Light Pollution
The CPRE (Campaign to Protect Rural England) recently reported that light pollution in Suffolk is encroaching on rural life more than ever. The new research brings together maps for the early 1960s and 1990s with new maps and data for 2007.
They show the extent of urban intrusion, including major infrastructure such as motorways, power stations, and airports. Currently 50% of England is disturbed by the sights and sounds of the way we live. More detailed analysis per county shows that this disturbance in Suffolk has risen from 16% of the total county area to almost 38% in 2007.
Quick definitions from http://www.britastro.org
* Light pollution - Light that shines where it is neither needed nor wanted
* Good lighting - Lighting that shines only onto the ground -where it is needed!
* Bad lighting - Lighting that shines outwards into homes and upwards in to sky
According to the CPRE Light pollution:
* destroys our view of the night sky
* wastes energy - thereby adding to air pollution and emissions of climate changing greenhouse gases
* harms people's quality of life. For example, it can rob us of sleep when it shines into our homes
The problem is getting worse. Between 1993 and 2000:
* light pollution increased 24% nationally
* the amount of truly dark night sky in this country fell from 15% to 11%
We have to ask whether all these lights at night are necessary, how we can better choose our night lights and also what effect they may cause on other species natural habitats and lives. Bats are one species often confused by extended hours of light, whilst changes caused to insects behaviour from excessive light is thought to threaten frogs and birds also. Read more :www.lightpollution.org.uk
The British Astronomical Association has a great website packed with information about light pollution www.britastro.org
For indepth maps of light pollution in Suffolk and further stats see www.cpre.org.uk
Foraging
I think I am obsesssed. In the past week I have collected blackberries, apples, elderberries, sloes, sorrel and hazelnuts from our plentiful hedgerows. Then I have been causing chaos in the kitchen by being in a mad rush to make recipes from them whilst they're fresh... and now my hands are purple.
We have had three blackberry and apple cakes and made elderberry cordial. Some recipes I have found are from totally dated and untrendy cookbooks whilst others have been tracked down on the internet with it's infinite sources of information. For lunch today I made sorrel omlette, something I haven't tried before - that recipe came from a book "The Wild Gourmets" which follows "award-winning cook Thomasina Miers and adventurer Guy Grieve as they search for the best wild food in Britain, turning seasonal food into sumptuous feasts" it's also a televised series on tomorrow 8.30pm opn Channel 4 and this week they are in East Anglia - hope I remember to watch.
Obviously foraging for food is one mind-step on from buying local /organic food or growing your own. When you start looking you realise what a wealth of opportunity is going for the large part unnoticed. There are so many blackberry bushes laden with ripe fruit at the moment it seems incredible that people are buying blackberries in plastic punnets in supermarkets. Todays consumers are so obsessed with finding the cheapest we are almost overlooking the obvious - free food. It's also a great way to see the seasons go by, watch the countryside change and to feel pride in your ability to source the best .... biggest, fattest, juiciest !
I haven't foraged for mushrooms - not brave enough, I do have a mushroom identification book but when I looked at the images they all seemed indistinguishably similiar so I'm just hoping that one day I'll meet a mushroom forager who'll be able to point me in the right direction.. and I want to watch them eat the mushrooms first.
Love this website : http://www.wildmanwildfood.co.uk
Flying Egg
I love the idea of this and will definitely be entering the competition!
All you have to do is make an umbrella from recycled materials and parade it in Southwold on September 23rd.
Live Earth
Yes, Suffolk is part of the Earth last time I checked so I suppose this is aimed at us too !
Live Earth is effectively Al Gores Live8 / Band Aid - global concert type thing - aimed at further broadening our awareness of impending Climate Crisis. Whilst this is a worthy concept I always find these things slightly lacking - so much passion and hullabaloo on one day followed by endless inaction. And the celebrities annoy me - as one teenager on Newsnight said yesterday the celebrity lifestyles are not helping.
However that's a bah humbug approach so let's embrace the "more the merrier" ideal - I sincerely hope that those that see this concert will be further convinced that they too support action and will make changes in their lifestyles and encourage others. All the boring - "ooh but Climate Change isn't really happening is it" " didn't you see 'the Great Global Warming Swindle' ?" miight just change their minds if Madonna and Snow Patrol says it's ok.
It's LIVE on BBC2 from 1pm then BBC1 from 5.30pm. See you there.
Suffolk Homeworkers and Shedworkers
I know a lot of people who work from home locally; either people who run their own business from home or who are employed elsewhere but manage to spend some of their time working from home. As Suffolk is within easy commuting distance to London, Cambridge or Norwich the area lends itself easily to this style of working.
For large companies like BT, homeworking or flexi-working has definitely been touted as an eco-friendly choice: less office space needed and less transport usage. However now that businesses are starting to green up their act in regard to energy efficiency it seems that working from home could increase overall CO2 output if you are not being as energy efficient at home. Uh oh.
The Ampere Strikes Back report from the Energy Saving Trust (EST) said: "The rise in the phenomenon of the home office and the popularity of working from home has led to an increase in the number of homes kitted out with a range of equipment that used to only be seen in the workplace."
By 2020, the EST predicts entertainment, computers and gadgets will account for 45 per cent of electricity used in the home.
What's the answer ?
Hmm ..Recycle all your old high energy consuming PC equipment - have it reconditioned and sent to Africa where they can run up huge bills using it - and increase their very small carbon footprint; buy some whizzy new energy efficient laptop plus add ons (but was it manufactureed in an energy eficient manner - what about the extra use of resources in creating yet more gadgetry ? Were the chips made using ethically sourced minerals ? And how soon will it all be out of date and defunct because there is no more energy left to power anything ?
Well, the Energy Saving Trust have some far more balanced and sensible answers .. so i'll guide you to them !
Mustn't forget those that work from the bottom of the garden - it is after all National Shed Week 2007 - the first ever. See the winner here. Have a look at this blog if you are thinking of being or all ready are a "shedworker". www.shedworkers.co.uk
Be warned - these websites are very addictive ... I want a shed !!!
Be the Change . .
"You may never know what results come of your actions but if you do nothing there will be no results" -Gandhi
I know as well as anybody how busy life is; how tiresome it can be and therefore how difficult it can be to make even very small changes to the general routine of life. I feel exhausted at the moment, totally zapped of energy to the point that I accidentally slammed a door in my own face this morning - how stupid..I was most annoyed because of the time delay it caused -which shows the kind of permanent stress that we live with sometimes.
However i resolutely believe that if we could all begin by making some very small changes in our lifestyles the knock-on effect would be enormous. I feel this is already happening to some extent, a small wave of discontent at lack of action is resulting in individuals taking responsibility and bringing with it a wave of new possibilities and inspiration. Being "Green" is no longer the anathema it used to be.
This is not a new phenomenon, we have been here before - granting votes to all men and women, the abolition of slavery, the overthrowing of despots, different countries achieving Independence - all things which at one time in history would have appeared impossible to change - but they did, and the majority would argue that the changes brought great benefits.
So it can happen; the question is - Will you make those small changes ?
Cycling in Suffolk
This is Ken and Margaret Saunders who run the Suffolk Tandem Club 
I believe Suffolk is a perfect place to cycle. The roads are fairly quiet, there are no unmanageable hills /mountains /valleys and probably only 3 roads I would deliberately avoid - the A14, A12, and A140 - though there are suitable places to cross these roads - should the need arise. In our towns I believe we could do more to encourage the use of bicycles - more and better cycle lanes, better facilites to secure bicycles in towns and workplaces and encourage schools to help children who would like to cycle. We only need look across the sea to Holland for ideas.
I love cycling and recently told my husband that I was going to start collecting bicycles now that we have a little more space (he was not amused) but that way I can have a bicycle suitable for every occasion. For example I am supposed to be jumping on a train to London in a minute - I would love to take a bike with me - but really need a fold-up if I am going to be last minute about it - otherwise it is prudent to check availability as most trains can only carry a few bikes - and I once got caught out and had to stay a night in Bristol because of the lack of bicycle facilities on one train. Also - I would like to cycle to the train station and leave my bike overnight - but I think I need a suitably tatty one that no one else would be interested in and there is a distinct lack of bike racks. I am very inspired by some residents of my village who have about 30 bicycles, in various states of repair, they do not own a car and cycle everywhere on a tandem tricycle - I should mention here that they are great grandparents so I am truly impressed.
Cycling Info in Suffolk this is a link to a great resource of information regarding cycle routes and cycling holidays all in Suffolk - there are several companies covering different areas.
Cycling Clubs in Suffolk - join in - get fit - stay healthy!
Forget Glastonbury !
Polstead had everything the avid festival goer needed this weekend. Music, beer tent, food, grotty toilet and inevitably: rain.
Polstice 2007
Village Fetes
Oooh I love a good village fete ... a sunny day, cream teas, childrens races, plant stalls, books, bric a brac and more or less the whole village out and about mooching around being pleasant !
A couple of weeks ago a group of us descended upon Beyton Fayre and it was lovely, the weather was perfect and the day neverending. Beyton fayre did seem to have a few modern twists which I'm sure added to its fundraising ability.. they had an auction of promises, fruit kebabs, a local collection of old vehicles, and even a quiz about the local environment. Then, in the evening, a fairground tent with a band from Diss and fairy lights, straw bales and a bar on the green all added to the timeless feel. I enjoyed myself and no doubt everyone else did too.
Conservation in Suffolk
Tomorrow morning I am going to be really filthy, as I will probably be knee deep in a smelly pond. I will be helping BEG to clean up Oak Tree Pond in Beyton. All around Suffolk there are many small groups of volunteers who carry out conservation work on their local environmen ( if you know of one - email me and I'll blog you !). Its a great way to meet local people, connect with similiar minds and learn new skills. Over the years i have helped with coppicing, tree felling, rubbish collection all of which have made me look at the environment around me in great detail and with renewed interest. 10 to 20 people giving an hour or two of weekend time can have an amazing impact on a neglected area.
The Suffolk Wildlife Trust does conservation work all over Suffolk with a small army of volunteers and they have local area groups too. On a national basis Campaign for the Protection of Rural England (CPRE) is a realm of information and volunteering with a Suffolk based group the Suffolk Preservation Society(SPS) based in Lavenham. This isn't all about dirty work though - these volunteers tackle conservation by lobbying the planning offices to preserve the suffolk countryside and encourage sustainable planning.
