February 3rd, 2010
Looking for some green, environmentally friendly outer clothing? Well the Spudcoat could be the answer to your prayers. It comes in two styles the waterproof cloak (good for the festival goer) or the raincoat (for the more dapper eco-warrior). The spudcoat is made entirely from bioplastic which is derived from potato starch and other natural resources.
The coat is 100% biodegradable and compostable and even has a small clay ball with seeds in it so that once its lifecycle is over; you can dig a hole in the garden and bury it. So the garment doesn’t just return to the natural cycle, it also helps the seeds inside grow into plants – what more could you ask for?
Tags: 100% biodegradable, bioplastic, compostable, Spudcoat | Posted in Recycling, Self sufficiency, Sustainability
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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 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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November 10th, 2009
Go green with a wormery. Compost leftover food scraps, newspapers, even the contents of your vacuum bag – worms love it! The invertebrate’s waste products create fantastic compost, known as vermicompost, which is full of nutrients and beneficial to both indoor and outdoor plants.
Waste is a huge problem in this country, households’ dispose of around a third of the food they buy. Over 6 tonnes of food is thrown away each year, ending up in landfill sites therefore contributing a large percentage to the methane emissions that pollute our atmosphere. A wormery is a simple and eco-friendly solution.
The wormery comes in the form of a plastic or wooden box. The type of worms used (generally Red Tiger and Dendrobaena worms) live on decaying matter, as opposed to the common earth worm which burrow underground. A wormery comes in varying shapes and sizes, but shallow trays seem to be the most favoured – surface area rather than depth is recommended. This type of environment allows the waste to compost down quicker allowing the worms to feed and breed quicker.
Prices start from around £30 for a basic model and go up to £80 for an ‘executive’ version. Give it a go, it’s good for the environment and the kids will love it!
Tags: eco-friendly, green, landfill, methane, wormeries, wormery | Posted in Climate Change, Self sufficiency, Sustainability, environment
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November 8th, 2009
Following the diary posting on Greenmomentum for 24th October – International Day of Climate Action, I urge you to check out the 350.org website. The photographs are truly awesome and inspiring
It gives us hope!
Tags: 350, 350.org website, International Day of Climate Action, photographs | Posted in Climate Change, Events, Life Change, News, Protest Marches, Sustainability
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September 22nd, 2009
Our population is increasing and our death rate decreasing, can the country cope? Britain’s birth-rate is an environmental disaster waiting to happen, warns The Optimum Population Trust. They believe that the government should follow the lead of China and Iran and encourage families to restrict themselves to two children or less.
‘Each new UK birth, through the inevitable resource consumption and pollution that UK affluence generates, is responsible for about 160 times as much climate-related environmental damage as a new birth in Ethiopia, or 35 times as much as a new birth in Bangladesh,’ says the report. ‘A voluntary stop-at-two guideline should be adopted for couples in the UK who want to adopt greener lifestyles. It would aim to set an example.’
It is an undenialable truth that the UK population has quadrupled since the 1970’s, and growth at this rate is going have a huge impact on housing, energy and power supplies, reservoirs, schools, hospitals, transport, shops, waste disposal, prisons – the waste and emissions from these being potentially catastrophic!
Human rights, freedom of choice, democracy – has anyone the right to dictate the size of our families? But what is a sustainable level and at what point if any, should population growth stop or be controlled due to environmental factors?
Tags: birth rate, environment, ethical debate, government, population, Sustainability | Posted in Climate Change, Sustainability, environment
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August 31st, 2009
In a bid to reduce Britain’s dependency on fossil fuels such as coal, gas and oil the government has introduced its Renewable Energy Strategy.
Heavily weighed down by its promise to reduce CO2 emissions by 34% by 2020 and 80% by 2050, the government is poised to invest £100 billion into a renewable energy infrastructure, including 7,000 wind turbines by 2020.
All well and good, but the increased cost to the consumer could result in many households facing fuel poverty. It is anticipated that bills will have to rise by 20% to pay for this investment. The average household currently pays approximately £1,150 a year for electricity and gas, the cost of converting to renewable energy and modernising Britain’s power stations could add another £230 to this.
Too bitter a pill to swallow? Then be aware that in all likelihood, as things stand our energy prices will increase anyway, so it’s crucial to make a positive change before it’s too late.
Tags: Climate Change, CO2 Emissions, energy prices, expensive energy, fossil fuels, renewable energy | Posted in Climate Change, Life Change, Sustainability, Sustainable Energy
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August 14th, 2009
British Film Director and green celebrity Guy Ritchie who resides in Ashcombe House, near Salisbury, has submitted plans to Wiltshire Council to make his 18th Century property ‘more self-sufficient’.
It is his intention to install greenhouses, vegetable plots and fruiteries at the £9 million estate, which was given to him following his divorce from Madonna.
The part-walled gardens leading from the back door to the staff building will be turned over to vegetables and given a row of greenhouses to produce vines, fruit, early vegetables and seedlings. The low-level soil heating will be provided by green energy, via the woodchip boiler situated within the staff block.
The application went onto to state that the ‘produce from the greenhouses will be used on the estate, all part of a very admirable effort to make the estate more self-sufficient and sustainable.
Meanwhile on the other side of life….
The growing popularity of allotments has meant that local Councils, Poole Council included are seeking ways of providing more allotments.
The Poole model provides a good example of the national allotment shortage. Currently there are eight allotment sites in the borough containing 409 plots. However, there are 715 people on the waiting list who could have to wait 18 years before being able to plant their own fruit and veg – or may never get one at all.
“Waiting lists in Poole are considerable and if the current turnover of plots is maintained some applicants may never be allocated a plot in their lifetime,” said a report that went before councillors.
It seems that a simple patch of land to grow your own fruit and veg is yet another shining example of the great divide in the UK today.
Tags: Allotments, Green celebrity, grow your own, Guy Ritchie, Local Council | Posted in Local Councils, Sustainability
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