Future Friendly: Proctor and Gamble’s sustainable competition has cash on offer for sustainable initiatives

Only days remain for individuals and communities to enter Proctor and Gamble’s 5th Future Friendly Awards before the deadline at midnight on Sunday, July 24. For local communities the prize is a bursary worth £10,000 to fund their work, or a sustainable family holiday for individual environmental heroes.

Future Friendly wants to encourage every household in the UK to do their own ‘inspired little acts’ so they can save resources and money and also appreciate how small, everyday changes in the home can turn into a united wave of sustainable change from street to town to region.

Shortlisted winners from 12 regions of the UK and Ireland will each receive £1,000, from which one national winner will be awarded a £10,000 bursary to help support their efforts.

And this year, Little and Big Heroes’ aged under and over 18 respectively, are being rewarded for their sustainable efforts too. An overall winner in each category will receive a sustainable holiday for five worth £1,000.

Past community winners have ranged from an online ‘swap shop’ for baby equipment, an invention to help measure water consumption and last year’s winners, the Project Group from Shropshire who recycle waste into eye-catching fashion and art pieces.

Other Future Friendly community winner, the 1st Clanfield Scout Group from Hampshire, used its £10,000 bursary to install two solar panels, restore the surrounding paddock, and set up indoor disabled facilities to encourage the use of the building and grounds for people with special needs.

Entries close at midnight on July 24. The public will vote online for their favourite community project and from our 12 regional winners, a panel of expert judges will choose one national winner as well as our Little and Big Heroes.

To enter the awards, simply submit your short entry of no more than 500 words, together with your name and email address on the Future Friendly site.

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Happy Energy: the new logo aims to the a universal symbol for upbeat sustainable lifestyle change

A new upbeat symbol for sustainable energy has been proposed by a group of upbeat energy campaigners. Happy Energy –  a young initiative that advocates a new positive culture change – has come up with a universal sign for sustainability.

A cross between the peace symbol, a smiley and the recycling logo, the new Happy Energy image is a fun flower on a blue background (unless you get the black and white version).

“Because there is not one unified logo in the world, we suggest to use the proposed sign as a recognisable and universal symbol for sustainability,” said the Happy Energy people.

“There is now a symbol that clearly indicates that we want to live in a world where growth should not have a negative effect on people and our planet’s environment.”

Projects that spread ‘happy energy’ may use the symbol. Information on how to obtain the logo can be found on the Happy Energy website .

Happy Energy is a young future oriented movement that wants to propagate the positive philosophy of a sustainable society by means of renewable energy and sustainable products and projects that spread ‘happy energy’, using the Happy Energy logo as an identifiable and universal symbol.

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So you’ve swallowed your Green Credentials and have booked your package flight from Exeter airport – but here’s something else for your Green Guilt to gnaw away at… how much carbon will you use just getting to the airport. A new study aims to find out.

The study, being carried out by a team from the universities of Loughborough, Cranfield and Leeds, is the first of it’s kind, and it also aims to pinpoint innovative measures that will cut these emission. For example:

• Setting up audio/video facilities at airports that can link with anyone’s home, reducing the need to travel to airports to see off friends and family.
• Situating luggage-drop facilities in city centres and train stations, making it easier to travel to airports by public transport.
• Establishing web/mobile-based information-sharing services that promote car-sharing among airport users, employees etc.

“Aviation is a significant source of carbon emissions, but it’s not just the planes that are a problem,” project leader Dr Tim Ryley of Loughborough University told the PRSD.

“Travelling to and from airports also has a big impact, but no-one has yet quantified it or identified how to reduce it. This study will address that gap in our understanding.”

The study will look at every kind of journey to and from airports. It will not only take into account people catching a flight but also those seeing off or meeting friends and relatives, as well as airline and airport employees.

It will also assess the impact of different types of delivery (food, fuel etc), freight movement and other logistics associated with airport terminals and surrounding facilities.

“There’s no point developing and implementing a carbon-reduction measure if it won’t work in the real world – perhaps because it involves people paying more than they’re prepared to pay,” said Dr Ryley.

“So developing a realistic understanding of attitudes and motivations with respect to people’s environmental behaviour will be key to delivering a practical set of recommendations.”

• Would these measures cut our carbon conscience or make air travel more attractive? Comments below, please?

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Tory MEPs attempted to scupper the EU’s Copenhagen position of climate change aid for developing countries, according to Lib Dem South West MEP Graham Watson.

In the European Parliament they tabled amendments which would have removed the EU-wide commitment of ‘new and additional’ funding for developing countries facing man-made climate change.

And they opposed the European Parliament’s position that the money raised by the European Emissions Trading Scheme should be earmarked for developing countries’ climate change needs.

Graham said: “The developed world is responsible for the vast majority of carbon emissions, but the worst of the impact is felt in developing countries.

“Not only are they stabbing the world’s poorest in the back, but they are also jeopardising an agreement in Copenhagen.”

Read the rest of the article on Graham Watson’s site

• Despite their rebrand, are Tories becoming Greener or are they still True Blue? Comments below, please.

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The weekly column from the world of Geoff Clams

Given the media tumult surrounding the Iranian presidential elections, accusations of stolen votes and an inflammatory cultural split, one might be tempted to say that, by comparison, political passions in Britain are either dying, dead or extinct.

Contrast how tepid and lazy we look next to these guys. They don’t feel that the winning ticket is representative, and so they invest their hearts and risk their lives by taking to the streets in their thousands to say so. By comparison, and after decades of being ideologically shunted between the centre and the far-right by two illusory red and blue factions, we just roll over and present our behinds and our livelihoods to whomever is brandishing the lube tube.

Granted, this wasn’t a general election and most are turned-off by Europe because, in all honesty, too few of us are truly informed enough to understand the real implications of the Lisbon Treaty as it stands. What’s more, can an economic bureaucracy like the European Parliament ever look like an arousing or alluring phenomenon? Isn’t there something else on? Can’t we all gawk at some terminally-ill celebrity undergoing chemotherapy instead?

Europe aside, this creeping voter apathy will probably gain momentum, as more and more of us resign ourselves to abject powerlessness and/or misguided protest votes. The recent MPs’ expenses debacle has certainly tickled our anger buds (evidently, it seems that the British are more prone to hate a scrounger than a war criminal/torture apologist/authoritarian creep) but the consensus is, that our ruling elite will soon roll out some new, corrective legislation and the nation’s boiling blood will inevitably cool. What a shame that would be. If we do get the election the majority of us so vehemently demand, can we even trust it to be free and fair? Will we all go back to sleep after the dust has settled and give the Tories a blank cheque mandate?

It is worth taking a retrospective look at our recent elections, now that we have the distance of hindsight. Not just for what the results tell us about the perceived rise in fascism or the death of the New Labour project or whatever else, but to examine the conduct of the polling itself. As more and more political bloggers seem to be invoking the term “Dark Arts” in their analyses of June 4, it seems that a disconcerting picture could still be emerging. Therefore, I would like to relay what happened to me the week I went to the polls.

I live in a very quiet road in Preston (Paignton), tucked away behind the Shorton Valley within a friendly and supportive community. We have many neighbors who are elderly and, who by-and-large, are passionately-engaged voters who still cling to the lifeboat ideal of democracy. It was, after all, their generation’s young men who truly fought and died for this abstract concept. Since polling day, my partner and I have had many over-the-fence conversations with our neighbours and we’ve been able to compare our recent experiences with them. If what we seem to be uncovering is a country-wide phenomenon, then ‘We The People’ are indeed entering the realms of the truly fantastical.

On Monday the 1st, I was returning from a meeting with Project Duvall out in Buckfastleigh. As I mentioned last week, they are a Devon-wide arts committee who meet every fortnight to discuss cultural projects and to lobby for potential funding. Overall, it had been a productive meeting up until my being very publicly sick again. Hence, I was feeling a bit jittery after an unpleasant and introspective drive back to Torbay.

As I pulled into my road, which is a cul-de-sac that branches off from a deathly steep hill, I forgot to drop gears and the car stalled. While fumbling with my keys in the bluish nine o’ clock twilight, I noticed an intense buzzing noise in the near distance. I couldn’t ascertain at first whether it was a far-off lawnmower or a close-by hornet, but it was indescribably high-pitched. Looking up the hill, where the local polling booth had just been erected, I noticed something no larger than a small suitcase suspended in the air and silhouetted against the bruising sky. It promptly zipped out of view with a weird serpentine confidence before I had any chance to get a lingering look. Dismissing the object as either another hallucination or an oddly-shaped night bird, I restarted my car and trundled to my driveway. As the night got thicker and followed me to bed, so too a sense of malicious, creeping dread.

In the earliest hours of the following morning, whilst I was shifting and turning in the throes of sleeplessness, the noise reappeared. Much, much louder this time. Opening my eyes, I watched a singular red dot of light centering itself on the bedroom curtains. It turned green momentarily and then back to red. I leaped from the bed and hurtled towards the window, yet, again it hurried off and the buzzing soon became distant. Elusive. Needless to say, I didn’t sleep a further wink and decided to get up at around seven.

On my way back from the newsagents that very same morning, I was invited to share a cider (Al fresco) with my good, kindly neighbour Hugh, who lives at number four. Hugh is a pensioner, originally from Rotherham, who served in the RAF for thirty or so years. When he retired from the ranks, he went into local-level politics as a Conservative councillor and spent four years there before leaving to work on his garden. A great conversationalist who never beats about the proverbial bush, Hugh managed to surprise even me when, after a short, comforting summer silence and a sup of cold apple gold, he asked: “So, have you seen The Drone yet?”

“Drone?” I replied, unnerved. “What’s that then?”

“Noisy bloody camera that’s been buzzing around the streets at night,” he wheezed with the corners of his mouth downturned. “Whatever next, eh?”

“I saw it last night. Twice. It’s a camera?”

“A floating, talking camera, aye. Did you not get the leaflet? The local Police are doing a trial with it.”

“Why here? Unless of course they finally caught up with you nicking cuttings from Mrs. Frattelli’s Lobelia every summer.”

Hugh gave me the leaflet to study at home, which I did. The Drone is an unmanned CCTV camera with inbuilt facial recognition technology and sonar-based capabilities. Remarkably lightweight and agile, it is remotely accessed and controlled by the Police themselves and employs a series of tiny propulsive fans to hover about six feet from the ground. The Drone has been designed to combat anti-social behaviour, and is being trialed in six other counties up and down the land. Tossing the leaflet aside I went to my computer to write an email to the Devon and Cornwall Police Constabulary to air my concerns. I have since received a reply, effectively referring me to the IPCC. What’s the point?

Judith and I saw The Drone again that night. This time it was scanning the opposite side of the valley, hovering busily past a succession of living room windows, doing it’s red light/green light thing. Looking through walls no doubt. Perhaps not surprisingly, we both dreamed about the floating camera that night. I was so tired I slept right through.

Come Wednesday o’clock, and with the heady buzz of intimidating synthetic Police fading in our minds, we awoke to a loud and forceful knocking at the front door.

To be continued next week…

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Totnes, you know the constituency of everyone’s favourite mansion-owning MP, Anthony Steen, will be the setting a protest against the BNP’s Euro Election gains today (June 13).

There is no rise in the BNP, they have the same share of the bigoted and ignorant vote they have ever had.

Doesn’t mean we should ever be complacent in exposing and opposing the ‘BNP or any organisation which promotes racial, sexual orientation or religious intolerance’, as they say in the letter they want people to sign.

The problem is the rise of antipathy towards politicians – the active opting out and not voting that took place during the elections.

The Totnes MP was a big part of that pre-election atmosphere of political dislocation with his expenses claims, his offer to pay back 10 per cent and his assertion that the way he spent public money was nothing to do with anyone but him, what with us all being jealous of his lifestyle.

Sure, poor old Anthony Steen wasn’t the only MP caught out, and at least he wasn’t ‘flipping’ – the act of switching a nominated second home to maximise financial benefits. Steeny-boy was just chancing his arm when he supposed protecting his trees from rabbits in Totnes was fundamental in his representing the Totnes people in Parliament.

Totnes town councillor and former Totnes mayor David Horsburgh, told thisissouthdevon: “We must take a stand against the BNP and any form of racism.

“If not, we could sleepwalk into a Nazi-style state, as happened in Germany in the 1930s. We must take action, and take it now.”

We would add to ensure people are engaged in the political process, at least the letter they are sending to the ‘local press and media’ and all the councils will urge support of more affordable housing, improvements to schools, employment initiatives, ‘all of which reduce the climate that breeds ugly, divided communities and which give a security instead,’

Let’s wait and see what’s in store from the new Conservative-led county council on June 25 when they officially announce what they’ll be up to.

Meanwhile, the town council has a vacancy.

The protest takes place in the town between 10am and noon.

posted by Cptn

• We’re pulling together some questions for new Totnes Rural County Councillor Paula Black from the Green Party. If you’d like to join in, pop on over the People’s Republic of South Devon crowd sourcing site to offer your views.

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Devon County Council is up to win £30,000 for its Renewable Energy for Devon scheme in the local authority section of the famed Ashden Awards for Sustainable Energy 2009, which take place in London on Thursday, June 11.

The RE4D scheme (the catchy little monica for Renewable Energy for Devon) muscled its way into the finalist position with the claims of an impressive 109 renewable energy installations in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and community organisations, and a further 18 in domestic properties.

With the creation of 55 jobs, and a further 16 safeguarded through the scheme, you’d think there’d be more crowing about the scheme, which has provided £0.25m in grants and helped secure £0.81m of other funding.

RE4D was launched in 2006 to create jobs and reduce the county’s carbon footprint, and it aims to stimulate demand and build up capacity. It seems to have gone some way with that – to date the figures show a total of installed capacity of over 2 MW, avoiding around 1,300 tonnes/year of CO2 emissions.

Other finalist in the local authority category is Kirklees Council, Huddersfield, for its free-for-all insulation programme.

posted by Cptn

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Those cool cucumbers over at Don’t Panic were understandably a little green (as in ‘sick’ and ‘with envy’) at the home of Totnes MP Anthony Steen, so they enjoyed a picnic on the grounds, reckoning that tax payers had helped with the upkeep, so they could jolly well enjoy the benefits.

We’re surprised they got past the rabbits.

• Are you now, or have you ever been, jealous of Anthony Steen MP? Leave a comment.

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Disabled Kevin sees the election results as a clear signal that the South West doesn’t want Labour

After watching the results of the South West region elections, my reaction is the South West rejects this Labour Government and its Prime Minister, let alone the country.

I say to my friends Linda Gilroy and Ben Bradshaw MP, if I was a South West Labour MP I would actively seek the removal of Gordon Brown. Then go to the country in August, saying to my voters, that Gordon Brown was not right for the South West, I’m in tune with your fears and let me continued to be a strong voice in the next parliament!

I strongly feel if the Prime Minister is allow to muddle on until next year, David Cameron will be Prime Minister after the next election and Nick Clegg will be the leader of the opposition.

If anyone thinks this prediction is wild, just look at the results of the European elections, Labour was demoted into fifth place in the South West, behind the Green Party and a terrible sixth place in Cornwall.

The South West now has two Conservative, two UKIP and one Liberal Democrats MEPs,  the message is clear: the voters believe Gordon Brown is not up to the job and the South West rejects Labour.

posted by Disabled Kevin

When I ran for MEP, Plymouth’s Evening Herald referred to me as Disabledkevin! I loved this label; I’m clearly disabled and called Kevin.

Got an opinion? Twitter #devonelection #swelection #euelection, or comment below

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Disabled Kevin asks do we know or care about local politics

Despite being a semi-professional politician, I have still not become aware of any local issues which may influence my decision of which party to vote for on June 4. Living in Plymouth I can only vote in the European elections, but still do not know what each candidate are hoping to achieve should they be elected.

Having run as a city councillor I always make sure I am on the electoral roll and this should mean I should receive at least one piece of mail detailing each parties policies, but I have only received two colourful leaflets from the BNP and UKIP, shouting about how corrupt Westminster is.

Not wanting to vote for the three main parties to register my own protest about the political strain of swine flu that some MPs currently have, who should I vote for?

Apparently, as I understand it (but I’m still not sure), UKIP want to withdraw from Europe, despite the economic cost; the BNP will deport every foreigner and so I imagine that they are going to introduce compulsory national service where everyone has to be a carer for a year; the Green Party will stop me flying to Brighton; the Socialist parties, I gather, want to go back to the ’70s; the Christian parties believe their god can save the economy; and Katie Hopkins still wants a job!

So I am gravitating towards voting for Mebyon Kernow, the party of Cornwall, because their aims seem small, Cornwall does have a unique heritage and culture which should be preserved and I want to learn An Tavas Kernewek.

posted by Disabled Kevin

When I ran for MEP, Plymouth’s Evening Herald referred to me as Disabledkevin! I loved this label; I’m clearly disabled and called Kevin.

Got an opinion? Twitter #devonelection #swelection #euelection, or comment below

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The Landmatters community, who live in low-impact dwellings near Totnes, are opening their doors to demonstrate transition and permaculture in action on Sunday June 7.

The Landmatters Community, based near Allaleigh, won the right to live on the land they own and work together for three years, in 2007.

During the open day you’ll be able to see how far the group has developed in their transition to a post-oil future.

You’ll be able see how they live, grow their food, get their energy, and see how permaculture can play a part in everyday life. There will be guided tours of the community at 12:30pm and 2:30pm, but it’s an all-day thing. Tea will be provided, but bring picnic food to share.

As member of  Landmatters Community, Charlotte Oliver, told the PRSD: “Lots of people locally have been very supportive towards us, and very interested in our permaculture community, and this is a great opportunity for us to throw open our doors and welcome people in.

“We’d really love people to come and see what we have done over the past four years, to enjoy a day out on our beautiful piece of land, share a picnic, and chat over tea with us about the community and what we are trying to achieve.

“As evidence builds for big changes in our climate, this project offers the chance to explore some solutions to the challenges that those changes will bring.”

• Getting there: Be aware that the low-impact community will not be able to accommodate private cars, even if shared, on the day.

Take the Dartmouth Bus 111 from nr The Seven Stars Hotel to the Forces Inn (nr Woodlands) then walk 15 minutes down the green lane to the community (nr Allaleigh).

To cycle there via the green lanes and Tuckenhay, the Totnes Cycling Group will be riding out en masse at 11am from the Plains, Totnes, all are welcome, (“slow, speedy, experienced, or beginners – we always wait!”) Five miles approx – 1.5 hours or so…

For more info and directions ring Lou on 01803 867358, and if you need alternative transportation please book well in advance.

posted by Cptn

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Disabled Kevin asks do we know or care about local politics

In most of Devon there are local elections as well as European elections. Did you know, do you care? Is your council tax too high and are you happy with your local services? Have you met or received any information about what the local parties are planning if they take control on Devon County Council?

UKIP are standing in the European and county elections and will receive many protest votes, but can they run a council, are they interested in organising recycling or do they just want to take the Republic of South Devon out of Europe?

Do the Green Party have realistic plans to attract more tourists to the region, and after the British National Party send all the foreign workers home, who is going to look after the elderly and disabled?

Ok, the alternative parties are unlikely to take power in Devon and we all want to register our disgust to Ben Bradshaw, Richard Younger Ross and Antony Steen at their expenses misuses, but should we pause a moment before placing an ‘x’ on the ballot paper and think do we know who we are voting for, what they really stand for and what expenses they may claim?

posted by Disabled Kevin

Got an opinion? Twitter #devonelection #swelection #euelection, or comment below

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