Posts Tagged ‘environmental’
-
Greenprint launch event, The Barbican, London
On Tuesday 8th June, 2010, Climate Squad were up at the crack of dawn, in part due to excitement and partly due to nerves for the launch of the Greenprint to 2050 project at the Barbican centre, London.The Barbican Centre was an ideal location for the event due to its embedded green credentials: the venue has a dedicated Environmental Sustainability Working Party dedicated purely towards ensuring the centre has the most sustainable and progressive vision of energy and resource use so to minimise environmental impacts.
The Barbican centre is also “the first City business to trial and implement a 100% food recycling programme where all food waste gets collected in the 1100.ltr catering bins and sent to be treated at a special plant where it is turned into fertiliser and returned to the soil.”
The event kicked off at 9.30am after volunteers were welcomed with refreshments and the chance to have a go on the Global Action Plan eco-interactives (which was too much activity for some that early in the morning!). Trewin Restorick, CEO of Global Action Plan , was the first guest speaker:
For all these and many other reasons, Greenprint 2050 is hugely important and I will be doing whatever I can to ensure that the outcomes reach as many of the key people as possible.”
Jan Kiso from the Department of Energy and Climate Change then spoke about why the government are thinking about 2050 now. Jan highlighted a very important point that in order to ensure we meet our 2050 target, we need to “manage the risk of locking up ‘dirty’ technologies” and look at new technologies which, for example, have lifetimes of on average13 years for a car and 30 years for an aeroplane. Jan then spoke about green energy, efficient technologies, behaviour change and ‘green’ imports as things we can do and focus on now.
The first session saw the volunteers break into 6 groups to discuss their vision of 2050 and how they imagine things to be within their group topic area. Facilitated by a Global Action Plan ambassador and Bank of America/Merrill Lynch volunteer, the group discussions proved popular and volunteers got really stuck in to dynamic thinking about what they would like their futures to look like. Technology and lifestyle was definitely the most popular group attracting the largest number of volunteers, however a lot of vision ideas were submitted from all topic areas.
Some examples of vision ideas:
Education – education about climate change will be mandatory from an early age and emphasis will be put on strengthening the link between cause and effect. There will also be more outdoor learning and every school will have a garden.
Health & welfare – we will live in a more collective society within nations and between them, we will also know people living on our streets and we will live in a safer neighbourhood.
Jobs & employment – sectors such as retail and manufacture industries will be smaller and high tech and environmental jobs will prevail. People will also have fewer working hours because there is less consumerism so smaller demands for production.
Technology & lifestyle – all homes will have solar panels and proper insulation, and products/services will have their CO2 “cost” reflected in their retail prices.
Leisure – open spaces within streets and communities will be safer so children can play outside without a worry. People will also have more time to pursue hobbies as they work fewer hours.
Transport – Air miles will be reduced by encouraging self sustainability, and the government will fund LEDC’s dependant on revenue they would have otherwise got from exporting food. Developing countries will be using this to look at other means of sustainable growth.
After a short break we resumed for the second session: the debate. The panel of guests included (from left to right in picture above) Victoria Chamberlain from Conservative Future,John Northall from Climate Squad, Vicky Wakefield-Jarrett from Young Greens, Alan Belmore from Liberal Youth and Christine Quigley from Young Labour. The panel were open to questions from volunteers and the visions which volunteers had previously submitted. On a number of occasions the debate drew back to carbon tax. Topics also discussed include nuclear power, renewable energies such as wind farms, production and usage of cars and education.
On the whole the event was a success and there was a very positive atmosphere throughout. It was great to meet so many of the ever expanding group of Climate Squad volunteers!
The debate will be available via audio shortly.
-
1st day of summer swap shop!
By Steering Group volunteer, Alison Smith
On the 21st June I am putting on a swap shop in the Avenue Campus at Northampton Universtity.
The 21st June is the first day of summer! so it’s a chance for everyone to bring last years summer clothes and swap them with somebody else!
This event is going to highlight the effects off climate change and promote recyciling and donating old bits and bobs
So come along, have some fun and get rid of your unwanted stuff!
-
Algae powerhouses to provide future biofuels
By Nick AbbottThe not-for-profit government funded charity, The Carbon Trust, recently revealed that a team of 70 scientists from 11 of Britain’s leading research universities will join to compete in a global race to produce revolutionary and alternative algae biofuels.
Algae have the ability to act as environmentally friendly miniature “biofuel factories”. They can produce high levels of natural oils from solar energy which can then be used to produce biodiesel.
With the cost of oil reaching a recent high of $140 per barrel, and the recent formation of the UK climate change act which made plans to reduce carbon emissions by at least 80% by 2050, this new research into alternative carbon-neutral fuels arrives at an important time.
Current predictions suggest that, per year, 70 billion litres of fossil fuel (coal, oil, and gas) used for road transport and flights could be replaced by algae biofuels by 2030. This will save 160 million tonnes of CO2 emissions per year.
Algae are able to produce up to 10x more oil for biofuel production per hectare of land when compared to current agricultural crop choices. The current problem is reducing the overall cost of the process by increasing the algae oil production, finding the most efficient method of large scale algae growth and the best method of harvesting the essential oils.
The University of Sheffield, who hold the important task of choosing the correct algal strain and maximising the production of oil from the algae, are a cornerstone to the success of the Algae Biofuels Challenge. “We aim to develop a set of experimental techniques that allow the identification of suitable algal strains capable of producing high levels of natural oils and happy to be grown in large outdoor ponds” said a spokesman and lead researcher at the university. Other researchers are developing the best methods of large scale algae growth and looking at how to harvest the natural oils produced by the algae.
This mammoth project, if successful, would require algae ponds to be built which would cover a land mass larger than Wales. The final production ponds are likely to be overseas to maximise natural resources available. Mid-western USA or Western Australia, where open land is abundant and long hours of sunlight common which is key to algae growth, are likely locations
-
Maintaining Gaia - EARTH HOUR Fiji switch off event
By Climate Squad volunteer, and photographer Matthew Hensby
Saturday 27th March saw the culmination of a two month WWF climate change campaign in Fiji with a big public event at Suva’s central park – Sukuna Park.
The EARTH HOUR event hosted a number of local entertainers, an excellent Meke performance (traditional Fijian dance), while the popular Hong Kong rugby 7s tournament was projected on a big screen and a lot of candles were lit as the lights around the park were switch off as a symbol to encourage people to think more about climate change.
The general consensus was that the campaign was a success – a large number of people turned out at the park with many more people across the country participating at home and over the two months leading up to Saturday the WWF team handed out thousands of climate change information leaflet.
Climate change receives near universal support in Fiji. Many people, especially those on the coast are already reporting changes in their environment like rising sea levels and with high profile events like the two destructive cyclones to affect the country this year, people are very receptive to the issue.
Earth Hour is a yearly event that started in 2007 and this year over 120 countries participated reaching an estimated one billion people.
-
London EcoBarbie #2 Students coffee is banker’s champagne
LONDON ECO BARBIE –
Life’s not fair but at least my pants are..By Amy Whitney
Another day, another carbon footprint
Students coffee is banker’s champagne. Produced in our kitchen using water tanks saves energy. Number of failures, however, costly engineers and carbon from buying new kettles render their future useless.
“Heating water accounts 10-40% total energy consumption in urban districts”
Lectures students flock to computer rooms, statistics programmes aid climate change trend prediction. Poignant at least. A reminder everywhere businesses, schools and hospitals are entirely dependent on computer systems. Three years time power cuts strike, our entire economy will collapse unless sustainable methods of sourcing energy are promoted, god knows how many nuclear power stations are required to fill the tumultuous energy deficit.
“Industry and homes predicted to face power cuts by 2012. Britain needs £200bn investment in new nuclear, gas, wind and clean coal power stations over the next decade” (Telegraph 2010).
Misprinting “Time series in deuterium” creates energy wastage. A small pile accumulating beside the printer, a lasting image. In the future I pledge to invest in recycled reams and use Swiss Cottage ink cartridge filling station.
-
London EcoBarbie #1 Ethical shopping habits
LONDON ECO BARBIE –
Life’s not fair but at least my pants are..By Amy Whitney
Climate change and human environmental impact, raised at Copenhagen 2009, are the most pressing issues facing humanity. Climate change requires restructuring of societies resource distribution; in this diary I analyse my own habits. Accepting we’re not tree-hugging, bicycle-riding eco-centric warriors is the first step in rising to the challenge to cut carbon, waste and water consumption.
Today, I concentrate on ethical shopping habits. A West Hampstead trip results in charity shopping; helpful staff, cheap and fantastic quality. A fur hat, lace shirt and pashmina in the name of S/S ‘10′, entirely unnecessary but spitting images of Topshop versions. ‘I cannot believe more students aren’t onto this!!’ “Vintage fashion is a viable, attractive and environmentally friendly alternative to conventional fashion” (Vintage fashion guild 2010). Simply by researching where to shop consumption patterns can be adjusted to benefit the local community and environment.
Starbucks, simple, convenient and never disappointing yet we’re surrounded by locally run coffee houses. In todays’ society it’s all about image. However Starbucks are the largest Fair Trade coffee buyer on the planet (Fair Trade 2010), commendable in a world where many companies engage in less than ethical business practices.
-
#1 The Traffic of Delhi, India
“India – a LEDC (less economically developed country) with very little concern, if any at all, over the effects its development could have on the environment from increasing levels of CO2 emissions. The USA and UK, to name a few, have exploited resources for means of their own economic development whilst being ignorant of the consequence to the climate, which has become hauntingly apparent over the past decade. Perhaps we could use what we have learnt to prevent developing countries from following the same path?”
Well, this is what I thought before actually visiting India. Whilst being out there I realised that what I thought about India’s attitude towards climate change had, not really surprisingly, been moulded from what I had read about in the media and at university. Actually, it appears we have a lot to learn as Kevin McCloud also highlighted in his “Slumming It” series on Channel 4.
Arriving in Delhi was a shock, even if I spent a day trying to describe the chaos of traffic everywhere, you wouldn’t be able to understand unless you went there yourself. However, despite being so chaotic people actually got to where they wanted without much of a problem. Whilst being driven in a Rickshaw for the first time I was overwhelmed by the heat being emitted from the exhausts of large rickety looking trucks and the volume of traffic meant that you could’nt escape this man-made heat. After addressing this with some friends who actually live in Delhi, they explained that the problems with pollution in Delhi have actually led to the development of a large scale project to try and reduce it. 10 years ago a law was passed whereby all heavy weight vehicles must be fuelled with CNG (compressed natural gas). At this time there used to be thick heavy smog that sat over the city making it difficult to see a reasonable distance in front of yourself. However, since this law was passed the levels of pollution have actually dropped considerably over the 10 year period which, despite the small rise again over the past year or so, is a step in the right direction!
When you actually see the large trucks with “Propelled By Clean Fuel” and “Delhi Transport Corporation, Worlds Largest Eco-friendly CNG Bus Service”, you do wonder how such a large, battered, old looking vehicle can possibly be what it states. But it is the mindset and intentions which are just as valuable for a positive movement towards action on climate change.
In addition to CNG, Delhi is currently undergoing a massive construction project to create a huge metro network across the city. There is no doubt that this will be anywhere near complete for the Common Wealth Games in 2010 of which the structure itself leaves a lot for the imagination. The Delhi Metro network will become a large supplier of public transportation and once complete will hopefully reduce the volume of motor Rickshaws around that city that emit damaging fuel. As a result, we hope for a decline in pollution levels across the city…I guess we shall see!
-
Birmingham Eco-Teams Training Opportunity
Hello One and All,
It is nearly the end of January! Which means that frost bitten mornings will be replaced by very cold rain/drizzle! YES!!
So in order to brighten up these glum prospects I can happily tell you that there are plenty of Eco-Team Training opportunities for everyone! And you only have slightly more than 20 days to wait.
It is happening on the 20th of February in Birmingham, at this location:
The Birmingham & Midland Institute,
Margaret Street,
B3 3BSSo, the training itself is free and all expenses are paid for Training will only take a day and then you will run an EcoTeams project for 5 to 6 months, working with a couple of households in your local area.
As an EcoTeam leader, you’ll help your team calculate the carbon they produce by measuring their energy and water use, and waste. Then you’ll organise monthly meetings to support them as they change their ways.
At the end of the programme, you’ll help your team calculate how much carbon they’ve saved and throw a party to celebrate. On average, each person reduces their household’s CO2 emissions by 16.6% and saves £148 a year.
If you want to come along, register your interest on the Climate Squad website and you will be sent details on how to apply.
If you cant attend this date, we have some Community Leadership Training taking place in Chester and London, this March. Alternatively, EcoTeams training will be taking place in Manchester, Newcastle, Nottingham and London soon! Keep an eye out on the Climate Squad website.
-
22nd JANUARY - Appetite for Action Day
As part of appetite for action day, on the 22nd January, all Climate Squad and Global Action Plan staff are pledging 1 (or for those keen of us, 6) actions to reduce the impact of our food for 1 day!
And you have the opportunity to take part too:
Possible actions are as follows…
1. use a reusable mug for the day (or 1 mug for the day)
2. choose food with no packaging
3. have packed lunch in a reusable container
4. recycle any bottle or drinks can you use
5. buy organic foods
6. buy food that is in season … see the following website for ideas – http://www.eattheseasons.co.uk/weekbyweek/1.htm
7. use a reusable bag and reuse plastic
8. choose the most locally produced food items
9. drink tap water instead of a bottled drink
10. have a meat free day
To take part, e-mail the actions you pledge to make to – climate.squad@globalactionplan.org.uk
-
New must see documentary – ‘The 11th Hour’!
Attention Climate Squad volunteers!
Tune in to the Community Channel on Monday 18th January at 9pm to catch the UK premiere of ‘The 11th Hour’, an award-winning documentary co-written, co-produced and narrated by Hollywood star Leonardo DiCaprio.
If you are interested in finding out more about how our lives are impacting on the environment and what we can do to change our course then this is an absolute must see.
With interviews from experts around the world including famous scientist Stephen Hawking, and former head of the CIA R. James Woolsey, this fast paced documentary encourages action and solutions.
As the tagline says it’s time to “turn mankind’s darkest hour into it’s finest.”
- Community Channel can be viewed on Sky- 539 and Virgin TV 233.
Recent comments: