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TENONS: The Environmental Network Of North Somerset

Home Page: News

Welcome to the web site for TENONS,
The Environmental Network Of North Somerset.

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August 2009 ...

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TENONS Events for 2010... 

Browse/search the Green Directory... 

What's going to be built?           Where?                  What are the options?                  What are the pros and cons?

Severn Tidal Power: click for more...

One way or another, this project is going to have a huge impact on our area.   More...

Views expressed on this site by individuals or other organisations are their own.


www.villagefarm.org.uk Green burial arrangements at Village farm, Cleeve

Who wouldn't like more for their money?

A chance to improve local facilities, land to use for life, a better social life, preservation of essential local land, guaranteed wildlife corridors, a chance to travel cheaply with camping at very little cost, farmgate food prices for local meat, a boost to the local economy, very low-cost local habitation particularly for young couples, more eco-friendly home designs, living near to work and food supplies, a chance for everyone to feel included in 'the good life' - veg. patches 'and help to grow', for everyone, a better start for young children, more affordable economics and an answer to environmental protection?

Richard Sibley, at Village farm, Cleeve, aims to provide all these things. For people who buy his farm-produced meat products, and who opt for a green burial, so that the money normally spent can boost life for everyone.

The money spent on a green burial with his charity will help the generations who are young enough to really go low-carbon, and to transition to low-oil economics - something that older people would find difficult to do.

He will tell you that anyone interested in boosting life can obtain 'gift aid' to help the local community, as well as providing the 'good life' in perpetuity to generations after us. The run-up to 2050 (and 80% reductions in green house gases) will need radical changes. Richard intends to transform our chances to cope, whilst making life more fun.

Find out more at www.villagefarm.org.uk

Organic Fortnight 3-17 September 2010

Find out more at www.soilassociation.org

11 September 2010 Home Energy Day    Somerset Hall Portishead, 10.00 am - 4pm

Exhibitions of renewable energy companies, home insulation, grants, new feed-in tariff etc etc. Case studies showing how to reduce energy use and reduce carbon by 80% in a variety of homes. Focus in on practical
steps that can be taken now to reduce the energy use in the home and to replace fossil fuels with renewables.

More...

Series 6 Episode 3:
this programme feaures an item on energy efficiency and how "
smart appliances" that monitor and report their power consumption can reduce our energy requirements.
The item begins 8 mins 20 seconds into the programme, and runs until 18 mins 32 seconds.

Win Some, Lose Some – The Impact of Severn Tidal Energy

Blakehay Theatre,
Saturday 20 March 2010

A second great opportunity to discover more on the effects of the potential schemes to harness the power of the Severn Estuary.
In October last year, one of the largest audiences to fill the Blakehay Theatre here in Weston-super-Mare, heard some of the nation’s experts explain a range of technologies to capture tidal energy.
On 20th March a second presentation considered their potential impact on the environment of the estuary, on local jobs and our future.

See more photos on our Facebook page...

See more photos on our Facebook page...

Dowload the powerpoints from the speakers:          Don't have powerpoint? Download a free powerpoint viewer from Microsoft

Hinkley Connection: New pylons route

With the new Hinkley Point power station construction to start in a few years time, a public consultation has been set up by National Grid on how the power will be transferred to the Avonmouth substation. Full details are at www.nationalgrid.com/hinkleyconnection

As a representative from TENONS, Peter Barrington attended one of the public consultation events to learn more.

Existing pylons carry 132kV and are typically 26m high. The new pylons will carry 400kV and will be 46m high.

Consultants for National Grid have drawn up a map showing a number of possible routes. These include the route already in existence as well as suggested new routes.

Save Our Valley are a group of local residents who have set up a campaign aimed primarily at preventing National Grid from building 150 foot high pylons in the valley between Nailsea and Wraxhall.

Details of their campaign and the threat from National Grid are at www.save-our-valley.co.uk

National Grid say 'After carrying out extensive studies we have identified two potential route corridors, which are stretches of land in which the overhead line could be sited. We have no preference as to which corridor is chosen so the views of local people will help us make the decision.’

Burying the cables underground could be an option for some of the route to a depth of 1.5m below the ground, however, a ground width of 20 to 40m is required which cannot be built on. Under the Bristol Channel is significantly more expensive and is untried technology for the capacity required for the Hinkley connection.

Listening to people at the consultation, the preferred option of many would be to replace the existing 132kV pylon route with 400kV cables, with underground sections in sensitive areas such as the Loxton valley and west of Nailsea.

Peter Barrington

Weston Mercury: Major concerns over pylons project...

Get recycling!

      Try the Rubbish Challenge and
       other activities from Recyclezone...

Video clip: bottle banks can be fun! >>>  


Get composting!

           Try BBC Gardening's online game "hurl a heap"

Severn Tidal Power: 24 October 2009

The Blakehay Centre was filled on Saturday morning, with people keen to hear the experts talk about the various options for harnessing the energy of the Severn Estuary.


Marion Barber, Head of Economy & Regeneration, North Somerset, opened the presentation by putting the implications of the Severn Estuary project in context.

Professor Roger Falconer, Halcrow Professor of Water Management and Director of Hydro-environmental Research Centre from the School of Engineering at Cardiff University and Dr Rupert Armstrong Evans of Evans Engineering presented their particular areas of research including the various barrage options, the land locked and sea lagoons and the tidal reef.

Peter Kidd, Director of Planning and Environment offered an overview and clarification of the role of the consultants, Parsons Brinckerhoff, in analysing relevant key factors before presenting the feasible options to Government for final selection in 2010.

 

A broad analysis of the feedback from over a third of the audience confirmed that the unanimous feeling was that the options and information were well presented and very informative.

Given climate change said to cause rising sea levels and our dependency on fossil fuels and foreign suppliers, doing nothing was considered to be the worst possible option.

Next Severn Tidal Power meeting is Saturday 20 March 2010 at the Blakehay, when the second public consultation is also planned. Go to http://severntidalpowerconsultation.decc.gov.uk/

Party in the park: Ashcombe Park 20 September 2009

Tenons were delighted to help arrange this wildlife and environmental event with the North Somerset Wildlife Wardens who do a fantastic job in helping preserve areas in the county for the benefit of both wildlife and ourselves.

The popular compére, Steve Apelt, helped weave the day together ensuring coverage of all the children’s events. These events were planned to introduce children to different aspects of wildlife.

With the Wildlife Wardens there was the opportunity to see frogs and other insects as well as make masks and colour in for the bear competition and plant up a crocus for next Spring in recycled drinks cups. Recycling was our theme and we were amazed how much the youngsters knew about what and what not to recycle and what can cause harm to wildlife. Our major theme was waste, in particular food waste, bearing in mind the ‘Love Food, Hate Waste’ project now being run by the Council who also brought their trailer along on the day.


  Start Over   

This free script provided byJavaScript Kit

Goblin Combe organised ‘Mini-beast’ walks and the Teddy Bears Picnic, and there was the chance just to be creative with the Play Wardens and @Play. We were pleased to have ‘The Dell Carver’ who made bats and rattles out of bits of wood whilst showing his newly invented ‘sawhorse’ so that children can also make items.

There was also the opportunity to have faces painted, hair braided, make straw dollies and items out of willow and, next to Keith and Linda Hall who were selling specialist nest box kits, to admire Beau, Chris Sperring’s owl, who sat all the time on Leah’s arm.

10:10

Everyone's looking for something to do about climate change. What's needed is something straightforward, immediate and meaningful.

Join thousands of individuals and organisations from across the country to unite behind one simple idea: that by working together we can achieve a 10% cut in carbon emissions during 2010. It's called 10:10, and everyone can be a part of it.

Cutting 10% in one year is a bold target, but for most of us it's an achievable one, and is in line with what scientists say we need right now. By signing up to 10:10 we're not just promising to reduce our own emissions

Be part of a national drive to hit this ambitious goal country-wide. In our homes, in our workplaces, our schools and our hospitals, our galleries and football clubs and universities, we'll be backing each other up as we take the first steps on the road to becoming a low-carbon society.

To find out more and sign up go to www.1010uk.org To read coverage of the campaign from the Guardian go to www.guardian.co.uk/10-10

Would you like to become a Tree Warden ?

Tree Wardens are volunteers appointed by Parish Councils who gather information about their local trees, get involved in local tree matters, and carry out practical projects to do with trees and woods.

This scheme is promoted by local councils, the Woodland Trust, and the Tree Council.Free courses, literature, creating tree nurseries, woodland management, after care, ancient trees.

Give advice on Tree Preservation Orders, disease control, planting schemes, surveys.

If you would like to help with this work please contact -

Ian Morrell
Nailsea Town Council
clerk@nailseatowncouncil.gov.uk
tel 01275 855277
Duncan Bonner
the Forest of Avon
info@forestofavon.org.uk
tel 0117 9532141
Terry Smith
t.a.smith@blueyonder.co.uk
tel 01275 854317
Terry Smith 30-1-09

The Ecoworrier's Guide

Are you an ecoworrier? No, that's not a misprint.

Drawn by Mike Barfield and published in 'Green Gauge', the monthly
newsletter from Every Action Counts, these are sure to make you smile.

Read them here...

My favourite has to be this one...

Andy Darvill, 11-1-09

 
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