2
EPB-E01-S4
2
www.iypz{vswvz{.co.uk
Friday, February 5, 2016
s we prepare to hand the Green Capital baton to Ljubljana in Slovenia, I would like to take this opportunity to reflect on the past year. Of course I cannot provide a review of the whole year in this brief introduction – it is merely a few personal reflections. I leave the people and projects to tell their own stories in the pages that follow. Although I have been based in Bristol for some 25 years, Green Capital afforded me the opportunity to get to know the city in ways which I had never previously managed. I have seen it through the lens of our five themes – energy, food, nature, transport and resources – and I have realised what a lot I have been missing. Bristolians are an inspiring bunch! There were two activities that particularly interested me. Firstly, the aggregation of small behavioural changes by individuals to create a large, cumulative impact and, secondly, the involvement of business in creating a low carbon future. One lasting effect of 2015 will be through the changes, both large and small, that have been made by individual Bristolians as part of the ‘Do 15 in 15’ campaign. We counted up over 50,000 pledges but those are just the ones we know about. I made my own list of 15 and have managed to keep them all, except for my continued failure to memorise the names of the 15 trees that I have planted! Last year I travelled to work by (electric) bicycle or bus every day bar four, and I now love cycling. There has been a 25% increase in bus passengers
during the last 18 months and I believe that shift is just the tip of the iceberg. At the other end of the spectrum, I had a contentious message to impart: it is OK – in fact it is essential – that business makes money and creates new jobs out of sustainability. The Venturefest showcase in June was a case in point. With 1,200 visitors, the buzz was palpable. It showed off Bristol’s innovation at its best and confirmed the willingness of businesses not only to participate in but to accelerate the green agenda. One memorable exhibit was hosted by Airbus – a model of the world’s first electric plane – the real plane was developed by young engineers right here in Bristol during 2015. An exciting first step towards zero carbon aviation. Lots of people have asked me what has been my own, personal highlight of Bristol’s Green Capital year. I cannot identify one alone but I have been particularly struck by the success of our schools programme. Out of that grew Sustainable Shaun, a game jointly developed by Bristol 2015, local school teachers and Aardman, which is now being played in 149 countries. An unofficial aim of the year was trying to convey a serious message in an entertaining and engaging fashion. Sustainable Shaun achieved that aim, as did The Bristol Whales and Fog Bridge – two projects made possible by Arts Council England which attracted worldwide attention. At a local level, one image sticks in my mind. It comes from our neighbourhood arts programme. A girl who had ventured onto the Dundry Slopes for the first time
3
:89= huk il vuk
❝
’
Iukyl~ Ohyyhk got her new Converse tracksuit muddy. She reported (on film I am pleased to say, since it made me quite tearful!): “At first I was a bit mad… but then I realised, going up there, you’re making new memories, and you can just wash out the mud, so… maybe getting that bit of mud is worth it, for a lifetime’s worth of memories.” Bristolians set in motion many things during 2015. Some were completed within the year, some with a finite end will run on longer, and others will continue indefinitely. We have reached the end of 2015 but not the end of the influence of our year spent as European Green Capital. It most certainly doesn’t stop here!
EPB-E01-S4
EPB-E01-S4
Oyllu Khwp{hs
www.iypz{vswvz{.co.uk
Friday, February 5, 2016
4
www.iypz{vswvz{.co.uk
Friday, February 5, 2016
Oyllu Khwp{hs
:89= huk il vuk
[jovvsz
_oh{ ohwwluz ul {G ■
“
Sh{pl Xh}pk
katie.pavid@b-nm.co.uk
EPB-E01-S4
an awareness of the environment in fun and inspirational lesson resources.” An advisory panel was set up in 2015, which included teachers,
heads and school co-ordinators, to advise the team on what teachers really needed. Jo said: “We want to reach out to 4 million children across the coun-
try, so it is a big project. Hopefully this website will be a huge help to teachers and make environmentally-friendly living a day-to-day part of children’s lives.” Another flagship part of the education mission has been the planting of 36,000 trees in the city in the One Tree Per Child initiative. There will be one tree planted for every primary-school age child by March this year, and Bristol City Council is working with 130 primary schools to give every pupil the opportunity to plant a tree. The new trees have been planted in schools, woodland and hedgerows during the growing season, which runs from November until March. Nearly 20,000 trees have already been planted and another 12,000 have been ordered. By the time the programme is finished, 12,000 free fruit trees will have been given away to schools; 12,000 woodland and hedgerow trees will have been planted; and 2,015 specimen trees will be planted in parks and green spaces. The Avon Wildlife Trust, the Bristol Tree Forum, and the Forest of Avon Trust have all partnered with Bristol City Council on the programme.
”
Ihykthu ■
“
”
“
’ “
“ ’ ’
“
” EPB-E01-S4
TUDIES show that it is critical to engage children with the environment before they are 11 years old, if we are to inspire a love of nature within them. Children in schools are the citizens of the future, who will be taking custody of the planet in years to come. So it is vital that help is in place for teachers right now, and in the coming months and years, to make sustainability a part of children’s school lives. The education programme which Bristol 2015 created has now gone nationwide, and is one of the greatest legacies of the year after £800,000 was earmarked for a primary schools strategy. The schools team created an inspiring education programme, designed to give teachers the tools they need to bring sustainability to life. It was in the spotlight at the UN Climate Summit in Paris, where Bristol shared this new resource with decision-makers from around
the world with the aim of inspiring best practice in environmental education on a global scale. It incorporates sustainability workshops which have reached 14,300 primary pupils from 77 Bristol schools over the past year, encouraging them to think about how to create a more eco-friendly city by monitoring resources, food, energy, transport and nature. Jo Taylor, the head of education at Bristol 2015, said: “After changes to the National Curriculum in 2014, sustainability and climate change are no longer statutory to teach as part of the National Curriculum in primary schools. We wanted to show that environmental awareness can be part of any child’s learning, regardless of the subject it is taught in. The new Sustainable Learning website we have set up has a range of inspiring resources, lessons plans, videos and advice for teachers to pick up and use in their classroom and outdoors. “So, whether it is an English lesson exploring green messages, a Maths lesson using recycling or even a whole school young enterprise project on upcycling, these resources have been designed with both teachers and children in mind. We’ve combined learning objectives from the curriculum with
5
www.iypz{vswvz{.co.uk
Friday, February 5, 2016
6
www.iypz{vswvz{.co.uk
Friday, February 5, 2016
Oyllu Khwp{hs
Oyhu{z
■
❝
:89= huk il vuk
❝
–
“
“
'
[v|{o Jypz{vs [r spul _hsr
”
’
■
'
’
Jypz{vs Nvvk Xyvk|jlyz ■
❝
‘
’
■
❝
£
■
IXM Xyvqlj{ ■
'
“
’
é
”
Mulyn Kohtwpvuz
’
’
■
’
' ”
Zl5]zl / Zlj jsl mvy [{ Xh|sz ’
■
’ ’ EPB-E01-S4
EPB-E01-S4
'
”
“
’
■
“
–
–
Oyv~ p{4 Kvvr p{4 Mh{ p{
■“
’
–
7
www.iypz{vswvz{.co.uk
Friday, February 5, 2016
8
www.iypz{vswvz{.co.uk
Friday, February 5, 2016
Oyllu Khwp{hs
www.iypz{vswvz{.co.uk
Friday, February 5, 2016
:89= huk il vuk
Vlpnoiv|yovvk hy{z ■ 96 I}vutv|{o huk Spunz~lz{vu ■ “ ”
Sh{pl Xh}pk
katie.pavid@b-nm.co.uk
INGING bins, ceramic starlings, and treasure hunts captured the imagination of thousands when Bristol 2015 reached out to all areas of the city. As a way of reaching far and wide - and engaging with people young and old - 2015’s Neighbourhood Arts Programme was born. It reached 10,000 people through 14 unique art projects across the year. Communities found new ways to communicate, formed new partnerships and discovered new ways of working or behaving. Through the programme, each of the city’s 14 neighbourhood partnership areas were given funding to create lasting change through getting creative. One of them was a giant marble run, crafted from an old bin, in a bid to stop people fly-tipping. A large, green communal bin was made into an interactive game station including a marble run and pinball machine. It was designed by Mufti Games and based on a map of Easton. Dubbed “Transforma-bin”, it toured flytipping hotspots in Ashley, Easton and Lawrence Hill and was designed to challenge people’s behaviour. Mufti Games’ Simon Day said: “Bristol’s communal bins have come up time and time again in our research into fly tipping and anti-social waste. They seem almost emblematic of a cycle where by solving one problem, you cause another.” Meanwhile, in Greater Bedminster, the Ashton Vale Hub brought together more than 800 people of all ages for a series of indoor and outdoor nature-themed activities. They included art workshops at a weekly community cafe, a gardening group and street art installations with the youth club. The result was a significant increase in bookings for the com-
■ =6 Oylh{ly Npzowvukz ■
■ @6 Izosl 4 Mhz{vu huk Th~ylujl Ppss ■ ■ ;6 Pluslh l4 [{vrl Jpzovw huk _lz{i|y 5vu5\y t ■
■
ë ■ >6 Jpzovwz{vu4 Kv{oht huk Zlkshuk ■
munity café and the local youth club, which faced possible closure earlier this year, is now thriving. One of the most delicate and beautiful projects was A Bristol Murmuration, a gathering of 1,000 ceramic starlings on Durdham Down. Created to highlight dwindling starling numbers in the UK, each bird was crafted by hand by people in Henleaze, Stoke Bishop and Westbury-on-Trym. The birds could be seen by the public during October, traditionally the start of the season for watching starling murmurations. And a bird-hide staffed by volunteer twitchers provided informa-
tion on the project and loaned out binoculars for individual bird spotting. Artist Zoë Cameron thought up the idea. She said: “We had a wonderful array of birds – some green finches winged their way into the flock, and there were some very exotic-looking starlings. Many people have never used clay before and it’s been a very therapeutic process for them. “I’m delighted that so many people have been part of this stunning artwork. All of the birds were numbered and returned to their creators at the project’s end, to rest and roost.”
■ A6 [{ Olvynl ■
av|un Jypz{vs ■ ?6 Khiv{4 Kspm{vu huk Kspm{vu Mhz{ ■
“
■
■ 986 Oylh{ly Jlktpuz{ly ■ ■ 9:6 Oylh{ly Jypzspun{vu ■ ’ “’
■ 996 Nps~vvk4 Suv~sl huk _puktpss Ppss ■ ‘
“
’
■ 9;6 L|uky ^pl~ ■ ‘
’”
■
EPB-E01-S4
■
■ 9<6 [{vjr~vvk4 Plunyv}l huk _op{jo|yjo ■
’ ’
EPB-E01-S4
■ :6 Plui|y 4 Jylu{y huk [v|{otlhk ■
■ <6 Pvymplsk huk Tvjrslh l ■
’
■
9
10
www.iypz{vswvz{.co.uk
Friday, February 5, 2016
’
’
Nvvk NE of the biggest challenges the Green Capital team faced was making the sustainable message accessible to everyone in Bristol. There are half a million people in Bristol, all of whom lead busy, challenging, varied lives, and they speak 91 languages between them. But one thing connects them: food. Kalpna Woolf devised a project 91 Ways To Build A Global City that celebrates that one joy in life which is common to us all. She said: “I wanted to find a way to speak to everybody during the ’ European ■ Green Capital year, to talk to them about green issues, to talk to them about sustainability, and the way we wanted to do that was to use food, because food brings people together.” Food connects the Somali community to the Sudanese community, Syrians to Eritreans, Bristolians to Brazilians. Kalpna brought together people from all those communities to sit in a room together, and eat and talk. The result was magnificent: ideas were exchanged and new lessons were learnt by all. Kalpna said: “We asked people: what do you eat and where do you get your food from? “A lot of people who come from
different countries want to eat that food. We tried to talk to them about whether that food can be brought here, or brought here in a better way. We are seeing if we can bring some of our growing methods to the foods that they want to eat, and that’s amazing really.” Bristol is already growing herbs, spices and beans that originate in other countries, cutting down on the airmiles of the food we eat. And plenty of people in the Somali community prefer to go to the market every day, rather than do a weekly shop in a supermarket. It means they buy fresh produce, and end up with less waste something which we can all do more of. So people from around the world can teach all of us a more sustainable way of living. And the project continues. The 91 Ways Peace Cafe has been set up, a place where people of all backgrounds and ethnicities can meet and share stories while dining on dishes from a variety of cultures. Kalpna said: “We bring food and we sit and talk, it’s a virtual space. “It’s a great way of saying that there’s no agenda, just come along and hear our stories, we want to learn from you. That’s our legacy project.”
❝
■ £
EPB-E01-S4
’
■ A9 _h z h{ {ol Xlhjl Khml
Xpj{|ylB Rvu Kyhpn
■ Shswuh _vvsm
www.iypz{vswvz{.co.uk
Friday, February 5, 2016
11
\yhuzwvy{ _
E all care about transport - we all want to get to work quickly, cheaply and safely, we all want our children to be able to walk to school, we all want more options open to us when it comes to getting around. Transport is a big political and social issue across the city, but thanks to Green Capital, plans are afoot to make all our lives that little bit easier, and our air a whole lot cleaner. Ian Barrett, regional director for Sustrans, told us about his vision for 2016 and beyond. He said: “The Strategic Grants Fund has enabled us to do some really interesting projects. “We’ve created Street Pockets in 10 streets where we have trained up community leaders to work with people to reclaim space back from parking for community use, and that’s really got people thinking and talking.” One or two car parking spaces on each of the streets has been converted into attractive places to sit, socialise, or play. The change might include a mini-park, a swing, a community notice board, artwork, trees and plants, bicycle parking or even a bicycle pump station. Ian said: “Engagement has been a big part of the year. “We’ve been talking to people about the future of transport and what people want to see, we’ve developed a plan which sets out the vision for transport in the city.” Rain Gardens have been in’ stalled in South■ Jypz{vs _hsr Nlz{ :89> mead to protect y|uz myvt [|ukh 4 Uh 9 streets from {v \|lzkh Uh ;96 flooding and im~~~6mhjlivvr6jvt7 prove the quality iypz{vs~hsrpunmlz{p}hs of the street. In St Pauls and Easton, there is improvement work being developed for public spaces, a plan is in place for reducing the impact of traffic on people’s daily lives, and cycle routes are being improved all the time. Ian added: “Active travel is really beneficial to people’s health; it’s the easiest way of building exercise into your life, by walking and cycling around the city. “For young people, walking, cycling and scooting to school is great for their health and wellbeing.” As the transport conversations continue in the coming months and years, Ian is confident more of us will be out exploring our roads and streets, making Bristol a friendlier, healthier place to live. ■ \ol Ovvk \yhuzwvy{ Xshu
■ Qhu Jhyyl{{4 ylnpvuhs kpylj{vy mvy [|z{yhuz
❝
~hsrpun i|z yv|{lz ulhylz{ {v {olt4 ivvr {olpy jopsk pu{v {olpy wylmlyylk yv|{l4 joljr wyvnylzz vu {ol kh huk jvumpyt {oh{ {olpy jopsk ohz hyyp}lk h{ zjovvs zhmls 6 I {yphs }lyzpvu vm {ol hww pz j|yylu{s ilpun w|{ {oyv|no
p{z whjlz pu {oyll zjovvsz pu Jypz{vs huk {ol Kyvjvkpsl {lht pz svvrpun {v iypun tvyl zjovvsz vu ivhyk6 Qm v| hyl pu{lylz{lk pu mpukpun v|{ tvyl4 ylnpz{ly }ph olssvHjyvjvkpsl6vyn6|r vy h{ ~~~6jyvjvkpsl6vyn6|r
EPB-E01-S4
■ I {lht vm Jypz{vs5ihzlk {ljo l wly{z oh}l kl}pzlk hu hww {oh{ hptz {v yl}vs|{pvupzl {ol zjovvs y|u6 _hsrpun i|zlz huk j jspun {yhpuz vmmly h nylluly huk tvyl hj{p}l ~h mvy w|wpsz {v nl{ {v zjovvs zhmls 4 i mvv{ vy i iprl4 lzjvy{lk i hk|s{ }vs|u{llyz6 U|jo sprl h yln|shy i|z vy {yhpu4 {olyl hyl wpjr5|w {ptlz hz ~lss hz klzpnuh{lk z{vwz hsvun {ol yv|{l6 _p{o {ol Kyvjvkpsl hww4 whylu{z jhu }pl~ {ol
12
13
+ + $ , + ) ( & # . # +$) . $- )
. + - # $) "$ , #. - ! +$" + # *% $ #$ "$ + $ - - $)
$ # . + . +# - ) ) ) . +" , # ) # ) +$) . +# -
$) + #) # - $) )# )# + ) $) ,
) )
EPB-E01-S4
EPB-E01-S4
# # # ) )# $ $) ) +# $ -# , # # -
)
14
www.iypz{vswvz{.co.uk
Friday, February 5, 2016
Zlzv|yjlz
■
■ Vh{hspl Nll4 Kp{ {v [lh
EPB-E01-S4
NE resource we’ve got a lot of in Bristol is water. It’s free and simple to access, and most of us don’t give it a second thought as we go through our lives. But protecting our waterways, rivers and seas is vital for the future health of the planet and its inhabitants. That’s where Natalie Fee, the founder of City to Sea, comes in. City to Sea was set up in 2015 to stem the tide of marine plastic pollution into our rivers and oceans. Natalie said: “Plastics are flowing out of the Avon, down to the Bristol Channel. “The project drew its inspiration from the River Avon because I was frustrated by the amount of litter that covers the river banks. “We wanted to see if there was anything we can do in Bristol to tackle marine plastic pollution, which is a global issue, at a local level. “Bristol being European Green Capital for us was the ideal year to try to gain some momentum. “We received some funding to enable us to deliver our first cam-
paign: Refill Bristol. “It was a campaign set up to inspire Bristolians to fall back in love with tap water.” The idea behind Refill Bristol is that we can reduce the amount of single use plastic bottles that are used, specifically bottled water. Currently in the UK we are using 18 billion plastic bottles a year. Out of those, only a quarter get recycled and the rest go into landfill or end up in our oceans. Plastic does not biodegrade, marine animals are eating it and they then die with bellies full of plastic. Beach cleans are run twice a year on the banks of the River Avon, and volunteers at the last one picked up 400 plastic bottles in an hour and a half. With Refill Bristol, the public can go into any shop or cafe with the blue Refill logo, and get their bottles filled up with free tap water. Natalie said: “We launched Refill Bristol quite late during the Green Capital year, but in those first few months we signed up over 170 refill stations so we have got the city centre covered in terms of where
■
✽ ’
é
’
£
wpj{|ylk
'
you can fill up your bottles. “In 2016, the project is partnering with Bristol Water, who will support it in the future.
“We need people to start remembering to take their bottles out with them, and remembering they can get free tap water wherever they go.
It saves people money, and people will be doing their bit for the environment.
www.iypz{vswvz{.co.uk
Friday, February 5, 2016
15
Vh{|yl V
✽ ’
■ Ol{ zl{ mvy huv{oly ~psk jlsliyh{pvu pu R|ul hz {ol Nlz{p}hs vm Vh{|yl yl{|yuz4 ipnnly huk il{{ly {ohu l}ly*
“We get together with the neighbours to do the watering, and everybody who walks up and down the street can see how nice the gardens are. “It was great because the kids learnt about wildlife, bees and insects. “In 2016, we will be using the car less and buying locally, and working with the neighbours to be a stronger community.”
’ ■ Qu {ol ]S4 ovul ill u|tilyz oh}l mhsslu i |w {v ;8 wly jlu{ pu yljlu{ lhyz k|l {v svzz vm ohip{h{ huk shjr vm mvvk6 Nvy l htwsl4 A? wly jlu{ vm ]S ~pskmsv~ly tlhkv~z oh}l illu svz{ pu {ol shz{ ?8 lhyz6 \v jvtih{ {opz kljspul4 JllJypz{vs wshu{z4 thuhnlz huk thpu{hpuz ~pskmsv~ly hylhz pu {ol jp{ huk ~vyrz ohyk {v klsp}ly lk|jh{pvu wyvqlj{z ~p{o jvtt|up{ nyv|wz4 zjovvsz huk v{oly vynhupzh{pvuz6 av| jhu kv v|y ip{ {v thrl Jypz{vs h wvsspuh{vy whyhkpzl i wshu{pun ~pskmsv~lyz pu v|y nhyklu4 i| pun svjhs ovul huk qvpupun JllJypz{vs hz h }vs|u{lly6
EPB-E01-S4
ATURE is in danger of being overwhelmed in many big cities across the globe. To make sure it thrives, it needs care, attention and commitment from the citizens of all those urban areas. In Bristol, a project called My Wild City was launched with a Green Capital strategic grant, to improve the city spaces for wildlife and make Bristol the first “city nature reserve”. It involved transforming the front gardens of 30 terraced houses on a typical Bristol street into a haven for nature and people alike. Stanley Road in Easton was selected for this case study and 30 houses welcomed a wildlife garden makeover. Matt Collis, who worked on the project, said: “We were really trying to get people to think about how the city is constructed for wildlife. “The focus was thinking about how a city is made up - streets, churches, parks - and how we can influence change. “It was about connecting people with nature. For wildlife to flourish, a space needs food, shelter, water and a breeding ground. Amenity grasslands and lawns have been transformed and replanted with native wildflowers. Ponds and log piles have been left in the spaces to encourage species to breed. “In an urban situation, wildlife is completely different to what you would find outside the city, but there are a few things which you find all over. “Hedgehogs are becoming an urban-based species, and you see insects, newts, frogs, toads and birds. “We are trying to reintroduce that chain into the city.” Thinking about wildlife is the perfect family activity, and one of the families who have already taken ownership of where they live are Walter and Susana Nuñez, with their children Leon (6) and Alba (2). They are one of the families who live on Stanley Road, and they said the My Wild Street project was fantastic for bringing the community together. Susana said: “The Avon Wildlife Trust did a really amazing job in our very little front garden, because they put plants and pots and trees there. “They allow the wildlife to come here. The week after the gardens were done, the street was full of bees so it was really beautiful.
16
www.iypz{vswvz{.co.uk
Friday, February 5, 2016
Mulyn HEN it comes to saving energy in Bristol, plenty of passionate people have been making a difference in our homes and offices
for years. But the arrival of 2015 gave existing projects even more momentum. New cash boosts and new enthusiasm means that more homes are being retrofitted, and more help is available to homeowners. One energy champion is Zoe Banks Gross, a director at Easton Energy Group, which helps people to save energy – and money – in their homes. The social enterprise has been in existence since 2009, helping people to reduce energy use in their homes and assisting people in fuel poverty to find grants to aid with their home energy costs. It got an extra funding boost last year with a Green Capital grant. New projects were born with this backing, including the CHEESE project – the Cold Homes Energy Efficiency Survey Experts. Zoe said: “It was really exciting; we used thermal imaging software to look at homes internally and externally. It was a way to see where people had problems with cold bridging and where they could save energy. “The brilliance of the camera is that you can attach it to an iPhone, so it is really easy to use.” The other project during the year was HEAT, the Home Energy Action Team. It’s a draught-proofing service, training people to combat draughts themselves and enabling them to borrow the tools they need. Both of the projects are continuing into 2016. Zoe said: “It was amazing to see how much momentum was created during 2015; we had a lot of volunteers interested in both projects. CHEESE has been fantastic be■ cause it is visual, people can see the coldness in the house.” Eastern Energy Group focuses on retrofitting old, damp, draughty Victorian homes, and there are a lot of those in the city. Zoe said: “A lot of people think if you live in an old house you can’t do any retrofitting. “But you can do quite a bit to make an old house as comfortable and energy efficient as a brand new one. “A lot of old homes are quite damp and draughty, and they would benefit from external wall insulation, under-floor insulation, double-glazed windows or a new combi boiler.” Zoe said: “If nothing else, 2015 has raised awareness and excitement in Bristol. People have been really proud that 2015 was the year of Green Capital, and it has made them think a bit more about how they live their life and what we can do to make things better.”
■ Iiv}l4 {ol zvshy ihssvvu6 Jlsv~4 {olyths pthnpun pu hj{pvu
✽
EPB-E01-S4
’
■ £
■ bvl Jhurz Oyvzz4 h kpylj{vy h{ Mhz{vu Mulyn Oyv|w
£
£
www.iypz{vswvz{.co.uk
Friday, February 5, 2016
17
Tv}l {ol m|{|yl Sh{pl Xh}pk
katie.pavid@b-nm.co.uk
\
HIS Valentine’s Day, romantics are being encouraged to not only love their partner, but to love the planet as well. The Chains of Love project is hoping for a fair trade Valentine’s, where gifts exchanged in Bristol are not only thoughtful, but ethically sound as well. It’s asking shoppers to think seriously about where our gifts come from when we are buying
chocolate, flowers and clothes this year. The aim is to show how a little thought at point of purchase can make a huge difference to people thousands of miles away. Science centre @Bristol will be showing four films on February 14, looking at the real story behind the romantic products we buy. Love The Future, an events company specialising in putting on year-round sustainable entertainment, is putting on the night. Darren Hall, executive director at Love The Future, said: “We live in amazing times. At the push of a button, products can be delivered to your door from the other side of
the world, at increasingly lower prices. “Yet the complexity of the process from production to delivery goes almost unnoticed, and as consumers, we rarely take the time to ask how these items were made. “If we look for it, there is plenty of information about corporation practice and there are lots of opportunities to shop ethically. “But many of us don’t. Price rather than planet conscious, we often turn a blind eye to what lies behind the advertising hype.” Love The Future is also the company behind BIG Green Week, an annual programme of events
promoting sustainability. Last year, thousands of people enjoyed performances, lectures and art projects dotted around Bristol, all of them encouraging us to take care of our planet. This year is no different, and the international festival of better living and big ideas will take place between June 11 and 19. The theme this year is tied to Bristol’s recent promise to become a carbon-neutral city by 2050. It would mean Bristol’s carbon footprint would be zero, and to get there we will have to balance the amount of CO2 released into the atmosphere with projects that offset emissions, such as planting
trees, which absorb CO2. Darren said: “We want to bring in projects this year which help to explain the idea of carbon-neutrality to people. “Lots of people don’t quite know what it means, so we want to talk more about it this year. “We would love to hear from people who would like to be part of the week, and planning is very much under way for this year’s programme of events.” Love The Future is also planning on holding a Smart Living Show later in the year, offering people an opportunity to try out green products and services.
’ ’
’
’ ’
’
’
’ ’ ’
’
’ ’
’ ’
’
’ ’
’
’
’ ’
’ ’
’
EPB-E01-S4
18
www.iypz{vswvz{.co.uk
Friday, February 5, 2016
Oyllu Khwp{hs
Xslknlz
■ JJK Kv|u{y mpsl wylzlu{ly4 Ikht Pluzvu
‘
’
■ Lpy{ Zv{{lu [jv|ukylsz
■ Oyln [{yll{l4 Khw{hpu vm {ol Jypz{vs Ns lyz
www.iypz{vswvz{.co.uk
Friday, February 5, 2016
■ \ol jhz{ vm \ol [v|uk vm U|zpj
19
:89= huk il vuk
■ Ulspzzh \ovthz huk Rhjvi Jpzovw5Xvu{l ~ov hwwlhylk pu Tpml Zhm{ h{ {ol Jypz{vs Wsk ^pj
■ Khw{hpu Jhyuhjslz vm {ol Wj{vuh|{z
■ Kolm Zvt Opss
■ Nhoth Uvohtlk myvt Qu{lnyh{l Jypz{vs
■ \ol Shpzly Koplmz
■ Nvytly Jypz{vs Kp{ jhw{hpu _hkl Msspv{{
■ Sl}pu UjKsv|k
■ Z hu Rvulz4 mvytly Jypz{vs Z|ni jhw{hpu
■ Zhwwly Zhslpno Zp{jopl
■ Uhyj|z Jypnz{vjrl
■ M}ly {opun M}ly {opun
■ M wsvyly Lh}pk Pltwslthu5Ikhtz
’ ■ Olvynl M yh
■ P|no Nlhyusl 5_op{{punz{hss
■ Upyhukh Sylz{v}uprvmm
EPB-E01-S4
EPB-E01-S4
■ \ol jhz{ vm Wrshovth
20
www.iypz{vswvz{.co.uk
Friday, February 5, 2016
Oyllu Khwp{hs
J|zpulzz mvj|z ’
’
96 [SIV[SI ■
:6 NQZ[\ ■
;6 SXUO ■ '
“
”
“ “
’
“
“
“
“
’ ”
“
“
EPB-E01-S4
“ “
”
’
”
21
www.iypz{vswvz{.co.uk
Friday, February 5, 2016
:89= huk il vuk
■
£ £ £
I ~vyk myvt Tp blpksly Kohpy vm Jypz{vs Oyllu Khwp{hs Xhy{ulyzopw :89<59=
N 2007, a group of committed organisations got together and boldly stated an intention, to help Bristol become a "green capital", by setting up the Bristol Green Capital Partnership. It was never meant to be just a label, but a significant intervention in itself. It asked the question, what is it all FOR? What are we aiming at? In short it helped lay out a pathway to a better future. As the Partnership nears its 10 year anniversary, we can look back proudly at what we have achieved together, and look forward with con-
fidence about all that is to come. The Partnership has grown from 12 member organisations to over 850, the largest of its kind in the world, all pledging to play their part in improving Bristol for the long-term. It has brought together many different groups to try to tackle some of the really big challenges we face – such as transport, air quality, our future energy supplies and the way we deal with waste – and has supported ideas to be realised and projects to flourish across the city. 2015 saw thousands of events and opportunities in every neighbour-
hood, as well as investments being made to help some big dreams become a reality in the coming decade. The Partnership will continue to support collaboration among our members, so that even more can be achieved in the future. The Partnership is in this for the long game; the work didn’t start in 2015 and certainly doesn’t stop here! It is free and open to new members from organisations and businesses large and small, who are up for this challenge and want to play their part. I’m excited about a future Bristol where streets and neighbour-
hoods are designed for people. Where businesses that provide products and services that do good for people and planet thrive. Where renewable energy programmes are rolled out in areas of real fuel poverty to combat both at once. Where local food production and responsible public services are designed to sustain healthy lives, good jobs and a flourishing natural environment. I'm excited about living in a city like that. About my children growing up in a city like that. About growing old in a city like that. As I
step down after two years as Chair, I look forward to seeing what we can do collectively as citizens of this city, to realise that bold vision laid down for us years ago. Organisations can sign up to become a member of the Partnership by visiting www.bristolgreencapital.org and making the Pledge. Anyone can subscribe to the Bristol Green Capital Partnership e-newsletter at www.bristolgreencapital. org and follow @bgreencapital to stay up to date with events, opportunities and news.
J|zpulzzlz nl{ h olswpun ohuk {v Ov Oyllu ager, said even though Bristol’s year as European Green Capital has ended, it was business as usual in the Go Green office. She said: “All the tools we provide for businesses are still there, people can still create their action plans and come along to our events. “We are actually looking to expand our network across the South West and branch out further afield. “We are taking the burden off of a company which wants to become more green, by doing the research for them. We can advise them on the best way to go about it.” A good example of the great work Go Green is doing is Knowle West Media Centre. By working with Go Green and Travel West, Knowle West Media
Centre have been inspired to improve on their already impressive track record by providing their staff with a much greener alternative for travel, the electric bike. This move has to date helped staff cut down on car journeys made during the day and has showed them that they can plan big in the future. And businesses are making great green moves of their own every day. Bristol favourite, the Thali cafe group, has teamed up with FRANK Water, which plans and implements safe water supply, proper sanitation and good hygiene practices in India. Thali Water is a collaboration between Thali and FRANK Water, and it reduces waste, encourages re-use and recycling and raises funds for lifesaving clean water.
■ Suv~sl _lz{ Ulkph Klu{yl One litre of Thali Water is served to every table in a refillable glass bottle with a voluntary 50p price tag. If customers opt in, 100 per cent is donated to FRANK Water. Thali aims to raise £12,000 over three years, which would be enough to secure safe water and sanitation for 500 households in Agra. Go Green is showcasing dozens of other businesses like these
across Bristol. Later this month, Go Green will be celebrating its first birthday with an awards ceremony. Amy said: “We are rewarding the organisations who have achieved the most across each of the five themes of Go Green - energy and efficiency; travel and transport; planning and resilience; sustainable sourcing; and happy and healthy. “We are very excited and the awards should provide us with even more momentum going forward.” Overall there will be 13 Go Green 2016 Awards, and winners will be announced at a celebratory event at The Bristol Hotel on the evening of February 18. For more information and to get involved, visit www.gogreenbusiness.co.uk.
EPB-E01-S4
UNDREDS of people have benefited from valuable advice on how to make their business more sustainable, thanks to Go Green. The initiative was formed from a partnership between Business West and Low Carbon South West, and it provides the tools for businesses to improve and show their own green credentials. Last year it proved to be a huge success: more than 1,550 people attended Go Green events, and 278 businesses have put together action plans. And because so many people have been willing to get involved, a huge network of small, medium and large business has grown across Bristol, with all of them learning from each other. Amy Nicholass, Go Green Man-
22
www.iypz{vswvz{.co.uk
Friday, February 5, 2016
Oyllu Khwp{hs
www.iypz{vswvz{.co.uk
Friday, February 5, 2016
23
:89= huk il vuk
N|{|yl mvj|z MVMZOa [MZ^QKM ■ ’ ’ PW][QVO :89= ■
Jypz{vs Mulyn
PW][QVO :89> ■
■
KQ\a J]QTLQVO[ :89= ■
’ ■
KQ\a J]QTLQVO[ :89> ■
■ ’
■ Plh{ ul{~vyr kl}lsvwtlu{ thw ■
TIZOMZ5[KITM ZMVM_IJTM[ :89= ■ TIZOMZ5[KITM ZMVM_IJTM[ :89> ■
QVNZI[\Z]K\]ZM :89= ■
■
QVNZI[\Z]K\]ZM ■
■ ■
’
£
■
■
■ [vshy whulsz vu Pvymplsk Tlpz|yl Klu{yl yvvm{vw
’
I ~vyk myvt Olvynl Nlyn|zvu
Ul{yvJ|z
Encouraging healthy lifestyles One main aim of MetroBus is to reduce congestion and encourage sustainable travel. MetroBus vehicles will be low-emission and use at least 25 per cent less fuel than a standard bus. New walking and cycling paths will be provided across the 50km MetroBus network. The South Bristol Link which forms part of the network will have new paths along its 4.5km length.
Supporting social inclusion MetroBus will improve access to job opportunities - this is critical for low income or less skilled workers, who are less likely to have a car. These people usually qualify for a narrower range of jobs which are often scattered across a large area. MetroBus will provide high frequency direct services from residential areas to key employment, education and leisure destinations. Services will connect parts of Bristol currently poorly served by public transport, making it easier for people in these areas to access education and job opportunities which were previously difficult to travel to. Supporting sustainable growth Providing high quality public transport attracts investment. A recent US study found strong evidence that rapid transit schemes like MetroBus have a positive impact on economic growth by generating development, attracting higher-wage
jobs and affordable housing. Improving the city centre MetroBus is improving Bristol city centre which is being recon-
figured to reduce congestion, improve air quality and make it a more pleasant environment. Work is already under way on a new link between Baldwin Street
and St Augustine’s Parade which will improve traffic flows across the centre. More information: www.travelwest.info/metrobus.
n finally achieving our longstanding goal to become Europe’s 6th Green Capital, my ambition as mayor has been to motivate citizens and communities across the city to work together to make Bristol a better place, as well as raising our international status to become one of the world’s leading sustainable cities. The results are heartening. At least 50,000 of us are already making our own small changes and considering our environmental impact. Whether it’s reducing waste, buying locally, or commuting to work or school by bike or foot, every action counts in making Bristol a healthier, happier place. Bristol’s children are playing a vital role too, thanks to 30,000 local children taking home these sustainable messages learnt through our inspiring award-winning schools programme, which is now available as a UK-wide teaching resource.
With the addition of my ‘One Tree Per Child’ initiative, I am proud that we are inspiring best practice in environmental education and guiding our ‘citizens of the future’. However we must ensure that the momentum continues. By the end of 2017 we will have an efficient bus rapid transit system followed by the transformation of our suburban rail infrastructure by 2020. With a shift towards more active transport and low emission vehicles, we’re on track to transforming travel in and around Bristol, boosting the economy and creating a healthier, safer environment for everyone. Following the successful Paris COP decision, I and the four party group leaders have set the most ambitious carbon and energy plan of all UK core cities by committing to the target of carbon neutrality by 2050. Bristol is already making strides in renewable energy
with solar panels on council buildings and a pilot community investment programme promoting sustainable initiatives. We have reduced energy use across Bristol by nearly 20% since 2005 and plan to go further using innovation and technology to run a smarter, more efficient city. Our carbon targets present an enormous challenge but creating liveable cities requires bold actions. It’s the same strong civil society foundation of teamwork, resilience, persistence and support, which helped us become Green Capital and will again play a crucial role in meeting our future climate ambitions. When we co-hosted the world’s cities and regions pavilion at the Paris COP21 we demonstrated Bristol is leading the way on sustainability by bringing together all sectors of the community – residents, businesses, schools, groups and world lead-
ers. They hold the key to unlocking our future potential. The growth in our international standing should not be underestimated. We welcomed over 70 international delegations during 2015, some 7 times the number in 2014, helping to increase visitor spend and international profile. We are a key member of the Compact of Mayors, launched by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and Michael R. Bloomberg. This is the world’s largest global collective effort to date by cities tackling climate change and is one of many international networks we have been invited to join, helping to raise our ambitions and attracting greater investment. Bristol has become an inspiring role model for cities across Europe and beyond. As your first elected mayor I am extremely proud of how far we have come. Bristol citizens are on this green journey for good.
EPB-E01-S4
EPB-E01-S4
etroBus was a key part of Bristol’s application for the European Green Capital award. Construction on the £200 million sustainable transport network began in 2015. Services start in 2017. MetroBus will provide passengers with quicker journeys over longer distances. Services will be faster and more frequent than other buses with less time spent at stops, smart ticketing and dedicated lanes separate from traffic.
24
Letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s all keep on making small changes for a better Bristol
initforgood.org
EPB-E01-S4
Official Partners