Category Archives: News

Voom or Veggie ?

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Sounds like it was fun at the climate-change conference at Yale University on Friday when California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and Rajendra K. Pachauri, the head of the Nobel prize-winning Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, squared up on just how to tackle global warming.

Voom and technology says Arnie, Veggie and lifestyle change says Rajendra.

Just about sums it up – I hear the same arguments and dicussions in most sustainability events.  Not quite in the style of how Arnie put it though “environmentalists were no fun, like prohibitionists at a fraternity party”

News from the SD research network

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News from the SD research network

CABE ‘Climate Change Festival’
31st May – 8th June 2008; Birmingham
CABE is joining forces with Birmingham City Council to host the world’s first climate change festival to link climate change with urban planning and design. The Festival aims to illustrate how a successful planning response to climate change can transform the quality of life for people working and living in the city, and to stimulate fresh thinking about low carbon cities. Events will include a range of community-based projects, a green day for schools, a hothouse event for professionals working in the built environment sector, and the launch of Birmingham’s first climate change strategy and action plan to coincide with World Environment Day. It is hoped this festival will become an annual event, involving at least eight cities in 2009, and going international in 2010. More…

ASO Conference – ‘Obesity and the Built Environment’
3rd June 2008: The Kennedy Lecture Theatre, Institute of Child Health, London
This one-day conference will discuss and review the role of the physical environment in providing opportunities for, and barriers against, the adoption of healthy lifestyle choices.  more

JRF Report – ‘Regeneration in European cities: making connections’
In this report by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, case studies from a range of European cities are used to explore different approaches to tackling deep-seated urban problems, such as the regeneration of run-down industrial areas.  More…

BRASS Working Paper 45 – ‘Supporting skills and knowledge to deliver sustainable communities: an exploration of the conceptual and policy context’
Written by Julie Newton, Terry Marsden, Alex Franklin and Andrea Collins
Delivering ‘sustainable communities’ is increasingly being recognised as an implicit component of the wider goal of sustainable development. However, a lack of appropriate skills or sufficient understanding of which skills are necessary has remained a significant obstacle to attaining this goal. This paper responds to a growing academic and policy interest in the role of skills in delivering sustainable communities. I Download the paper…


Eco Town consultation

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Built enviro related news from the SD Research Network

LG Consultation – ‘Eco-towns: Living a greener future’
The Department for Communities and Local Government is seeking public opinion on their vision for eco-towns, seen as the answer to both the challenges of climate change and the rising demand for affordable housing as more people are living longer and living alone. Eco-towns intend to exemplify genuinely sustainable living, consisting of zero-carbon developments that combine affordable housing, environmental sensitivity and outstanding quality. This consultation document outlines fifteen potential eco-town locations, shortlisted for their creative and practical design, and seeks feedback concerning: the way in which the eco-towns concept is being developed and the different potential benefits that an eco-town can offer; how particular features such as green space or innovative approaches to housing can best be developed in an eco-town; and preliminary views on the 15 locations going forward for further assessment. Responses are invited until 30th June 2008. More…

Waste wood – the untapped resource for Biomass Fuel?

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The huge potential of reusing waste wood as fuel is being wasted, Environment Minister Joan Ruddock has warned. The significant carbon and energy benefits of recovering energy from waste wood are detailed in a new information report on the sector that surveys the activities of producers, aggregators and users of waste wood.

Eco City 2008 – this week

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Eco City 2008 conference gets underway this week in San Fransisco. isite will be relaying media from the event through to the UK as a bogging partner.

What will of course be of interest to UK readers is the comparisons and differences in approach with our own (top down) Eco Town approach and the (grass roots) Transition Town approach.

There is also the opportunity, through isite to feed UK eco city approaches towards the Eco City 2008 Global Summit.

Stay Tuned …

uk earth day events update

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A few earth day related events I am involved with or attending:

19th April

Lancashire Quakers Green Festival – Garstang,

21st April

Earth Day talk at UCLAN – Preston, for Built Environment Students

22nd April

Sustainability in the built environment – to zero and beyond. Second Life Earth Day presentation / debate 10pm UK time at the Public Works Sim. (joint meeting of numerous second life groups)

And if you are attending any Earth Day events – be sure to check out BYOBLue and wear blue

Also Paul Cortopassi posted about his school event in Scotland

Hi there! We are launching our new Eco-Schools programme specifically aimed at Secondary Schools on 22nd April at Scotland’s National Stadium, Hampden Park Glasgow. Over 150 pupils, teachers and education staff will be in attendance. Let’s get those teenagers environmentally active!

Previous Post:

On Earth Day 2008, 22nd April, Deepdale Farm North Norfolk will be hosting a whole range of eco friendly organisations for an Earth Day exhibition about the environment, including environmental technology installers, advisors, pressure groups and other related organisations.Whether you are looking for solar panels, wood chip boiler, LED lights, ground source heat pump, wind turbine, need some advice about how to green up your home or business, want to know more about organics or just fancy a look around Deepdale’s eco-friendly facilities, … check out the Deepdale web pages

If you are aware of any more UK based Earth Day events happening, please leave details in the comments below.

on bio fuels and RTFO

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George Monbiot writing in todays Guardian …

Biofuels are a crime against humanity …I am sorely tempted to write another column about biofuels. From this morning all sellers of transport fuel in the United Kingdom will be obliged to mix it with ethanol or biodiesel made from crops. The World Bank points out that “the grain required to fill the tank of a sports utility vehicle with ethanol … could feed one person for a year”. This year global stockpiles of cereals will decline by around 53m tonnes; this gives you a rough idea of the size of the hunger gap. The production of biofuels will consume almost 100m tonnes, which suggests that they are directly responsible for the current crisis.

So what does this mean for heating and CHP systems that are bio-fuel based? (eg Hanham Hall, and I would guess many of the other eco town and challenge proposals). Is it correct to provide capital grants to kick start more bio-energy building initiatives? I will let others comment on the technical issues … but from a ‘soul’ or a fit for planet approach this would appear to be a cul de sac with very dangerous consequences.

Eco town locations revealed – but is it all another greenwash?

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The government has released today the short list for Eco Towns, and they are:

Bordon, Hampshire
Coltishall, Norfolk
Curborough, Staffordshire
Elsenham, Essex
Ford, West Sussex
Hanley Grange, Cambridgeshire
Imerys, Cornwall
Leeds city region, West Yorkshire
Manby, Lincolnshire
Marston Vale and New Marston, Bedfordshire
Middle Quinton, Warwickshire
Pennbury, Leicestershire
Rossington, South Yorkshire
Rushcliffe, Nottinghamshire
Weston Otmoor, Oxfordshire
isite has commented on the viability and concept of Eco-Towns on many occasions, and along with many on the blogosphere have suggested the way forward to be within the existing housing stock.  (Search Eco Towns in the search bar above) .
So it is good to see organisations like the FMB’s Brian Berry, Director External Affair,  issueing statements, suggesting the eco town approach is a greenwash:
“Eco –towns sound lovely but are really a red herring to give the Government’s housing plans a stamp of green credibility. The truth is we already know how to create sustainable homes as demonstrated by the BedZed affordable eco-homes in south London and the renewable energy theme park developed by Kiklees Borough Council in Yorkshire”.

“Building brand new eco–towns outside existing settlements is really bad idea when there are 675,000 empty homes in England alone sitting empty, all ripe for refitting with green technologies. Given that demand for housing covers the whole of the UK it makes sense for every village and town to have new housing rather creating brand new settlements.”

See also Marks comments on House2.0   where Mark comments ….  3 million new homes …the case for this is no stronger than it is for a third runway at Heathrow. And no greener.

blog posted from Xda Orbit

UK sustainability events

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I seem to be on a conference theme this evening so I should give a plug for two important UK events, (or Phil will be after me)

Think 08 – 7 and 8 May 2008

Think08 is a free exhibition and high level conference about thinking through and delivering sustainability in the built environment. With over 100 exhibitors and 80 free seminars, Think provides free content, networking and learning from thought leaders, alongside vibrant social events such as the Think Ball and Regatta.

(and a bloggers convention is promised)

Sustainability Now – 1 and 2 June 2008

Sustainability Now is a unique virtual event, highlighting the essential issues that matter right now for those creating a sustainable built environment.

Twitter News: PM helps housebuilders go green

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From the 10 Downing Street Twitter feed earlier today:

DowningStreet No10 news: PM helps householders go green: The Prime Minister has said that fighting clim.. http://tinyurl.com/yugre7

and

Green Neighbourhoods initiative will give a “green makeover” to up to 100 neighbourhoods in England with an aim to reduce their carbon footprints by more than 60 per cent.