea is to create a hub where people can come for the most up-to-date information.
“It will afford opportunities for education and skill sharing. The retail outlet is a vital part of the economic viability of the whole project as it gives us an income stream that will enable us to fulfil the education, training and welfare sides of the project.”
Our Green future
Sprout in Pitlochry is on the verge of emerging as a viable new development in the Pitlochry economy. A thriving second-hand community business could help reduce waste, improve business and other skills in the community and give people access to goods and services currently not available.
This is what the Green economy could look like on the ground. It’s all about ‘Reuse, Recycling and Renewal’ – the three Rs of the new economy. The role of local authorities may be to encourage such enterprises in their areas, help with Community Asset Transfers and grow a new breed of green entrepreneurs to lead us into a more sustainable future.
For more information about the Sprout initiative please contact: info@sprout-community-eco-hub.com