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/5969
http://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

[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@...

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
http://clk.atdmt.com/UKM/go/147991039/direct/01/

[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/

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

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@...>


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

BBF Keynote Address by George Monbiot
@ Birmingham Conservatoire
Wednesday 28th October 7.15pm

Tickets £6 (£4.50 concessions)

Box Office: 0121-303-2323

or

http://www.birminghambookfestival.org

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


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

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


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

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

There's confirmation of further delay on the laying out of the VJA

MY LETTER TO CLIVE BIRCH
CHAIRMAN, BIRMINGHAM AND DISTRICT ALLOTMENTS COUNCIL

Dear Clive

I finally got through to Adrian Stagg at Allotments this morning as looking
through the railings in Handsworth Park I couldn't believe the VJA site
would be ready in just a few weeks.

He said "We're very disappointed. The plots will not be ready by Allotments
Week, 10-16 August, and we don't know when they will be. We are on the case.
We're on to the developer. I'm preparing another Newsletter to share this
news, in the meantime sit on your hands. We're as vexed as you and the other
short listed potholders. We'll keep you informed. This is going to happen,
Simon!"

Best

Simon

Simon Baddeley
Handsworth Allotments Information Group (HAIG)
34 Beaudesert Road
Handsworth
Birmingham B20 3TG
0121 554 9794 mobile 07775 655842
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://tinyurl.com/nsmfw2

Greetings,

	 What I believe is the last remaining independent book shop
in Birmingham is up for sale, and will close at the end of July unless
a buyer is found.  Does anyone reading know anyone who might be
interested in taking on the business?

	 You can contact the owner-manager Sarah Bond to find out more
Phone: 0121 427 9343 Fax: 0121 426 2053 E-Mail: s_bond@...

	 For those of us who haven't yet had the pleasure of visiting
BondsBooks is on Harborne High Street, opposite the Clock Tower.  97a
High Street, Harborne, Birmingham, B17 9NR.  Most Harborne buses pass
by the door.  Opening 9.30-5.30 Monday to Saturday

	 Bond's Books in Harbourne has a lovely Web site, and is an ideal
place for Birmingham people to buy books.  They have a series of
special events, too.

	 You can order books throught their Web site at any time:
http://www.bondsbooks.co.uk/ without needing to enter credit card
details.  Sarah Bond kindly ordered copies of the Transition Handbook
for the Changing Lifestyles event back in February.

	 Here is the message on the Web site from Sarah Bond:

"In August my six year lease ends.  I do not intend to renew the
lease, but like so many people,would be very sorry to see the bookshop
close.  I have put the shop on the market.  It is a lovely business to
be involved in - hard work and very rewarding.  If you or someone you
know are at all interested please talk to me."

	 I do hope that someone will come forward to keep this business
running!

	 best wishes,

	 Amanda Baker

NO CARRIER

forwarding from another list...

K
----- Original Message -----
From: julian mellor
To: scalaction@yahoogroups.com ; CMA-L
Sent: Thursday, June 04, 2009 9:58 AM
Subject: [scalaction] OT: make sure you cast your EU vote






just in case you or your friends or your family members had any doubts about
voting, or were thinking of not voting in today's EU election, watch this 2
minute video about why it's so important to stop the BNP winning seats.


http://www.youtube.com/v/ZhbR3wuYDgw&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xcfcfcf&hl=en&featu\
re=player_embedded&fs=1


Don't forget, it's proportional representation, so the fewer people that vote,
the higher the proportion of the vote the BNP will get.  You can help stop the
BNP by voting for anyone else (although the Green's would appreciate your
support!)


Julian






>>>We've made a video featuring Eddie Izzard talking to Ken, a WWII war veteran,
and Gisela, who lived in Nazi Germany during the 1930s - people who have had
first hand experience of what happens when fascists seize power.  I'd like you
to watch it and then share it with your friends:

Watch here

65 years ago brave men and women took to arms to protect us all from the the
Nazi threat. All we have to do is get people out to vote.

Many people don't know the real threat that the BNP pose - I need you to send
this video to everyone you know.

Will you play your part?

Before you leave the office, head home or log off I need you to send this
message to all your friends.

http://action.hopenothate.org.uk/pollingday



[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Check out a four part programme on BBC Three on food and exploitation, similar
to the documentary they did exposing the fashion industry.


Six typical young British food consumers go to live and work alongside
the millions of people in south east Asia's food production industries.
They must catch, harvest and process food products that we eat every
day, seeing behind the scenes at these industries:

	 1. Tuna
	 2. Prawns
	 3. Rice
	 4. Chicken
Find out more at Blood, Sweat and Takeawayand then get involved in Friends of
the Earth national food chain campaignwhere we are aiming to fix the food chain.

Thanks,
Mary


http://birminghamfoe.blogspot.com/




[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Peter Beck <petercharlesbeck@...>
To: Green Birmingham <GreenBirmingham@yahoogroups.com>
Date: Thu, 21 May 2009 08:09:51 +0100
Subject: UKIP in denial over global warming and climate change

*UKIP in denial over global warming and climate change*

Birmingham TUC and West Midlands Campaign Against Climate Change staged
a very successful Climate Change Hustings at Birmingham's Council House
last night (20th May). Seven Euro Election candidates were invited to
take part. Only one, the UKIP candidate, failed to turn up to explain
his party's policies regarding Climate Change, and to consider whether
the EU had a role to play.

This is hardly surprising as UKIP is in denial that increased C02 and
other greenhouse gas emissions are resulting in global warming and
climate change. They choose to reject the research and conclusions of
the great majority of scientists and instead lament the fact the odd
scientist such as David Bellamy is no longer regarded as credible.

Given the disastrous consequences of climate change for planet and
people predicted by the scientific community, we believe that this is
the most important issue of our time. We would therefore suggest that
the UK electorate think very carefully about who they vote for in the
elections for the European Parliament on the 4th June. We believe they
would be wise to vote for the party they would most trust  to carry out
EU climate change policies and actions.

Peter Beck
On behalf of the West Midlands Campaign Against Climate Change

440 Ridgacre Road West
Quinton
Birmingham B32 1AS

T: 0121 422 6975

Please note my new email address: petercharlesbeck@...

Dear Chris

Yes I saw this on Saturday ­ with the damning reference to the £460K plus
outgoing for allotments versus the £75K taken in rents.

The idea that allotments are a cost is, in new economic terms, bizarre. Of
course the economics of land usage should be subject to vigorous debate and
the council has a duty of stewardship over its finances, but the real costs
we all bear derive from the depredations of agribusiness ­ something that
hardly needs repeating to an audience who want to participate in a new
agricultural revolution.

Investment ­ as it should be treated ­ will be in continuing to make it
easier to grow food near home, so of course there should be no rent rises
and of course the ³mismatch² between the sum raised in rents and that spent
on allotments in the city is a sign of progressive local government well
aware of the intimate links between gardening, health and community
well-being ­ a point well made by Christine Brown for Birmingham and
District Allotments Association.

It will take some persuasion to get disciples of the old dispensation to see
allotments as anything other than a gift to the deserving poor or a loophole
being exploited by those who could well pay more.  I was, for instance,
delighted to find that at 60+ I could have one of the 80 plots on the
shortly-to-be-released Victoria Jubilee Allotments in Handsworth, seeing it
as a small reward for the £4000 spent paying legal and other campaign costs
not to mention a decade of unwaged voluntary campaigning with many others to
ensure that the whole site was not built over as originally intended in
1990, so that we were able to secure an S106A that gave the area three
playing fields, a sports pavilion, a gardeners¹ clubhouse, playgrounds,
parking and on-site water supply plus secure fencing in return for losing
only a third of this green-field site to private new build.

We need to increase the volume in Birmingham of a feisty debate about the
real cost of the way we grow our food, so that we don¹t get bogged down in
tactical fights against decisions based on mistaken thinking, promoted by
the food industry, about the economics of urban agriculture.

To apply for a plot on the VJA or elsewhere in the city go to:


http://www.birmingham.gov.uk/GenerateContent?CONTENT_ITEM_ID=32352&CONTENT_I
TEM_TYPE

I¹ve expressed some thoughts on this (with links to this and other stories
on urban food growing) and the Victoria Jubilee Allotments in Handsworth on
my blog at:

http://democracystreet.blogspot.com/search?q=with+rachel

³...  Any rebuttal of the case for such rises would need to start by
comparing the cost of allotments, and other places for growing food close to
home (especially private gardens), with the unsustainable costs of
agribusiness. In those terms a case can be made for keeping rents low as an
investment in reforming the way we produce our food. [see Andrew Kimbrell
(2002) The Fatal Harvest Reader: The Tragedy Of Industrial Agriculture.
Island Press...²

Best wishes

Simon

Simon Baddeley
Handsworth Allotments Information Group (HAIG)


On 18/5/09 12:21, "Chris Crean" <chris.crean@...> wrote:
>
>
>
>
> City leisure bosses plan allotment rent increase
>
> BY NEIL ELKES, PAUL DALE AND VICKYFARNCOMBE
>
> Birmingham's 6,000 allotment holdersfaceariseinrenttooffseta £400,000 subsidy
> and raisemoney to improvefacilities-asdemandhas soared to its highest level
> since the 1930s.
>
> However, city leisure bosses believe the£24-a-year'peppercorn'rentfor each
> plot-about 46paweek,paidby each-istoo lowand they areunder pressuretoraise
> charges.
>
> Thegreen-fingeredtenants putina totalof£75,000ayearbut theupkeep of 115
> allotment sites costs the city £467,000, which parks bosses say is
> unsustainable.Somesites are inneed ofmajorinvestmentwithtoiletblocks, fences
> and other facilities demanded by gardeners.
>



[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

City leisure bosses plan allotment rent increase

   BY NEIL ELKES, PAUL DALE AND VICKYFARNCOMBE







Birmingham's 6,000 allotment holdersfaceariseinrenttooffseta £400,000 subsidy
and raisemoney to improvefacilities-asdemandhas soared to its highest level
since the 1930s.

However, city leisure bosses believe the£24-a-year'peppercorn'rentfor each
plot-about 46paweek,paidby each-istoo lowand they areunder pressuretoraise
charges.



Thegreen-fingeredtenants putina totalof£75,000ayearbut theupkeep of 115
allotment sites costs the city £467,000, which parks bosses say is
unsustainable.Somesites are inneed ofmajorinvestmentwithtoiletblocks, fences and
other facilities demanded by gardeners.



Withacity-widewaitinglistofalmost 1,000 people, allotments are more
popularthantheyhavebeenin30 yearsdue to theriseingreener life styles and the
grow-your-own organic food culture attracting younger tenants.



Plot sizes could also be cut to increasethe supply,makingthemmore manageable for
novices, while grass vergesandwaste groundcouldalsobe cultivated.



Secretary of the Birmingham and DistrictAllotmentsAssociationChristine
Brownsaidthattenants recognisedtherentwasverylowbutwarned against removing the
subsidy.



"These allotments are leisure facilities,likeswimmingpools,leisure centres,
librariesandplayingfieldswhich aresubsidised,"she said."Allotments encourage
people to be active and healthy.



"I understand these are peppercorn rents and will need to go up and that the
council is trying tomake savings everywhere. But I worry about the
effectonolderpeople.Tothemthiscould bealot ofmoney.Perhapsthereshould
beadiscountfor thosewhohavebeen there a long time." Birmingham's leisure
scrutiny committee heardthatallotmentswere morepopularinsomepartsofthe city,
suchasMoseley,HarborneandSutton Coldfieldwhichhasa200-strongwaitinglist,
whilethere arevacancies in otherplacessuchasHodgeHill. Aston
andLadywoodhaveveryfew,ifany, allotments.



CommitteechairmanCounJohn Alden (Cons, Harborne) said allotmentswereakeypart of
thecity'sleisure services and it was encouraging that
theyweresopopular."Wearetold to find space to build thousands of extrahomes,but
we also need to createmoreallotments,"hesaid.



The committee heard that housing developers' 'section 106' money, often
allocated for parks and open spaces, couldbeusedtocreateorimprove
allotments.Almost1,000 people areon acitycouncil waitinglisttorenta patch of
land where they can grow their own vegetables and fruit. Demand forthe 7,000
plotsthe council owns is greatest in Moseley, Kings Heath, Billesley, Brandwood,
Kings Norton andBournville. Butinthe Yardley andHodgeHill constituencies there
aremore than 200 vacant plots.



Atacostof£440,000tobuy enough land foranaverage 80-plotallotment, thecouncil
admits thereisa'non-existent' chance of increasing supply.



One ideabeingconsideredis tohalve larger plots, effectively splitting them in
two. It wasasolutionthathad worked well at Walsall Road Allotments, in Perry
Barr, said allotment secretaryBetty Farruggia.









Chris Crean

West Midlands Friends of the Earth

The Warehouse

Digbeth

Birmingham

B5 5TH

0121 643 9117 mob 07720 147330 FAX 0121 643 7456





--
Support Friends of the Earth
https://www.foe.co.uk/?email_staff

Friends of the Earth Limited - Company No 1012357
Friends of the Earth Trust - Company No 1533942
Registered Charity No 281681
Registered Office - 26 - 28 Underwood Street, London. N1 7JQ


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Have you seen Neil Elkes story in Birmingham Mail 16th May 09 (p 9 in my
copy) saying the council is considering raising plot rents to cover the
existing maintenance as well as refurbishment costs of allotments in
Birmingham? Rents raise £75k. Annual expenditure on allotments is currently
£467K.

Simon Baddeley
Handsworth Allotments Information Group (HAIG)
34 Beaudesert Road
Handsworth
Birmingham B20 3TG
0121 554 9794 mobile 07775 655842
s.j.baddeley@...
Skype: sibadd or linbadd



On 16/5/09 21:59, "Ged" <gerardabh@...> wrote:

>
>
> Health concious Brummies have sent demand for allotments soaring to the
> highest level since  the 1930s. Almost 1000 people are now on a Birmingham
> City Council waiting list to rent a patch of land where they can grow their
> own vegetables and fruit.
>
> The enthusiasm for gardening is being put down to the Government's healthy
> eating agenda and support for green issues. And far from being solely an older
> person's hobby, applications for allotments are soaring among young women.
> Demand for the plots is greatest in Moseley, Kings Heath, Billesley, Kings
> Norton and Bournville.
>
> Taken from Birmingham Mail Extra May 14th 2009
>
>

------ End of Forwarded Message



[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Health concious Brummies have sent demand for allotments soaring to the highest
level since  the 1930s. Almost 1000 people are now on a Birmingham City Council
waiting list to rent a patch of land where they can grow their own vegetables
and fruit.

The enthusiasm for gardening is being put down to the Government's healthy
eating agenda and support for green issues. And far from being solely an older
person's hobby, applications for allotments are soaring among young women.
Demand for the plots is greatest in Moseley, Kings Heath, Billesley, Kings
Norton and Bournville.

Taken from Birmingham Mail Extra May 14th 2009

Low Energy House - 16th & 17th May

John Newson in Birmingham has reduced the energy demand of his Victorian
end-of-terrace house by 70 per cent, and the carbon footprint the same, through
a combination of measures that could be applied to any house. He has acheived a
high energy performance rating of the property and increased its value. His
water bill is down by £80 a year.

You are invited to visit, learn how he has done this, and hopefully be inspired
to save energy at home.  John also offers to help house owners to create their
own energy masterplan. With interest rates so low, energy saving measures may
now give the best return on savings.

Open Weekend at 32 Alder Road, Balsall Heath, B12 8BS     Saturday 16th May 2 to
4 pm, or Sunday 17th May 2 to 4pm

This is part of a national progarmme of openings by the 'Old Home Superhome'
network, run by the Sustainable Energy Academy.
http://www.sustainable-energyacademy.org.uk/

Please book by email reply, saying when you would like to come and how many
people you will bring (restrictions on the size of the house and on street
parking spaces). email; john@...

Looking forward to seeing you
john newson

Energy Options Survey

I know that many people are deterred from investing in energy improvements by
being unsure what to do first?  What will work in my house? What will be 'worth
it'? Is there a grant?  So, having made my own home energy efficient, i have now
teamed up with Parity Projects, who have many satisfied customers in London.

Parity Projects has a tried and tested survey method, an analysis programme and
they produce a 38-page 'Energy Options' report, including a recommended energy
saving package unique to your house.  They have many satisfied customers and are
now extending the service to Birmingham. They are independent of any product or
supplier, and only exist to help people save energy.  Parity has won
sustainability awards from the Guardian, Observer and Building Magazine.

Russell Smith, the managing director has turned his own home into a
demonstration, saving 60% of water and 70% of CO2 emissions. He will be in
Birmingham to do the first survey here on Thursday, 9 April - it could be you! 
Thereafter, I will have been trained to do the visits and surveys in Birmingham
and Parity will provide the analysis and recommendations. This is a unique
service in Birmingham, as far as I know.

What is offered is much more comprehensive than the Energy Savings Trust one, or
the HIP, and covers your individual home in a lot of detail. People are getting
access to a lot of knowledge and experience. It advises about options that won't
be appropriate, as well as those that will. It gives a customised list of
recommended measures and the savings you can expect from each one, so the owner
can plan and carry out their own energy saving programme with confidence.

The cost is £300  for a three bedroom, £375 pounds for four bedroom.  I think
this is reasonable for the work involved and Russell says most people get it
back in the first year's savings, plus avoiding wasting money on inappropriate
/expensive mistakes in their house. Parity website is
http://www.parityprojects.com/services.htm

But if you are at all interested please do contact me in the first instance on
0121 449 3977 days and evenings.
Best wishes

John Newson