Happy 10th Birthday Stroud Farmers Market

Congrats to all who have made Stroud farmer's Market the best in the South West and one of the best in the country.

Picture from Stroud artist Simon Watkins aka Vietnam the Movie who has helped give the market a new look.

Today Stroud Farmers’ Market celebrated its 10th birthday - the market was originally launched as a monthly experiment - fashion designer Jasper Conran and the late style icon Isabella Blow in July 1999 opened it - now of course it has grown hugely and since August 2006 it has been every Saturday. It has helped to breath new life into many local food and drink producers but also had a huge impact on the rest of the town - indeed far from taking business away it has led the rival of Stroud.

There are now new banners and there was also a cake cutting ceremony by Guardian food critic Matthew Fort and various others at 11am. In the Citizen organiser Clare Gerbrands, who also runs the Made in Stroud shop in Kendrick Street, said: “I never imagined it would capture people’s imaginations the way it has. The council asked us to run it and include local farmers. We now regularly attract 50 or more stallholders, all selling their own homegrown and homemade produce. Thousands of customers flock to the market every week and it is now the biggest farmers’ market in the South West, bringing much trade into the town centre and contributing to Stroud’s renaissance as a successful market town, even in difficult economic times.”

Loft Lagging Bid initiated by MP

David Drew scheduled this public meeting for last night - 'Stroud Loft Lagging : the next steps' - tennis and the weather I am sure kept many away but nearly 20 of us assembled in The Old Town Hall in Stroud (it's going on again at 10am today at Kingshill House, Dursley).

I hugely applaud David's move on this - far, far too little has been done by the Government and indeed local councils. Part of the meeting was to look at firm action plans 'to ensure that every Stroud loft capable of it is insulated within the next two years'. Fully lagging our lofts is regarded as the simplest and most cost-effective measure we can take to reduce our heating bills and our carbon emissions.

The meeting shared what is happening in other parts of the country, agree an outline way forward for Stroud and appoint a leader to work up a realistic and costed action plan to bring back to you within a realistic time.

The four options discussed:

• the Kirklees Warm Zone model : the council pays for all lofts to be insulated free of charge, irrespective of householder income
• the rebate model : the Council offers a council tax rebate to all households which can show they have insulation in their lofts to the specified standard – Kensington and Chelsea demonstrated the legality of a rebate model this year when they gave a £50 efficiency rebate to all households - although this was not linked to energy efficiency
• the energy company model : for example, in partnership with an energy company, the Council channels a ‘rebate’ from the energy company to all households which the company insulates.
• the Village Greening model : a ‘bottom-up’ community approach to implementing such energy-saving measures within your community (see poster on this blog and link below).

Greening Campaign

One of the speakers was Terena Plowright, the founder and director of the Greening Campaign, and there was also a presentation from Environment Agency spokespeople about the impacts of climate change on Stroud. What I loved about the Greening Campaign was how people were encouraged to take part - a leaflet was delivered with 8 action points - if you took 5 then you put the poster in the window - immediately huge numbers of these posters were put up - the messages were later reinforced by film shows, public meetings and displays in shops, libraries, etc.

The next step of the campaign is then to evaluate its success which is done by a combination of public surveys and card counts. From this information the annual CO2 cut for the community can be estimated and reported in the local paper. For Petersfield the saving was an amazing 23 tons of carbon dioxide ( a single ton of carbon dioxide would be about the size of a four bedroom house).

Next up comes the pack with opportunities - apparently just been produced - in many ways it sounds like many of the things that Transition Towns have been doing - local food projects etc - after that there is a toolkit being compiled to look at adaptation to climate change. Great stuff - if we are to pursue it here in Stroud then we will need to see how we can link to Transition Stroud and others - there is lots of overlap but my feeling is that a Greening Stroud model may reach parts that Transition hasn't...anyhow that is up for further discussion....

Other models

Out of the others my favorite is the Kirklees model - mentioned many times on this blog - it
came about by a Green party amendment and much work to gain cross-party support - locally we have not yet made so much progress in this but I am still hopeful - it was paid for largely by grants from the energy companies - but it also meant the Council borrowing which increased the Council tax by £7 per householder per year for 25 years. To me this is small fry compared to the money saved by householders - often £200 per householder per year and with Peak Oil this will be even higher in the future - plus of course the carbon savings.

In my role on Stroud District Council's Performance Scrutiny committee, we are in the process of launching an inquiry that will be looking into some of this area - plus also recently there was a meeting which I attended to see how SDC can work better with utility companies. I will be watching - and indeed offering support to this latest move which looks set to bid for money to take an innovative approach to cutting carbon - see more here.

One of the things we learnt from the Eco-Renovation Open Homes weekend that I organised last year and am planning again for this September, is that people are very enthused and fired up to take action immediately after the event but often it slips and it just doesn't happen as people are busy - we need to explore ways we can really support people to make the changes that are needed.

Another initiative I have just set up is a scheme with Transition Stroud to get energy monitors into libraries - the scheme will now be managed by SWEA and hopefully start in September. This again is a great way to get those already interested involved but how do we reach all the others? Of course there are many different routes - I hope this new bid will allow us to explore more locally - and of course really make a difference in cutting the carbon.

Kirklees Warm Zone : http://www.kirklees.gov.uk/community/environment/energyconservation/warmzone/warmzone.shtml

Kensington and Chelsea Council :
http://www.rbkc.gov.uk/LocalTaxes/CouncilTax/efficiency_dividend.asp

British Gas/Centrica - sample energy company initiative:
http://www.britishgas.co.uk/energy-efficiency/products/home-insulation/council-tax.html

Village Greening Campaign : http://www.greening-campaign.co.uk/

Natural skin care wonders locally

As regular blog readers will know I occasionally feature local folk like earlier this week I-Spy author and last week artists and sound designer (see latest film here). Well did you know that in the heart of Ruscombe there are organic and natural skin care wonders being made. Tanya, an aromatherapist since 1996 along with colleague Carrie are busy handmaking in Bread Street, Ruscombe a collection of seriously luxurious wonderful smells and lotions, potions and more. They avoid all those animal products, petrochemicals and synthetic perfumes that can be harmful to you and the environment. See http://kalyaproducts.co.uk

They are also at the Stroud Farmers Market (not sure if it is every Saturday) and at The Guardian ecostore here or call direct on 753257. Last weekend we came home with a pot of relax body cream - and ooohh arrrh it does the business! Support our local businesses if you can!

"I tried Kalya products and liked them so much, I am selling them in my shop Charmed in Port Isaac, Cornwall. Come and visit." Jackie Llewelyn-Bowen

News: schools, lane closed, housing, convent, SVP and more

A quick round up of some bits and bobs of local interest:

Photos: Woodcraft Folk Willow Elfin group rafting in Chalford this evening and below Open Studios exhibitions closed on Tuesday - a truimph - well done to all who made it possible.

The Vine Tree pub fundraiser for Mesothelioma UK - well done to Naomi Hawkins and all who raised money for the charity by designing and selling calendars and more.

Stroud District's Land Availability Assessment - this evening after work I was off to make rafts with Woodcraft Folk - see photo - then arrived slightly late for the Policy Panel on land availability in Stroud - basically Stroud District Council have appointed consultants Roger Tym & Partners to undertake a Strategic Housing Land Availability Assessment (SHLAA) for the District. The study should provide up-to-date information on the future housing potential in the district up to 2026 - and will form part of the evidence base on housing potential. It will also inform the emerging Local Development Framework and will contribute to how the housing provision figures in the South West Regional Spatial Strategy can be met. Lots of stuff then and important. It includes a list of sites, cross-referenced to maps showing locations and boundaries of specific sites plus an assessment of the deliverability/ developability of each identified site (i.e. in terms of its suitability, availability and achievability) to determine when an identified site is realistically expected to be developed. Plus the potential quantity of housing that could be delivered on each identified site or within each identified broad location (where necessary) or on windfall sites (where justified) and the constraints on the delivery of identified sites with recommendations on how these constraints could be overcome and when. Of course of most interest is where the housing is going - will for example Ruscombe fields be included? However this is only about availability not whether it will be developed - lots more needs to be considered but it is an important step that I will be following up....

The Lane closed in Randwick - Highways have alerted me this afternoon to the fact that they will be undertaking vegetation clearance/maintenance works at Randwick School Retaining Wall. This work is "to enable inspection work to be carried out on the wall and any required repairs to be undertaken thereby ensuring the future stability of the retaining structure, and therefore the safety of road users and residents. The works are programmed to start on the 27th July 2009, should last for approximately 3 days. There will be a no parking policy in the vicinity of the work while the works are being undertaken, though all access to local properties will be maintained. Prior to the vegetation clearance a contractor will be carrying out herbicide spraying during the week commencing 6th July 2009. This work will not require and any traffic management or road closure but we request that consideration be taken whilst driving along The Lane during this week to ensure the safety of the workforce."

Randwick Mayor to Visit Randwick - yes Mayor Bruce Notley-Smith of the City of Randwick in Oz is due in the village later this month - more details soon.

Belties at Risk - front page of the Runner had news that the Belted Galloways cattle, a traditional rare breed at the field at the top of Ash Lane have been put at risk by the litter and fires - cows are inquisitive and will seek out new things in their environment - this threatens their mouth and feet. The Runner asks us to either let those lighting the fires know about the impact of their actions or to please report fires to the National Trust warden on 01452 810052 or teh Community Police Officer on 0845 0901234 - these cattle are v important as they help ensure that our grasslands remain full of wild flowers and wildlife.

Whiteshill Primary School - Pupils will sing and dance in a production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat at the Cotswold Playhouse on the evenings of 7th July and 8th July. The children were inspired to put on the Andrew Lloyd Webber classic after seeing a performance of the musical at the Bristol Hippodrome earlier this year.

Randwick CofE Primary School - reports in local papers show that it has made a good impression on an Ofsted inspector who found pupils' academic and personal development was outstanding. Here is what Stroud Life had to say: The 84-pupil school was marked good in its overall effectiveness after a visit by Shirley Billington. She said: "This is a good school. Pupils do well academically and their personal development is outstanding. Pupils make a first rate contribution to the school and local community, showing a keen awareness of the part they need to play in the wider world." If that was not enough, Randwick school was then judged outstanding when a second inspector – Muriel Griffiths from the Statutory Inspection of Anglican Schools – toured its classrooms a month later. "Randwick is an outstanding church school. Christian values underpin the whole life of the school and ensure that everyone feels cared for and valued," she reported. "There is a delightful family atmosphere that permeates the whole school. The distinctiveness and effectiveness of Randwick as a Church of England school are outstanding." Headteacher Fiona Montacute said everyone was delighted with the outcome of both inspections. "They help build a picture of Randwick as an outstanding church school," she said."Randwick is a small village school and special to everyone involved within it. It is great to have the opportunity to celebrate our achievements both within the school and the community."

More Hall Convent Open Day - I missed it this year but by all accounts it was great - the nuns even turned their talents to Morris dancing during the annual fete. Here is the local press report: "The Indian and Sri Lankan sisters from the Benedictine Order of Grace and Compassion twirled, jumped and hopped to the admiration of visitors to the fundraiser. The sisters also made spicy samosas to their own recipe that were served as tasty snacks to the crowd, said More Hall spokeswoman Joanna Boddington. More Hall, founded in 1968 in Cashes Green, is home to half a dozen nuns led by Sister Elsy and cares for 10 elderly men and women. The fete provides money for extras for residents. This year's event drummed up £1,000 and will be used to provide raised flower beds in the garden.

Stroud Valleys Project - who have just celebrated their 21st birthday have also just got a grant of £5,000 to run wildlife workshops and surveys at The Lawns and Hamwell Leaze (booth on the Ruscombe Brook) along with a couple of other sites.

Social Work poem

In Scotland, the Association of Directors of Social Work commissioned this poem "for the social workers of Scotland" - I was trained as a Social Worker and now work for two charities working with people who have mental health issues. I thought it was good and worth more people seeing...

	Brothers and Keepers By Edwin Morgan
	It was heard all right; that was not the argument. Day or night it echoed from wall to wall, A voice, never incomprehensible, But a question many found intolerable: 'Am I my brother's keeper?' Some with scorn, Some with anger, some with quick dismissal, Some with the half-uneasy consciousness Of being put on the spot, some blustering, Some brazen, some bound to macho boasts, Kicking the can of pity out of play, 'Each to his own, let them get on with it!' Conflicting shouts and voices did not stop us. Threats were grist to the mill. We wanted The record of what was and is and may be To be set down if not in letters of the fire At least in good black print and clicks of mouse To open up what's wrong, what's right, texting, Probing, shaming, dreaming, countering The last indifference. Who could be indifferent When we took psychotic Steve from his filthy bolthole Into a modest hostel room and he murmured In half-belief 'Is this all for me?' The reward of gratitude is a star in dark skies. You cannot always help but trying is the crux. I well remember that old alky Bill Who shared his hovel of a house with others; They held him prisoner among the litter Of needles and syringes and empty bottles Waiting to be smashed on social workers. Another place for Bill? - possible, But he's a bloody mess from fights at the moment. We don't give up, that nothing is easy Makes it even better not to give up. Everyone alive is subject to change. Hope lies where you least expect it. Take exclusion from school, or rather don't take it! Sandra, a so-called impossible child, Made sure each class was disrupted to breaking-point. Yelling, hitting, throwing chairs about, Was she getting what she wanted, Did she know what she wanted? Was it 'What is to be done with her?' Or rather 'What has been done to her?' She was a child abused, her mother on drugs, She had become a 'case', found caring arms In social services alone, and there Not only care but cure: a worker assigned To be with her throughout school, helping, calming, A bridge of sympathy between teacher and pupil, A dedication not all that far from love. Homelessness is terrible, but a home Without love is almost equally so. We watch, we measure, we praise whatever Society can do, given the means and the people To unknot fearful twists of fate, each day Brings more, and if we are powerless We cry out in our powerlessness. If we are to blame, then we are to blame; Fair treatment is what we ask. My friends, There is always without doubt a worst case, And it is so bad because it is so rare, Call it the dark night of the carer's soul. Here you have Carl, supreme in cunning, Known to have a personality disorder, But showing the social team 'continued improvement': Ah what a mockery he made Of schizophrenia! This man, however, Took a claw hammer to his next victim's head, Fried his brains with butter and ate it - 'Very nice' he said. And unpredictable One might add, although social workers Would still have nightmares, thinking, shivering - What was needed other than what they had, Vigilance to the last degree, happy recall Of those so many they had helped, brought back To life with faith and hope blessedly renewed. Oh if you ever thought we were not required, Workers on the very edge of despair, Consider Joe, kicked out by his foster-carers At twelve, having stolen from the little they had: 'Ah don't know why Ah done it, but it's okay If they didny wahnt me back, it's okay - My ma didny wahnt me either.' To live In such an unquestioned acceptance of defeat Is dreadful, yet we know Joe can be helped. The value of a soul can be drawn out By those who are trained to do so, those Who can blow the tiniest downtrodden spark Of self-esteem into flame. You drop a tear In instant sympathy or you are filled With anger against systems and perpetrators, And this is good and fine and natural. But change is all the practicalities Of learning, funding, understanding, change Is everything we believe to be possible Whatever the squalor and sickness and stink. There will never be a paradise with people like angels Walking and singing through forests of music, But let us have the decency of a society That helps those who cannot help themselves. It can be done; it must be done; so do it.

Outrage at seizure of the 'Spirit of Humanity'

News that Israeli soldiers have boarded a Free Gaza boat 24 miles off the shore of Gaza and cut all of its official communication is pretty outrageous to say the least.

Photo: Martin Whiteside in Stroud at a recent vigil to highlight concerns re Gaza

The boat was on its way to deliver urgently needed supplies to the people of Gaza when the Israeli Navy boarded and told the Free Gaza activists to return to international waters, warning that they “will not be allowed to proceed to Gaza”. The boat’s navigational equipment was electronically jammed overnight by the navy. This boat, the ‘Spirit of Humanity’, was carrying only unarmed human rights workers and journalists – including Denis Healy, Nobel peace prize laureate Mairead Maguire and former U.S. Congresswoman and Green party presidential candidate Cynthia McKinney.

In an email to the Israeli embassy, Dr Lucas MEP has already called on the Israeli authorities to guarantee the safety of the human rights campaigners onboard and to prevent violence being used against the Free Gaza boat or any individuals sailing upon it. Here is the letter adapted from a campaign letter that I sent to the Foreign Secretary, David Miliband: msu.correspondence@fco.gov.uk

I was very concerned to hear the news that the Israeli Navy illegally intercepted and boarded the Free Gaza ship 'Spirit of Humanity', whilst it was in international waters. It appears they have kidnapped the 21 human rights workers from 11 countries, including UK citizens Ishmahil Blagrove, Alex Harrison, Denis Healey, Fathi Jaouadi, Theresa McDermott and Adnan Mormesh, and taken the boat to an Israeli port.

The boat holds medicine, toys, and other much needed humanitarian relief for the Palestinians living in Gaza under siege. Its cargo was searched and it received a security clearance by Cypriot Port Authorities before departure. As the International Committee of the Red Cross said in their report, the Palestinians living in Gaza are "trapped in despair."

Thousands of Gazans whose homes were destroyed earlier during Israel 's December/January massacre are still without shelter despite pledges of almost $4.5 billion in aid, because Israel refuses to allow cement and other building material into the Gaza Strip. The report also notes that hospitals are struggling to meet the needs of their patients due to Israel 's disruption of medical supplies.

I urge you to insist that the Israeli Government immediately release the Spirit of Humanity and all its passengers, and take all the necessary steps to ensure it can complete its humanitarian mission in safety. I also urge you to act to ensure that the Israeli government does not commit any further acts of piracy and kidnapping of boats and their crew in international waters.

Cllr. Philip Booth

Letter to Coop re making a bee house

The Coop is to be applauded for it's 'Plan Bee' which includes research and banning eight pesticides on it's own-brand produce (The Coop Magazine Summer 2009). It is indeed time for urgent research as to why a third of UK bee hives have been lost in the last couple of years. Without bees many fruits and vegetables would become scarce and prohibitively expensive.

The honeybee is an incredibly important pollinator, but we should also remember there are more than 20,000 species of bee in the world - more than all the mammals and birds combined. Most of these live solitary lives. In the UK we have over 200 species and it seems most are facing serious challenges from destroyed habitats, changed land-use patterns, tidy and concreted gardens, changing weather patterns and the use of pesticides and other chemicals.

We can all do our bit to reduce pesticide use and grow bee-friendly plants, however I would also urge people to make a bee house. This house in the photo, I made from a log drilled with holes ranging from 4 to 10mm. The holes are sawdust and splinter free and it is in full sun at least a metre off the ground with a piece of old metal on top to deflect the rain. In October some recommend taking it into a cool dry place then bringing it out early April.

Philip Booth,

See previous blogs on this here. More info from: www.theglobalbeeproject.com
where there is now even a slot about the Ruscombe Bee Project - a little grand the title but I hope to encourage others to also make some houses. And excellent article at: http://www.foxleas.com/bee_house.htm

Brook talks microbial soil conditioners

Ruscombe Brook Action Group have met a couple of times and I don't seem to get a chance to write it up here. We've had a fascinating speaker about the history of the brook - Lionel Waldon - and last week we had Julian Jones talk about microbial soil conditioning in Australia where he had just been on a sponsored tour to share information about ways of working with water.

Photos: Lionel talking to the group re the history of the brook

Well both talks were great - I am still hoping Lionel's will be written up a as a local history is being compiled at the moment. Julian's talk was also wonderfully fascinating - from the Italian Maremma sheepdogs that looked after flocks of 2002 chickens to the hopes of one group of scientists that 2% of Aussie farmland could sequestrate 100% of that country's CO2 emissions.

They have a long way to go but certainly the results of using microbial soil conditioning have been remarkable - 10% of Queensland now use it as it leads to a massive increase in soil humus water retention and up to 30% extra crop yields over chemical farming plus pesticide and herbicide use is massively cut. I've just started reading more about this and there seems to be much to offer hope - but also as always caution with so many claims - I hope to return to this in future blogs - it certainly fits with what biodynamic farmers, no-dig gardeners and permaculturalists are saying re the microorganisms within the soil.

Kitchen composters??

This is all interesting stuff that links with the use of Kitchen Composters that allow you to turn all food waste - including cooked foods - into fantastic nutrient-rich material. There are various versions - one of the best known is the Bokashi system - there is even a Youtube video here as to how to make the bran stuff - I have for some while been seeking info as to whether this could work in more homes - we don't currently offer these at a reduced price to residents - this would cut down collection of food waste - of course at the moment we aren't collecting it locally but to me it seems a much better solution than all that transport. Are there any trials or pilots elsewhere?

Certainly in the past reduced compost bins have been issued and water butts so why not this longer term solution?

Other stuff re brook

Of course we had lots more on the Ruscombe Brook meeting agenda including our next work day on Sat 15th August to clear out the sofa etc - plus the plans for a new student to work on plans for the Ruscombe valley and the latest on Puckshole works - still delayed but will go ahead and news re our website which is still awaiting a revamp (currently offline).

Randwick resident writes I-Spy Stroud

St Peter's RC High deputy head Philip Rush, a Randwick resident and illustrator Nadine Faye James have published just 250 copies of I-Spy Stroud, a faithful homage to the Michelin I-Spy books of the 1950s and 60s.

Photo: Stroud Bookshop window and below Citizen photo

Philip is quoted in the Citizen saying: "They were quite nice little old books when we were young. Looking at them now, they seem quite funny in appearance." And of his book he says: "As you go, you fill the details of what you have spotted, and the little book becomes a journal of your exploration of Stroud."

I had a look at the book this week - it is great and had me smiling - but should be read with, a pinch of salt - as the Citizen note according to Philip, Shakespeare renamed Stroud's pubs when he visited the town on a stag weekend in 1594.

Michelin – which owns the rights to the brand – has its approval to the project, on the condition that only 250 copies are produced. Copies from Stroud Bookshop - only £6.

LGBT: Bad vote in Gibraltar and Tories crazy new alliance

I've been helping this week the LGBT greens in the South West get out some of our Green party news releases - it was good to see one of our releases make the Gibraltar Chronicle - I have to note I was astounded to discover the gay equalisation at 16 vote was defeated and think all pressure needs to be put on Gibraltar.

Photo: View from Whiteshill

The Gibraltar Parliament, which is part of the UK South West region in the Euro elections, this week voted to defeat the gay age of consent equality bill, which would have established an equal age of consent of 16. SW Greens have joined Green party spokesperson Peter Tatchell in calling for the UK Government to intervene.

Ryan Cleminson, Coordinator of the SW Greens LGBT group, who has written to David Milliband, said: “The Government of Gibraltar is required by European Court of Human Rights rulings to equalise the age of consent for same-sex relationships. I urge David Miliband, the Foreign Secretary, to intervene and let Gibraltar’s Chief Minister, Peter Caruana know that Gibraltar cannot be allowed to evade its human rights obligations."

Human rights campaigner Peter Tatchell said: "The equalisation legislation should have been sponsored by the government and not introduced as a private member’s bill. I am very surprised and disappointed that this was a private member's bill and not a government bill. The government gives the impression that it is trying to evade its responsibility to uphold equality and human rights. As a British Overseas Territory, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office has ultimate responsibility for ensuring Gibraltar’s compliance with human rights law. Why was the legislation suddenly rushed through parliament, when a number of MPs were overseas and when there was insufficient time for a considered debate and amendments?"

Meanwhile there was another shock to discover the new Tory Euro alliance - basically Tory MEPs Giles Chichester, Ashley Fox and Julie Girling have formed an alliance in the European parliament which has a not very pleasant agenda. They are among many Tories taking their seats after the June 4th Euro Elections - here is what Ryan had to say: "The proposed new alliance between our elected Tory MEPS and far right Poland’s homophobic Law and Justice Party (PiS) calls into question David Cameron’s so-called conversion to progressive Conservatism. Jewish, gay and women voters will all be appalled to see the Tories planning to work with such a bigoted party.” See Guardian report here.

Indeed already this new anti-federalist group in the European Parliament led by the British Conservative has suffered a setback after one of their MEPs reversed his decision to join its ranks. However the European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR) group, spearheaded by the British Conservatives, have successfully surpassed the threshold required to form a group (25 MEPs from a minimum of seven EU countries) - however commentators say that the group is fragile as it has a large number of UK Tories and from the Polish group - let's hope so - I do not think it is good for Cameron to be mixing with such views!!

Meanwhile, the celebrated Swedish Pirate Party MEP, Christian Engström, has decided to join the Greens instead of the Liberals as they "had gone furthest in their work relating to 'the politics of information".

Greens Co-Presidents Rebecca Harms and Daniel Cohn-Bendit welcomed the new member, saying they were "delighted to welcome the Swedish Pirate Party, which shares our principles and values in defending internet users' rights. Christian Engström will have an independent status within our group and he has indicated he will support the Greens/EFA position in areas where the Pirate Party has no agenda."

Video: What is Peak Oil?

The whole discussion of oil supply and demand can be complicated. How long will it last, and when can we expect to see serious impacts on our everyday lives?

Pic: Russ adapted this to wink a little!

This is an entertaining feature length documentary online of this topic - a chance to learn about the history, present and future of global oil production and consumption. It will hopefully 'change the way we plan our tomorrows' as the US Organic Consumers Association website says - see the film here. Meanwhile Greens have been trying to raise this issue at every opportunity at the District Council - at last we are starting to see more articles in the mainstream news - see here the excellent article re food here in the Sunday Times and it's mention of Stroud.

This week I got an email from Lester Brown - see his interesting article about the oil intensity of food here. It surprised me that packaging accounted for 7 percent of food system energy use - it is apparently not uncommon for the energy invested in packaging to exceed that in the food it contains. Fertiliser is 20%, irrigation and transport can also be huge - indeed I hear this week the Government is all set to encourage with big money supermarkets to buy from developing countries - so much for shop local and supporting local economy - indeed there is evidence that many of the crops grown overseas do not lead to benefiting the poor - it may have been OK if it had been investing in fair trade....

Happy 10th Anniversary Home Start

Last night was Full Council so I missed the first meeting of our allotment group in Whitsehill (still haven't got allotments yet but looking evermore hopeful) - anyhow Full Council wasn't the most riveting last night - I'll come to Home Start in a moment - the Council meeting was lots on budgets, Green party questions on where we were with tackling SDC's emissions - you'll be able to watch it all on webcast - there was also some stuff on researching whether Dursley should be a no drink zone in public places...

..... I voted against that - I am unhappy about the creep of yet more laws - I respect the request of Dursley Parish to seek this but it is a vast zone they want and there was absolutely no evidence about why it was needed - no figures from police - and also no consideration of what alternatives have been considered - drinking in public is complex - underage drinking needs tackling - we need more checks on off-licences, a campaign to stop adults buying children drink, more vocal campaigns against the drink companies that sell these vodka drinks, work with neighbourhood wardens etc etc - and why just Dursley? The paper presented was poor and was sadly passed committing the Council to money and time to research this - I hope that happens properly and that the children and drinkers are consulted, taxi drivers and more - several of the councillors there said they did not perceive it as a problem as serious as described by the paper and said why aren't existing anti-social behavior laws being used? Indeed why?

But I'm getting side-tracked I wanted to use this quick blog to celebrate the wonders of Home Start (Stroud and Dursley) - see more on their national website here - they celebrate locally their tenth anniversary and had some sandwiches and cake just before the Council meeting - as I had another meeting at that time there was only the chance to join the beginning and end of the celebration....and good to meet one of the volunteers who lives in Randwick.

Home-Start is a voluntary organisation offering support, friendship and practical help to families at home. They also run groups and hold social events - indeed they apparently just had a celebration with all the volunteers and families. Typical areas where help can be offered are to lonely or isolated parents, families with multiple births, mums who may have postnatal depression, single parents or families where there is ill health or disability. The service is free and confidential and is provided by trained volunteer helpers - indeed they are looking for more volunteers.

I applaud this service - so often in this crazy world life is all too hard for some - those early years are particularly important for a child's life and parents have a key role in creating a secure childhood - sometimes they need a bit of help - a volunteer going in say once a week for a couple of hours can be invaluable - talking support, maybe practical help like reading to the children or cooking a meal, going to the local park or help finding out about services....anyhow three cheers for those volunteers and the service. Congrats on 10 years.

Contact details for more info: Home Start, Willow House, Slad Road, STROUD, GL5 1QJ Tel: 01453 759911

US Doctors say avoid GM foods

On May 19, 2009 the American Academy of Environmental Medicine (AAEM) released a landmark position paper signed by physicians across the U.S. calling for a moratorium on GE foods: "Avoid GM (genetically modified) foods when possible... Several animal studies indicate serious health risks associated with GM food... There is more than a casual association between GM foods and adverse health effects. There is causation...The strength of association and consistency between GM foods and disease is confirmed in several animal studies."

See more here. Cartoon from Russ (one of my favorites)

What will the UK Climate be like?

The new website has just been launched with climate projections - see it here. See more here - basically scientists believe winters will be wetter, particularly in the north, and summers drier, especially in the south. The projected impacts are "worse than the government had feared," according to a source familiar with the project. See the press release I sent out yesterday here on this with quotes from myself re the report by Kevin Anderson to MPs.

This project has collated data from 400 variations of the model developed by the Hadley Centre, part of the Met Office. Each variant has been checked to see how well it predicted the climate of past decades; and the numbers have been compared with projections of other computer models. This allowed scientists to assign probabilities to various forecasts.

It is alarming stuff - yet last month a report from the Global Humanitarian Forum, the think tank chaired by former UN secretary-general Kofi Annan, said that the UK was among the 12 countries likely to be least affected by climate change. It is worrying to think how others will face the impacts - of course as we import so much of our food and energy the impact on other nations will still effect us severely.

This should all be food for thought for those writing into the SNJ recently denying climate change even exists - depressing to see the paper printing such material? Is it ignorance that leads to folk giving so much space to those who have not even a handful of scientists to back their cause? I am perhaps being unfair but it is nevertheless astonishing when you really look at what the scientific community are saying....

It is also depressing to read that a decent deal on the climate at Copenhagen looks unlikely - see here. Japan has also just set a week climate target - see here - but on the up side: China makes renewable power play to be world's first green superpower - see here. Plus here read about the 'green supergrid' that could power Europe on an electricity supply based entirely on renewable energy by 2030.

Plus here was that great spoof to show what really might be possible - see here the spoof International Tribune.

Ecotherapy: Slowing Down to Nature's Pace

Linda Buzzell sent this piece which appeared in the Huffington Post - Ecopsychology does not get enough discussion amongst Greens so I have copied it here - there is nothing that hasn't already been discussed on this blog but it is pulled together very nicely - also see Linda's blog here.

Photo: Randwick Woods

Ecotherapy: Slowing Down to Nature's Pace

Not so very long ago, humans -- like the rest of the animals and plants on earth -- moved through our natural cycles at nature's pace. Time was marked by the passing of the seasons, the life cycles of human, animal and plant life and the yet grander cycles of the moon and the other celestial bodies.

Homo sapiens, a late-appearing species in the long history of our unimaginably ancient planet and universe, evolved during the recent (as the universe views these things!) Pleistocene era, adapted for a life intimately connected with and expressive of our natural surroundings on the African savannah and beyond.

And this is how we lived for millennia.

In the last 150 years, however, the human relationship with time has radically changed. Some say the problems started earlier, with the development of agriculture or writing, but it was really the Industrial Revolution -- the rise of the Machine -- that put humans in thrall to mechanical processes and machine time. And the recent exponential speeding up into Cybertime has accelerated the process still further. Industrial time was bad enough (Charlie Chaplin did a wonderful job of visualizing that "cog in the wheel" feeling in his film "Modern Times") but Cybertime can be dizzyingly discombobulating for a Pleistocene primate.

And that's how many modern people feel -- completely frazzled and out of sync with our deepest selves.

The results of this disconnection from nature and nature's pace show up in therapists' and doctors' offices every day. Living under unnatural time pressures causes a myriad of psychological, social and physical ailments. De-linked from the natural rhythms of our bodies and the rest of the planet, we struggle with diminishing success to adapt to the strange mechanical and disembodied world we have created.

As a practicing psychotherapist and ecotherapist, when I see patients who are suffering from depression or anxiety I ask them to keep a time-journal in which they record the hours and minutes spent each day outside, as well as the hours spent inside in front of a screen. My clients are often shocked to realize how disassociated they have become from nature and our species' natural ways of living, and the effect this disconnection is having on their psyche. In fact, a 2007 study from the University of Essex shows that a daily "dose" of walking outside in nature can be as effective at treating mild to moderate depression as expensive antidepressant medications that can sometimes have negative side-effects.

Time poverty is now a recognized psychological and social stressor. In a sped-up, highly complex society, there just isn't enough time for everything: our demanding jobs, our interlocking bureaucratic responsibilities (taxes, insurance, legal issues), our loved one, kids, our community (including the rest of nature), plus commuting and keeping up with traditional media and endless 24/7 online communications. Constantly rushing to keep up as we inevitably fall further behind, we find ourselves destroying not only our own health, but our habitat and the habitat of the people, plants and animals with whom we share the planet.

In my recently published book, Ecotherapy: Healing with Nature in Mind (Sierra Club Books, 2009) therapists and experts from many backgrounds discuss some of the ways that nature can help to heal problems like stress and anxiety. What suggestions can ecotherapists offer to help us slow down to a more natural pace of living? Here are a few simple things that can make a difference:

* Reconnect with place. We can learn to resist the constant rushing around and settle into and tend a beloved location, taking time to learn its secrets and hear its whisperings.

* Reconnect with companion and wild animals. Animals slow us down to our natural animal rhythms, which is why animal-assisted therapy works so well at lowering blood pressure and healing psychological ills of many kinds. The simple act of petting a cat or watching the birds flit through the trees is profoundly healing.

* Reconnect with plants. A simple pot on a windowsill slows us down to the pace of a seed, a seedling, a leaf and a flower. A tree on the street, if contemplated and touched, offers its blessings during a busy day.

* Reconnect with the cycles of human life. Instead of demanding that we remain in perpetual-teenager mode (the preferred state in our society, it seems), allowing ourselves to become true initiated adults and then elders honors the natural pace of human life rather than fighting it. Nature teaches us that seeds emerge, plants flourish, bloom, fruit and then wither and slip away -- valuable wisdom for our own lives when we encounter the inevitable transitions in our own and others' lives.

* Reconnect with our wild bodies. Untamed nature is to be found not only in far-away wilderness but in the wilds of our bloodstream, our digestive processes, our breath. Any practice that brings our attention back to our bodies is wilderness ecotherapy. Yoga and ecstatic dance offer release from the controlling modern ego and access to what ecopsychologists call "the ecological self." And once we reach peace with our animal bodies, our souls naturally open up to the larger Spirit in which we are embedded.

* Spend more time outdoors in wild nature. Most of us are indoors most of the time. Our bodies and souls cry out for long walks on a beach, contemplation in a forest or a few minutes in a nearby vacant lot near a stream. These times slow life down to a healing, natural pace.

Making just a few of these simple changes can radically shift how we feel. Ecopsychological research is now proving that reconnecting with nature and more natural living performs a host of psychological miracles, including lowering depression, improving our sense of well being, calming our anxieties, raising self-esteem and giving us a sense of belonging to the great whole of which we are a part.

Linda Buzzell, M.A., MFT is the co-editor with Craig Chalquist of the new anthology Ecotherapy: Healing with Nature in Mind, just released by Sierra Club Books (May 2009). She is a psychotherapist and ecotherapist in Santa Barbara, where she specializes in helping clients with career issues, financial challenges and the transition to a simpler, more sustainable and nature-connected lifestyle.