16 minute read
RESPECTING OUR OUTDOOR SPACES
Respecting our Outdoor Spaces and oh so much More…
Introduced by Juanita Shield-Laignel
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Who of us has not realised the importance of our outdoor spaces since the beginning of lockdown? I’ve always loved and appreciated my garden, but oh my word, it became a sanctuary more than ever; a place to sit and contemplate, to write, to work with the soil, to listen to the birds and the chatter of my neighbours and embrace the laughter of my children as they bounced on their trampoline and shot hoops as part of P.E. lessons for home schooling. But beyond that – our beaches, parks and country walks became the escape from our homes for just two precious hours a day…what strange times we have been / are going through – and yet we have so much to be grateful for.
Acknowledging the importance of protecting the environment; the natural world we have in abundance around us here in our beautiful island of Jersey, I recently put out a ‘call to arms’ in a few online groups I belong to, namely, ‘Jersey in Transition’, ‘Half Wild Jersey’ and ‘Journey To Zero Waste’ – inviting the local Eco-conscious community to contribute –I am thrilled to share these amazing results for who among us does not have an ECO-INTEREST!!! Thank you to Jane Blakeley, Amanda Bond, Kalina Le Marquand, Louise Carson and Helen Morgan for their invaluable work and wise words…
Beginner’s Guide to a zero carbon footprint home – a 5 minute Step by step guide
Chartered Architect, qualified in architecture in 1993. Jane previously worked on a wide range of project types and now gives focus to House architecture, commercial projects, urban design solutions with her own private practice. She also focuses on environmental & ecological design having been Remedials Architect in 1998 to the renowned eco Tourism project Chumbe Island in Zanzibar East Africa. She practices an open door policy to answer any architectural and now eco questions. Jane welcomes interest in architecture, the wealth this brings to the community and the challenges we now face in our modern Age.
Locally the States of Jersey have agreed to a zero-carbon emissions strategy to be in place by 2030. That’s no mean feat. To assist the Homeowner with methods to meet this policy and therein halve or zero your Utility bills - Read on
In a cost effective step by step breakdown:
STEP 1
List your Utility bills, in Jersey it’s usually: Oil/Gas, water, electricity . Next to each item note the monthly and annual cost. File this note, to then add updated costs if you install renewable and energy saving products
STEP 2
Consider ways of zero-ing your energy costs & your input to helping the environment: F or Water heating and Space heating – consider installing an Air Heat source pump. This attaches neatly to the outside of your Home, provides electricity and heating. How does it do this? It draws in fresh air from outside, through turbines, which create space & water heating
https://www.greenmatch.co.uk/blog/2016/02/pros-and-cons-ofair-source-heat-pumps
For Oil replacement – as above install an Air Heat source pump, so you can take out your Oil tank giving added room to your garden. What is oil doing for our planet? Not only is it due to run out, the process in extraction is damaging & the burning of oil, to you a fossil fuel, emits harmful CO2 emissions
Solar panels – next affordable item. If you have a south facing roof consider installing a few solar panels. In short, photovoltaic (more expensive) serves space heating and water heating. Basic solar panels (called collectors) are more affordable but are limited to water heating only. You need a water container for storage of the solar energy or batteries. Links as below
http://isle-eco.com/services/solar-thermal/
Water – rainwater collection to use for grey water. Why not? There are many quick and easy devices to achieve this and given the amount of rain each year your Home could really cash in therein zero-ing your Water rates.
STEP 3
Insulation
As you continue your Notes. Do your own recce survey of your Home. How much insulation do you have in your loft, ground floor, walls? Do you have double or single glazing?
Once you’ve established answers, consider the following:
Roof insulation, use insulation boards to go between the Roof rafters fitted internally is the most effective means of insulating your roof
Ground floor insulation – this is one of the worst areas for heat loss. Consider taking up the carpets if not new floor finishes in areas and install a minimum of 25-50mm Floor insulation, the old finish can be refitted over the top or consider some new floor finishes
Windows – consider installing double glazing if you don’t have it
Wall insulation – if cavity wall and no insulation consider the blown insulation method into the cavity. There are a few Installers
Words by Amanda Bond Amid these strange times I’ve been reflecting on connection and disconnection. Much of society’s ills are now attributed to a loss of connection with nature. We humans are connected through screens, but not generally to the cycles of seasons and growth happening outside our windows. More and more technology is infiltrating our lives to mimic natural processes…so many of us dream of ‘getting back to nature’ or living a slower, simpler life. What if…
locally. Or you can install an external new look cladding system with the necessary insulation.
https://www.kingspan.com/gb/en-gb/about-kingspan/kingspaninsulation
Extensions & Renovations
If you are thinking of extending or renovating, think of adding larger areas of glazing to the south of your home or glazed addition. This adds passive solar heating, yes it is separate to adding solar panels. In short it means with this key south facing glazing you add warmth to your home at no cost to you.
Overall
Now you’ve completed your own survey, how easy was that? A great intro to just what you can do for your Home and your pocket. The last bit, you will expect to have a period of time to pay for the products, usually given as a 5 year ‘pay back’ period. After this, it’s all for free. There will be a kit of parts for slick swift installation coming soon including options to the above. Watch this space!
Jane Blakeley BA Hons Dip Arch (King) Cert Urban Des RIBA
Remembering Our Connection – Biophilia
www.jfa-architects.org
Noticing the small things...
a daily practice of sitting or walking in nature, even in a city, wandering slowly appreciating that nature is everywhere. In a park, an arboretum, the centre of a roundabout blooming with wild flowers, a living wall, a roof garden, the surprise beauty of a magical garden glimpsed through a gate. If it’s a blue-skied day, turning your face to the sun for a few moments, appreciating the warmth and health benefits of that extra burst of Vitamin D.
Bringing nature indoors -
a simple collection of pine cones, conkers, seed heads and feathers in a special place can be replaced in the spring by snowdrops and violets, sunflowers, yarrow or mallow in the summer. We can realign ourselves with the seasons with such a simple practice.
Remembering our innate connection with nature is also panacea to the many stress factors that cause us to run hither and thither. Biophilia is the inherent human inclination to affiliate with nature that even in the modern world continues to be critical to people’s physical, emotional and mental wellbeing (Wilson 1986, Kellert and Wilson 1993, Kellert 1993, 2012). The human body, mind and senses evolved in a bio-centric world.
Humans need beneficial contact with nature, satisfactory occurrence of this is often highly challenging in today’s built environment. The resulting disconnect is reflected in inadequate contact with natural light, ventilation, materials, vegetation, views, natural shapes and forms, creating sensory deprivation.
Personal experience of working in such environments many years ago made me ill. Uprooting myself, without knowing what was next, travelling to places and immersing myself in nature laid the foundations for the work I do now. The resilience gained then as a consequence serves me well now in a time of great uncertainty.
Retraining over the last 14 years, delving into research, and developing nature-based practices has literally transformed my life and helped me to support others in doing likewise. Whilst undergoing training as a mindfulness-based psychotherapist I realised that I wished to operate outdoors. This didn’t fall in with the model, so I had to go out on my own, following my heart and intuition in finding a new pathway.
I found a framework that I could share with others in
Forest Therapy
offered by the Association of Nature and Forest Therapy Guides (ANFT) – an adaptation of the Japanese practice of Shinrin-Yoku or Forest Bathing. This is a research-based approach for supporting health and wellness by immersive, sensory experiences in forests and other natural landscapes, that promotes the wellbeing of people and nature.
instagram: wildedgewalker facebook: AmandaBondHumanNatureProject/ email: edgewalkernatureconnections@gmail.com
Half Wild Jersey
Words by Kalina Le Marquand
Half wild Jersey is a group of people committed to rewilding projects and planting trees. The original inspiration was E.O Wilson’s Half Earth theory that states that for the health of
the ecosystem, half of the surface of the Earth has
to be left wild and devoted to nature. That is where the name came from…
We aim to inspire people to help with this and maintaining the balance of tree and plant species in the local woodlands and our wildlife corridors; the hedgerows. This can be achieved by volunteers collecting native tree seeds from parks and pavements, from places that they will not be able to grow. We then suggest that they plant them in hedgerows and wild spaces that they know won’t be mowed or cut, or plant them in pots to be grown on and planted out in a few years.
Once the tree is grown, if they have no land or garden to plant them in, they can gift the trees to someone who has land, or find an area of woodland that is lacking in that species of tree.
The method of growing them on in pots, gives the seeds a better chance of germination and of surviving the dry spells of summer, and reduces the risk of the sapling being damaged by rats, mice or rabbits - ensuring a higher survival rate. We aim to encourage people to collect acorns, chestnuts, ash seeds, silver birch seeds, alder seeds, elder berries, hazelnuts, hawthorn berries, holly berries, sloes from the blackthorn and many, many more. These are all native tree species that are crucial for native wildlife. We also collect willow whips, the small branches that are often broken off by the wind; these will root very easily in a bucket of water. They can be planted out in wet areas in nature, or can be used to make living arches or fences.
Another wonderful reason to pick up the tree seeds that fall on the pavements or roads is to protect wildlife from being run over when they are feeding on them. Once we have collected our seeds for germination or planting we can help by putting as many of the remaining seeds into the hedgerows for animals to feed on.
Our efforts also relate to encouraging people to allow areas of their gardens to grow wild without cutting or removing any of the native plants that grow. We suggest taking up areas of slabs or decking to reveal the soil below which will be brimming with life in just a few weeks. We also encourage people to collect native wildflower seeds and spread them around. In meadows and hedgerows and wasteland these will quickly flourish if undisturbed.
I find this to be the most rewarding and valuable pastime that I have ever had. I would really recommend it to anyone who is interested in increasing biodiversity, protecting wildlife and is concerned about their carbon footprint.
It is a wonderfully absorbing hobby that is inexpensive and has so many rewards. I do hope that this will be of use as an inspiration to people who are interested…
please follow us on facebook: Half Wild Jersey
Journey To Zero Waste Jersey
Words by Louise Carson and Helen Morgan
The Facebook group, Journey to Zero Waste Jersey was set up in early 2019 by local Tasha Cormac to get help in reducing the waste produced in her home. The idea proved to be very popular and quickly gained hundreds of members locally. Two early members, Louise Carson and Helen Morgan, are now the main administrators of the group.
Helen says “I was so happy when I saw this group being set up. I’d been involved in Scoop (the Sustainable Co-operative) in a bid to start reducing my waste and saw this as a way to learn how to do more”. Helen Morgan with Ashlea Tracey of BBC Radio Jersey The recent partially successful petition to ban plastic carrier bags came from this group (picture shows Helen at BBC radio discussing the petition) - single use carrier bags will be banned from next year - but not all changes are as big. The group’s main purpose is to provide information and support to anyone who wants to start making changes - however small. For example - reducing bathroom waste from shampoo, toothpaste, etc and composting food waste at home; novel ideas for re-using items.
Louise says, “Group members often share ideas to forward their own journey but also work collaboratively on projects such as the bra recycling program that made a splash earlier this year. We’ve also worked in schools, introducing the Just One Tree dress down day to fund tree planting and to deliver information on lower waste lunchbox ideas to parents. We’ve held discussions with big and small local retailers on their plans and made suggestions that have been implemented, made reusable bags from T-shirts rejected for sale by charity shops for Olio and provided front line workers with reusable masks.”
The group now has over 2700 members and is still growing...
Recycle for Philip’s Footprints
works to recycle or send items for reuse. Money raised is used to fund the local charity Philip’s Footprints who support families who have lost a baby or child and invest in their Safer Pregnancy Projects – training, antenatal equipment and information for pregnant women, to reduce stillbirths, premature births and complications at birth, improving outcomes for Jersey babies.
The plastic items we work with are outside of the Island’s main recycling schemes. We collect plastic packaging from beauty products and household cleaning items. We are currently introducing new recycling streams and can accept Lego, used ink jet printer cartridges, CDs, DVDs, Games and much more. For further information please search for our Facebook group.
www.philipsfootprints.org
And finally – a few more words from our Editor…
At this time – MORE THAN EVER – our environment is of paramount importance...take care of it and it will take care of you! ‘Heal Yourself and Heal the Earth’ and every other Eco-cliché I can think of – there is no escaping – the responsibility is ours…let’s embrace it.
Into the light
Is it time for Jersey to embrace solar power?
HLG ASSOCIATES OFFERS AN EXPERT VIEW
There is a quiet revolution taking place. No noise, no fuss, no question the cause is a worthy one. Solar energy is coming out of the shade and into the light. This progressive movement is partly due to technology, or at least its price. A luxury consideration just a few years back, improving production techniques along with economies of scale now make solar panels a far more affordable prospect. Then there’s the future price of traditional energy. While legacy power and fuel companies may make every effort to keep charges down, over time energy costs can only really go in the opposite direction. Finally, and perhaps most significantly, is the green factor. Concern over climate change has moved from alternative to mainstream - even onto the streets. Pragmatic politicians – well many of them at least – have seen the light and embraced radical environmental policies. Set against such a backdrop, the future of fossil fuels looks very dim indeed. So, the forces of revolution are quietly powerful. While there may still be a few barricades in Jersey, they will surely be swept away by a popular rising. What are the options for anyone ready to embrace the cause? Or at least understand its creed? You could do it yourself. DIY solar kits exist for anyone prepared to invest the time and energy. Buy the materials, mount the panels, flick the switch. You could engage one of the solar panel installation companies now springing up to meet interest and demand. Plunge in, pay the money, get the job done. Or you could ask an independent expert for advice. Not the most radical choice, admittedly, but one you may come to appreciate pays dividends in the longer term. ‘While the premise of solar energy is relatively straightforward, the practice of actually installing can be quite complex,’ advances Jerry Willis of Jersey-based building consultants HLG Associates. ‘There are lots of variables involved, from potential planning permissions, to panel siting, to power tariffs. None intended as barriers to choosing solar energy, but if missed may well affect the potential benefits. Getting independent expert advice up front minimises this risk and maximises the prospect of a bright reward.’ Jerry recently joined HLG to help provide this advice. The move follows over 30-years working in the Channel Islands’ electricity generation and supply industry. It’s a time during which he saw solar energy make the slow and sometimes difficult transition from distinctly niche power source to something on the cusp of major adoption. And Jersey, he argues, should be a location where solar energy is a primary rather than potential consideration. ‘We enjoy the most sun of anywhere in the British Isles, and while not Mediterranean by any means, Jersey is well placed to offer residents and businesses the benefits of solar energy. An independent expert can work with them to make the right choices from the beginning, helping assure maximum benefits in the end. This is especially true for businesses considering their future power options.’
For Jerry, a typical client engagement starts with a low-cost initial survey to determine the viability of solar energy for any location. What is the present or planned power consumption for example? Are the panels best roof or ground mounted? Can the electricity generated be used solely on site or is there an option to export into the local grid and therefore recoup some of the capital outlay? ‘Once viability is proven, our engagement can stop there,’ Jerry concludes, ‘or continue through a supplier tender process, liaison with planning and electricity company and installation project management. It’s a client choice. What we want is to see solar energy come into the light in Jersey – by supporting a quiet rather than costly revolution.’
Is it time to wake up and smell the coffee?
Find out how to reduce yor energy use, your carbon footprint and your energy bill by contacting HLG Associates on 01534 888135
