Taking the road to transition

No new posts here – please see Transition Malvern Hills for what’s happening locally.

While I’m here, a test item, music from Soundcloud (a UK web thing). From Imogen Heap’s new album, a track called ‘Earth’

Reducing waste at Croome and across the region

Some positive developments over the last day or so:

A successful TT Drinks in Malvern on 20th October brought together almost 20 people, without much in the way of publicity, to chat about transition issues and come up with a few thoughts to take further. See Transition Malvern Hills site.

It’s reported (Worcester News) that a farmer in the Malvern Hills District, at Croome Farm, has got planning permission to turn large quantities of locally-sourced green waste into compost for his own use.

And for bigger overall impact, hopefully, one of six “zero waste places” across England announced today is the West Midlands region. “The West Midlands will create a Zero Waste Region, focussing on businesses and organisation that produce a large quantity of waste, identifying region-wide waste infrastructure needs, improving co-operation and cutting business waste right across the region. ” News release.

What’s caviar got to do with peak oil?

The News collector (aka news feed aggregator) over on Transition Malvern has only been going for about a week, so its early to judge the balance of items coming in from the sources I’ve selected (and Transition Culture went on holiday just as I plugged it in). But there’s definitely some interesting stuff, and for once the American bias of some doesn’t get up my nose.

A post on ‘Peak Caviar‘ doesn’t sound very promising, but it has a nice little explanation of how the bell curve often used to illustrate peak oil could be too optimistic. By going all out , pushing production past its ‘natural’ peak can lead to a steeper decline.

Small steps to transition

The establishment of a full-blown website for Transition Malvern (powered by Drupal) has put me in a temporary quandary. Where should I post relevant news items – there or here? For the moment, as the project and site settle in, its here.

The Transition Town bunch in Stroud have organised an “Open Homes for a Sustainable Future” weekend, 13th and 14th September. An opportunity to visit homes around Stroud, see renewable energy in action, discuss energy efficiency and get advice on eco-renovations. Mainly for locals I suppose but a few interlopers from Malvern might be OK. See Stroud Open Homes website.

Moving on climate change in Malvern

There’s a new section on the MalvernGreen site, Transition. A Transition Towns initiative is in its early stages (the first meeting of the interim steering group was last night) and this is its initial web presence. At some stage it will expand and probably move elsewhere. The web link to quote is: transitionmalvernhills.org.uk.

Do add your comments and watch out for further developments in the next few months.

Transition Town is about reducing oil dependence and increasing resilience, as well as addressing climate change.

(item updated with new link, 29/7/08)

Weeds are plants too

Once again the people  running ‘Malvern in Bloom’ appear to want to eradicate anything which doesn’t produce pretty flowers. There seemed to be MiB backing to remove the Belle Vue plane trees to “improve” the flower planting around the island and now they are after the “weeds”.

Weeds are just plants in the wrong place – but who gets to decide what the wrong place is? Having seen the pictures in the printed version of the Malvern Gazette article “Weeds could scupper In Bloom chances again“, I’d go with the more natural look and hold off poisoning the place with weed killer.

Just my view.

Oh, and I’ve just come across this little cycling attachment idea, aptly called the Bloom device, entered for a design competition at Design 21. This will raise MiB’s blood pressure no doubt: “Seeds are co-mingled with a bubble mixture and upon pedaling to your destination , you release the floating seeds which land in cracks and crevices throughout the city streets. Over time, the seeds grow into flowers and plants to create a green “fringe” to our sidewalks and streets. “

ART for Amnesty

Amnesty International Malvern Hills group and Malvern Quakers

Free exhibition & sale 2008

prints paintings cards ceramics photographs craft jewellery books sculpture

10am – 5pm Daily, 2pm-5pm Sundays

Saturday l7th MAY – Saturday 31st MAY

Friends Meeting House, 1 Orchard Rd, Malvern

Climate change festival in Brum

Thsi may be worth noting in your diary. What is billed as “The world’s first climate change festival” is happening in Birmingham from 31st May to 8th June. It’s organised by Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment (CABE) with the city council, and will “make a direct link between climate change and the design of buildings and streets around us”. CABE have been doing some good stuff and hopefully this will not be as unexciting an event as that may sound.

CABE news item.

Thousand voices save two trees

The ‘Belle Vue Two’ have been released from their death sentence. The plane trees on Belle Vue Terrace are now to be looked after, rather than removed. Great to see ‘people power’ in action – let’s have more green moves in and around town.

See Malvern Gazette front page article, or see the Two’s MySpace page.

Worcestershire leading on tackling climate change?

Worcestershire Partnership, which brings together local government, public services such as health, learning providers, police and probation, voluntary and community organisations and local businesses within Worcestershire, reports that Worcestershire County Council has been awarded ‘Beacon’ status for their work on tackling climate change. This  is national government recognition of leading on the issue and being held up as an example for other areas to follow.

The same newsletter also says that Worcestershire Partnership for the Environment is currently developing a DVD in conjunction with the University of Worcester to  showcase elements of the State of the Environment report. It  should be available by mid-May.