Caroline Harmon is Project Manager for Low Carbon Communities and Carbon Forum. She is helping to develop MEA's work in the East Midlands. Caroline began work with MEA in December 2009 and is looking forward to seeing carbon emissions from communities in Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire plummet over the next few years!

Before joining MEA she worked for a number of small charities and her roles have included managed Britain's original environmental showhome in Leicester and equipping students to campaign on climate change. Her interest in the environment goes back to childhood but really took off when, as a student, she chaired a group which convinced Loughborough University to be the first to be powered by renewable energy. When not working for MEA Caroline is also a freelance writer and trainer.

Professional Interests: Communicating the challenges posed by climate change and peak oil and inspiring and equipping people to rise to these challenges.

Qualifications: BA(Hons) English, City and Guilds 6176 Energy Awareness, City and Guilds 7303 PTLLS, CMI Introductory Certificate in Management.

Skills: Communicating creatively using the written and spoken word, researching, organising, being a team player, staying motivated and optimistic.

Where I've come from: Essex and North Yorkshire as a child. Edinburgh, Loughborough and Oxford as an adult. I currently live in Loughborough.

I like: chocolate, reading, dancing, charity shops, feeling cosy in my bright yellow windproof cycle jacket on a cold day, the sea, fresh air, my three goldfish, my husband, bananas, being with people, being on my own, dreaming that I can fly, helping someone to learn something new and watching them ‘get' it... can I stop for breath now? I like lots of things!

A moral I live my life by: ‘Whatever you dream you can do begin it. Boldness has genius, power and magic in it. Begin it now.' - Goethe.

How I'm trying to live more sustainably: I don't own a car and instead make great use of train travel and my trusty bicycle Rhonda, although I do occasionally hire a car. I've adopted lots of energy efficient practices in my house and I'm about to start growing vegetables in my garden to cut down on my food miles.

I believe the greatest threat to our current society and environment is: People believing that it isn't possible to overcome the environmental problems we face or just not understanding the urgency of the situation.

My 'dirty secret' (nothing lewd or personal here please - from a sustainability point of view only!): I still fly sometimes, but about half as much as I used to.

It may surprise you to know but . . . I once took part in (and won) a big brother style competition called ‘Little Sister' which involved living in a shopping centre for a week.

If things had turned out differently I might have been . . .  an astronaut. If only I had the science-brains necessary or NASA required a Writer in Residence for their Space Station!