Search for
Search for
Search forEco-Watch
Friday, October 24, 2008, 00:15
THE third book in BVM cartoonist Kathryn Lamb’s Eco-Worriers series is now available. Following on from Penguin Problems and Tree Trouble, Kathryn, who lives at Gillingham, has published Saving the Bacon. After campaigning to save the world’s forests and wildlife, exposing the flaws in the fashion industry, getting their school to go green, and making their parents feel guilty about air travel, best friends Lola and Evie have found time to tackle food.
Shocked when they learn about the inadequate welfare of intensively farmed chickens when they watch a video at school, the friends decide to become vegetarians and concentrate on only eating healthy, local, Fairtrade, and organic food – and wasting as little as possible too.
They are pleased to learn that their friend Meltonio feeds his leftovers to his pig Samson, but horrified when they find out he is being fattened for Christmas. They do all they can to save the bacon.
This book, like the others in the series, is crammed with eco facts and information that makes it easy for teenagers to understand how to live responsibly, and this time it’s all about food. As well as worrying what their hair looks like and boys, Lola and Evie are conscious about the planet and want to do something about it.
The book is educational without being preachy, offering “eco-info” on food miles, packaging, how much good food UK households throw away, and battery farming.
Saving the Bacon is published by Piccadilly Press, ISBN 978-1-85340-990-5
Sustainable events calendar
DORSET Agenda 21 has a sustainable events calendar on its website, dorsetagenda21.org.uk, and anyone can add their event to the listing.
The calendar is sharable, so you can copy it on to your website and place events. All you have to do is contact DA21.
One event I noticed while browsing is Should Bridport become a Transition Town?
A public meeting is being held in the town on Thursday 6th November from 7.30pm to 9.30pm at the town hall. For more information contact Dave Rickard on 01308 420908.
Recycle your old mobile at the kerbside
UNWANTED mobile phones can now be recycled at the kerbside, thanks to a new service introduced by West Dorset District Council.
Residents can put old mobiles and chargers in their battery recycling bag and leave them out for their fortnightly recycling collection.
These mobiles will either be reused in developing countries or their parts will be used to fix other mobiles.
Battery and mobile phone recycling bags are available from district council offices, tourism information centres, or residents can leave a note for the recycling crew.
More than four tonnes of batteries were collected for recycling in West Dorset last year, avoiding landfill where they leak chemicals into the earth.
You can reduce the number of batteries you use by switching to rechargeables – and there are solar powered chargers available. Other appliances use rechargeable energy such as wind-up radios or torches.
All types and sizes of portable household batteries can be put out for recycling in West Dorset. This includes spent rechargeable batteries, as well as zinc carbon and chloride, alkaline, cadmium and lithium ion batteries. Lead acid car batteries are not included and should still be taken to one of the county council’s household waste recycling centres.
For more information about recycling visit www.dorsetforyou.com/recycling/west or call the district council on 01305 251010.
Recycling Club
KNIGHTON House School has a recycling club that meets weekly to raise awareness of the 3 Rs: reduce, reuse and recycle.
Members have designed their own logo and produced badges. Several projects have now been completed, such as creating notebooks from old cereal boxes and selling them to raise money for the children’s charity Hope in Mozambique, and producing eye-catching posters which remind everyone of how they can do their bit to be green. Led by Lulu McClintock, the club’s current aim is to make paper and presents to sell at Christmas.
Scrapstore open day
THERE is another chance to rummage through the storage bins at Dorset Scrapstore next week to find materials for Hallow’een, Guy Fawkes Night, Christmas cards and decorations.
The Scrapstore is holding an open day on Tuesday 28th October, from 10am to 8pm, which helps the environment and people save money.
There are materials for all sorts of arts and craft projects, including sticky backed plastics, paper, card, foam and fabrics, donated by Dorset industries or from swaps with other play and resources centres in the country.
The materials are mainly new and have never been used, and would otherwise go straight into landfill sites if they were not collected and made available to the community.
Members and those who join on the day will get a carrier bag to fill with materials - free with the first bin-bag of materials purchased.
Schools, nurseries, groups such as scouts, guides and Women's Institutes, and individuals can all become members of Dorset Scrapstore as long as they do not seek to make a profit on the materials supplied.
The store is at Three Lanes End, at the western most end of Puddletown. Phone 01305 849444 for more information.
Big Green is back
THOSE who missed Europe’s biggest green festival this year after it was cancelled due to money woes can grab themselves some tickets for next year’s event.
Organisers of the Big Green Gathering, which is held near Cheddar at the beginning of August, have started selling tickets for the 2009 festival, which they say will go ahead from 29th July to 2nd August.
Tickets started selling this week and there are special prices for those who book early.
The gathering will feature all the old favourites such as music, workshops, and healing, plus some exciting new initiatives, all centred on the important theme of the environment and sustainability.
There will be alternative theatre, carnival, and experts on building sustainable homes and gardening.
Penny Kemp, director of the Big Green Gathering said: “It’s the ultimate low carbon holiday. We are able to show people how they can reduce their carbon footprint in a relaxed, enjoyable atmosphere. We are also in discussion with the Eden Project and plans are afoot to have an Eden area in 2009
For more information, go to big-green-gathering.com
Rosanna Holmes
Send any tips, questions, comments, or anything you think I need to know on environmental issues to rholmes@bvmedia.co.uk , write to Eco-Watch, Blackmore Vale Media, High Street, Stalbridge, Dorset DT10 2LH or phone 01963 365117.
Comment on this story