We’re meeting in Cogges Farm Cafe this Monday evening (the 12th) for mulled wine, mince pies and a chat. That starts at 8pm so do drop in.
The committee will be there from 6:30pm to discuss our projects, which if you’re interested in getting involved with you’re welcome to come along to and join in.
We need more volunteers to help the Swap Shop to run smoothly on Saturday 19th March.
Between 8am and 1pm help is needed to set up tables, weigh goods, sort goods into type, to work in the cafe, and to clear up.
Replies to me please by Monday: brigitte@supershed.org.uk
Thanks, Brigitte.
Finally some good news from the Gulf of Mexico – BP have managed to stem the flow of oil for the first time. It’s not clear if it’s a permanent solution yet, but if it is then a line can drawn on the balance sheet and the total cost calculated.
The Greenpeace alternative logo competition is open for voting. Sustainable Witney didn’t submit an entry in the competition, but should we have?
Has the situation in the gulf got anything to do with us?
Answers in the comment box below…
I first noticed the existence of Eco-Schools a couple of months ago when The Blake CE Primary School in Witney was awarded a Green Flag for their efforts. Since then I’ve discovered that there are 25 schools in Witney and the surrounding area working on the Eco-Schools Programme. The Ducklington CE Primary School was awarded their Green Flag in 2008, which is proudly displayed outside the school. Another local school, that is actively working on the programme, is The Henry Box Secondary School. One of their Student Voice committees is focussed on environmental concerns including Eco-Schools.
After years of speculation Apple finally unveiled their Tablet computer last week. If you own one of their phones your instant reaction was probably “A Dom Jolly iPhone!” And if you follow Star Trek it’ll be immediately recognisable from the captain’s ready room.
My first taste of Apple was with the iPhone, which is what I’m tapping this into at the moment on the train. I’ve since moved over to a MacBook too (that’s a laptop) and it really is a different experience – no more phaffing around with firewalls and anti-virus software, no more waiting endlessly for it to boot up,and even better, no more hanging around for it to shut down – it just works. Anyway, enough of the adverts, what’s this got to do with sustainability?
Well, they’ve sold an awful lot of iPhones (75 million if I remember correctly) and it looks like they might sell a good deal more iPads – I’m sure to be getting one. So what about all the lithium batteries? What about all the shipping from their manufacturing base in China?
To put things into perspective, the battery for an electric car will weigh at least a hundred times more than a complete iPad. And a short browse on their website shows they recycle their products as well as measuring the emissions for the lifetime of their products.
The Environmental Report for the iPad isn’t up yet, but this is the one for the iPhone.
So what do we think? Ecologically sound? Or corporate greenwash?
We had a great time at the Christmas Lights switch on in Witney this year! We had a very busy stall in the Langdale Hall were loads of people took part in our free quiz that was all about Christmas for their chance to win some local produce.
For those that took part, here are the answers to the quiz…
1.How many trees are needed to make the UK’s Christmas cards each year?
a.50,000
b.100,000
c.200,000
Answer: 200,000 trees are needed to make the 1.7 billion cards we send each year. How about changing to recycled cards or show you really care by making cards yourself from recycled stuff – after all it is the thought that counts.
Source: nigelsecostore.com
2.How many square kilometres of wrapping paper are used in the UK alone each year?
a.73
b.83
c.93
Answer: 83 square kilometres of wrapping paper is used in the UK each and every year. That’s enough to cover an area the size of Guernsey. Remember that all this wrapping paper can easily be reused or recycled.
Source: ecochristmas.org
3.How many tonnes of plastic packaging are thrown out during the Christmas period?
a.100,000
b.115,000
c.125,000
Answer: 125,000 tonnes of plastic packing is thrown out over the Christmas period. Much of this is unnecessary and quite a bit of it can be recycled and reused saving it going to landfill.
Source: ecochristmas.org
4.How many Christmas trees will face the chop this year in the UK?
a.6 million
b.7 million
c.8 million
Answer: 6 million Christmas trees will face the chop each year in the UK. Why not buy a potted Christmas tree this year and let it grow year by year as your family grows. Using the same tree each year is a money saver too.
Source: greenandeasy.co.uk
5.How many miles has the average Christmas lunch travelled before it lands on your plate?
a.47,836 miles
b.67,536 miles
c.84,612 miles
Answer: 84,612 miles is the distance travelled by the average Christmas lunch. This is the same amount of greenhouse gas from planes that 50,000 three bedroom semis would create in one whole year. Make a real difference your carbon footprint this year and buy locally.
Source: ecoforce.co.uk
And the Winners were…
Geoff Norridge (Witney)
Helen Wyatt (Minster Lovell)
Becky Wright (Witney)
Paula Brown (Witney)
Laura (Witney/New Zealand)
Paul Merritt (?)
Liz Simpson (?)
Val Fisher (Witney)
Ed Morris (Witney)
Well-done to all our winners! Your prizes are on their way to you…
Had a major tidy up yesterday – I have a desk but I only get to see it for a few days every 3 months or so. Under the bike parts, maps and biscuit wrappers I came across an edition of Engineering & Technology that I haven’t had a chance to look at; a pre-Copenhagen special.
Reading it with the hindsight of the weary – post Copenhagen, I took some comfort from their regular “If you Ask Me” feature. Tim Jackson, the economics commissioner for the Sustainable Development Commission, makes some common sense observations on the mutually exclusive aspects of ecology and economic growth.
The SDC will have presented this argument to the government, discussed it over dinner, watched the ministers nod sagely at the obvious conclusions. But internally, most of the ministers will have been thanking their lucky stars as they finished their nightcaps.
When it comes to the economy, a fog descends and political survival falls back on the medievil dogma and sorcery of mainstream economic teaching. Prevaricating long enough, at least as long as the next election, offers the possibility that when the music stops someone else will be holding the parcel. And with the promised agreement at Copenhagen put off for another year, who would open it now?
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