Dear Brum-friendly folks,
The following and attached information and meeting may be of interest to
you if you're considering starting some kind of community
organisation/project which requires premises.
...pass it on...
Best of luck! and let us know how it goes : )
Ganga
PS. apologies for any cross-posting.
*Yoga in Daily Life Birmingham
22a Caroline Street, St Pauls Square, Birmingham B3 1UE United Kingdom
+44 (0)7903 124176 +44 (0)121 448 7952
birmingham@...
<http://us.mc542.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=birmingham@yogaindailylife.org>
www.yogaindailylife.org.uk <http://www.yogaindailylife.org.uk/>
**_http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=34517832799https://twitter.com/yogabirmingham
_**
Yoga in Daily Life is a worldwide network of non-profit associations
serving the community in the areas of health, education, humanitarian
aid, animal welfare, environmental protection, human rights and
religious/cultural tolerance and respect.
All donations gratefully received, thank you:
The Co-operative Bank - Account: Yoga in Daily Life (Birmingham)
08-92-99 65287321
Swift/BIC: CPBK GB22 IBAN: GB43 CPBK 0892 9965 2873 21*
SENT TO - Neighbourhood Managers, Protocol Group, Constituencies, Youth
Service, Parks ,BSTRONG and VCS contacts
Dear All
Please find attached information for the forthcoming Community Asset
Transfer Update Session for Voluntary and Community Organisations to be held
on the evening of 23/2/10 @ Birmingham Midland Institute (See attached file:
CAT VCS info sessions flier 23 Feb.doc) Please pass on the information to
any group you think may be interested in BCC's proposed asset transfer
protocol and processes
NEWSFLASH...
Other sessions that are being finalised include VISIBLE Workshop on 29/3/10
@ The Bond Community Land Trust Info session - date tbc Regional Conference
23/3/10 @ Lakeside
Please do not hesitate to contact me if you need any further information
and/ or clarification Best Wishes Karen
Karen Cheney
Senior Manager -Community Empowerment Projects Lead Neighbourhood and
Communities Team
Constituency Services
Housing and Constituencies Directorate
Birmingham City Council
Louisa Ryland House
44 Newhall Street
Birmingham B3 3PL
01216758519
07766924804
Karen_Cheney@...
***********************************************************************
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Birmingham City Council is confidential and may be legally privileged. It is
intended only for the named recipient or entity to whom it is addressed. If
you are not the intended recipient please accept our apologies and notify
the sender immediately, or telephone +(44)(0)121 464 4444. Unauthorised
access, use, disclosure, storage or copying is not permitted and may be
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originator and do not necessarily represent those of Birmingham City
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***********************************************************************
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Dear Councillors and friends
Handsworth Park under threat from new proposals for re-organising BCC Parks
and Ranger Services
These proposed changes to the management of Birmingham¹s treasured parks
in particular Handsworth Park - are very troubling, especially as they
include reduction in the Ranger Services.
As someone involved in writing the History of Handsworth Park and, with many
others, campaigning for its restoration since the 1980s, I learned a lot
about the contribution of parks to city life especially their indirect
contribution to health and education and the resulting contribution to
community safety. It did not take long for my researches to catch up with
something that the public has long known, that you cannot realise the public
good of parks without park keepers now the Ranger Service. Crime, like
fire, prevented is very difficult to measure, thus the peacekeeping role of
the Rangers in all our parks cannot, in a time of desperate purse
tightening, be accurately assessed against the cost to the city of their
wages. That failure in accounting practice will bear very directly on all
who have come to enjoy what for the last 10 years has seen a renaissance in
public parks.
As an almost daily visitor to Handsworth park before and after the rangers
arrived about ten years ago I, and others in my position, can attest to the
1001 incidents that might have gone from petty to serious which have been
nipped in the bud merely by the presence of a ranger patrolling, let alone
their many direct interventions that have prevented crimes in the park. In
addition, our Rangers, in liaison with teachers, local police and community
support officers, have participated in a whole range of actions with schools
designed to catch potential problems long before they become those that once
allowed our public parks to deteriorate into spaces from which the larger
public young and old - were barred by crime and anti-social behaviour.
We hope very much that local councillors and our MPs will be able to come
together to press for damage limitation, especially as it was understood as
part of the Heritage Lottery Fund grant for the restoration of Handsworth
Park that revenue for its continued maintenance and staffing was guaranteed
for at least 10 years from the time of the grant. There are still still a
few years to run, By cutting back on services especially the ranger service
in Handsworth Park the Birmingham City Council may be acting contrary to its
agreement with the Heritage Lottery Fund. Can councillors please make urgent
enquiries this and make appropriate representations.
I would also appreciate knowing whether we must anticipate any collateral
impact on the opening and managing of the new Victoria Jubilee Allotments
next to Handsworth Park.
Best wishes
Simon
Simon Baddeley
Handsworth Allotments Information Group (HAIG)
34 Beaudesert Road
Handsworth
Birmingham B20 3TG
0121 554 9794 mobile 07581 071507
s.j.baddeley@...
FOR INFORMATION ABOUT THE VICTORIA JUBILEE ALLOTMENTS
AND TO GET ON THE SHORT LIST FOR A PLOT WHEN
THEY BECOME AVAILABLE PHONE ADRIAN STAGG ON
0121 303 3038
E-mail: allotments@...
URL:
http://www.birmingham.gov.uk/cs/Satellite/greenfingers?packedargs=website%3D
1&rendermode=live
------ Forwarded Message
From: Birmingham Open Spaces Forum <sarah.royal09@...>
Date: Thu, 28 Jan 2010 15:09:29 -0000
To: Birmingham Open Spaces Forum <info@...>
Subject: Fw: Proposed Changes to Birmingham's Parks and Ranger Services
Dear Friends of Birmingham's Parks and Open Spaces
Birmingham Open Spaces Forum (BOSF) is a voluntary group that supports the
city's friends and user groups of parks and open spaces.
Please find attached, for your information, our response to the proposed
changes to the Ranger and Parks Services.
While BOSF feels that further cuts in the funds available to open spaces are
not in the city's best interest we are keen for users to engage
constructively in the re-organisation.
* We are concerned that under the re-organisation of the role currently
undertaken by Constituency Parks Managers the number of posts is being
reduced from 10 to 4 - meaning that in some cases one officer will service
3 Constituencies (with no sickness or holiday cover).
* We support plans to make the Ranger Service available to more community
organisations by moving Rangers to hub sites - but are concerned that the
reduction in posts will negate the re-organisation. We hope the
requirement for individual schools to pay for their Ranger Service session
won't deny young people valuable access to knowledge and experience of
their environment.
We hope you will have a look at the attached document and will act to ensure
that the needs of opens spaces and their users are at the heart of decisions
that are being considered.
Best wishes, Emma Woolf, Chair
Birmingham Open Spaces Forum
------ End of Forwarded Message
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Morning, all,
I trust you're all coping in the show?
Malcolm Currie sent the following summary of the January
Brum Green Drinks gathering (10 people were able to be there),
including a slightly tongue-in-cheek challege to 'sustainable
life-stylers'
----- Forwarded message from Malcolm Currie <info@...> -----
GREEN DRINKS JANUARY 2010
'Regionally based banks went down - it was the global banks which
survived without a bailout.' Andrew Lydon's initial contention
sounded like a blow for globalisation, against the local.
(Brum Green Drinks guests are allowed no more than 10 minutes to
introduce a topic in a challenging way.)
However, all is rarely as it first appears. Andrew's contention that
UK banks failed catastrophically in a particularly unique 'British'
way, included evidence that these ?regional? banks such as Northern
Rock, and RBS, indulged in unsustainable practices, without
regulation, because of their status as regional icons.
On the other hand, German and US regional and local banks suffered far
less in the global meltdown; and despite claims to the contrary,
profitable bank business is still founded on managing current and
savings accounts.
An incredibly wide ranging discussion covered everything from how the
Victorian cities financed their infrastructures, to the continued
failure of Economics as a discipline to get to grips with the issue of
continuous growth in a finite system.
Conclusions?
Well, we certainly opened up a Pandora's box, highlighting the need to
spend critical effort developing systems to meet today's needs for
sustainability and local accountability.
Any Thoughts?
Join in the debate online!
CHALLENGE!
As an aside to the January meeting, perhaps Transitioners who found
the snow too much can explain how they are going to cope with looming
problems [peak oil, climate change, energy crunch etc. Ed.]. We've
found on a number of occasions that people travelling a distance
(e.g. from Worcester, Leicester, Derby) arrive in Birmingham, whilst
LOCAL people give up!
----- End forwarded message -----
All the best,
Amanda
NO CARRIER
Sorry for cross-postings
I guess most of you have seen this somewhere, but please tell your
friends. It's worth watching again anyway.
The Age of Stupid is a really well made film, visually impressive,
engaging, with great personal stories.
Chris Duggan (GreeninBrum)
http://tcktcktck.org/i-am-ready - sign a petition "I am ready for our
leaders to sign a global climate deal in Copenhagen that is ambitious,
fair and binding."
http://writetothem.com - Write to your MP asking him to forward to Ed
Milliband to push EU and US to put more on the table at Copenhagen, and
take more notice of the poorest countries. EU should take the lead in
announcing 30% emission cuts for 2020, not wait for other countries to
do more.
http://www.ageofstupid.net/http://greeningbrum.org.uk/over-30-at-kings-heath-vigil/2009/ last
Saturday's vigil
http://www.salisbrum.blogspot.com/ last Saturday's vigil in city centre
-------- Original Message --------
Subject: [transition-brum-news] AWARNESS: Age of Stupid film on BBC4
tonight
Date: Mon, 14 Dec 2009 11:18:04 -0000 (GMT)
From: transitioncitybirmingham@...
Reply-To: transitioncitybirmingham@...
To: transition-brum-news@...
Anyone who can get BBC4 TV HEADS UP the
Age of Stupid film
(Climate Change, Pete Postlethwaite)
showing TONIGHT, Mon 14 Dec 2009
on BBC4
at 10pm.
Contact the BBC to ask for a re-broadcast on BBC2: Write on the BBC
talkboard: http://www.bbc.co.uk/bbcfour/yoursay/- Debate on Points of
View: here:http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/mbpointsofview/- Call on 08455 19 14
71
PASS IT ON :-)
Best wishes, and Yuletide Greetings,
Amanda
Little eco steps in the community are good but sometimes big steps need to be
taken and cutting emissions even by 30% by 2020 is a farce. Emissions need to
be captured but not captured by technology which in itself produces an enormous
carbon footprint. Emissions need to be captured in green resource products that
are grown from the soil.
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=2388278119&v=info#/group.php?v=info&gid=34\
4715430466
Best regards
hemp4shed
sustainable human & environmental development
Ganjah!
For the healing of the nations
REV: 22 verse 2
Jah Bless
To: GreenBirmingham@yahoogroups.com
From: georgiadent77@...
Date: Thu, 10 Dec 2009 16:55:39 +0000
Subject: [GB] Northfield Ecocentre: Green Grotto, January Events and more
We wish you a merry Christmas from Northfield Ecocentre
It is almost Christmas and we are gearing up for a fabulously festive event at
the
Ecocentre Green Grotto this Saturday 12th December.
Taking Christmas back to its roots (before Coca Cola had their way and made
Father Christmas red), we will be lucky enough to have a visit from the true
green Father Christmas between 10am and 1pm.
Find out how to have a sustainable Christmas, pick up local in season recipes
for your Christmas lunch, enjoy a mince pie and make your own Christmas
decorations from rubbish. All of this is for FREE. Come and join us, maybe we'll
even do some carol singing.
If you would like to help out with this event please do get in touch on 0121 448
0119 or email enquiries@...
Volunteer Mince Pie Morning
If you have been volunteering with the Ecocentre or are thinking of getting
involved come along on Saturday 19th December, 10am to 1pm to meet the team,
enjoy a mince pie and get to know each other. If you are coming please let me
know on 0121 448 0119 or email Georgia@... Santa may
secretly have visited.
Moseley Green Christmas Fair
Birmingham Friends of the Earth are holding their green Christmas Fair at
Moseley Community Development Trust on Saturday 19th December. [ Post Office
Building, 149-153 Alcester Road, Birmingham, B13 8JP]
Northfield Ecocentre has a stall there and we need some help with it. If you
have a few hours and would like to get into the festive spirit at the fair,
please let me know.
Christmas Closing
PLEASE NOTE THE ECOCENTRE WILL BE CLOSED OVER THE CHRISTMAS PERIOD. OUR LAST DAY
OPEN TO THE PUBLIC WILL BE SATURDAY 19TH DECEMBER. WE WILL REOPEN DURING THE
WEEK OF MONDAY 4TH JANUARY 2010. THE FIRST PUBLIC OPEN SESSION WILL BE 4PM
THURSDAY 7TH JANUARY.
January 2010 Events
Sewing & crafts: every Friday morning, 10am to 12pm, starting back on 8th
January 2010.
Campaigns: every other Thursday evening, 6.30pm to 7.30pm starting back on 7th
January 2010. Find out how to make a difference politically to benefit you and
the environment.
The Age of Stupid: If you haven't seen this film yet, join us for a viewing on
Thursday 14th January, 7.30pm. Oscar-nominated 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?
Booking is essential – 0121 448 0119
Gardening: Volunteers welcome to come and help maintain and develop our organic
garden. Plus watch this space for the launch of a regular gardening group!
Family Hour: every Thursday from 21st January, 3.30pm - 4.30pm. Something for
all the family including craft activities using recycled materials and storytime
for the under 7's. Parents you can get advice on reducing your energy bills
while the children are busy.
Cycle Maintenance: January 2010. Limited spaces so booking is essential. Get in
touch if you are interested, we'll send details around soon.
Lighter Footprints Blog
Read about green and sustainable initiatives happening across Birmingham, find
out tips to help you save money and energy, and talk with like minded people at
http://blogs.birminghammail.net/lighterfootprints/
If we don't see you before, have a fantastic Christmas and we'll see you in the
new year. Please do keep collecting those 2 litre plastic bottles to help us
make our greenhouse.
Festive wishes
Northfield Ecocentre Team
Georgia, Luke, Jane, Anne, and Sarah
_________________________________________________________________
Add your Gmail and Yahoo! Mail email accounts into Hotmail - it's easy
http://clk.atdmt.com/UKM/go/186394592/direct/01/
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
We wish you a merry Christmas from Northfield Ecocentre
It is almost Christmas and we are gearing up for a fabulously festive event at
the
Ecocentre Green Grotto this Saturday 12th December.
Taking Christmas back to its roots (before Coca Cola had their way and made
Father Christmas red), we will be lucky enough to have a visit from the true
green Father Christmas between 10am and 1pm.
Find out how to have a sustainable Christmas, pick up local in season recipes
for your Christmas lunch, enjoy a mince pie and make your own Christmas
decorations from rubbish. All of this is for FREE. Come and join us, maybe we'll
even do some carol singing.
If you would like to help out with this event please do get in touch on 0121 448
0119 or email enquiries@...
Volunteer Mince Pie Morning
If you have been volunteering with the Ecocentre or are thinking of getting
involved come along on Saturday 19th December, 10am to 1pm to meet the team,
enjoy a mince pie and get to know each other. If you are coming please let me
know on 0121 448 0119 or email Georgia@... Santa may
secretly have visited.
Moseley Green Christmas Fair
Birmingham Friends of the Earth are holding their green Christmas Fair at
Moseley Community Development Trust on Saturday 19th December. [ Post Office
Building, 149-153 Alcester Road, Birmingham, B13 8JP]
Northfield Ecocentre has a stall there and we need some help with it. If you
have a few hours and would like to get into the festive spirit at the fair,
please let me know.
Christmas Closing
PLEASE NOTE THE ECOCENTRE WILL BE CLOSED OVER THE CHRISTMAS PERIOD. OUR LAST DAY
OPEN TO THE PUBLIC WILL BE SATURDAY 19TH DECEMBER. WE WILL REOPEN DURING THE
WEEK OF MONDAY 4TH JANUARY 2010. THE FIRST PUBLIC OPEN SESSION WILL BE 4PM
THURSDAY 7TH JANUARY.
January 2010 Events
Sewing & crafts: every Friday morning, 10am to 12pm, starting back on 8th
January 2010.
Campaigns: every other Thursday evening, 6.30pm to 7.30pm starting back on 7th
January 2010. Find out how to make a difference politically to benefit you and
the environment.
The Age of Stupid: If you haven't seen this film yet, join us for a viewing on
Thursday 14th January, 7.30pm. Oscar-nominated 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?
Booking is essential – 0121 448 0119
Gardening: Volunteers welcome to come and help maintain and develop our organic
garden. Plus watch this space for the launch of a regular gardening group!
Family Hour: every Thursday from 21st January, 3.30pm - 4.30pm. Something for
all the family including craft activities using recycled materials and storytime
for the under 7's. Parents you can get advice on reducing your energy bills
while the children are busy.
Cycle Maintenance: January 2010. Limited spaces so booking is essential. Get in
touch if you are interested, we'll send details around soon.
Lighter Footprints Blog
Read about green and sustainable initiatives happening across Birmingham, find
out tips to help you save money and energy, and talk with like minded people at
http://blogs.birminghammail.net/lighterfootprints/
If we don't see you before, have a fantastic Christmas and we'll see you in the
new year. Please do keep collecting those 2 litre plastic bottles to help us
make our greenhouse.
Festive wishes
Northfield Ecocentre Team
Georgia, Luke, Jane, Anne, and Sarah
Dear all
Firstly, apologies to all those who are getting this message more than
once, or are fed up of updates on the subject.
There are now going to be three short candlelit vigils at 5.30pm on
Saturday 12th December
1. Outside Sutton Town Hall
2. Canalside, back door of ICC, Broad St
3. Corner of High St and Vicarage Rd, Kings Heath
For more information, please see
http://greeningbrum.org.uk/candlelit-vigils-for-a-real-climate-deal-at-copenhage\
n/2009/
Please forward this email to anyone who may be interested.
You may also be interested in this link, if you are the sort of person
that like adding your name to things online. The text is "I am ready for
our leaders to sign a global climate deal in Copenhagen that is
ambitious, fair, and binding."
http://tcktcktck.org/i-am-ready
Chris Duggan
GreeninBrum community interest company
REAL DEAL VIGIL Sutton
When Sat, 12 December, 17:30 – 18:15
Where War memorial outside Sutton Town Hall B73 6AB
Description Candlelight Vigil for a Real Deal at Copenhagen
Host: Margaret Challoner
Sign up at http://www.avaaz.org/en/real_deal_rsvp/?id=142107
Still hoping to arrange at least one more in south/central Brum.
Chris
Hi all
A friend and I have also been discussing a vigil by the canal in the city centre
- the idea is to float lots of lantern boats - pieces of wood with nightlight
and sail - on the canal, a bit like like traditional Hiroshima commemorations.
Good photo and a bit different, and suitably serious for the subject. We can
collect the detritus at the end to avoid litter.
Would anyone be interested in doing this and helping???
We were thinking of either in the open space on the canalside on the ICC side of
the footbridge to Brindley place or on the canalside in front of the James
Brindley in Gas Street Basin - preferably the former as it has a better
atmosphere for the photographs - about 5.30 to 6.15pm vigil on saturday.
There's probably room in the city for two events - so hopefully there's enough
interest in a Kings Heath one too!
Karen
PS Chris D I'm not much of a twitterer (whatever you've heard) so if you could
put something in that domain that'd be great
----- Original Message -----
From: Chris Duggan
To: faithclimatechangeandbirmingham@yahoogroups.com ;
greenbirmingham@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Monday, December 07, 2009 11:15 AM
Subject: [GB] ???igil in Kings Heath on Saturday 12th December 5.30-6.15pm???
sending again in plain text in case it didn't get through. apologies for
cross postings.
"wondering whether there would be any interest from people in attending
a vigil in Kings Heath on Saturday 12th December 5.30-6.15pm to (a) send
a message to world leaders who are meeting in Copenhagen to make
decisions on climate change over the next few weeks and (b) raise
awareness about the issue of climate change locally. If enough people
get back to me expressing interest in the next few days then I will go
ahead and organise. " - Vicki
-------- Original Message --------
Dear Vicki
Thanks for this. I found it inspiring to be with that particular group
of people watching the Age of Stupid.. also to be skipping through the
streets of London with my children on Saturday with 50,000 others
(didn't see any others skipping).
I would like to come to the vigil and expect to be free. I am keen to
put http://greeningbrum.org.uk and twitter.com/greeninbrum at the
service of the vigil - but I'm chasing my tail a bit today due to family
crises.
Chris Duggan
Vicki Squire wrote:
> Dear all
>
> This is just a quick thank you to you all for attending the Age of
> Stupid showing at Birmingham Buddhist Centre recently. I am sure that
> you will all agree that is was both an inspiring and an eye-opening
> event. It was a pleasure to meet so many people with an interest in
> making a difference to the world that we live in.
>
> Gareth will be in touch in due course with information about the
> course he mentioned in his talk on the evening. In the meantime, I am
> just wondering whether there would be any interest from people in
> attending a vigil in Kings Heath on Saturday 12th December 5.30-6.15pm
> to (a) send a message to world leaders who are meeting in Copenhagen
> to make decisions on climate change over the next few weeks and (b)
> raise awareness about the issue of climate change locally. If enough
> people get back to me expressing interest in the next few days then I
> will go ahead and organise. Or feel free to take the initiative
> yourself! It doesn't take long to arrange. The vigil will link up with
> others held across the globe, and photos of all the vigils will be
> sent to world leaders in Copenhagen to show popular support for
> measures to tackle climate change.
>
> Please feel free to circulate this message to
> friends/family/colleagues/etc who may be interested
>
> All best
> Vicki
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> From: vicki_squire@...
> Subject: Climate change
> Date: Mon, 7 Dec 2009 10:34:30 +0000
>
>
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> Date: Sun, 29 Nov 2009 14:20:02 -0800
> From: avaaz@...
> Subject: United Kingdom in action
> To: vicki_squire@...
>
> Dear friends,
>
> Register a vigil
>
> It takes just 3 minutes - simply add a location to the global map:
>
> Click to register a climate vigil.
>
> This is a time to step up. Just weeks from now world leaders will
> gather in Copenhagen to thrash out a *new global climate agreement*.
> The outcome will *only be so bold as we demand -- and it could be as
> dismal as we allow*.
>
> The biggest threat? That among the politicking and bureaucracy, the
> world forgets what's at stake.
>
> So here's the plan: in the middle of the negotiations, *candlelight
> vigils in every corner of the planet *to put real human faces on the
> need for a real climate deal. It will be the world's largest ever
> global day of climate action -- and one world leaders and media can't
> miss.
>
> *To get started simply pick a good local vigil location nearby and
> register it* on the global map. From there it's dead easy -- just
> bring some candles and pass out the short provided message for people
> to take turns reading. It takes less than an hour to organise -- and
> Avaaz members in your area will be invited to attend.
>
> This is a time to step up -- let's rise to the occasion.
>
> http://www.avaaz.org/en/real_deal_hosts
>
> We're just weeks away from what is truly the most important moment yet
> in the world's response to climate change. We do not expect, nor do we
> accept, anything less than what is needed to save our planet.
>
> *Here’s how every event will make a difference*:
>
> *National pressure* - in global negotiations every country makes a
> difference, for better or for worse. The problem is most of the time
> international negotiations aren’t closely followed at home - but
> having *local events will show leaders in United Kingdom that this
> time we’re watching keenly*, with the power of a coordinated
> international movement to name and shame those countries that hold up
> progress.
>
> *World media* - creating a world media story takes a world in action.
> We need to show journalists that this is more than just another
> protest: it’s a global coordinated day of action on a massive scale.
> *We have demonstrated that this works -- our Global Wake Up Call and
> the 350 day of action* both generated huge global press coverage
> earlier this year. Now, in the middle of the Copenhagen talks, the
> media moment is even bigger. Thousands of vigils around the planet
> will give this day of action the scale we need to have a huge media
> impact.
>
> *Photographic evidence* - Photos of every vigil from around the world
> will be printed and *delivered to negotiators and world leaders in
> Copenhagen*. They are evidence that people around the world have the
> very same ambitious goal for our planet: a real climate deal. All
> action photos will be also be posted on the internet for millions of
> Avaaz members to see and distributed to the global media.
>
> This is a time to step up -- let's all of us seize the opportunity:
>
> http://www.avaaz.org/en/real_deal_hosts
>
> Thanks for all that you do,
> Ricken, Ben, Taren, Iain, Sam, Alice, Milena, Paul, Luis, Julius, Lisa
> and the whole Avaaz team.
>
>
> *Want to support Avaaz?* We're entirely funded by donations and
> receive no money from governments or corporations. Our dedicated
> online team ensures even the smallest contributions go a long way --
> donate here.
>
>
> *ABOUT AVAAZ* Avaaz.org is an independent, not-for-profit global
> campaigning organization that works to ensure that the views and
> values of the world's people inform global decision-making. (Avaaz
> means "voice" in many languages.) Avaaz receives no money from
> governments or corporations, and is staffed by a global team based in
> Ottawa, London, Rio de Janeiro, New York, Buenos Aires, and Geneva.
> Click *here* to learn more about our largest campaigns. *Don't forget
> to check out our Facebook and Myspace and Bebo pages! You can also
> follow Avaaz on Twitter!*
>
> You are getting this message because you signed "" on 2007-02-26 using
> the email address vicki_squire@.... To ensure that Avaaz
> messages reach your inbox, please add avaaz@... to your address
> book. To change your email address, language settings, or other
> personal information, click here:
>
https://secure.avaaz.org/act/index.php?r=profile&user=8e9a50d705f8766ae1030fee12\
f0fb8e&lang=en
> or simply click here to unsubscribe.
>
> To contact Avaaz, please *do not reply to this email.* Instead, write
> to us via the webform at http://www.avaaz.org/en/contact. You can also
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[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
sending again in plain text in case it didn't get through. apologies for
cross postings.
"wondering whether there would be any interest from people in attending
a vigil in Kings Heath on Saturday 12th December 5.30-6.15pm to (a) send
a message to world leaders who are meeting in Copenhagen to make
decisions on climate change over the next few weeks and (b) raise
awareness about the issue of climate change locally. If enough people
get back to me expressing interest in the next few days then I will go
ahead and organise. " - Vicki
-------- Original Message --------
Dear Vicki
Thanks for this. I found it inspiring to be with that particular group
of people watching the Age of Stupid.. also to be skipping through the
streets of London with my children on Saturday with 50,000 others
(didn't see any others skipping).
I would like to come to the vigil and expect to be free. I am keen to
put http://greeningbrum.org.uk and twitter.com/greeninbrum at the
service of the vigil - but I'm chasing my tail a bit today due to family
crises.
Chris Duggan
Vicki Squire wrote:
> Dear all
>
> This is just a quick thank you to you all for attending the Age of
> Stupid showing at Birmingham Buddhist Centre recently. I am sure that
> you will all agree that is was both an inspiring and an eye-opening
> event. It was a pleasure to meet so many people with an interest in
> making a difference to the world that we live in.
>
> Gareth will be in touch in due course with information about the
> course he mentioned in his talk on the evening. In the meantime, I am
> just wondering whether there would be any interest from people in
> attending a vigil in Kings Heath on Saturday 12th December 5.30-6.15pm
> to (a) send a message to world leaders who are meeting in Copenhagen
> to make decisions on climate change over the next few weeks and (b)
> raise awareness about the issue of climate change locally. If enough
> people get back to me expressing interest in the next few days then I
> will go ahead and organise. Or feel free to take the initiative
> yourself! It doesn't take long to arrange. The vigil will link up with
> others held across the globe, and photos of all the vigils will be
> sent to world leaders in Copenhagen to show popular support for
> measures to tackle climate change.
>
> Please feel free to circulate this message to
> friends/family/colleagues/etc who may be interested
>
> All best
> Vicki
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> From: vicki_squire@...
> Subject: Climate change
> Date: Mon, 7 Dec 2009 10:34:30 +0000
>
>
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> Date: Sun, 29 Nov 2009 14:20:02 -0800
> From: avaaz@...
> Subject: United Kingdom in action
> To: vicki_squire@...
>
> Dear friends,
>
> Register a vigil
>
> It takes just 3 minutes - simply add a location to the global map:
>
> Click to register a climate vigil.
>
> This is a time to step up. Just weeks from now world leaders will
> gather in Copenhagen to thrash out a *new global climate agreement*.
> The outcome will *only be so bold as we demand -- and it could be as
> dismal as we allow*.
>
> The biggest threat? That among the politicking and bureaucracy, the
> world forgets what's at stake.
>
> So here's the plan: in the middle of the negotiations, *candlelight
> vigils in every corner of the planet *to put real human faces on the
> need for a real climate deal. It will be the world's largest ever
> global day of climate action -- and one world leaders and media can't
> miss.
>
> *To get started simply pick a good local vigil location nearby and
> register it* on the global map. From there it's dead easy -- just
> bring some candles and pass out the short provided message for people
> to take turns reading. It takes less than an hour to organise -- and
> Avaaz members in your area will be invited to attend.
>
> This is a time to step up -- let's rise to the occasion.
>
> http://www.avaaz.org/en/real_deal_hosts
>
> We're just weeks away from what is truly the most important moment yet
> in the world's response to climate change. We do not expect, nor do we
> accept, anything less than what is needed to save our planet.
>
> *Here’s how every event will make a difference*:
>
> *National pressure* - in global negotiations every country makes a
> difference, for better or for worse. The problem is most of the time
> international negotiations aren’t closely followed at home - but
> having *local events will show leaders in United Kingdom that this
> time we’re watching keenly*, with the power of a coordinated
> international movement to name and shame those countries that hold up
> progress.
>
> *World media* - creating a world media story takes a world in action.
> We need to show journalists that this is more than just another
> protest: it’s a global coordinated day of action on a massive scale.
> *We have demonstrated that this works -- our Global Wake Up Call and
> the 350 day of action* both generated huge global press coverage
> earlier this year. Now, in the middle of the Copenhagen talks, the
> media moment is even bigger. Thousands of vigils around the planet
> will give this day of action the scale we need to have a huge media
> impact.
>
> *Photographic evidence* - Photos of every vigil from around the world
> will be printed and *delivered to negotiators and world leaders in
> Copenhagen*. They are evidence that people around the world have the
> very same ambitious goal for our planet: a real climate deal. All
> action photos will be also be posted on the internet for millions of
> Avaaz members to see and distributed to the global media.
>
> This is a time to step up -- let's all of us seize the opportunity:
>
> http://www.avaaz.org/en/real_deal_hosts
>
> Thanks for all that you do,
> Ricken, Ben, Taren, Iain, Sam, Alice, Milena, Paul, Luis, Julius, Lisa
> and the whole Avaaz team.
>
>
> *Want to support Avaaz?* We're entirely funded by donations and
> receive no money from governments or corporations. Our dedicated
> online team ensures even the smallest contributions go a long way --
> donate here.
>
>
> *ABOUT AVAAZ* Avaaz.org is an independent, not-for-profit global
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> values of the world's people inform global decision-making. (Avaaz
> means "voice" in many languages.) Avaaz receives no money from
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re reply from gmfx.
Gosh someone who can do maths!
>If you're unsustainably using up energy resources, you HAVE to invest in
things which have a positive energy return and can be sustained, before the
original resources run out.
But just because something is *necessary* ("have to") it doesn't follow that
it *can be done*.
That's why I mentioned the matter of premises that no political party can
allow itself to disown, that there may be no way of making the sums add up
except by breaching those premises.
Such as http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Essex_(whaleship)
>Years ago now, suspicious of figures giving 500 kW wind turbines at good
sites an EROEI of 40:1 over 20 years, I tried to assess this myself, or
rather, to find flaws in how the claimed figure was derived. I ended up with
an energy return of 20:1 over 20 years, which still equates to a pretty
fantasic energy 'interest rste' of 100% annually as long as the energy
'interest' is reinvested under the same conditions immediately.
Maybe your 20:1 return over 20 years (aka 100% annual return as you say) is
a reasonable estimate. That would mean you break even energetically in 12
months, and have doubled your energy after two years. Thereafter your 4, 8,
16 growth proceeds at half the rate you stated but still impressive.
However, EROEI is notoriously easy to overestimate. Should you include in
your energy inputs the cost of flying the oil workers to Alaska, the cost of
making the aircraft, of building the aircraft factory, of cooking the food
of the factory builders, of transporting and growing that food..(etc)...?
You've also got to train a huge number of people in (e.g.)
turbine-installation and associated trades. You've got to obtain lots of
materials (steel, copper) in a context that these products are getting
significantly more expensive. You've also got to find someone to agree to
fund it all, to think it is not too risky an investment in a context of
shrinking credit which is going to shrink sharply more over the next few
years (contrary to the "when the recovery comes..." mantra).
You've also got to put windpower in the context that it can all come to a
near stop on a nationwide windless day, and has to be backed up by a
baseline source such as various unmentionable here options.
Also the idea that you can get your investment back double in 24 months time
is small joy if within those 24 months you are meanwhile starving from lack
of the energy/money/time required to get food to yourself.
I don't want to here cheaply dismiss such projects, and I shouldn't pretend
that I have got all the sums worked out in my head, but I have found various
of the most level-headed credible others coming to the same conclusion that
we are now in a too-late situation. (e.g. those links such as
http://www.theoildrum.com/node/5939). My own bets are with Gail Tverberg
that the tech of coming decades is going to be more like pre-industrial
things made of wood.
My main critique of the Green Party though is that 30 yrs after I said it
would fail, nowhere in the world has there EVER yet been a Green government.
(And I doubt that that was entirely due to my great influence on the
matter.)
Just this week I noticed that the Greens are planning to put up a candidate
in Ladywood, the poorest constituency in the uk. Do you seriously think
many residents of Aston, Nechells, Hockley, Lozells, are going to be
thinking about investing in the environment as their income accelerates down
the plughole?
The mistake the Greens made was to try to work within the system rather than
to correct that system first. That is, the system where crooked big biz
dominates for systematic reasons. I summed up my decades of work on how to
make that system change in my 2005 book linked just down here, but
unfortunately just right then certain nasty crooks Nic Bliss, Midge Miller,
Lucy Bastin, Julius Swift, Lynn Mansell of 20-20 housing "co-operative"
launched a horrendous harassment campaign against me www.2020housing.co.uk
(and eventually waived their £6200 (improper) costs orders to avoid having
to attend my counterclaim for their harassment), followed by the liar judges
Truman DJ, MacDuff and McKenna perverting the course of justice with 35+
"mistakes" (probability 1 in 3 billion fluke) resulting in a seriously ill
harassment victim being suddenly criminally evicted into homelessness from
his home of 17 yrs in Moseley.
And I now reckon a more urgent priority than changing the system, is to
prepare to survive that system collapsing of its own accord any time in the
next year or few.
(The book is at http://www.lulu.com/content/140930 )
The greens also had support for housing cooperatives in their manifesto and
when I contacted them to tell them of the criminal filth that hides within
such "cooperatives" (of which I was Secretary and on management for 20
years), the Green Party policymakers decided they would just carry on with
their cheap platitude policies anyway, as they were "too busy" to actually
research what they were publicly asserting about. So much for a sound
organisation.
>it is not so much the amount of available resources still available which
will cause more turmoil fairly soon, but the rate at which they can be
extracted (the speed of the tap). Personally, I think this will hit 'us'
much harder
Very much so. Good to see some sound understanding of these things for a
change in this area of the world!
Recycled greetings,
Robin
http://energyark.blogspot.com/2009/11/this-blog-is-about-practical-responses.htm\
l
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>Given that we already face a short/medium-term energy crisis, the >idea of
securing our energy future by making in the next few years a >huge investment of
the energy which people will already need now, is >precarious.
If you're unsustainably using up energy resources, you HAVE to invest in things
which have a positive energy return and can be sustained, before the original
resources run out.
Years ago now, suspicious of figures giving 500 kW wind turbines at good sites
an EROEI of 40:1 over 20 years, I tried to assess this myself, or rather, to
find flaws in how the claimed figure was derived. I ended up with an energy
return of 20:1 over 20 years, which still equates to a pretty fantasic energy
'interest rste' of 100% annually as long as the energy 'interest' is reinvested
under the same conditions immediately.
To explain: if the good citizens of Brum were to collectively put up a wind
turbine using conventional energy, after one year they would have generated
enough energy to reinvest this and build another one. At the end of year two
they would have generated enough to build 2 new turbines, then 4, 8, 16 etc. in
subsequent years.
After just 10 years (starting year 11 with more new turbines) they would have
1000-ish turbines, with 90 % of them being new or still next-to-new, producing
enough electricity for all household needs in Brum with enough left over to
replace turbines as they end their lifetimes simply be setting aside 2 of the
new turbines as an energy investment as above. All of this from an initial
investment, then just let it run, of one, no longer even large, wind turbine.
For more than just 'household energy protection' it would be wiser to start
with, say, ten turbines. We COULD then otherwise carry on as normal, waiting to
hit an energy crunch in ten years' time, or whenever, and then look smug.
Again, purely mathematically, not 'realistically', these turbines, not even
large by today's standards, could form a ring ten miles out from the city
centre. I'd call that a 'local' project, even if we had to ask our rural
neighbours for a bit of help with this very thin 'wind belt' around Brum.
I KNOW it's not that simple in reality for many reasons (actually a mix of even
more simple but also more complicated); my point is merely is that here it is
not the investment of energy in future energy which is in any way precarious -
it is a necessary and positive thing to do, without there being any
mathematical/time constraints in the way for the given example. It is very
important to know your energy return, though. I would certainly not consider a
return of approx. 1:1 of energy useful (Gail's pension concept), even if it
means you have access to it in the future when energy is 'more scarce and
valuable'.
Is there a projected EROEI available on the Severn Barrage project? I'm not even
a particularly 'environmental' environmentalist, but I am 'concerned' about
using niche environments (thus also rare ones), to try to solve a global (thus
widespread) problem!
> reflecting the dependence of renewables on non-renewables.
Well at the moment, obviously yes, less so when they grow a bit and can 'feed
themselves'.
Thanks for the links, which are from a very recommendable site indeed. The main
focus seems to be on fossil fuel peaks, but also has contributions from experts
on other areas, e.g. shortages of materials too, or rather, the availability of
the elements in them and aspects of mining (node number: 5559). The articles
have very lively discussions beneath them...
As an aside, maybe the most important recognition not widely recognised yet,
even amongst Greens, is that it is not so much the amount of available resources
still available which will cause more turmoil fairly soon, but the rate at which
they can be extracted (the speed of the tap). Personally, I think this will hit
'us' much harder in our lifetimes than global warming will.
NB: Please take my example above about Brum and wind power somewhat seriously,
but not too seriously - I was trying to make a point about 'investment'. Wind
power on its own is not a comprehensive solution, but does have a very high
EROEI.
Renewable greetings again :) (new day, new greetings, for whom the bell tolls),
Jeremy
>I have to admit that I haven't checked what the Green Party are advocating,
Their energy advisor was advocating lots of big projects, for the good
reason that local projects suffer greatly from inefficiencies of scale (and
hence low EROEI) (despite their other positive aspects, such as resilience).
One (with my dud memory) I remember is the Severn Barrage. This would be
one of the biggest civil engineering projects in history. Apart from the
question of whether our impoverished future will be able to afford it in
financial terms, there is the question of the huge amount of energy (oil,
basically) that would have to be used to construct it. Given that we
already face a short/medium-term energy crisis, the idea of securing our
energy future by making in the next few years a huge investment of the
energy which people will already need now, is precarious.
Similar questions arise with other such projects. Work on installing
wind-turbines was halted last year by a failure of gas supply, again
reflecting the dependence of renewables on non-renewables.
It also needs to be borne in mind that installations have far from infinite
life (even if we assume a nice peaceful future). One of the most
energy-expert people, Gail Tverberg of www.theoildrum.com, reckons that
renewables should more accurately be thought of as fossil-fuel-investment
schemes akin to pensions, the fuel being invested now and the output
extracted in later years when it is more scarce and valuable.
I don't know the German situation but I can say that the global energy
situation has been subject to persistent rose-tinted misrepresentations to
play down the unpalatable realities, as per for instance this week:
http://www.theoildrum.com/node/5970 not least Campbell's comments about
"Unidentified Unconventional".
Others have noted the failure to analyse in terms of net energy rather than
gross energy (in which the hard work of getting oil from miles down under a
remote ocean is counted as positive production rather than a loss). And
have noted how the trend of *net* energy shapes like a sharkfin whose
steeply-dropping back-edge we are just about to go down.
The laws of physics might not be different between countries but the
geography certainly differs along with the human circumstances. Recent uk
govts have insanely squandered their oil wealth at bargain basement prices
and have abused their recent oil-boom bonanza to induce substantial
excessive immigration (because immigration makes rich people richer, driving
up their unearned property profits and reducing worker costs too). Plus
deporting all our essential skills such as shoemaking. In consequence of
which this one of the world's most overcrowded islands has been put in one
heck of a spot. At least stone-age people had their stone-age traditions,
skills and tools.
> it's a picture which IS worth putting together correctly, surely?!
Indeed. Those media articles are characteristically sloppy and my own thing
here was a bit likewise. For more detailed analysis I recommend such things
as
http://www.theoildrum.com/node/5969http://www.theoildrum.com/node/5939
>Renewable greetings (extracted from my soul each waking day),
I'll believe that when I read it.
Robin
I have to admit that I haven't checked what the Green Party are advocating, but
I do know that countries such as Germany have managed wind power expansion rates
of 2000 MW of capacity a year and more even without adopting a '"war-time"
mentality'.
The linked article in the Guardian says: "Around 27,000 wind turbines would need
to be built by 2030 and an additional 13,000 by 2050."
It doesn't say what size each turbine should be (typically imprecise reporting
or an imprecise report), but as Germany in on track to put up the 2050 figure by
well before then (already 20,229 by the end of 2008 - average per turbine: 1.19
MW), perhaps I should be expecting stranger animals than pigs in the skies above
me here.
I know the expression "The clocks run differently in x"; maybe the different
laws of physics in the UK do make things "physically impossible" there too!
Just one part of the puzzle, I know, but it's a picture which IS worth putting
together correctly, surely?!
Renewable greetings (extracted from my soul each waking day),
Jeremy
--- In GreenBirmingham@yahoogroups.com, <r@...> wrote:
>
> In 2008 I attended a couple of bham meetings in which I indicated my
> incredulity of the Green Party's energy policy.
> Here's the inst of mech engineers saying basically the same thing now.
>
>
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2009/nov/12/britain-renewable-energy-targe\
ts-impossible
> Britain's renewable energy targets are 'physically impossible', says study
> It will be physically impossible for the UK to meet its renewable energy
> targets in both the short and long term, according to a group of engineering
> experts.
> In a new study, they called for the government to adopt a "war-time"
> mentality in their approach to dealing with climate change and consider
> experimental approaches such as artificial trees that soak up carbon ...
> "Current predictions are that we will be unable to service the current plans
> for offshore windfarms by 2013 because we won't have the construction
> vessels to do it and, by 2018, we'll run out of manufacturing capacity,"
> ===========
> Basically we are quite a number of years into population overshoot, in which
> the sums cannot be made to add up unless you abandon certain conventional
> assumptions to which the Green Party (like all other political parties) are
> irrevocably committed.
> In 1978 I predicted that the Ecology (now Green) Party would fail.
> Now I say it has now failed and is in the pig-flying business.
> Last year I also said the airport extension would never be built (due to
> lack of resources).
> And, as predicted....
>
http://www.birminghammail.net/news/top-stories/2009/11/16/george-osborne-hits-ou\
t-at-grounded-bia-runway-extension-97319-25177822/
> Robin P Clarke
>
http://energyark.blogspot.com/2009/11/this-blog-is-about-practical-responses.htm\
l
>
In 2008 I attended a couple of bham meetings in which I indicated my
incredulity of the Green Party's energy policy.
Here's the inst of mech engineers saying basically the same thing now.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2009/nov/12/britain-renewable-energy-targe\
ts-impossible
Britain's renewable energy targets are 'physically impossible', says study
It will be physically impossible for the UK to meet its renewable energy
targets in both the short and long term, according to a group of engineering
experts.
In a new study, they called for the government to adopt a "war-time"
mentality in their approach to dealing with climate change and consider
experimental approaches such as artificial trees that soak up carbon ...
"Current predictions are that we will be unable to service the current plans
for offshore windfarms by 2013 because we won't have the construction
vessels to do it and, by 2018, we'll run out of manufacturing capacity,"
===========
Basically we are quite a number of years into population overshoot, in which
the sums cannot be made to add up unless you abandon certain conventional
assumptions to which the Green Party (like all other political parties) are
irrevocably committed.
In 1978 I predicted that the Ecology (now Green) Party would fail.
Now I say it has now failed and is in the pig-flying business.
Last year I also said the airport extension would never be built (due to
lack of resources).
And, as predicted....
http://www.birminghammail.net/news/top-stories/2009/11/16/george-osborne-hits-ou\
t-at-grounded-bia-runway-extension-97319-25177822/
Robin P Clarke
http://energyark.blogspot.com/2009/11/this-blog-is-about-practical-responses.htm\
l
Yes we do need to do this with the nations housing stock but all new
housing should use the versatility of hemp. Check out the Haverhill
hemp houses or ask me for the pdf.
http://www.google.com/search?q=Haverhill+hemp+houses&sourceid=navclient-ff&ie=UT\
F-8&rlz=1B3GGGL_enGB244GB244&aq=t
Best regards
hemp4shed
sustainable human & environmental development
Ganjah!
For the healing of the nations
REV: 22 verse 2
Jah Bless
To: GreenBirmingham@yahoogroups.com
From: john@...
Date: Sat, 7 Nov 2009 10:15:17 +0000
Subject: [GB] A House that Needs No Fuel
A House that Needs No Fuel
Everyone is invited to an Open Day on Saturday 14th November, at a house that;
needs no fuel,
has no gas supply,
so, will have no fuel bills.
It has been designed by local architect John Christophers, who will soon live
there with his family.
Large amounts of insulation have been added to a terraced house, built in 1840,
so that it can hold the heat, even when it is cold outside.
The sun will provide hot water and electricity. Their emissions of carbon
dioxide should be zero, overall, so it is called The Zero Carbon House.
· Tours and explanations
· Information about how to make houses more energy efficient
Don't miss this unusual opportunity to meet a family moving into the future!
Opening time - 10 am to 4 pm on Saturday 14th November, 2009
Address; 103 Tindal St, Balsall Heath, Birmingham B12 92U
www.zerocarbonhousebirmingham.org.uk
By bike: just off the Rea Valley cycle route, 2 miles south of Birmingham city
centre
By bus: No 50 from city opposite Moor Street station (approx 10 minutes) and a 3
minute walk down Homer Street
By car: note Tindal Street is a cul-de-sac with limited on-street parking only
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
_________________________________________________________________
New Windows 7: Find the right PC for you. Learn more.
http://www.microsoft.com/uk/windows/buy/
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
A House that Needs No Fuel
Everyone is invited to an Open Day on Saturday 14th November, at a house that;
needs no fuel,
has no gas supply,
so, will have no fuel bills.
It has been designed by local architect John Christophers, who will soon live
there with his family.
Large amounts of insulation have been added to a terraced house, built in 1840,
so that it can hold the heat, even when it is cold outside.
The sun will provide hot water and electricity. Their emissions of carbon
dioxide should be zero, overall, so it is called The Zero Carbon House.
· Tours and explanations
· Information about how to make houses more energy efficient
Don't miss this unusual opportunity to meet a family moving into the future!
Opening time - 10 am to 4 pm on Saturday 14th November, 2009
Address; 103 Tindal St, Balsall Heath, Birmingham B12 92U
www.zerocarbonhousebirmingham.org.uk
By bike: just off the Rea Valley cycle route, 2 miles south of Birmingham city
centre
By bus: No 50 from city opposite Moor Street station (approx 10 minutes) and a 3
minute walk down Homer Street
By car: note Tindal Street is a cul-de-sac with limited on-street parking only
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
My cousin is thinking of taking her two children to the Wave. One is 4 yrs old,
the other is 20 months. Any parents out there with tips on whether or not this
is a really bad idea, eg will they get bored and miserable or do kids of those
ages tend to enjoy demos and marches? and any ways to make it easier? They spend
a lot of time outdoors already so that bit shouldn't be a problem.
Karen
___________________
Karen Leach
Coordinator
Localise West Midlands
The Warehouse
54-57 Allison Street
Digbeth B5 5TH
0121 685 1155
www.localisewestmidlands.org.uk
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
From here I can regularly see the very big "clouds" from Rugeley coal-fired
power station 20 miles away. Now those clouds will increase the earth's
albedo, thus reducing global warming. So perhaps if we were to build more such
power stations, or turn up our lights to coax more clouds from the power
station.....
r
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http://www.limetechnology.co.uk/
The greenest you can get. If you are interested in talking further please
contact me here.
lambread@...
Best regards
hemp4shed
sustainable human & environmental development
Ganjah!
For the healing of the nations
REV: 22 verse 2
Jah Bless
>
_________________________________________________________________
Get the best of MSN on your mobile
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[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
http://www.limetechnology.co.uk/
The greenest you can get. If you are interested in talking further please
contact me here.
lambread@tiscal
Best regards
hemp4shed
sustainable human & environmental development
_________________________________________________________________
Share your photos with Windows Live Photos – Free.
http://clk.atdmt.com/UKM/go/134665338/direct/01/
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Free course on "how to successfully run a community energy project from
start to finish". Places still available. I've pasted the attachment at the
end.
*From:* Kirsty Mitchell
*Sent:* 29 September 2009 14:54
*Subject:* Green Communities Training- Making it Happen
Good afternoon,
I am contacting you on behalf of the Energy Saving Trust’s Green Communities
(formerly CAfE) service. Currently we are offering a Making it Happen
course running on Wednesday 7 October 09 at Austin Court in Birmingham.
Please find below a press release promoting this service. We would greatly
appreciate it if you could kindly distribute this within your organisation,
to interested parties and include it within your e-news or Newsletter to
your community network.
If you have any queries concerning this and other Green Communities services
please do let me know. www.est.org.uk/community
* *
* *
* *
*Making it Happen*
* *
The Energy Saving Trust Green Communities service is hosting a ‘*Making it
happen’* training course on Wednesday 7 October 09 at Austin Court in
Birmingham. This is a highly interactive course enabling you to learn new
project planning skills and refresh existing skills. The course looks at how
to successfully run a community energy project from start to finish.
Delegates will take part in hands-on practical exercises to help develop new
ideas, plan, implement and fund a project. This is an ideal opportunity to
share ideas and expertise with energy professionals and representatives from
the community and voluntary sector.
To sign-up to the course and find out more about Green Communities, call and
speak to a community advisor on 0844 848 0077 or email
greencommunities@...
*Kirsty Mitchell*
*Office Administrator*
Centre for Sustainable Energy
3 St Peter's Court, Bedminster Parade, Bristol, BS3 4AQ
0117 934 1408 (direct)
0117 934 1400 (switchboard)
0117 934 1410 (fax)
*www.cse.org.uk*
*We are an independent national charity that shares our knowledge and
experience to help people change the way they think and act about energy*
*Making it happen training outline 09-10*
*A one day course: FREE for Green Communities members*
*9:45am (for a 10:00am start) to 4:30pm *
Learn new project planning skills and refresh existing skills in this highly
interactive course. Making it Happen looks at how to successfully run a
community energy project from start to finish. You will take part in
hands-on practical exercises throughout the day to help you come up with new
ideas, plan, implement and fund your project. This is an ideal opportunity
to share ideas and expertise with energy professionals and representatives
from the community and voluntary sector.
*Contents of the day*
- Introduction to Green Communities
- About the energy world quiz
- Getting your project started
- Researching the community
- Setting aims and objectives for your project
- Making your project work
- Funding your project
- Completing your project
*What you will learn:*
- How Green Communities works – what it can do for you
- What makes a successful community based energy project
- How to get started, idea development, research and planning required
- Factors influencing success and failure, and how to keep your project
going
- How to raise interest in your project
- Ways of working with potential project partners
- Tips and ideas for applying for funding
*Who should come:*
- Community representatives who want to work with energy professionals to
develop sustainable energy projects
- Energy professionals who are interested in working within the community
to promote sustainable energy
- Representatives from organisations who could offer support to community
based sustainable energy projects
- Groups concerned with helping the environment, saving energy and
helping people save money on their fuel bills
To book your place, please contact the Green Communities team on 0844 848
0077 or email *greencommunities@...* <greencommunities@...>
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The Olympic Games is
(a) a stupendously anti-green thing
(b) very unlikely to happen in 2012 due to reality having intruded by then.
(What's the chances on there still being even an airline industry and hotels
industry by then?)
(c) an insane mis-allocation of resources in circumstances where we are already
far into population overshoot (as will be remembered forever after if there's
anyone to do the remembering.)
(Plus they even had to nerve to evict some allotmenters for it.)
For these reasons the Olympic games should be CANCELLED. Rather than supporting
it all greenminded or saneminded people should be demanding the immediate
cancellation of all preparatory works.
There's not the slightest shortage of things the money could be spent on
instead. Attempting to build 'enough' non-fossil energy supplies for (much more
than) a start. Relocating populations within walking distance of food sources
for another. Starting up universities and colleges of post-industrial
re-skilling for a third.
2012 Olympic Riots more likely.
"No-one anticipated that the recovery would not have come even now, a decade
later."
"...20 years later."
"...80 years later."
"...."
Nuff said?
Robin
----- Original Message -----
From: Chris Duggan
To: BrumLETS@yahoogroups.com ; transition-brum-discuss@... ; Ian
Greenwood ; greenbirmingham@yahoogroups.com
Cc: Andrew Spackman
Sent: Thursday, September 17, 2009 12:05 PM
Subject: [GB] calling for expert advice from green constructionists for big arts
project
(I'm forwarding this because the feel of the project rather appeals to
me. Apologies to those who think it's a case of fiddling while Gaia
burns. - Chris)
Andrew Sprackman has been shortlisted to the final five of the Arts
Council Cultural Olympiad project ‘Artists Taking the Lead’ in the West
Midlands area. The winner gets £500,000 to produce their project idea in
time for the Olympics in 2012. Can you offer any advice on some of the
sustainability issues surrounding this project?
My project idea is to build a large grass covered hill in Birmingham and
programme it with an eclectic set of artist led
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
(I'm forwarding this because the feel of the project rather appeals to
me. Apologies to those who think it's a case of fiddling while Gaia
burns. - Chris)
Andrew Sprackman has been shortlisted to the final five of the Arts
Council Cultural Olympiad project ‘Artists Taking the Lead’ in the West
Midlands area. The winner gets £500,000 to produce their project idea in
time for the Olympics in 2012. Can you offer any advice on some of the
sustainability issues surrounding this project?
My project idea is to build a large grass covered hill in Birmingham and
programme it with an eclectic set of artist led
events/happenings/artworks/mini festivals for a year running from June
2011 to June 2012 – a ‘space’ for people to have experiences – play,
interact, explore, learn, laugh, share, discuss, socialise and more.
I have to present my final case on the 1st October.
The hill offers both an aesthetic juxtaposition with the cityscape, and
a space for people to experience and interact. It will be a place for
visitors to meet, to sit, to climb up, to roll down, to share and to
view and experience the city from a fresh perspective. A programme of
activities will take place during the Hill’s ‘life cycle’ including
summit photos, concerts, cinema screenings, cheese rolling, nature
tours, discussions and star gazing.
The hill’s intention is to create a familiar yet magical intervention in
the city that has a constantly changing visual aesthetic and seeks to
activate social interactions and fresh experiences.
The work is a reminder of the importance of naïve play, which is often
forgotten, discouraged or abandoned as we move into adulthood.
This work also seeks to disconnect the idea of space and its commercial
exploitation, and asks is it possible for a space to be a catalyst for
‘micro change’.
The £5.4 million project, ‘Artists taking the lead’, will award up to
£500,000 for each of the 12 works in the most ambitious art prize on
offer in the UK. It is being developed by Arts Council England, in
partnership with London 2012 and the Arts Councils of Northern Ireland,
Scotland and Wales.
Artists taking the lead is part of London 2012’s Cultural Olympiad and
challenged artists across the UK to submit ideas for works of art to
celebrate 2012. It is being delivered and funded by the Arts Councils of
England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland and will result in twelve
commissions, one in each of the English regions and one in each of
Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Out of the 2163 submissions
received across the UK, 59 have been shortlisted, with between 3 and 5
shortlisted commissions in each nation or region.
andrewspackman@...
sending again in plain text
-------- Original Message --------
Subject: [faithclimatechangeandbirmingham] Climate Wake-up call
"flashmob" - Monday 21st September
Date: Wed, 16 Sep 2009 15:52:48 +0100
From: K J Walford <kjw@...>
Reply-To: faithclimatechangeandbirmingham@yahoogroups.com
To: faithclimatechangeandbirmingham@yahoogroups.com
Hello all,
On Monday 21st September, thousands of people across the world are
getting together in groups for a great global climate wake up call.
If you have a few minutes to spare Monday lunchtime, come along to
Victoria Square with a mobile phone and alarm clock and show your
support for an 'ambitious, fair and binding global treaty that will stop
a climate catastrophe'.
Further details at: http://www.avaaz.org/en/sept21_rsvp/?id=134496
<http://www.avaaz.org/en/sept21_rsvp/?id=134496>
Cheers,
Karen
.
For those who like fruit and freganism, there are several, very abundantly
loaded plum/bullace trees on the Grand Union canal towpath between Tyseley
Incinerator (Waste of Energy plant) and Kings Road. They don't appear to be
being harvested by local people as there is a carpet of them on the ground under
each tree - bright yellow and bright red ones.
I haven't got time to go back and raid them myself. Someone with a stepladder or
good climbing skills could get loads of them.
karen
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The controlling LibDem/Cons alliance of the City Council looks likely to force
through the approval of a grand swimming pool this week (Thursday) despite the
total opposition of local people (and Councillors Bore, Rice and Hartley) and
the seriously unhinged conception of the scheme. But so what, the profits must
get through, b.g..r the people and sanity.
The site chosen for this nonsense is a wedge of green between St Vincent St and
the Nelson Primary School, basically most of the playing field used by the
school. Just down from the NIA.
There are already severe traffic problems around the NIA, with too many coaches
trying to park in too little space, and huge traffic jams resulting. These
traffic problems are only going to get worse now that the Rep carpark has been
closed and Europe's largest public library is due to appear in its place. There
is also a major parking problem in the adjoining St Marks estate, already.
Supposedly this swimming pool is going to attract international-scale events,
bringing custom for the dinosaur airport and associated hotels. But it has
already been established that it will only have room for a 500 seat pool whereas
a commonwealth games would require 5000 seats plus a warmup pool alongside. And
there can't be another commonwealth games in the UK before 2026 if then anyway.
But so what, the profits must be made and f.... the local community. The
building will not only steal the local green space, it will also tower
shadowingly over the school once it is completed. The area will become just
another of those bits of profitmaking ugliness that we have BCC to thank for.
Parents are already withdrawing their children from the very congenial Nelson
School as they don't want their children blighted by a huge building site next
door plus a degraded school thereafter.
Robin
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Do you want stations at Moseley, Kings Heath, Balsall Heath & Stirchley?Centro
are asking if people want re-opening of a passenger service calling at these
stations and going into Moor Street. Centro is asking which schemes should be
prioritised in its West Midlands Rail Development Plan. They call it the Camp
Hill line.
If people in the area don't reply, the scheme could be pushed into the future.
Non response could be understood as lack of support for it, and plans could be
decided that exclude our local stations. Public consultation is open already and
ends 11th September. Therefore, everyone who cares about this should respond to
them, asking for the scheme to be a high priority and funded as soon as possible
http://www.centro.org.uk/consultation/rail_development_plan.asp
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