February 2007

Over £1,000,000 of grants available in Leeds

Submitted by auto transfer on 20 February 2007 - 3:42pm

Funding Sessions

There are grants available to community groups in Leeds totaling over £1,000,000 to be spent before the end of this year!


See attached pdf for the details of 'funding surgeries' in your area.

Surgeries PDF file

 

 

Ecobuild 2007 - sustainable design & construction

Submitted by auto transfer on 13 February 2007 - 4:20pm

Sustainable design and construction top the agenda at Ecobuild

27 February - 1 March at London's Earls Court

Some of the brightest minds in sustainable building will converge at Earl's Court next month to hear the very latest developments and technologies aimed at reducing the industry's carbon footprint and making the sector environmentally smarter.

Now in its third year, Ecobuild is the UK's definitive gathering of professionals working in all parts of the built environment, bringing together the most influential leaders in the sector, including Nicky Gavron, Deputy Mayor of London, Ian Pearson, Minister of State for Climate Change and the Environment, and Sir John Harman, chairman of the Environment Agency.

More than 6000 people have already signed up to attend the event.

Ecobuild offers an extensive information programme including over 60 FREE SEMINARS all taking place at the heart of an extensive exhibition showcase featuring 300+ exhibitors and attractions including:

  • Streetscene - the most ambitious urban design feature ever
    staged at a UK exhibition showing how a well-designed public realm can integrate sustainable products and features into the urban landscape.
  • Green Roofs - showcasing the variety, beauty and practicality of
    'living roofs'

The timing couldn't be more relevant. Entry to the exhibition and seminars is free to registered visitors. To book your pass or for further details, visit www.ecobuild.co.uk.

Click on this link to see the Full Programme

Camp for Climate Action announces dates for 2007

Submitted by auto transfer on 13 February 2007 - 2:31pm

Camp for Climate Action announces dates for 2007

CARRY ON CAMPING!

Camp for Climate Action 2007: 14th-21st August

Climate campers are at it again! More than seventy people from around the UK met in Leeds last weekend and decided to organise another Camp for Climate Action this summer from 14th to 21st August. As many of you know, for ten days last August hundreds of people gathered in the shadow of Drax coal-fired power station in Yorkshire to share knowledge and inspiration to tackle the greatest threat to life on Earth, live an example of more just and sustainable alternatives, and confront one of the UK's biggest polluters in a day of mass direct action.

Following on from this success, Camp for Climate Action 2007 will take place near to a target relating to aviation or the coal or oil industries.
The location will be chosen over the coming months. Working groups have been set up to organise outreach, fundraising, site practicalities and workshops. Self managed camping, eating and living neighbourhoods around themes and geographical areas are also being planned, contact details are on the website.

There is loads to do, and everyone is invited to get involved - no experience necessary! The next national planning meetings will be held in Leeds at the Common Place, on the 17th and 18th February, and then in Bristol on the 17th and 18th March.

See www.climatecamp.org.uk for more info.

 

European Wind Energy Conference & Exhibition

Submitted by auto transfer on 13 February 2007 - 2:22pm

European Wind Energy Conference & Exhibition

MIC - Milano Convention Centre, Milan, Italy, 7-10 May 2007

Conference programme details now online

Full details of the conference programme for the 2007 European Wind Energy Conference (EWEC), which this year includes over 200 confirmed presentations, are now available on line. There will also be 300 poster presentations and 8 parallel workshops.

This year’s conference guarantees:

  • 4 days of relevant and up to date information from the world's leading experts
  • A huge range of topics covering all aspects of the wind and electricity sectors

EWEC is an essential conference to concretely understand how to develop the necessary sustainable, secure and competitive energy mix and discuss the crucial role wind energy can play. The leading figures and key decision makers from companies, governments and institutions will speak in 40 separate business, technical and scientific sessions.

The European Wind Energy Conference and Exhibition is internationally recognised as the must–attend “Annual General Meeting” for all wind energy professionals.

The 2007 event will bring together over 3000 key players from the wind and electricity sectors for 4 days of intensive networking, new business development and information exchange.

Email: info@ewea.org

Website: www.ewec2007.info

 

Localisation and Climate Change Seminar, Sheffield

Submitted by auto transfer on 5 February 2007 - 10:06am

ESRC Localisation and Climate Change Seminar.

Thursday 29th March 2007, University of Sheffield.

This seminar on 'localisation' is the second of six seminars in a two-year ESRC-funded series that examines what climate change and resource constraints might mean for local economic development strategies.

For this second seminar, we look specifically at what Peak Oil and Climate Change might mean for debates about the 'localisation' of economic activity.

In particular, the seminar will consider:

i) How might localisation offer a basis for local economic strategy?
ii) What does localisation imply and what is required to localize local economies in terms of resources, value systems, incentive structures etc?
iii) To what extent might dangerous climate change and peak oil open up possibilities for localisation strategies?

In order to address these issues the Seminar brings together provocative discussion papers from four leading localisation thinkers: Dr Molly Scott Cato (University of Wales, Cardiff); David Boyle (New Economics Foundation); Dr Gill Seyfang (University of East Anglia); Dr Valerie Fournier (University of Leicester).

The seminar is free and lunch will be provided, but attendance is restricted to 40 participants. Places will be allocated on a first come, first served basis, and prior registration is required.

Please contact either of the seminar organisers:
Colin Williams (C.C.Williams@sheffield.ac.uk) or Aidan While (A.H.While@sheffield.ac.uk).

More details of the seminar series and forthcoming seminars can be found at:
http://www.liv.ac.uk/geography/seminars/ESRC-funded_seminar_series.htm

Forest Gardening Course, March 2007 in Devon

Submitted by auto transfer on 1 February 2007 - 12:33pm

Creating a Forest Garden: Community Gardening for Food Production

 

Saturdays 17th & 24th March & 7th April 2007

 

In the wake of the debates over the issue of local allotment provision and of the dialogues around local food currently inspiring both local people and the participants in the Transition Town Totnes initiative, South Devon Community Supported Farming (CSF) is hosting a 3 day course in Edible Forest Gardening. As well as learning the tenets of a Forest Garden design, participants will be able to make the steps toward implementing their design. In addition, what makes this course different is the option of maintaining a stake in the created garden. In line with the CSF model, participants will be able to manage the plot on an ongoing basis and be part of a cooperatively managed ? and harvested - project.

 

Course tutor Bethany Hunt explains: ?My training and experience in Permaculture Design has shown me just how effective people can be when they group together to meet their basic needs. Small-scale food production in Forest Gardens is a most energy-efficient and satisfying system. Hopefully the Forest Gardening bug will be caught by everyone and we can surround our homes with beautiful, edible gardens!?

 

The project is, ?in addition, ideal for people who would like an allotment but who may wish to share the upkeep of a plot with other people, perhaps for mobility, time or other commitment issues (like being a busy parent). They can still participate in workdays and harvests and benefit from minibus transport to and from the site, a beautiful farmland location, and a team of support and common tools.

 

The site is 3 ? miles from Totnes, boasts a cosy tool store for tea as well as tools, and with other courses planned for the coming year, participants will have a vast range of resources at their fingertips.

 

Those interested to know more may like to look at the Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) model on