January 31st, 2010
Chew Magna, the beautiful, traditional village in Somerset, has been labelled ‘Britain’s Greenest Village’.
Following a parish council survey, it became clear that the biggest concern of the community was the environment and as a result the Go-Zero project was initiated.
Villagers now strive towards zero-waste and buy local produce including; fruit, vegetables, venison, ice-cream, medicinal herbs and trout from Chew Valley Lake. Action groups are discussing and encouraging the inhabitants to recycle more, change their transport methods and reduce their home energy consumption. Local energy companies have even donated light bulbs which the villagers can pick up for free. Approximately 85 percent of the village now recycles, that is almost 4 times the national average.
Chew Magna have also set up a ‘carbon-offset fund’; when someone books a flight with the local travel agent, the distance travelled determines their donation to the fund, even their journey to the airport will be eco-friendly, as the village has plans to run it’s own bio-fuelled coach shuttle service.
This community have many other plans in the pipe-line including becoming a Fairtrade village, following their support for African charities. What is truly inspirational is that all this came about because the community consolidated and discussed their concerns for the environment and together they were motivated to make changes – perhaps this small idyllic rural village will be responsible for providing a template for other towns and villages in the country.
Tags: Britain’s Greenest Village, carbon off-setting, Chew Magna, environment, go-zero, Recycling | Posted in Life Change, Recycling, Sustainability, Transport, carbon emissions, environment
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January 27th, 2010
The unrelenting driving force behind the Weymouth Relief Road project is the so-called Green 2012 Olympics. Despite campaigner’s insistence and the findings of independent research body Transport Research Laboratory, that the town’s infrastructure cannot cope with the huge expected influx of people and traffic to the area, it seems the government and local councils remain hell-bent on shoehorning everyone in somehow.
Work began late last year on identifying a site for the Olympic Sailing Village after plans for using an off-shore cruise ship were rejected. It is estimated that with the arrival of approximately 400 international athletes, around 500 to 600 bedrooms will be required to accommodate all the competitors and officials…
With 3,300 people already on the housing register in Weymouth and Portland local councils area hoping that any new developments will be turned into affordable homes for locals after the 2012 Olympics.
Government now imposes strict environmental standards upon new council building projects, including legislation on insulation, energy efficiency standards, double glazing and the use of sustainable materials. However taking into account government actions to date, it seems where the 2012 ‘Green’ Olympics are concerned, environmental interests fly well and truly out the window.
Tags: 2012 Olympics, government, Green Olympics, housing crisis, Local Council, Weymouth Relief Road | Posted in 2012
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January 25th, 2010
The University of Bath is undergoing a project to find environmentally friendly building materials that can be used as an alternative to the current products used within the construction industry.
A straw house came up as a viable option. Straw is not only a renewable resource, but also a farming by-product, which made it a popular choice for the researchers. It can be locally grown and absorbs carbon monoxide, therefore buildings made from straw have zero or even a negative carbon footprint. It can potentially provide such good insulation that normal heating may not be necessary, keeping running costs low and minimising environmental impact.
The construction itself has been built using prefabricated panels, consisting of wooden frames filled with straw or hemp, then rendered with a breathable lime based system.
Research into alternative building materials is important as cement contributes up to 10% of all carbon dioxide emissions. Hopefully this project, which over the year is to be monitored, will prove that straw is a sustainable building material. Let’s just hope it can withstand all the wolves huffing and puffing and trying to blow the house down!
Tags: Balehouse, Carbon Footprint, Construction, farming, renewable resource, Straw | Posted in Climate Change, Recycling, Self sufficiency, Sustainability, environment, renewable energy
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January 19th, 2010
The pretty, little Hazel Dormouse has found a new home in Backwell (Somerset), after the local community pulled together to buy a neglected piece of land called Jubilee Stone Wood and restore it to its former glory.
This small British mammal can be distinguished by its big black eyes and bushy tail. It is almost entirely nocturnal, so spotting one is a real treat.
Due to the decline in woodland habitats throughout the country, the dormouse has been under threat of extinction. But Backwell Environment Trust, a local voluntary group have now provided the Dormouse with a well-deserved and long overdue habitat.
Jubilee Stone Wood, was purchased by the group with the sole intention of turning it into a nature reserve. Once these mammals were spotted, 30 dormice boxes were provided to offer secure shelter and a place to breed and raise their young.
Backwell Environment Trust was set up by the locals when they realised that Jubilee Stone was up for sale, with painstaking commitment they have turned it into a beautiful nature reserve and are now enjoying the return of many different types of wildlife.
Tags: Backwell, Hazel Dormouse, Jubilee Stone Wood, local community, Somerset | Posted in Wildlife, environment
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January 14th, 2010
Irresponsible and unacceptable – this was how environmentalist Rebecca Lush described the building of the Weymouth Relief Road which got underway last year. The views of thousands of environmental protestors and locals were ignored, irrevocably scarring an area of natural beauty and dramatically increasing traffic, congestion and Co2 levels in the area. Even the incredible discovery of an ancient Roman burial site during clearance work, did nothing to slow the destruction process…
For more pictures and information visit the Bypass The Bypass website where you can also register your support and/or make a donation.
Tags: 2012 Olympics, Bypass the Bypass, carbon emissions, Green Olympics, Weymouth Relief Road | Posted in 2012, New Road Protests, carbon emissions, environment
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January 12th, 2010
Hard as it is to imagine, in these freezing temperatures, but the Met Office have forecast that 2010 will be a warmer year globally than 2009. Last year is being anticipated (once statistics are finalised) to be the fifth warmest on record.
Each December and January the Met Office issues a forecast of the global surface temperature for the coming year. It takes into account contributing factors such as increasing gas concentrations, the cooling influences of industrial particles, solar effects, volcanic changes and natural variations of the oceans.
Obviously, this forecast is open to change, but within the last 10 years the Met Office predictions have only had a 0.06c margin of error.
Tags: 2009, Met Office, Rising Temperatures, Weather | Posted in Climate Change, Rising Temperatures, environment
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January 8th, 2010
So what was actually achieved?
The conference provided a program on the first global agreement to limit and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, support adaptation for the most vulnerable and help establish environmentally sustainable growth.
Countries have agreed to limit global temperature rise to below 2 degrees Celsius. Developed countries are implementing targets for greenhouse gas emissions and financially supporting the developing countries.
Also, the most vulnerable will be identified and protected – taught to adapt to the changes brought on by global warming. In addition, discussions regarding the subject of reducing carbon emissions due to deforestation were initiated.
After 2 years of negotiations leading up to this UN Copenhagen conference, the above all appears rather vague and in fact a spokesperson from Greenpeace has been quoted as saying, ‘It’s so weak as to be meaningless’. Not quite the positive, inspirational outcome we were hoping for.
Tags: Copenhagen, Greenpeace, outcome, UN Conference | Posted in Climate Change, Events, News, Politics
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January 6th, 2010
Dorset County Council have won their bid for government funding to help protect the Jurassic Coast from the ravages of climate change.
The main concerns for the area (15 sections of coastline between Devon and Dorset) are storm damage, erosion and rising sea levels. In fact, only last year a huge landslide destroyed 400 metres of the world heritage coastline near Lime Regis. Clearly, the councils realised it was time to act.
£376,500 is now available to Devon and Dorset in order for them to assist the most venerable communities in the area. However, the money will not, as you would imagine, be going to improve sea defences, but to help the inhabitants gain a better understanding and ability to adapt to the impact of inevitable coastal changes. Debates will be held at local level, contingency plans devised and there will be the introduction and development of training programmes for conservationists.
Is this a case of forearmed is forewarned? Although it’s a positive nod by the government, towards recognising the dangers facing an island nation from the ravages of global warming, perhaps more should be being done to slow erosion and raising sea levels in the first place.
Tags: Climate Change, Global Warming, government, Jurassic Coast, rising sea levels | Posted in Climate Change, Local Councils, education, environment, rising sea levels
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January 4th, 2010
The Strauss family from Gloucestershire challenged themselves to only have their dustbin emptied once in 2009!
Exercising great care and discipline they examined everything they bought to ensure as much packaging as possible was recyclable. In doing so, they managed to cut their waste down to less than 100g (3.5oz) a week.
The website was born out of this mission and contains tips from readers on how and what can be recycled. Check out the site at myzerowaste.com
In 2010, the Strauss’s hope to create zero waste to landfill. Impressive!
Tags: landfill, myzerowaste.com, Recycling | Posted in Life Change, Recycling
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