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 South
West Regional "Love Food Hate Waste" Campaign
 During
September and October, councils have joined together to launch
a campaign to reduce food wastage. They are asking residents to
fill in a food diary over 7 consecutive days, to make them think
about the food that they waste – as often we think that
we do not waste any. Every diary that is returned will receive
a free “Eat Well, Waste Less” recipe book by Bish
Muir. If residents include a food waste reduction suggestion on
the diary, they will be entered in to the competition to win a
cookery course for them and a friend, worth £140, at The
Cookery School at Bordeaux Quay in Bristol.
Visit www.n-somerset.gov.uk/lovefoodhatewaste
for more info and to download a diary.
When it's complete, post it to ‘Love Food Hate Waste’
Campaign, Streets and Open Spaces, Weston Court, Oldmixon Crescent,
Weston-super-Mare, BS24 9AU or email to streetsandopenspaces@n-somerset.gov.uk
with the subject ‘Love Food Hate Waste’.
Every resident that sends back a diary by October
30th, will receive a free recipe book, “Eat Well, Waste
Less” by Bish Muir, that has lots of great recipes using
leftovers, and ways to make food go further.
The Competition
All diaries must be received by Friday 30th October.
Only residents that include a food waste reduction suggestion
will be entered in to the competition. This could be any suggestion
of a way of reducing food waste, or making the most of the food
we buy – e.g. a storage suggestion, a recipe using leftovers
etc.
The suggestions will be short-listed by an independent judge
from WRAP, who run the national Love Food Hate Waste campaign.
The winner will be picked by The Cookery School at Bordeaux
Quay.
The 1st prize is a cookery class at The Cookery
School Bordeaux Quay (www.bordeaux-quay.co.uk) that is being
run on Saturday 28 November. The winner can take 1 other person
along with them, and the prize must be taken on this day. There
will be 1 prize winner from each of the 4 local authority areas.
5 runners up from each of the areas will receive
a pack of goodies from Lakeland including a spaghetti measurer,
Lock and Lock food containers, Avacado saver, Klippits and freezer
labels.
The aim of the South West campaign is to collect
25,000 pledges to reduce food waste. There is a section to pledge
on the food diary and these will count towards this target.
Any questions please contact Lucy Elston
on 01934 426011 or lucy.elston@n-somerset.gov.uk
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www.climatefriendlyfood.org.uk contact
jenny@climatefriendlyfood.org.uk
- UK's most comprehensive FREE carbon calculator
for organic producers (soil to consumer)
- World's first low-carbon "participatory
certification" (initial entry cost £35) with
farmer-to-farmer inpsection Complementary to organic certification
or an affordable, stand alone certification mark for smallholders,
CSA's and urban community projects to demonstrate their
eco-credentials
- Useful information about lowering carbon
footprints and movement away from fossil fuels in food production
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To celebrate this
launch Climate Friendly Food have organised a week-long series of
events. Starting in Dartington, near Totnes (with guest speaker
Rob Hopkins) Mukti Mitchell and Jonathan Smith will cycle 130 miles
to Bristol, stopping at organic farms on the way. CFF is commited
to minimising its carbon footprint so we're using sustainable travel
to promote low carbon food.You are very welcome to join us at one
of the events listed below. All events are free to attend.
- Monday 12th October, Schumacher College, Dartington
near Totnes, 10.00am until 1.00pm
The Climate Friendly Food team, Mukti Mitchell, Jenny Hall and
Jonathan Smith will officially launch the UK's most comprehensive
carbon calculator for farmers and growers and world's first low
carbon food certification scheme. Also speaking will be Ben Raskin
from Soil Association, Martin Crawford from Agroforestry Research
Trust and Rob Hopkins from Transition Network. Following the talks
there will be a chance to visit Martin Crawford's acclaimed forest
garden, to learn about forest gardening and carbon sequestration
through plants and soil. This event is free and refreshments will
be provided; an optional organic lunch available at £7.00
per person.
- Tuesday 13th October, Shillingford Organics, Shillingford
Abbot near Exeter, Devon, 10.00am until 1.00pm
This event is aimed at anyone interested in learning about food
carbon footprints and how low carbon food will play a major part
in reducing the impact of climate change on a global basis. Mukti
Mitchell and Jonathan Smith, the developers of the calculator
will present the project. Martyn Bragg will lead a walk around
his award winning organic horticultural and arable farm. This
event is free and refreshments will be provided.
- Thursday 15th October, Brown Cow Organics, Pilton near Shepton
Mallet, Somerset, 10.00am until 1.00pm
This event is aimed at anyone interested in learning about food
carbon footprints and how low carbon food will play a major part
in reducing the impact of climate change on a global basis. Mukti
Mitchell and Jonathan Smith, the developers of the calculator
will present the project. Farmers Judith and Clive Freane will
lead a walk around their award winning organic dairy farm. This
event is free and refreshments will be provided.
- Friday 16th October, Woodbarn Farm, Chew Magna near Bristol,
10.00am until 1.00pm
This event is aimed at anyone interested in learning about food
carbon footprints and how low carbon food will play a major part
in reducing the impact of climate change on a global basis. Mukti
Mitchell and Jonathan Smith, the developers of the calculator
will present the project. Grower Phil Haughton will lead a walk
around this organic Community Supported Agriculture scheme. This
event is free and refreshments will be provided.
- Friday 16th October, Bordeaux Quay, Harbourside, Bristol, 5.00pm
to 6.00pm
This event is aimed at anyone interested in learning about food
carbon footprints and how low carbon food will play a major part
in reducing the impact of climate change on a global basis. Mukti
Mitchell and Jonathan Smith, the developers of the calculator
will present the project. The event is free to attend and Bordeaux
Quay have a bar stocking many organic and local drinks.
- Saturday 17th October, Schumacher lectures, Bristol, 9.45am
to 5.30pm
Climate Friendly Food will be making an appearance at the acclaimed
Schumacher lectures, as a culmination to the bike ride from Dartington
at the start of the week. The project be presented to all delegates
in the main lecture hall. They will also be manning a stall in
the foyer to meet as many participants as possible and be available
to answer questions throughout the whole day. You have to book
in to the excellent Schumacher lectures to attend the event. Visit
www.schumacher.org.uk
to book a ticket.
Severn Tidal Power :
Public Meeting
Saturday 24th October, 9.45 to
12.45, The Blakehay Centre, Weston-super-Mare
The Severn Estuary has the second highest tide
in the world and in a bid to harness the energy that can be
produced potentially, the Government have created a consultation
process. This process will be looking at different options
and their effect on many areas of concern, such as the environment,
local industries and flood risks, to name but a few. (www.severntidalpowerconsultation.decc.gov.uk)
The first consultation for the public by the
Government was to collect opinions on the five short-listed
schemes, including the favoured Brean to Lavernock Point barrage.
The consultation closed in April but a second consultation
will be held, possibly in 2010. TENONS are inviting everyone
who is interested to find out about the technology that may
be chosen, to the first of two public meetings at which high
profile experts will be presenting on various options.
We are delighted that the speakers will include
Rupert Armstrong-Evans who is pioneering the Tidal Reef. We
will also hear from Professor Roger Falconer, Halcrow Professor
at Cardiff University; Jim Galvin, General Manager of Fleming
Energy, who will speak about lagoons, and Peter Kydd, Director
of Planning and Environment at Parsons Brinckerhoff. Marian
Barber, Head of Economy and Regeneration at North Somerset
Council will be introducing the event and also will be part
of the panel for your questions and comments.
This free public meeting will take place
Saturday 24th October 9.45 a.m. to 12.45 p.m. at The Blakehay
Centre, Wadham Street, Weston-super-Mare. To make any special
arrangement for mobility problems, please phone 01934 623000
or email memb@tenons.org.uk.
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Film: "The Age of Stupid"
(12A) Curzon
Community Cinema, Clevedon, Sunday
14 June at 2pm
Environmental documentary. Pete Postlethwaite
stars as a man living alone in the devastated future world
of 2055, looking at old footage from 2008 and asking: why
didn't we stop climate change when we had the chance?
This screening was a World Environment Day event
supported by Rotary Club of Clevedon and Greener
Footprints.
Visit www.ageofstupid.net |
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Green Talk@The Blakehay
On Saturday 21st March Green Talk@The Blakehay
was launched. A day of inspiring talks, short films, stands
with environmental information and the opportunity to get
involved and help create a greener, safer planet.
An entertaining, educational programme of talks
by local environmental experts, thought- provoking films and
audience participation in the Q & A sessions.
Of particular interest to those in the audience
already committed to protecting their environment was the
road map to transition outlined by Cara Naden, from Transition
Langport . "Transition" is the process by which
an area invests its own resources to produce a significant
portion of the goods, services, food and energy consumed by
it community to ensure its sustainability with minimal damage
to the environment .
Up to 152 cities, towns and villages have already
signed up to transition. Wouldn't it be amazing if Weston-super-Mare
also made transition an objective over the next few years? |
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In the afternoon session the audience were shocked
by recent studies measuring the levels of food waste. We know of
the disturbing volumes of food disposed of by the supermarkets but
the average family perpetuates this waste by throwing away one bagful
of food in every three that they buy, of which 40% (by weight) is
fresh fruit & vegetables and 20% is bread. Planning meals, the
use of shopping lists and the selective use of "buy one get
one free" offers are simple ways of cutting waste and saving
money.
Finally the audience were invited to participate in
"The Earth Hour" started in Australia and now practiced
by many cities and locations around the world. The film showing
the lights going out on some of the world's most famous landmarks
was a moving demonstration of the power of people when they unite
together to protect the planet.
See
www.messageinthewaves.com
Winscombe, 27 June: Waste,
Energy & our Environment...
Several large-scale projects have been mooted
for our area, all aimed at reducing dependence on fossil-fuels.
How well will they work? What impacts will they have on the
people who live here? Come to Winscombe Community Centre on
27th June to learn more about
- tidal power from the Severn
- wind farms
- waste-to-energy plants
There will also be information and ideas on
improving transportation in our area. Along with displays
and opportunities for discussion, the programme will include:
- 10am & 11:30am Showing of "Decentralised
Energy"
This short film very straightforwardly summarises the problems
of centralised power-generation, and contrasts them with
the more local and varied approaches pursued by the European
countries which did not receive the bonanza of North Sea
oil & gas. We think you'll find it well worth the watch!
- 2:30 - 4:00pm "ANY QUESTIONS?"
PANEL with John Penrose, MP, our man in Westminster; Roger
Wade of the Environment Agency, consultant on Tidal Energy;
Andy Tubb of UWE, expert on Waste Management; Nick Pyatt,
International Forestry Consultant.
Send your questions to Aubrey beforehand, or
bring them on the day. |
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Bristol Natural History Consortium:
BioBlitz 2009
Ashton Court estate in Bristol
from 9am Friday June 26th – 3pm Saturday June 27th
2009
Join us at Bristol’s
premier biological event for 2009 - the first ever terrestrial
BioBlitz in the West of England! We need to enlist the
help of experts to help us race against the clock and
identify as many species as we can during our 30-hour
BioBlitz event. We would like to invite you to join
us for a 3-hour stint (or longer!) and provide help
in identifying species and/or lead small groups of the
public to search for and identify species. |
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20th May: talk on Reserves & Open Spaces
in North Somerset by Liz Green of Avon Wildlife |
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National Composting Week May 3 - 10: more info
from www.n-somerset.gov.uk...
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Real Nappy Week 27 April - 3 May 2009 Parents
- do you want to save money as well as save the environment?
Grandparents and family members - are you looking for a super
present for the new members of your family?
According to the new North Somerset Nappy Alliance
buying real nappies instead of disposables can save ££s.
Disposables can cost up to £1,000 for the two and a
half years you need them, as opposed to £430 for a basic
birth to potty set. This price includes the cost of laundering.
Not only would this save money in your pocket
but would also save indirectly. From a report last year it
was estimated that about three billion disposable nappies
are used each year. These would mostly go to landfill and
add to the cost of the householder in Council Tax. Add to
that the fact that they could take hundreds of years to degrade
and using real nappies makes sense. |
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Laundering is so much easier now as well.
Gone are the days of soaking and boiling. With the use of
flushable, biodegradable liners, all you need to do is machine
wash at 60C and line dry.
Go to www.n-somerset.gov.uk/realnappies
for more information and see the range from traditional white
to funky coloured and from ‘all-in-one’ to ‘birth
to toddler’ types. |
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Wildlife Volunteering Fair
Saturday 7 March 2009
9.30am - 3pm
Shipham Village Hall, nr Cheddar |
Bat Detector Workshop
6:30pm until late, Saturday 25th April
at the Westbury Quarry, Nr Westbury-sub-Mendip, Wells.
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Dormouse Surveying
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Wednesday 18 February 2009 Dolebury Warren
- Friday 20 February 2009 near Wells
- Tuesday 3 March near Cheddar |
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Packaging UnWRAPped Sally White –
Waste & Resources Action Programme : WRAP
www.wrap.org.uk
How the problem of over packaging is being tackled
Wednesday 18th February |
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Exeter Festival of South West Food and Drink 2009
Friday 17th - Sunday 19th April, in Northernhay
Gardens and Exeter Castle.
The Festival is a popular annual event
featuring delicious food and drink from over 100 local producers,
celebrity chef demonstrations, cookery workshops and much
more. For more information on the festival, visit www.exeterfoodanddrinkfestival.co.uk.
Group tickets for the event can be booked through
the Exeter Tickets Box Office situated in the Exeter Visitor
Information & Tickets centre, Princesshay - call 01392
665885.
For more information on visiting Exeter,
contact Exeter Visitor Information & Tickets on 01392
665885 or visit www.exeterandessentialdevon.com.
details (950kb pdf)...
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Group ticket deal:
Buy 10 get 2 free on all of the following Festival passes:
Festival Day Ticket (Friday, Saturday or Sunday) £5
per person (children under 16 free)
Festival 3 Day Ticket (3 days including Festival After
Dark) £10 per person (children under 16 free)
Festival After Dark (Friday or Saturday) £3 per
person
Recommended accommodation partner: www.devonhotels.com
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Parking details:
Coach parking is available at Exeter Bus and Coach Station,
situated in the heart of Exeter City Centre for ideal
access to the Exeter Festival of South West Food and
Drink 2009, Exeter City Centre Cathedral, Exeter's Underground
Passages and city centre shops and restaurants. Drivers
may use the staff canteen. Call 01392 439439 for more
information.
Up to 30 minutes £4.00
30 minutes - 3 hours £7.00
3 - 6 hours £10.00
6 - 12 hours £15.00
Overnight parking £20.00 (maximum 2 coaches) |
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Making the Most of Orchards
Tuesday 10 February 2009
Failand Village Hall, North Somerset
Arrive at 10am for tea and coffee
Speakers include:
- Chris Wedge (Natural England) Regional priorities,
orchard benefits and grant support
- Les Davies (Mendip Warden & Orchard Manager)
Orchard planning, creation, restoration and management
- Keith Goverd (Producer of juice & orchard
products) Fruit, fruit Products and local markets
Free buffet lunch including local fruit products!
After lunch orchard visit to Lower Failand
Farm with local farmer, Mike Amos
Approximate finish 2pm
Booking Essential!
Places are limited so please contact the Forest of Avon to
reserve your place as soon as possible:
Tel: 0117 953 2141 Email: info@forestofavon.org.uk |
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Do you have any 'green' new year's resolutions?
Here's a selection of what we received at the
end of 2009
- It's that time of year when lights are on
in the house a lot. I must get around to replacing more
of them with low energy bulbs.
- Unplug things rather than leave on standby.
- I will find out the proper pressure for
the car tyres and ensure they are correct all the time.
This will decrease fuel consumption and may save up to 20
lbs of CO2 for every gallon used.
And to further increase fuel efficiency keep to the optimum
speed where possible.
- If you have something to get rid of that
someone else may be able to use, instead of dumping it,
offer it on the local freecycle website for someone to come
and collect.
To find out more visit www.Freecycle.org
& follow links to your local site.
If you join the local group, you can also post "wanted"
information on the site for things you are looking for instead
of buying new.
- As my local 'tip' in Weston now takes plastic
bottles I will collect them up in a spare green bag and
take them down once a week along with cardboard.
- A tip for empty plastic bottles to take
less room is to put them on the floor and stand on them
to take out all the air and then put the top back on.
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