Sustained Issue 005 - Transport Special by Sustained Magazine

FREE! ISSUE FIVE

TRANSPORT SPECIAL

S M A L L

C H A N G E

B I G

D I F F E R E N C E

in association with

Dandelion Award Hats off to Sustrans

lift share Save cash, congestion & CO2

Life’s a Beach and then you Fry! The aviation debate hots up

What

mukti Knows GIVE-AWAY PRIZES WORTH £800

inside - real ways to improve your lifestyle

FREE! ISSUE FIVE

TRANSPORT SPECIAL

S M A L L

C H A N G E

B I G

D I F F E R E N C E

in association with

Dandelion Award Hats off to Sustrans

lift share Save cash, congestion & CO2

Life’s a Beach and then you Fry! The aviation debate hots up

What

mukti Knows GIVE-AWAY PRIZES WORTH £800

inside - real ways to improve your lifestyle

CONTENTS PAGE

Any ENQUIRIES Sustained Magazine Victoria Chambers St. Runwald Street Colchester C01 1HF T. 01206 574147 E. info@sustainedmagazine.com

Your EDITOR David North

Your VIEWS

www.sustainedmagazine.com

Our VISION Sustained has been published to inspire and encourage the British public to consider the environmental and social impact of living out their everyday lives. While we are a free publication, there will be a limited number of complimentary copies available in each area. We rely wholly on the continuing support of subscribers, advertisers and sponsors. This has been brought to you by The Creative Coop, a diverse group of freelance individuals and specialist in eco design and print solutions. Visit www.creative-coop.com for more information.

The CONTRIBUTORS PR Finbow Julia King Paul Clarke Jo Barrell Sally Cutchie Tracey Smith

What’s Inside?

Issue Five TRANSPORT

Special

erhaps the simplest way of understanding globalisation is to see it in terms of the movement of people, things and information. It’s been building since the Age of Discovery in the Elizabethan era and has culminated today in the immense and complex network of global communications; from aviation to ZNet. Such mass movement demands energy and, as we are all now so very well aware, energy consumption is the prime factor in the production of CO2 (amongst other emissions) meaning that how we move, where we move and what we move has a significant impact on climate change and the environment as a whole. In this issue, kindly sponsored by the Co-operative Insurance Services, you’ll find plenty of up-to-the minute information on just about everything you could wish to know about making your travel more sustainable. Car-sharing, a guide to eco-cars, cycling, aviation, eco-tourism and the one that got it all started in the first place - plain sailing. Enjoy.

06 The Big Debate

“Movement demands energy consumption, the prime factor in CO2 production”

Take action on aviation

08 Share the Love The joys of car-sharing

10 What Mukti Knows Interview with Mukti Mitchell

18 Fruits of our Labour

Seasonal recipes using blackberries

20 Take a Driving Test Co-operative Insurance quiz

16 Which Car?

Tips from the Green Car Guide

26 Vegetable of the Month How to grow Winter Salads

Our REGUL ARS

COMPETITION WORTH £800 Turn to p.16 for information

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14 16 24 28 30

Ethical Shopping Guide. Competition. Green Flavoured Families Dandelion Award. The Sustained Directory.

The Big Debate: C

amping for climate action isn’t for everyone but there are still ways and means for making your voice heard. We asked over 20 businesses, government departments and interest groups what they thought the problems of sustainable aviation were and what to do about it. Interestingly, government and industry declined to answer but the seven responses here, despite coming from a diverse range of groups, are clearly calling for the same thing – a limit on aviation. Sustained is supportive of any change in policy making aviation more sustainable but our purpose is not to challenge government or industry. Instead, we challenge you, our readers, to understand the issues and take the action you think most appropriate. Fly less, buy more local produce, write to your MP or become a ‘suffer-a-jet’ and glue yourself to a 747! Whatever your opinions or suggestions we would like to hear from you. Email us today at debate@sustainemagazine.com

oss of important habitats and species, caused by the rapid increase in air travel, is a great concern for the Wildlife Trusts. Essex Wildlife Trust is currently appearing at the Public Inquiry for the proposed expansion of Stansted Airport which, if it goes ahead, would lead to an increase in nitrogen oxide emissions well above the critical level, threatening the nationally important Hatfield Forest, whilst the second runway would cause the loss of several ancient woodlands of national importance, and flower meadows of county importance. The best thing to do is to curtail the increase in demand for air travel, limit your flights, find alternative ways of travel or destinations which do not require flying. We can consider carbon offsetting by planting trees or growing new marshes but this only buys time; it does not solve the problem. We should expect to fly less, buy locally produced goods and avoid air freighted products wherever we can.

am responding in my capacity as Leader of the London Borough of Richmond and as a spokesperson of the 2M group of the 12 local authorities around Heathrow, representing 2 million residents. My council believes that expansion of Heathrow is undesirable because of the damage it causes residents and because the growth in aviation is unsustainable environmentally. We consider that the full cost of flying is not reflected in the price of aviation fuel at 26p per litre and that tax should be charged in the same way as for automobiles. We think it absurd that landing charges at Heathrow are some of the lowest anywhere. As members of 2M, we challenge the Government’s logic on the inevitability of growth and the claimed economic benefits of aviation. I believe individual behaviour would change if people had to pay the full environmental price of flying.

any ancient woods face destruction to make way for airport expansion. If Stansted airport goes ahead with a second runway then 19 hectares of irreplaceable ancient woods and their wildlife will be obliterated. Neighbouring ancient woods, including the internationally important Hatﬁeld Forest, will be damaged by increased pollution from aircraft emissions. Less than 2% of Britain is covered in ancient woodland. Climate change is one of the greatest threats to woodlands as many species will be unable to keep up with the pace of change. As aviation is a major emitter of CO2 the Woodland Trust believes it is essential that growth of the sector is managed. We’re calling on people to save the habitats of rare species like the dormouse and bluebell. Visit www.woodland-trust.org uk/ campaigns to ﬁnd out more. You can also sign up to ‘I Count’ to cut your own carbon emissions at www.icount.org.uk

David North

John Hall

Cllr Serge Lourie

Sian Thomas

Editor | Sustained Magazine

Director | Essex Wildlife Trust

LB Richmond upon Thames

The Woodland Trust

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Action on Aviation A

viation produces a unique cocktail of problems. It is the fastest growing contributor to climate change, causes serious noise and pollution problems and encourages unsustainable patterns of living. Opinion polls show that an increasing number of people want to reduce the amount of flying they do but I don’t believe we will see significant behavioural change while flying remains so cheap, due to the tax breaks the aviation industry receives - tax-free fuel and a zero-rating for VAT. The basic challenge, therefore, is to the Government to use fiscal measures to make sure aviation pays its fair share of taxation. The other way the Government can reduce is to cancel its programme to build new runways. Individuals can make a difference by writing to their MPs and MEPs to ask for a tax on aviation fuel, lobbying the Aviation Minister, Jim Fitzpatrick, or by joining a campaign group. And, of course, we can fly less!

he Soil Association’s focus is on soil, food, farming and the environment. The health of all these is inextricably linked. But climate change challenges them all. Whilst airfreight makes up less than 1% of UK foodmiles, it generates 11% of the CO2, produces 177 times more greenhouse gas than shipping, and is growing fast. Is this compatible with organic foods, or is this nothing to do with organic standards? These are the questions we are currently consulting on. Should we ban airfreight, label it, offset it or just let the market decide? How will a ban affect smallholders in Southern states where growing organic crops for export is helping them develop? What is the right response to these conﬂicting questions? Following this consultation, we shall be drawing up a proposed standard, and then will consult on that next spring. We welcome your views. You can submit them at www.soilassociation.org/airfreight

n expanding airports we believe that this will promote high carbon travel behaviour with no economic benefits. Airport expansion will choke surrounding roads and rail networks, especially at Heathrow. Instead we need to explore alternatives to flying like better rail services, video and teleconferencing, and rein back growth in airport capacity. Airports should develop as transport hubs, with good rail and coach links allowing alternatives to the large proportion of flights which are short haul. Airport capacity should be rationed properly rather than through private ownership of landing rights that make Heathrow one of Europe’s cheapest airports to use. Much of this requires government action, but personal action can start now. People should look at replacing short-haul flights with trains where they can and also get businesses using video-conferencing more - the technology for this has improved vastly in the last year or two. This way we can tame the aviation monster rather than keep feeding it.

limate change will hit the poorest countries ﬁrst and hardest. Hundreds of millions of people will lose their livelihoods and lives through ﬂooding, drought and disease. WDM believes that cutting aviation emissions is an important step toward preventing such a catastrophe. Aviation currently accounts for 7% of UK carbon emissions and is increasing massively. The Government proposes cutting CO2 emissions by 60% by 2050, yet the latest science suggests we need a target of at least 80%. International aviation emissions must be included for this target to be meaningful. While claiming to be a world leader on climate change, the gap between the government’s words and actions is vast. WDM needs your support to put pressure on the government to turn the rhetoric into reality. We need a strong climate bill so, to take action on climate change, ask your MP to press for a climate change bill that properly addresses the aviation problem.

John Stewart

Francis Blake

Stephen Joseph

Benedict Southworth

Chair | HACAN ClearSkies

Technical Director | Soil Association

Executive Director | Transport 2000

World Development Movement

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THE COMMUNITY

SHARE the LOVE Feature: Julia King Photography: Babyblueut - istock.com

The average car driver produces enough CO2 a year to ﬁll three family homes. Find out how to cut those emissions, save money, reduce congestion and make friends in one go!

he Department of Trade and Industry have predicted that CO2 emissions from cars, vans and lorries will rocket to over 40 million tonnes by 2020. That’s enough to ﬁll every home in the UK twice over. Given how essential cars have become to so many, car-sharing is becoming an increasingly popular means to address this problem. Dr. Keith Tovey, Energy Science Director for the Community Carbon Reduction Project, has calculated that if average car occupancy could be increased to just two people per car, then the UK could save around 10 million tonnes of CO2 each year. Though culturally we may have become conditioned to snub the idea, the reality of car-sharing is much easier than you might think. Firstly there are more beneﬁts than just reducing CO2 emissions. Reduced congestion is one. Saving up to £1000 a year on transport costs is another and easier and cheaper parking another still. By

using an established car-share scheme, or organising one in your community, you can also enjoy the frequently reported social beneﬁts that it brings; new contacts, a wider network of like-minded friends or a new ally at work. There are lots of simple ways to get involved. You can register with one of the many and well established car-sharing schemes like National CarShare, the UK’s longest-established free national car-sharing service. They say the scheme is “designed to be ﬂexible enough to allow people to carshare with various people as and when it suits them.” They can even supply a bespoke database for employers and other organizations. And it’s not just about getting to work either; these schemes offer ways of matching one-off journeys, such as to concerts, sporting events, or to and from university. If you want to establish one in your community then Every Action Counts and The British Trust for

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INFO ON THE WEB: nationalcarshare.co.uk everyactioncounts.org.uk dft.gov.uk freewheelers.co.uk carshare.com liftshare.org www2.btcv.org.uk CAR SHARE SCHEME travel2work.co.uk TOP CYCLING TIPS whycycle.co.uk/why.htm RESOURCES carplus.org.uk/Resources For easy access to Julia’s numerous links on sustainable transport and travel visit sustainedmagazine.com

/transport

Conservation Volunteers, backed by Defra offer a free two-day training course to become a ‘Community Champion’. The initiative is aimed at building a sustainable future, one small action at a time, one of which is to ‘Travel Wisely’. Mark Walton, Head of Every Action Counts, said: “By becoming a Community Champion you can encourage local community groups, clubs and societies to take simple everyday actions that will benefit themselves and help create a cleaner, greener, fairer and safer community.” Car-sharing is certainly something that you could help your community to implement, especially when the benefits it brings to such regular chores as the school run and the weekly shop are realised. All in all, car sharing is an excellent way to make a significant reduction to our carbon footprints, alleviate road congestion, and help to reunite our fragmented communities. g

INTERVIEW TIME

What MUKTI knows Feature: David North Photography: David Harding, Sailing Scenes

Sailor, carpenter, environmental designer and pioneer of low carbon lifestyles, Mukti Mitchell takes time out from his epic “Low Carbon Lifestyle Tour”, to tell Sustained Magazine about the joys of low carbon living. What is the Low Carbon Lifestyle Tour? It’s a voyage around Britain in a zero-emissions yacht that I designed and built myself. The purpose is to attract attention to the message that low carbon living doesn’t have to be a chore but can be easy, fun, save money and improve the quality of people’s lives. I’ve written an easy to read Guide to Low Carbon Lifestyles all about this which I’m promoting through the tour. What prompted the tour? I’ve been trying to lead a low carbon lifestyle for 10 years now. About four years ago Resurgence Magazine asked me to create an online carbon dioxide calculator which came ﬁrst in an independent survey, so I started to realise that I had a lot of knowledge to share.

I’m also aware that the British public are very concerned about climate change but don’t have detailed information on their own carbon emissions so, because of my love of sailing, I decided to make this voyage and write the Guide to Low Carbon Lifestyles. What makes this yacht particularly low carbon compared to others? What’s unique about this boat is that it’s light enough to row yet seaworthy enough to go to sea which means I don’t have to carry an engine. As such, its one of only a very few yachts in the world with a foot in both camps because most yachts that are seaworthy enough to go to sea, especially around Britain, are too heavy to row. Being small it’s also low carbon as it requires much less

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More Information To download The Guide to Low Carbon Lifestyles, ﬁnd out your own carbon footprint or discover more about Mukti’s voyage and the talks he is giving, visit

lowcarbonlifestyle.org If you’d like your own zero-emission microyacht visit

mitchellyachts.co.uk

material than a larger yacht, and is hand-built from wood which requires the least energy for production compared to other yacht materials. It was also built using hand tools and hand-held power tools so involved a very low-mechanised production. For all of these reasons it was nominated “Innovative Boat of the Year” at the 2005 IPC Media Marine Awards. How long have you been sailing? I started when I was 14. I sailed dinghies for a couple of years and got my dinghy sailing certificate, but then I didn’t sail for about seven years until I’d finished university, which is when I really got back into it. I love travelling and this way means I can visit other countries without worrying about the impact of flying.

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“I love travelling and this way means I can visit other countries without worrying about the impact of ﬂying.”

Tell us about the Guide? As the information in the guide is so important I’ve made it short and easy to read. It’s also readily available as a free download from my website. It differs from other guides in that it is very much about enjoying yourself and improving your quality of life, not at all about making sacriﬁces. It focuses on ten areas of living, including electricity use, transport, holidays and recreation, showing the easy ways to reduce carbon emissions in each. With air travel being a hot topic at the moment, what would your advice be to those wanting to holiday abroad? Go by train wherever possible or, if you have to go by plane, then save up for a few years. Learn about the culture, learn some of the language and go for several months. That way it becomes a much more valued and enriching experience.

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What does sustainability mean to you? Any lifestyle or product that is designed to last and when it comes to the end of its life can be recycled. It’s a system that can keep rolling on for hundreds of years. How have you acquired your knowledge of environmental issues? My mother and father run the environmental magazine, Resurgence, so I was brought up with an understanding of it all. I also did A’ Level Maths and Physics so I could see that carbon dioxide was going to be a big problem 10 years ago. What do you think of offsetting and emissions trading? Offsetting is questionable at the moment so I wouldn’t recommend it. We do need trees and I would say yes, please do invest in them but do it anyway, not just to offset. Emissions trading is better but basically what we all have to realise, sooner or later, is that the only way to stop CO2 being released into the atmosphere is to leave it in the ground. g

THINGS WE LIKE

The ETHICAL Shopper For those who love the road less travelled, we have the latest eco products inspired by the world of transport. Everything is available to WIN!. See page 16 for details. Pedalite KPL 100 | The new, pedalpowered battery-free pedal lights. They make cyclists easily seen from the front, the rear and, importantly, to the side. A pair cost £39.95, at Pedalite. T: 020 8547 4020. www.pedalite.com

Safety Belt Tie | Why send a seat belt to a scrap yard when you can turn it into a stylish, innovative accessory? And because they are recycled, each one is totally different. They cost £17.99, at ECOutlet. T. 020 7272 7233. www.ecoutlet.co.uk.

Bicycle Shoe | A casual lace up trainer, made from recycled bicycle tyres, inner tubes and a lining made from old shirts. They are £69.00, at Terra Plana. T: 020 7379 5959. www.terraplana.com

Car Sick by Lynn Sloman | Changing the way we think about travel, Sloman poses modern day solutions for our ‘car-addicted’ culture. It’s £10.95, at Green Books. T: 01803 863260. www.greenbooks.co.uk

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Tyre Swing | An interesting take on your childhood tyre swing - but this time take a ride on a reindeer, horse, bull or an elephant. They cost £69.95, at Green Warehouse. T: 01568 780100. www.greenwarehouse.co.uk

Tyre Belt | Each cool belt comes with a brief history of where the tyre came from and how far it’s travelled, a nice touch! They are priced £30, at Velo Re. T: 07796 788 259. www.velo-re.com

Strida Folding Bike | The simplest and lightest foldable bike; it only takes up to ten seconds to open up so that you’re on your way in no time. Each is priced £249.95, at Strida. T: 0845 002 0190. www.strida.co.uk

Portable Solar Charger | The perfect solution for when your phone has died at that crucial moment. Solar powered, it can charge up anything from your Ipod to a digital camera. It’s priced £60, at Ethical Superstore. T: 0845 0099 016. www.ethicalsuperstore.com

Eco retreat | From meditation to the natural therapy of Reiki, a midweek Tipi break in the heart of the Welsh mountains may just be what the doctor ordered. A relaxing two night break for a couple costs from £295, at Eco Retreats. T: 01654 781375. www.ecoretreats.co.uk

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COMPETITION

Transport

GIVE -AWAY We’ve one of every item on our products page to give away. To enter all you have to do is state which product you’d like to win and answer the question below: Exactly what can you win Safety Belt Tie - Eco outlet, Pedalite KPL 100 - Pedalite, Car Sick - Green Books, Recycled Trainers - Worn Again, Portable Solar Charger - Ethical Superstore, Tyre Belt - Velo-re, Tyre Swing - Green Warehouse, Folding Bike - Strida, Eco Retreat- Eco Retreats

SUSTAINED MAGAZINE TRANSPORT PRODUCTS GIVE-AWAY Answer the questions, ﬁll out your details and send this coupon to: SUSTAINED MAGAZINE, Victoria Chambers, St Runwald Street, Colchester, Essex CO1 1HF Simply answer the following questions: Which ONE product would you like to win? ................................................ Do you have any favourite articles/features in Sustained, if yes, which one(s)? ........................................................................................................................... Where did you pick up this copy of Sustained? ............................................... How many people will read this copy of Sustained? ....................................... Have you contacted/visited any companies/organisations as a result of this publication? If so who? ...................................................................................... ........................................................................................................................... ...........................................................................................................................

All possible information must be provided for a valid entry: Mr Mrs Miss Other .................................................... First Name ................................... Surname ................................ Address ........................................................................................ .................................................................................................... ........................................... Postcode ........................................... DOB (dd/mm/yy) ......................................................................... Telephone Number ....................................................................... Email ........................................................................................ Tick here if you do not want information to be passed to prize providers

Terms and Conditions: The Competition is open to anyone over the age of 18, one entry per household only. No entries accepted from anyone connected to any of the companies involved. Responsibility will not be accepted for any entries lost or delayed. No cash alternative. The winner will be the ﬁrst correct entry drawn at random after the closing date of 1st December 2007 and will be notiﬁed shortly afterwards. Sustained or The Creative Coop cannot be held responsible in the event a company supplying any prize cannot honour its obligation, for whatever reason.

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SEASONAL FOOD

Autumn lamb with Blackberries and Honey 1.3kg lean whole lamb leg joint Salt and freshly milled black pepper 2 fresh rosemary sprigs 2 large garlic cloves, peeled and sliced 3 red onions, peeled and cut into wedges 30ml olive oil 150ml white wine 900g red potatoes, skin on, cut into wedges 100g fresh blackberries 30ml/2tbsp runny honey Grated zest and juice of 1 lime

FRUITS OF OUR LABOUR Feature with: Big Barn and Jordan’s Cereals

Cooking time: Medium: 25 min’s per 450g plus 25 min’s Well done: 30 min’s per 450g plus 30 min’s

Autumn means blackberries – wild and free to enjoy in so many delicious recipes and they don’t need to be frozen and ﬂown either!

W R

hat better way to spend a lazy, Sunday afternoon, with family and friends, than rummaging through a great British hedgerow, bursting with sweet plump blackberries, and then enjoying a ﬁne feast together! In fact, if you’re feeling creative, you could also gather a handful of sweet chestnut to serve as an accompaniment to the Autumn Lamb whilst hazel nuts would be a wonderful addition to the Crunchy Apple and Blackberry Crumble. These blackberry recipes are just two of hundreds but the reason we have selected them for this issue, aside from being delicious, is because we wanted to be able to feature two friends

of Sustained whose work we advocate. We recommend Jordans Organic Muesli with the crumble because we know that they take great care in the sourcing of the ingredients and that they are also dedicated to the conservation of our countryside. Big Barn, who supplied the ﬁrst recipe, have a great website that enables you to ﬁnd all manner of food producers and farmers’ markets in your area. By using local sources you are not only accessing high quality, tasty and healthy produce, but you are reducing your carbon footprint by reducing travel miles, and you are supporting your local economy too. All in all, that’s a recipe for sustainable success!

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Preheat oven to Gas mark 4-5, 180°C/350°F. Make several slits over Lamb joint and season. Stuff the joint with Rosemary and garlic. Put onions in a large non-stick roasting tin and place the joint on top, arrange the potatoes around joint then toss in olive oil and white wine.

“What better way to spend lazy Sunday afternoons.”

Open roast for the preferred cooking time, basting occasionally with any meat juices, toss the potatoes if necessary. Cover joint with foil if browning too quickly.

In a small bowl mix together blackberries, honey, lime zest and juice, gently mash and set aside. One hour before the lamb is cooked smear the mixture over the joint and return to the oven.

Remove the joint and vegetables from the oven, transfer to a warmed plate, wrap loosely in foil and allow to rest for 10-15 minutes.

About Jordans We’re a fan of Jordans because of their dedication to the conservation of our countryside and wildlife, and for their commitment to sourcing ingredients of the highest quality. Their new organic muesli is a perfect example of this commitment in action, not just in the ingredients, but the packaging is biodegradable too. If you have a recipe using one of their products, you could have it published on their website and win a hamper of Jordans’ products. For more information you can visit jordanscereals.co.uk and search for ‘recipes’.

Jordan’s Organic ‘n’ Crunchy Crumble For the ﬁlling: 900g/2lb english bramley apples 350-400g/12oz-1lb wild blackberries 175g/6oz demerara sugar 2 lemons For the topping: 225g/8oz plain ﬂour 175g/6oz butter 55g/2oz demerara sugar 125g/4oz Jordan’s Organic Muesli

Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6. Peel, core and chop the apples into small chunks. Cut the lemons in half and squeeze juice over apple and mix well. This not only adds ﬂavour but prevents the freshly peeled apples from discolouring.

02 03

Layer apples, blackberries, and sugar in large pie dish (lasagne dish is ideal).

Place ﬂour in a large bowl then rub in butter until it resembles breadcrumbs - leave a few lumps of butter so that the topping is not too ﬁne. Add the Jordan’s muesli and the sugar and mix. Use a spoon to sprinkle the crumble topping evenly over the fruit.

Bake for 45 minutes or until the fruit is cooked and bubbling juices seep through the topping. Cool for a few minutes and then serve with custard or fresh cream. g

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SPONSORSHIP

WORRIER, WARRIOR, WASTER... WHICH ONE ARE YOU?

Cars are blamed for damaging the environment, but the way you drive could be the real villain here. Take our quick quiz to ﬁnd out if you’ve broken down with worry, are speeding to oblivion or are on the right road to sustainability. You’re driving on a dual carriageway. It’s empty so you can choose your speed. How fast do you go? A 10 to 20mph because you’ll use less fuel and get there when you get there. B 50 to 60mph because emissions are a worry but you’d like to get there today. C Over 70mph because the faster you go the less time you’ve got to pump out fumes! At less than 15mph you’re creating the most polluting emissions so driving slowly doesn’t work. Providing you’re in the correct gear, as your speed increases your emissions decrease until you get to about 60mph when they start to rise again.

Your oil needs changing. When you’ve ﬁnished what do you do with the old, dirty oil? A Seal it in an anything-proof container and store it in the underground bunker you had built for toxic occasions like this. B Take it to your council’s recycling centre and let them dispose of it C Tip it down the drain – what harm can a litre or so do? Just 1 litre of oil can pollute 1,000,000 litres of fresh drinking water and it doesn’t matter where you tip it – the water cycle is the water ‘cycle’ and your oil will ﬁnd its way into it (source: wasteonline.co.uk – Scottish Oil Car Campaign.). The safest place to dispose of oil is at your council’s recycling centre.

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How often do you check your tyre pressure? A Every week – you never know when air could sneak out B Every now and then, particularly before long journeys C Don’t they check that sort of thing on the MOT? Under-inﬂated tyres create extra resistance meaning your engine has to work much harder. For every 6psi a tyre is under-inﬂated fuel consumption can rise by 1%, so maintaining the correct tyre pressure (check your manual) will save you fuel and around 10kg of CO2 every 500 miles (source: Carbon Neutral Fund).

“With enough people taking simple steps like these the cumulative effect will be signiﬁcant.”

You’re off on a lengthy car journey. Before you go you notice a few things in your boot that you might not need; what do you do? A Take them out along with unused passenger seats and those little hooks on the handrails in the back. The lighter the car, the less fuel you’ll use, right? B Take it out for this journey if it’s heavy as there’s no point carrying the extra weight. C You never know when you’ll fancy a game so the golf clubs are staying and that anvil might come in handy one of these days. The extra weight gives momentum so you’ll save fuel going down hills. This one’s simple; the more weight you’re carrying in your car, the more fuel you’ll use carting it around, and the more harmful gases you’ll be pumping into the already choked atmosphere. If you don’t need it for the journey, take it out.

Of course, the most sensible answer every time is B – it’s obvious when there’s an exaggerated version of reality each side. But that said, how often do you check your tyre pressure or empty your boot of unnecessary clutter and what do you do with your old oil and batteries? With enough people taking simple steps like these the cumulative effect will be signiﬁcant and you can increase that effect all the more with ecoinsurance from Co-operative Insurance. They donate money to schemes that offset 20% of your car’s CO2 emissions* by investing in projects like renewable energy, energy efﬁciency and rainforest reforestation. Co-operative Insurance will even give you a 10% discount on your ecoinsurance if you drive a car that falls into tax band A; i.e., it emits less than 100g of CO2 per kilometre.

So, there’s no need to worry yourself sick about being a waster, just make some simple changes to your driving and take out ecoinsurance. Happy motoring. To ﬁnd out more visit www.ecoinsurance.co.uk *Based on an average passenger car with average annual mileage. Applications for insurance are subject to normal underwriting criteria. CIS General Insurance Ltd. Registered in England 29999R. Miller Street, Manchester, England.

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BUYERS GUIDE

Which CAR? Feature: Paul Clarke - Green Car Guide

You’ve heard of bioethanol, electric, hybrid and LPG but do you know what they all mean? Green car expert, Paul Clarke, walks you through the different kinds of fuels and technologies available to those who still need a car but want to go greener. Petrol Petrol engines pump out less toxic emissions than diesel but emit around 10% more carbon dioxide (CO2). Unfortunately, at the moment, there is no single source of fuel which can compare with petroleum in terms of its instant bulk availability, energy density and relative cheapness. Diesel Diesel engines are more economical than petrol engines, and emit less CO2. However, diesels emit more particulates and nitrogen oxides than petrol, although a particulate trap can help prevent this. Diesel engine technology has seen some remarkable advances in recent years, giving us diesel engines that are quiet, reﬁned, cleaner and more responsive.

Biodiesel Biofuel has traditionally been in the form of biodiesel, currently available in various types and qualities, primarily from vegetable oils, such as from recycled cooking oils and from crops such as rapeseed oil, both of which avoid the carbon emissions of mineral diesel. However there is no wide availability, unless in industrial quantities, and it is more commonly used to blend with normal diesel. There’s at least one company that is currently building up a world-wide biodiesel production and reﬁning capacity but it’s not ready yet. All vehicles should be checked for their compatibility for running on biodiesel, and it should be noted that standards of biodiesel can vary considerably.

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MORE ADVICE For information on greener cars visit Paul’s website at green-car-guide.com

Bioethanol Ethanol can give considerable carbon emission benefits. Vehicles usually require adaptation to convert from petrol to ethanol if the concentration exceeds 10% (E10). Recently, biofuels of higher concentrations that can run with petrol have been introduced in the UK. The Saab BioPower range and the Ford Focus Flexi-Fuel range were the first vehicle ranges on the market that were designed to run on bioethanol (E85). LPG Over recent years, LPG (liquefied petroleum gas) has been a viable fuel option in the UK. LPG produces fewer emissions than petrol and diesel but fuel consumption is worse. It’s been possible to convert many existing cars to run on LPG by after-market conversions, and some manufacturers have had new cars in their range that are dual-fuel, which are designed to run primarily on LPG with petrol back-up. There is also a reasonable network of filling stations. However, LPG is still derived from a fossil fuel and therefore still releases greenhouse gases.

Hybrids Petrol-electric hybrid vehicles run on a combination of petrol and an electric motor powered by a storage device such as a battery pack. They work on the principle that an electric motor provides the power at low speeds and they switch to petrol for driving at higher speeds. The batteries are recharged while driving. Hybrid technologies improve fuel efﬁciency and therefore provide considerable fuel savings compared with a normal petrol vehicle, as well as carbon emissions savings. While models might cost more than conventional cars, running costs can be twothirds that of equivalent petrolfuelled vehicles. Because of their lower CO2 emissions, hybrids also beneﬁt from reduced vehicle excise duty and are treated favourably in Budgets. In addition they are exempted from the London Congestion Charge. However at the moment there are a limited number of vehicle choices. The Toyota Prius and the Honda Civic are the two most affordable hybrids at the moment, with Lexus offering more expensive hybrids

This Page: Left: G-Wiz (electric). Middle: Honda Civic petrol-electric hybrid. Right: Toyota Prius petrol-electric hybrid

Opposite Page: Top: Saab BioPower (petrol and bioethanol). Middle: Ford Focus FFV (petrol and bioethanol) Bottom: Lexus GS450 petrol-electric hybrid

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Electric Electric cars use a battery and electric motor to power the vehicle meaning they have no emissions at the point of use. Their range is normally limited to about 40-60 miles between recharges which means they are only really suitable for city-based users. Electric vehicles can be recharged by plugging them into an electrical socket, and some city councils are installing electric recharging points in car parks or on-street. However, they are only truly ‘green’ if they are recharged with electricity from renewable sources. Electric cars are not subject to road tax and, as an added bonus for London drivers, they enjoy 100 per cent congestion charge discount. Drivers living in areas where they have to pay for residential parking permits might also ﬁnd that they get a discount on this cost. Viable ‘family-sized’ electric vehicles with a good range and speed are still around the corner while hybrids, biodiesel and bioethanol vehicles are here now. The G-Wiz is the most popular electric car in the UK and was awarded ﬁrst place in the ‘City’ category at the Car Buyers Guide 2007 g

G R E E N FA M I L I E S

I live on the edge of London and since the congestion charge came in, I hardly drive my car at all, so I’ve decided to sell it - how about that for a change!

Slow Down & Green Up A GREEN FL AVOURED FAMILY

Britain’s leading downshifting expert, Tracey Smith, tackles your questions on Transport...

I live near Taunton. It’s not possible for me to cycle to my workplace and the buses are a nightmare but I want to ditch the car for my commute. Help! Firstly, it’s great news that you are looking for alternatives to using the car. Having a positive attitude to making change takes you halfway towards affecting it. Somerset County Council have just launched ‘Moving Somerset Forward’, an initiative to get people out of their cars, offering realistic alternatives and advice. Look at www.MovingSomersetForward.co.uk for details. Another thought might be to jump in somebody else’s! Lots of companies in Somerset (and the rest of the country for that matter) have corporate car share schemes in place. Visit www.carshare.com or do a search on “car share scheme” and your county name. You could also start a car sharing group in your community. See Julia King’s article on page 8 to ﬁnd out more about car sharing in your own community.

I got a great bike from my local Freecycle group in a spurt of madness trying to get fit, but the roads here are chockablock with cars. Where are the cycle paths? Cycling is a brilliant way of keeping fit by getting the cardio vascular system going and regular cyclists enjoy a fitness level equal to that of a person ten years younger. This issue’s Dandelion Award winner, Sustrans, are the co-ordinators of the National Cycle Network and they say 75% of the UK population live within 2 miles of a route! Visit www.sustrans.org.uk/ webfiles/general/SustransNational_ Map_2007.pdf for their fabulous interactive national map and find paths near you in a heartbeat. Alternatively, get down to your local Tourist Information Office or visit www.uktouristinfo.com and they should be able to supply you with routes in your area. As if that’s not enough good news, to top it all off, you can even benefit from tax breaks by cycling! Check out www.cyclesolutions.co.uk

s u s ta i n e d m ag a z i n e . c o m

More Travel Info To see Tracey's numerous links on sustainable transport and travel visit sustainedmagazine.com

/transport Your Questions Dreaming of a green Christmas? Email Tracey before October 15th with your questions for a festive family Christmas that won’t cost you pounds – of weight, money or carbon!

Tremendous! Realising the equity from an unused car is a brilliant idea – no tax, no insurance, no maintenance costs and no worries. You have lots of great connections using the Underground, and the bus lanes move more ﬂuidly too with fewer cars going through town itself. In the event you do need a vehicle, consider borrowing one from a car club like Zipcar - www.zipcar.com - which offers Londoners a cheaper alternative to car hire and they have eco-friendly models to choose from.

I want to encourage my ﬁrm to start a car share scheme. Where do I start?

There are many advantages for employers who operate a car share scheme not least the cost saving. Car parking spaces are each worth approximately £2,000 so that’s a great incentive to start. More advantages can be found in a very well written guide to starting up a work car-share scheme which you can download for free from www.carplus.org.uk/Resources/pdf/ TfLCarShareGuide.pdf Also, companies like Jambusters at www.jbgb.com/FreeSites.htm can provide software for employers to help set one up. g

GROW YOUR OWN

Winter SAL ADS VEGETABLE OF THE MONTH

Feature: PR Finbow Photography: istock

Now that days are getting shorter and the temperature is cooling down, it is easy to think that there is not much that can be grown in a garden in winter but this, in many regions, is just not true.

ith a greenhouse or polytunnel, of course, a good variety of greens can be grown all year round and with a bit of heating – I used to have a little wood stove – a lot can be achieved. But let’s suppose that you don’t have a greenhouse, there’s still quite a bit that can be grown outside even if there are frosts, as long as the garden is well sheltered from damaging winds. The kales are a good example; they are the hardiest of all vegetables and seeds can be planted at almost any time of the year. Start them off in seed trays on a sunny window sill and when they are 8-10 cm tall they can be planted out. Not only is kale frost resistant, it actually tastes better after a few sharp frosts. There are some good varieties: Hungry Gap speaks for itself, as do the

Siberian varieties. I prefer the curly ones although black kale (Cavolo Nero), with wrinkled leaves, is both tasty and pleasing to the eye. Kale can be grown on most soils and it can even be grown in soil where cabbage suffers from clubroot. Turnips and beetroot can be planted very late on (and very early too) and if you like them small and tender they can be cropped quite quickly, and don’t forget that the leaves can be eaten as well as the roots. Even in our little urban front garden we manage to grow rocket (or wintercress, as grandpa Herbert called it) throughout most of the winter. It self seeds and although it looks a bit tatty after a few frosts, it tends to recover quickly. Here’s a tasty tip: try deep frying battered rocket ﬂowers – delicious! Another salad crop that can be grown outside all year long in southern

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“A classic winter vegetable is chicory and I just can’t understand why more of it isn’t eaten in the UK.” England is lamb’s lettuce, also known as corn salad or mache. It is one of my favourite salad plants but watch out - slugs and snails love it as well. Giant red mustard is pretty hardy and easy to grow. It has a very fiery taste and, like rocket, goes well with a lettuce salad to give it a bit of a kick. A classic winter vegetable is chicory and I just can’t understand why more of it isn’t eaten in the UK. It is a bit more complicated than most plants to grow and has to be first planted the previous summer. It looks somewhat like a lettuce but the leaves are bitter. However, at the onset of winter you dig up the roots and repot them indoors in the dark. After a few weeks the “chicons” sprout. They are best eaten when they are about 15 cm tall either raw in salad, they have a delightfully delicate flavour, or cooked. I prefer mine wrapped in ham and fried. Make sure, even after harvesting, that the chicons are kept in total darkness otherwise they become bitter. Finally, if the weather is too bad outside to contemplate anything, you can cultivate all winter long in your own home. Sprouting is becoming a popular hobby with many and all you really need is a tray and some thick blotting paper.

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Most people will be familiar with mung bean sprouts but I strongly recommend that you try peas. They taste just as good as the real thing. I have also tried chick peas and they are much tastier in soups when sprouted. Only sprout organic seeds because you never know what the industrial ones have been treated with. Alfalfa and fenugreek are both good to eat and very nutritious. It doesn’t stop here: This Vegetable of the Month is continued online. To find out what you could grow with a greenhouse, polytunnel or a cold frame, visit Finbow’s page online. It’s an open forum and if you can’t find what you’re looking for, just Ask Finbow. www.askfinbow.com g

Finbow

ask the garden guru

DANDELION AWARD

Small BEGINNINGS Feature: Jo Barrell Illustration: www.retoid.com

When a group of people met on 7 July 1977 in a Bristol pub to ﬁnd ways to improve the city’s transport system, who’d have guessed what would be achieved in the 30 years that followed.

ut that meeting was the seed that grew into Sustrans, the UK’s leading sustainable transport charity - this issue’s Dandelion Award winner. Chief Executive, John Grimshaw, one of the original founders said: “In 1977 we had an oil crisis and became concerned about fuel supplies – that faded away then, but has reared its head again now, so our aims are equally valid.” Having built a handful of routes for walkers and cyclists between the mid 80s and early 90s, the charity won a lottery bid of £43.5 million in 1995 making it possible to create the National Cycle Network. Many of the routes are dotted with wonderful artworks

and there is a band of over 2,400 volunteer rangers who help to keep these routes safe and attractive for people to use. By focusing on practical and imaginative projects the charity is really getting results in changing the way people travel. Now around 12,000 miles the National Cycle Network is seeing the number of people using the routes grow year on year. In fact, last year over 338 million trips were made on the Network – a potential saving of 437,000 tonnes of C02. Sustrans’ work with schools is also getting results. ‘Bike It’, a project operating in over 200 schools in England, is achieving cycling levels of 10%, when the national average is a depressing 1%. And with almost a third of children saying they’d like to cycle to school, there is potential for this ﬁgure to increase further.

“By focusing on practical & imaginative projects the charity is really getting results” NOMINATE! You can now nominate your very own favourite company by emailing our judging panel at:

dandelion@ sustainedmagazine.com

So what next for the charity? With climate change and obesity at the top of the political and public agendas, Sustrans’ work to encourage people to travel in ways that beneﬁt their health and the environment needs to continue. Making it possible for everyone to walk and cycle remains Sustrans’ main aim, and the charity’s current bid to the lottery takes this challenge forward. Connect2 is one of six schemes competing for £50 million in the Big Lottery’s People’s Millions. The programme is actually made up of 79 projects across the UK to re-connect communities cut off by busy roads, motorways or rivers. If successful in a public TV vote in December, Connect2 will create more cycling and walking routes, build bridges and re-open tunnels to make it possible for people to travel by foot or by bike instead of having to use their cars. It is with this kind of vision that Sustrans will continue to help tackle climate change, congestion and obesity, and to help improve the quality of life for people today and tomorrow. g

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Sustained

DIRECTORY

T. 0870 873 0060 www.ctc.org.uk

Here's some inspirational places to visit for all those transport must have goodies and ideas. E T H I C A L I D E A S F O R A L L YO U R T R A N S P O RT N E E D S

01. Organic Places to Stay T. 01943 871468 www.organicholidays.co.uk A great website also accompanied by a book.

06. Whizzgo T. 0870 446 6000 www.whizzgo.co.uk Need a car for an hour or more? Become a member of Whizzgo

02. CO2 Balance Calculator T. 0845 094 2620 www.co2balance.uk.com Find out the carbon emissions for various modes of transport.

07. Cycle Training UK T. 020 7231 6005 www.cycletraining.co.uk Promoting cycling as a sustainable form of transport.

03. Powabyke T. 01225 44 37 37 www.powabyke.com The UK’s largest distributor or electric bicylces, tricycles and folders.

08. Ethical Escape E. home@ethicalescape.com www.ethicalescape.com Advice and information for those who wish to travel lightly.

04. UK Sail E. ukindex@uksail.com www.uksail.com/sailing.htm Learn to sail. This site lists sailing schools in the UK. See page 10.

09. Carry Freedom T. 0845 456 0928 www.carryfreedom.com Free your bike to carry more with award winning cargo bicycle trailers.

05. Green Tomato Cars T. 020 8568 0022 www.greentomatocars.com Eco-friendly car hire service, based in Central London.

10. GoinGreen T. 020 8574 3232 www.goingreen.co.uk Get your G-Wiz ac Drive before they’re all gone!

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T. 02079 812800 www.cpre.org.uk/campaigns/ landscape/tranquillity

We love the web so here’s the best sites to surf

T. 01244 401811 www.green-car-guide.com

T. 01179 273049 www.thetravelfoundation.org.uk Nice Ethics dude ﬁndhorn.org eco-drive.co.uk cyclenetwork.org.uk Oh So Cool cycle-n-sleep.co.uk annwnvalley.co.uk Useful Info Man europeanrailguide.com cycle1st.co.uk traveline.org.uk transportdirect.info

T. 01234 871005 www.bigbarn.co.uk

T. 01273 272936 www.travelwise.org.uk

FREE! ISSUE FIVE

TRANSPORT SPECIAL

S M A L L

C H A N G E

B I G

D I F F E R E N C E

in association with

Dandelion Award Hats off to Sustrans

lift share Save cash, congestion & CO2

Life’s a Beach and then you Fry! The aviation debate hots up

What

mukti Knows GIVE-AWAY PRIZES WORTH £800

inside - real ways to improve your lifestyle

CONTENTS PAGE

Any ENQUIRIES Sustained Magazine Victoria Chambers St. Runwald Street Colchester C01 1HF T. 01206 574147 E. info@sustainedmagazine.com

Your EDITOR David North

Your VIEWS

www.sustainedmagazine.com

The CONTRIBUTORS PR Finbow Julia King Paul Clarke Jo Barrell Sally Cutchie Tracey Smith

What’s Inside?

Issue Five TRANSPORT

Special

06 The Big Debate

“Movement demands energy consumption, the prime factor in CO2 production”

Take action on aviation

08 Share the Love The joys of car-sharing

10 What Mukti Knows Interview with Mukti Mitchell

18 Fruits of our Labour

Seasonal recipes using blackberries

20 Take a Driving Test Co-operative Insurance quiz

16 Which Car?

Tips from the Green Car Guide

26 Vegetable of the Month How to grow Winter Salads

Our REGUL ARS

COMPETITION WORTH £800 Turn to p.16 for information

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14 16 24 28 30

Ethical Shopping Guide. Competition. Green Flavoured Families Dandelion Award. The Sustained Directory.

The Big Debate: C

amping for climate action isn’t for everyone but there are still ways and means for making your voice heard. We asked over 20 businesses, government departments and interest groups what they thought the problems of sustainable aviation were and what to do about it. Interestingly, government and industry declined to answer but the seven responses here, despite coming from a diverse range of groups, are clearly calling for the same thing – a limit on aviation. Sustained is supportive of any change in policy making aviation more sustainable but our purpose is not to challenge government or industry. Instead, we challenge you, our readers, to understand the issues and take the action you think most appropriate. Fly less, buy more local produce, write to your MP or become a suffer-a-jet and glue yourself to a 747!. Whatever your opinions or suggestions we would like to hear from you. Email us today at debate@sustainemagazine.com

any ancient woods face destruction to make way for airport expansion. If Stansted airport goes ahead with a second runway then 19 hectares of irreplaceable ancient woods and their wildlife will be obliterated. Neighbouring ancient woods, including the internationally important Hatﬁeld Forest, will be damaged by increased pollution from aircraft emissions. Less than 2% of Britain is covered in ancient woodland. Climate change is one of the greatest threats to woodlands as many species will be unable to keep up with the pace of change. As aviation is a major emitter of CO2 the Woodland Trust believes it is essential that growth of the sector is managed. Wer’e calling on people to save the habitats of rare species like he dormouse and bluebell. Visit www.woodland-trust.org uk/ campaigns to ﬁnd out more. You can also sign up to ‘I Count’ to cut your own carbon emissions at www.icount.org.uk

David North

John Hall

Cllr Serge Lourie

Sian Thomas

Editor | Sustained Magazine

Director | Essex Wildlife Trust

LB Richmond upon Thames

The Woodland Trust

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Action on Aviation A

John Stewart

Francis Blake

Stephen Joseph

Benedict Southworth

Chair | HACAN ClearSkies

Technical Director | Soil Association

Executive Director | Transport 2000

World Development Movement

s u s ta i n e d m ag a z i n e . c o m

THE COMMUNITY

SHARE the LOVE Feature: Julia King Photography: Babyblueut - istock.com

The average car driver produces enough CO2 a year to ﬁll three family homes. Find out how to cut those emissions, save money, reduce congestion and make friends in one go!

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/transport

INTERVIEW TIME

What MUKTI knows Feature: David North Photography: David Harding, Sailing Scenes

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More Information To download The Guide to Low Carbon Lifestyles, ﬁnd out your own carbon footprint or discover more about Mukti’s voyage and the talks he is giving, visit lowcarbonlifestyle.org If you’d like your own zero-emission microyacht visit mitchellyachts.co.uk

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“I love travelling and this way means I can visit other countries without worrying about the impact of ﬂying.”

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THINGS WE LIKE

Bicycle Shoe | A casual lace up trainer, made from recycled bicycle tyres, inner tubes and a lining made from old shirts. They are £69.00, at Terra Plana. T: 020 7379 5959. www.terraplana.com

s u s ta i n e d m ag a z i n e . c o m

Tyre Belt | Each cool belt comes with a brief history of where the tyre came from and how far it’s travelled, a nice touch! They are priced £30, at Velo Re. T: 07796 788 259. www.velo-re.com

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COMPETITION

Transport

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SEASONAL FOOD

FRUITS OF OUR LABOUR Feature with: Big Barn and Jordan’s Cereals

Cooking time: Medium: 25 min’s per 450g plus 25 min’s Well done: 30 min’s per 450g plus 30 min’s

Autumn means blackberries – wild and free to enjoy in so many delicious recipes and they don’t need to be frozen and ﬂown either!

W R

hat better way to spend a lazy, Sunday afternoon, with family and friends, than rummaging through a great British hedgerow, bursting with sweet plump blackberries, and then enjoying a ﬁne feast together! In fact, if you’re feeling creative, you could also gather a handful of sweet chestnut to serve as an accompaniment to the Autumn Lamb whilst hazel nuts would be a wonderful addition to the Crunchy Apple and Blackberry Crumble. These blackberry recipes are just two of hundreds but the reason we have selected them for this issue, aside from their being delicious, is because we wanted to be able to feature two friends

s u s ta i n e d m ag a z i n e . c o m

“What better way to spend lazy Sunday afternoons.”

Open roast for the preferred cooking time, basting occasionally with any meat juices, toss the potatoes if necessary. Cover joint with foil if browning too quickly.

In a small bowl mix together blackberries, honey, lime zest and juice, gently mash and set aside. One hour before the lamb is cooked smear the mixture over the joint and return to the oven.

Remove the joint and vegetables from the oven, transfer to a warmed plate, wrap loosely in foil and allow to rest for 10-15 minutes.

02 03

Layer apples, blackberries, and sugar in large pie dish (lasagne dish is ideal).

Bake for 45 minutes or until the fruit is cooked and bubbling juices seep through the topping. Cool for a few minutes and then serve with custard or fresh cream. g

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SPONSORSHIP

WORRIER, WARRIOR, WASTER... WHICH ONE ARE YOU? Cars are blamed for damaging the environment, but the way you drive could be the real villain here. Take our quick quiz to ﬁnd out if you’ve broken down with worry, are speeding to oblivion or are on the right road to sustainability. You’re driving on a dual carriageway. It’s empty so you can choose your speed. How fast do you go? A 10 to 20mph because you’ll use less fuel and get there when you get there. B 50 to 60mph because emissions are a worry but you’d like to get there today. C Over 70mph because the faster you go the less time you’ve got to pump out fumes! At less than 15mph you’re creating the most polluting emissions so driving slowly doesn’t work. Providing you’re in the correct gear, as your speed increases your emissions decrease until you get to about 60mph when they start to rise again.

s u s ta i n e d m ag a z i n e . c o m

“With enough people taking simple steps like these the cumulative effect will be signiﬁcant.”

s u s ta i n e d m ag a z i n e . c o m

BUYERS GUIDE

Which CAR? Feature: Paul Clarke - Green Car Guide

s u s ta i n e d m ag a z i n e . c o m

MORE ADVICE For information on greener cars visit Paul’s website at green-car-guide.com

This Page: Left: G-Wiz (electric). Middle: Honda Civic petrol-electric hybrid. Right: Toyota Prius petrol-electric hybrid

Opposite Page: Top: Saab BioPower (petrol and bioethanol). Middle: Ford Focus FFV (petrol and bioethanol) Bottom: Lexus GS450 petrol-electric hybrid

s u s ta i n e d m ag a z i n e . c o m

G R E E N FA M I L I E S

I live on the edge of London and since the congestion charge came in, I hardly drive my car at all, so I’ve decided to sell it - how about that for a change!

Slow Down & Green Up

More Travel Info

To see Tracey's numerous links on sustainable transport and travel visit sustainedmagazine.com

A GREEN FL AVOURED FAMILY

Britain’s leading downshifting expert, Tracey Smith, tackles your questions on Transport...

I live near Taunton. It’s not possible for me to cycle to my workplace and the buses are a nightmare but I want to ditch the car for my commute. Help! Firstly, it’s great news that you are looking for alternatives to using the car. Having a positive attitude to making change takes you halfway towards affecting it. Somerset County Council have just launched ‘Moving Somerset Forward’, an initiative to get people out of their cars, offering realistic alternatives and advice. Take a look at www.MovingSomersetForward. co.uk for details. Another thought might be to jump in somebody else’s! Lots of big companies in Somerset (and the rest of the country for that matter) have corporate car share schemes in place. Visit www.carshare.com or do a search on “car share scheme” and your county name. You could also start a car sharing group in your community. See Julia King’s article on page 8 to ﬁnd out more about car sharing in your community.

s u s ta i n e d m ag a z i n e . c o m

/transport Your Questions Dreaming of a green Christmas? Email Tracey before October 15th with your questions for a festive family Christmas that won’t cost you pounds – of weight, money or carbon!

I want to encourage my ﬁrm to start a car share scheme. Where do I start?

There are many advantages for employers who operate a car share scheme not least the cost saving. Car parking spaces are each worth approximately £2,000 so that’s a great incentive to start. More advantages can be found in a very well written guide to starting up a work car-share scheme which is free to download from www.carplus.org.uk/Resources/pdf/ TfLCarShareGuide.pdf. Also, companies like Jambusters www.jbgb.com/FreeSites.htm - can provide software for employers to help set one up.

GROW YOUR OWN

Winter SAL ADS VEGETABLE OF THE MONTH

Feature: PR Finbow Photography: istock

Now that days are getting shorter and the temperature is cooling down, it is easy to think that there is not much that can be grown in a garden in winter but this, in many regions, is just not true.

s u s ta i n e d m ag a z i n e . c o m

Finbow

ask the garden guru

DANDELION AWARD

Small BEGINNINGS Feature: Jo Barrell Illustration: www.retoid.com

When a group of people met on 7 July 1977 in a Bristol pub to ﬁnd ways to improve the city’s transport system, who’d have guessed what would be achieved in the 30 years that followed.

and there is a band of over 2,400 volunteer rangers who help to keep these routes safe and attractive for people to use. By focusing on practical and imaginative projects the charity is really getting results in changing the way people travel. Now around 12,000 miles the National Cycle Network is seeing the number of people using the routes grow year on year. In fact, last year over 338 million trips were made on the Network – a potential saving of 437,000 tonnes of C02. Sustrans’ work with schools is also getting results. ‘Bike It’, a project operating in over 200 schools in England, is achieving cycling levels of 10%, when the national average is a depressing 1%. And with almost a third of children of children saying they’d like to cycle to school, there is potential for this ﬁgure to increase further.

“By focusing on practical & imaginative projects the charity is really getting results” NOMINATE! You can now nominate your very own favourite company by emailing our judging panel at:

dandelion@ sustainedmagazine.com

10% OFF any 12 bottle case of wine

Call today quoting: â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;SUSTAINEDâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; and claim your discount now. Freephone

0800 980 4992

www.vintageroots.co.uk offer ends November 18th 2007

USEFUL LISTINGS

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