RIBI ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY GROUP NEWSLETTER FOR CLUBS & DISTRICTS MARCH 2015 CLIMATE WEEK Sadly this seems to have disappeared as there has been no update on the web site and it should be taking place in the first week of March! I am sure it was due to lack of sponsorship. Tesco was one of the main sponsors which perhaps speaks for itself. ROTARY ENVIRONMENT WEEK In view of the demise of Climate Week, we are looking into launching our own Rotary Environment Week, probably during the THIRD WEEK OF MARCH to coincide with the Government sponsored ‘national spring clean’, the first of which is to be held this year on the 21 March to coincide with the First Day of Spring. It is going to be too late now for anything much to be done this year, but we want to put forward a programme focusing on environment issues, Rotary SpingClean, Tree Planting, and perhaps also have our own Climate Week Challenge for Schools. This could be run on an RIBI basis, but perhaps better on a District basis. We hope to get General Council approval for this to be an official RIBI event, with its own web site on which Clubs and schools can register the events which are taking place in their area, providing both a record and a source of information as to what is happening and which other Clubs might then be inspired to do themselves. IF YOU HAVE ANY THOUGHTS OR COMMENTS ON THIS, PLEASE LET ME KNOW. THE CENTRE FOR ALTERNATIVE TECHNOLOGY This charity was setup in disused slate quarry near Machynlleth in 1974. It was inspired by the idea of building a living working community to test out the emerging alternative technologies and lifestyles. It has a free information service, which is accessed via it’s website www.cat.org.uk There is information on solar heating, energy conservation, heat pumps and many other environmental items. For Rotarians interested in the sustainable environment it is well worth visiting their website. It is also a very interesting place for a day visit or for completing an M Sc. ROTARY SPINGCLEAN
SAY NO TO LITTER Picking up and cleaning up after the people who drop litter is costing the 5 countries over £1 BILLION per year
Every year It has to stop
WHILE WEKEEP PICKING IT UP THEYWILL KEEP DROPPING IT INORMATION PLEASE! Would you kindly let me know the name and e-mail address of your successor for the Rotary Year 2015/6 so that I can e-mail them information and newsletters etc in the future. I will get the new District Governor’s details from RIBI (I hope)!
SUSTAINABLE GLOBAL GARDENS Paul Keeley from Tyneside has brought to our attention this project which is based in Kenya. The idea is to encourage people with land to plant trees such as Grevillea Robusta or Southern Silver Oak (illustrated left) which is a quick growing tree providing timber, woodfuel, fodder and is a soil improver. Another is Moringa Oleifera (Illustrated right) sometimes known as the Drumstick Tree or Horseradish Tree because its roots have a similar taste. This is a source of nutrition, fodder, vegetable oil and also as a water purifier. The trees are being supplied by an Italian Company called TREEDOM who are supplying 25,000 trees donated by people wanting to offset their carbon emissions. For more details, and details of other projects, please contact Paul E-Mail: paul_keeley@hotmail.com and have a look at the web site www.sustainableglobalgardens.com CLUB ENVIRONMENT PROJECTS Stephen Kimber, who used to be a member of our Group, has kindly agreed to update the file he started in 2012 showing Club Environmental Projects. This lists by District and Club what Clubs have been doing. The file is on the RIBI web site, and gives a useful tool for Clubs looking for new environmental projects. Please help him by letting Stephen know any environmental projects you have done in the last 3 years which he can then list. His e-mail is steve@glossoprotary.co.uk. FRACKING We have received quite a few enquiries from Clubs wanting details of the Power Point Presentation, so I thought I would repeat the article. Freacking is very much in the news at the moment with, only recently, new regulations coming into operation whereby, for example, it will not now be permitted in Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Many Councils have to make a decision as to whether or not to allow it. If you want the opportunity of finding out what it is all about, one of our members, Professor Keith Tovey, has kindly prepared a Power Point talk which you can get from the web site or from me. I have also done a few notes to go with it, and there is also a full information paper available on the web site. Somehow we have to meet our future energy needs and fracking is but one way of doing this. However it comes at an environmental cost, so why not give your Rotary Club the opportunity of learning all the facts? The plan shows geological areas where fracking could take place. THE MISSING LINK!!! We have only recently discovered that the link provided to us by RIBI was changed last October and nobody told us. The link we had simply took you back to the Newsletter! Please use the new link below which takes you direct to our web site on which all our leaflets are available for you to see and download if you wish. You will need to be registered with RIBI so you will need to put in your e-mail address and password when asked. The easiest way to use the link is to highlight the site below (blue writing starting http), and then press Ctrl and then Click on your computer and it will take you straight there! http://www.rotarygbi.org/members/humanitarian-service-programmes/community/environmentsustainability-group/environment-projects/ There you will find leaflets on all the subjects above as well as many others which I am sure you will find useful. If you need any help or advice, please contact the person or Club named on the leaflet or me, Terry Knowles, Member of the RIBI Environmental Sustainability Group, TERUNA2@aol.com.Tel 01423 525014