Youth Food Movement

Does the following list tempt your taste buds?

• Chocolate brownies, made with a hint of beetroot, to give a creamy sweet texture.

• Sensual cheese that had a powerfully flavour making you nibble it like a addictive mouse.

• Vodka distilled the old fashioned way, made with potatoes that give it a varied amount of sweet flavours and a peppery after taste

• Raw wild oysters, that have earthy grassy tones with a dash of salt. And cooked oysters with a dash of lemon plus Tabasco sauce giving a spicy zing to your pallet.

Maybe I ate all this food in the wrong 'meal' order. - but each was just, a perfect statement to suggest that what appears in our main supermarkets is a little bit pants.

And maybe I didn't learn the name of the cheese, or where the oysters came from – but I learnt oyster Martinis are a pure alcoholic orgasm.

       

This is the Youth Food Movements doing. 

A UK wide, but international found organisation which is all about

young farmers, cooks, artisans, activists and students actively changing the future of food and farming. Sharing the goal of bringing more food that is good, clean and fair to their communities. Plus the principles of justice and sustainability to local and regional food systems.

and there have just started the ball rolling in creating a London based network, to promote and create this different food future within the capital.

Thus explaining why I was able to spend a night feasting on the simply gorgeous delicacies listed above. As they arranged a launch night within the bowels of The People's Supermarket , near Russell Square tube station.

It is a great idea to have a London hub – God knows, I still have to learn to cook more stuff then pasta and find more sustainable food then what could be in supermarkets.

I'm guessing many of you fellow London youth feel the same?

So allies like The Peoples Supermarket and the UK Youth Climate Coalition will join them in making London YFM develop and you can to, via:- signing up to their mailing list online, Facebook, Twitter (@YFMUK) and by joining them in future London meetings.

Lets all get out there and find good, clean, fair food and celebrate our future achievements with oyster Martini's

Youth Food Movement

Does the following list tempt your taste buds?

• 
  

  Chocolate brownies, made with a hint of beetroot, to give a creamy sweet texture.

  
  
• 
  

  Sensual cheese that had a powerfully flavour making you nibble it like a addictive mouse.

  
  
• 
  

  Vodka distilled the old fashioned way, made with potatoes that give it a varied amount of sweet flavours and a peppery after taste

  
  
• 
  

  Raw wild oysters, that have earthy grassy tones with a dash of salt. And cooked oysters with a dash of lemon plus Tabasco sauce giving a spicy zing to your pallet.

Maybe I ate all this food in the wrong 'meal' order. - but each was just, a perfect statement to suggest that what appears in our main supermarkets is a little bit pants.

And maybe I didn't learn the name of the cheese, or where the oysters came from – but I learnt oyster Martinis are a pure alcoholic orgasm.

                          

This is the Youth Food Movements doing. 

A UK wide, but international found organisation which is all about

young farmers, cooks, artisans, activists
 and students actively changing the future of food and farming. Sharing the goal
 of bringing more food that is good, clean and fair to their communities. Plus the principles of justice and
 sustainability to local and regional food systems.

 

and there have just started the ball rolling in creating a London based network, to promote and create this different food future within the capital.

Thus explaining why I was able to spend a night feasting on the simply gorgeous delicacies listed above. As they arranged a launch night within the bowels of The People's Supermarket , near Russell Square tube station.

It is a great idea to have a London hub – God knows, I still have to learn to cook more stuff then pasta and find more sustainable food then what could be in supermarkets.

I'm guessing many of you fellow London youth feel the same?

So allies like The Peoples Supermarket and the UK Youth Climate Coalition will join them in making London YFM develop and you can to, via:- signing up to their mailing list online, Facebook, Twitter (@YFMUK) and by joining them in future London meetings.

Lets all get out there and find good, clean, fair food and celebrate our future achievements with oyster Martini's

Pens Vs Pencils

I like pens and I like pencils…….but which is carbon footprint better?  There's only one way to find out, FIGHT! 

 

 

                 VS

 

 

Both writing implements have been going strong since Ancient Egyptian times – both have undertaking different forms since and both have been more popular within certain areas depending on resources.

Firstly the typical pencils of today, were first created in the 17th century via heating up ground up graphite & clay into a thin strip to place within a wood casing (before this pencils were raw stripes of graphite)

Nowadays annually -14 billion are produced, with over half of these coming from China.

If every bit of an average tree is used – 172,000 pencils could be made. But we know this isn't the case, whole forests must have been wiped out for the next budding Picasso or school art project.

Whilst the typical pen (not one of these fancy uber expensive ones) – needed to wait until plastic was commercial available to be made into casing. The ink itself, can be a complex medium, composed of solvents, pigments, dyes, resins, lubricants, solubilises, surfactants, particulate matter, fluoresces, and other materials.

which all leads to environmental issues concerning volatile organic compounds, heavy metals and non-renewable oil. use Not forgetting annually around 1600000000 pens per year are chucked out just in the USA

So the WINNER must be pencils, even if they all come from China.  The wood can be sustainably managed, or you can have one of those funky pencils made out of plastic cups.

However you will be buggered if you have no nearby sharpener.

It is a moral but POINTLESS victory. 

Green Jobs

I am one of those people that aims for a green job; a career that in whatever small way leads to being a savour of the world.

Reasons for this:-

• Climate change is happening, within the 24 years of life – I am able to give hundreds of examples of it destroying environments and peoples lives.
• I love the idea of working within a communication sector that is not all about profit, but aims to create great change individually, within a community, a nation, a continent, a whole planet!
• I have grown up with superhero’s on the brain and without coming into contact with radioactive material or wearing my pants on the outside, this is the nearest I get to saving the world

They is a slight issue with this career goal however.

The United Nations Environment Programme define Green Jobs as

Work in agricultural, manufacturing, research and development (R&D), administrative, and service activities that contribute substantially to preserving or restoring environmental quality. Specifically, but not exclusively, this includes jobs that help to protect ecosystems and biodiversity; reduce energy, materials, and water consumption through high efficiency strategies; de-carbonize the economy; and minimize or altogether avoid generation of all forms of waste and pollution.*

which covers quite a lot of different varied jobs – so how come – there are so few about?

OK that’s a little white lie. Day-by-day in my search for the perfect full time job, they has been a general small increase in opportunities and roles that involve some sort of sustainable, environmental aspect.

Its just none seem applicable for graduates.
you need ‘at least 2-3 years experience’ a ‘blah blah blah qualification’ and a ‘high level of something you never were taught at university’ 

Therefore the only way to get a job is to work hard get those years of experience behind you so that one day you will get that fantastic job and you will in turn push aside those recent and growing number of graduates aiming for a green job.

Will this continue?

Will the unbelievable happen and an army of green jobs appear that have been promised for the last couple of years by the government and others?

Will companies, organisations, groups charities etc realise that whilst these recent graduates do not have 2-3 years of labour behind them -  they are keen, they want to save the planet and they can actually pick things up quite quickly. (This of course does not include clothes on the floor) 

Maybe..We the graduates have to be the ones to push this to happen.
If we can complain to friends and family about the job situation, why can’t we push this to those who could make the change.

After all we are now voters, We will be joined by 4/5 years of new voters. What can stop us?**

*http://www.unep.org/PDF/UNEPGreenjobs_report08.pdf 

**The only answer I am accepting is global destruction.

The Only Hero The World Needs

2050 - Green and clean?

The Only Superhero The World Needs

By Simon 21st August 10

During the early 90’s, Superhero cartoons and TV shows were kicking ass. There was the Marvel cartoons of Spiderman and X-men, Power Rangers and this guy

CAPTAIN PLANET.

The most righteous, camp, mullet haired superhero ever!
He has no clear super ability, so he is able to do basically anything!                                                 

In addition he taunts baddies with puns and has the amazing catchphrase of – The Power Is Yours.

So what’s his deal then

Gaia (Mother Earth) wakes up and finds out that the human race is destroying the planet, so she sends out 5 magic rings that control elements of nature (Earth, Wind, Fire, Water and Heart) to 5 special youngsters named the planeteers, who then travel the world defeating the bad guys. If they are really in trouble they put the power of the 5 rings together and BAM, Captain Planet saves the day.

FACT: Many famous actors voiced characters in the 113 episodes – Jeff Goldblum, Meg Ryan, Whoopie Goldberg, Sting, Dan Ackroyd &  Elizabeth Taylor

the Eco-Villains are the best though.

• Hoggish Greedly: Pig like human representing overconsumption
• Looten Plunder: Greedy businessman representing uncontrolled capitalism
• Duke Nukem: A radioactive mutant to do with nuclear power
• Verminous Skumm: A rat creature representing poor sanitation
• Dr. Blight: Mad scientist who uses uncontrolled technology
• Captain Pollution: Opposite of Captain Plant (obviously) He once reproduced the 5 rings into evil  versions of Radiation, Deforestation, Smog, Toxics and Hate.

FACT: Has the title for first ever kids cartoon, to deal with HIV/Aids and to mention sex.

The episodes are very over-the-top. In the episode ‘Polluting by Computer’ the Eco-Villains break into the government computer system and change all the National Parks stats so they can dump toxic waste there……..OK some of you are now saying that’s not that far fetched.

It would be great if Captain Planet returns to the screen. Teaching more kids about the issues around climate change, waste, sanitation and all things sustainable. Its message would be as clear as ever, as every kid knows about recycling and wind-farm these days. I think they just need two more Eco-Villains. one to do with oil and the other to do with government.

Who else agrees with me?

Boris's Bikes

The Barclays Cycle Hire, or as everyone else is calling it Boris’s Bike’s (Fitting into the view of him being a megalomaniac, who owns every single one of them, and will one day use them as some sort of tool to gain greater power – cue evil bumbling laugh) have rolled out across London.

By 2015 this splendour of sustainable travel will consist of :-

■5000 Bikes

■350 Docking Stations

■12 Cycle Superhighways
(The nearest to Richmond will be running through Honslow)

Spread all over greater London and with more then 1200 people signed up, no one can knock it for being a bad idea ‘sustainable, low carbon travel’ is a big thing these days.

Be wary though, as soon as one person goes under a bus on one of these bikes; the tabloids will change their tune and call for the scheme to be scrapped and Boris to be hung from the Tower of London.

So what other challenges do TFL, Boris and Barclays face in the future

Well all the people that want to cycle in London; most likely already own a bike

The price for some seems more pricy then the bus or tube :-

Free first 30mins, though this does not include the fact that you have to pay a £1 access fee, or get a membership key for £3. An hours use is £1, rising to £15 for four hours. If for what ever reason your are unable to return the bike after 24 hours its a £150 fine.
This is standard though – the Paris Vélib’ is exactly the same and has grown into the worlds largest cycle hire scheme.

That someone has already figured out how, to make a fake membership key and thus steal a bike (Vélib’ since starting in 2007, has had over 3000 bikes stolen)

THEN they is ridiculous issue that whilst Boris plans to reduce carbon emissions and look sustainable using the scheme – He is actually cutting out a proportion of the Congestion Charge area, allowing roughly 30,000 cars back into central London – and thus increasing its air pollution, already stated as the worst in Europe..

But how about positives

Paris’s scheme has grown over the years due to better cycle routes, tourists seeing it as viable option to getting on one of those buses and transport strikes. (London is quite good at this) It will also benefit to the health of Londoners, who may end up dusting of their own bikes after riding one and help cut down on personal carbon emissions. We could even get to see drunk people falling off bikes more often, Fantastic!

I’m also sure, it isn't long until other cycle schemes appear in UK major cities, as if the bicycle is a brand new invention that everyone must own, just like those fruit based technology pad things.

So watch out for those cyclist coming soon

Green Parks

As you may of heard recently Richmond Borough achieved 9 Green Flag Awards for 9 of our fantastic parks.

Our reporter in the field – Went out to investigate

 

                                                                             reporters field

To achieve a Green Flag Award, the park must comply with 8 key features.

• Be a welcoming place
• Healthy, safety and secure
• Clean and well maintained
• Sustainable
• Conservation & heritage
• Community involvement
• Marketing
• Management

Well as I travelled the stretch of the borough from East Sheen to Hampton, peeking a look at the parks or sitting on the grassy verges to rest my weary feet – you could tell how these parks stood out.
For one they had people in them, doing a range of activities and on another point,  the parks did not just feel like an open space – playgrounds, kiosks, tennis courts, cricket pitches skate parks, flower beds, scenery and wildlife make them feel homely and fit the bill for Cliff’s song ‘English Country Garden’

• Twickenham Green, Twickenham. Or as I like to call it Twickenham Cricket Stadium
• Hatherop Park, Hampton. A little gem, tucked into the corner of the Borough
• Palewell Common and Field, East Sheen. A mini Richmond Park, shhh don’t tell the tourists
• York House Gardens, Twickenham. Fact. this location stars in the Michael Caine movie ‘Alfie’
• Terrace and Buccleuch Gardens, Richmond. You must have legs of steal, to climb the hill here

• The Kings Field, Hampton Wick. Huge field + skate park = the place where all the cool sporty youngsters go
• Richmond Green, Richmond. Sometimes its quicker to take a detour via the green, then to walk the narrow High street
• Kneller Gardens, Twickenham. Just built a new play park and kiosk + it has an added bonus of being next to the River Crane
• Radnor Gardens, Twickenham. It may flood once in a while, but you have to give it credit for its River Thames views.

In addition, If you live near to these parks and would like to becoming involved, many have their own group which REN aids and supports. http://www.richenvironmentnet.org.uk/Groups-database.aspx

As its the Summer and you are stuck with the kids for several weeks – then take this opportunity to search these parks, greens, gardens and fields out. – happy wandering.

A new weapon against lazy unenvironmental people

The other week, this article appeared within the London Metro

World's oldest woman Antisa Khvichava turns 130:
Antisa Khvichava, a woman from a remote village in west Georgia, has turned 130, making her the oldest person in the world by 16 years, officials claimed.

Yes, this claim is suspect. Being born in 1880, losing her birth certificate and having a child at 60, who is now himself 70.

But what about the official oldest people in the world - Eugénie Blanchard (1896-) Walter Breuning (1896-) and the UK record holders Eunice Bowman (1898-) and Claude Choules(1901-)

What is the one thing they all have in common apart from being old, grey and wrinkly?

Whenever a journalist comes knocking on their door asking ‘why they have lived so long’ secretly hoping that they will state ‘oh, I’ve got the fountain of youth in my back garden’
The boring answer they actually receive is ‘I keep myself busy and working.’

Now, I have lived through the lazy teenage years, eating sweets and playing the latest GTA consistently. However I now find myself being uber busy, undertaking more opportunities and roles then physically possible, whilst also being addicted to twitter and chocolate digestives. With the added bonus of believing I’m fitter and healthy then ever!

So when my friends say ‘I cannot be bothered to recycle because it takes too much energy’ or ‘doing community work is pointless as I know one day I will move somewhere else’

Due to the presented evidence I can say something along the lines of -
If you recycle, if you do community work, if you do all the environmental and sustainable stuff that is, as evidence suggests good for the planet – you will keep yourself consistently busy and working hard just like Antisa Khvichava the oldest woman in the world has been doing for the last 130 years!

What is more persuasive then that? Living forever and annoying your great-great-great-great-great grandchildren. Due to helping save the planet,

So yes, this blog has just confirmed and given you further artillery in turning people and friends green.
Use it well.

Environmental Music

A Few weeks ago I blogged about films with an environmental meaning. So it makes perfect sense to delve into the world of music.

the small choice here concerns songs that I like and are

A) not done by hippies, who get over a clear message – but have this hidden sense of being on drugs and believe love to be the only answer (I’m afraid this includes John Lennon - sorry)

B) not part of the world music genre. Its all good having some Peruvian music with in a film, TV etc when you are showing how a family or community cope in Peru. But not many of us would gladly listen to it unless we were hippies.

Manic Street Preachers – ‘If You Tolerate This Then Your Children Will Be Next’
So its really about the Spanish Civil War, being a quote upon a poster to recruit idealistic volunteers.

Isn't that what most of us climate orientated youth are? Plus we are thinking of our future and the future our kids live in – therefore it fits perfectly.

Jamiroquai - ‘When You Gonna Learn?’

Within Jamiroquai’s Greatest hits CD pamphlet it stated that they were ahead of their time singing about fish stocks and its true – I don’t even think you can get away with it in 2010

Joni Mitchell - ‘Big Yellow Taxi’

Parking lots, tree museum, the use of synthetic pesticide. She covers it all and makes you realise you don’t know what your got until its gone.

Marvin Gaye - ‘Mercy Mercy Me’

If you don't actual listen to the lyrics, you might think he is trying to swoon you into bed – that might be possible, but what he is really is stating is that we F*** the world.

Jack Johnson - ‘The 3 R’s’

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle. made for the film Curious George. but it is very simple and very catchy.

The Kinks - ‘Apeman’

To me this song is about one of those posh people who believe they save the world just by being a vegetarian. But one day it hits them, that they are just the same as everyone else and should really do more about it – stand up and fight.

Bad Religion - ‘Kyoto Now’

A song that should get credit as its all about the Kyoto Protocol of 1997 & a USA ‘Kyoto Now’ student led movement to cut down CO2

Pixies - ‘Monkey Gone To Heaven’

This particular monkey is ‘killed by ten million pounds of sludge from New York and New Jersey’ simple connection really

Michael Jackson - ‘Earth Song’

WOW its the King of Pop saving the children of the world by written a song that sold millions of copies worldwide and had a video costing $3.5 million.

Being the King he could of made a video from REAL LIFE torment and destruction, instead of having pre-planned trees falling down on cue. Then gave the money to charities.

Though I guess that wouldn't look as cool.

You can find all these songs on YouTube, Last Fm, MySpace, Spotify

Bonn Climate Change Conference Pt 3

The best way to understand what actions the youth took at Bonn, to change negotiators opinions and their actions within the many meetings their attend.

Is to let you click on these two videos made by Danny Hutley, a Southampton Uni student.

 

not bad for us youth.
and has lead to us making a difference, connecting to those in suits.

You can tell, the time was taking to learn about what was being talked about; so that the actions we took were accurate and made the negotiators think.

You can also tell that the youth from around the world were truly united in what they were doing and what they believed in.

you may also be wearing a smile on your face because of the shear AWESOME-NESS of it!!!

Bonn Climate Change Conference Pt 2

The youth within the Bonn climate change talks going on this week, are from a mixture of nations, UK, Nepal, Australia, German, French, Zimbabwe, Sweden, Denmark and others.
Many of them have also gone there out of choice and not getting paid for their efforts. (Including moi)

Thus if you were going to split this motley crew of climate campaigners into certain categories, you could go for the groups of -

Unaccredited: These youth turned up for the excitement, because they knew it was important and to check out the stuff going on in Bonn (talks, climate camp) which they could gain entry for.

Accredited: many of those from the UK were accredited via www.350.org, meaning they could enter certain UN talks and gain experience on what it was all about. Here’s a blog all about it – UK youth at UNFCCC

Young Friends of the Earth: Two people gained accreditation via the organisation that had 25 placements in all. Two out of 25, does not sound like much, but be assured that they were loud and passionate enough to kick up a good UN fuss.

UNFairplay:A group of youth were there to support smaller nations, who could not afford or have several negotiators at Bonn, giving them a bigger voice amongst those who actually are causing the most carbon emissions.

Adopt a negotiator: this scheme started of in Copenhagen, but gathered speed and lead to being part of YOUNGO– a youth movement that gained constituency status within these UNFCCC meetings. That we all then fell into.

But no matter if their gained entry to the conference or got paid for their efforts. What brought them all together was the aspect of action and making the negotiators discuss and act in making the low-carbon future we all would want and are aiming for.

All of these young people (or shall I say YOUNGO) met up daily to discuss what is going on and what actions can we take. We talked to negotiators from around the world and mingled with those from Non-Government Organisations. We even had an international youth meeting to discuss goings-on globally, COP16 in Mexico and what we could do together as a collective.
But did we actually make any sodden difference whilst at Bonn? did the actions we take lead to anything?

Blog 3 coming up.

Bonn Climate Change Convention. Pt 1

Bonn in Germany is famous for a couple of reasons – Beethoven, Haribo, being the capital of West Germany and for being the home of many a UN Intercessional.
Last December, the latest craze within the media and the environmental world was Copenhagen and the climate talks. Everyone was hoping for a deal to be placed on the table which would save the world from future climate change, for every country represented in the UN to agree on a certain percentage to cut down their carbon emissions by. – For there to be a moment, that would change history and would become as significant as the fall of the Berlin wall or man walking on the moon.

However- we know this did not happen, for what ever reason no country could agree on a percentage of carbon cuts. At the end of this conference we were left with defining images of human failure.

But what next? Climate issues may not grab the front headlines like it did in December anymore, but that does not mean talks are still happening.

The meetings are giving the catchy abbreviation of UNFCCC (United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change) and they happens roughly 3 times a year, in the lead up to a huge convention in December a.ka. Copenhagen.
Though this year, it shall be moving to Cancun in Mexico.

These intercessionals, are so much more important then the big end of year events – As it is within Bonn where the little things are sorted out, which can make or break a fantastic climate deal.
It is monotonous as all they do is talk about stuff that makes no sense to a novice or they talk about whether a comma is in the right place of a document statement.

Maybe a metaphor will help in this instance
The UNFCCC is like baking a cake. In December you get the finished product of that years baking. However if you did not put in the right amount of eggs, flour, sugar, or baked it thoroughly – you end up with a sodden mess that no one practically likes.

Youth love cake! Thus it is no surprise to find youth attending the UNFCCC bake of.
Aiming to make it a delicious, sugary mess. That ever nation – developed, developing, small island can enjoy.
But how you ask? What do the youth do?

That shall be answered in part 2

Plastic Bags

Plastic bags are the scorn upon our environmental lives. I am one of those people who always state at the counter ‘ I would not like a plastic bag please’ then on the way home I silently grrrr at those holding a plastic bag.

Of course I have joined up with the Greener Upon Thames

plastic-bag-free campaign. aiming to persuade the UK government to ban, or introduce a realistic levy on plastic bags within London but hopefully leading to a zero-waste world.

But I have a problem, no matter how hard I try, how hard I make my housemates change to taking a bag-for-life – they seems to be a big collection within a draw. waiting for that day, in which they will be put to use.
But what use? what can be down with a huge collection of bags?

An internet search has come up with all these good- if sometimes odd ideas.

• Protectors – for shoes, cookbooks, hands,
• As knee pads, sandals and rain hats
• wrapping paper
• plant pot filler
• wet umbrella holders
• make-shift chopping board
• paintbrush perseveres
• small bin bags
• dog leash                                        Spitting image of my Gran
• decorative wall flowers
• door snake, to stop drafts
• For knitting
• handing them down generation-to-generation, just in case they come in use.

Or of course we can recycle plastic bags at certain depot’s however – they seem to be few and far between.

http://www.recyclenow.com/what_can_i_do_today/can_it_be_recycled/plastic/carrier_bags.html

Do you have any more ideas on plastic bag usage?

Simon.Howlett

Environmental Films

Nowadays it seems a new environmental documentary is released every week, what with the success of the genre hitting the mainstream due to Michael Moore's efforts and Al Gore’s An Inconvenient truth. It now seems sensible for anyone who believes in a partially issue to grab film equipment and present the facts to hopefully bring chance in political, social and environmental attitudes. this includes

• The Age Of Stupid
• Pig Business
• The Cove
• The 11th Hour

All very hard hitting and popular within environmental and sustainable circles.

But the films that really matter, the films that reach a larger audience and make more money then documentaries. Are films with plots, characters, romance and action. Therefore here follows a list of films that have a blatant or hidden environmental message, that you can sneakily shows those people who don’t really care just in case it changes they perception of climate change.

The Day After Tomorrow

Concept of this film is that the North Atlantic Drift that predominantly keeps the UK warm with warm Caribbean water (cannot be bothered to go into the science for why) fails and within a day the whole of America and London turns to snow and ice. Why did it fail? – because of climate change. Is it any good? well its a nice adventure film, however if you try and explain the science behind it, you will be meet by blank faces who are thinking about the CGI wolves.

Water World

The film with the worst budget-to-open weekend ratio ever and to be fair, it is a little bit pants. The world is a world of water, Kevin Costner has webbed feet and Dennis Hooper plays a baddie. (again) They saviour is a little girl that has a map of land tattooed on her back. At one point webbed Costner takes a lady-friend to the bottom of the ocean to show her – you can guess it – a modern 1990’s city submerged with cars and fire hydrants. by the end they find land, which one must presume is the top of Everest looking all green and with horses on it.

Mad Max

Mel Gibson is mad, he travels around helping people, but you know he is mad – he has hardly any petrol damn it! Its some year in the future, there is no oil, solar power cars haven't even been thought of as a travel option in the Aussie outback – not even bicycles??? but the point is there, one day we will run out of oil and we will all be mad

Dances With Wolves

This film is a bit more abstract – so a guy (Kevin Costner again) from the more developed world and gets to know the local natives, until he is inducted as one of them. Then his old friends turn up destroy there homes, decimate their livelihoods and general take over. Yay colonialism. Yay destruction of the Prairielands.

FernGully: The Last Rainforest

So there is this human lumberjack guy, who finds himself magically transformed into a forest spirit, he then spends some time with the animals getting to know them, until one day the humans descend to cut down more rainforest, cue a battle to save the last rainforest.

Furry Vengeance

A kids film newly released at the cinema, a building developer, moves to a pristine forest location to start work on a new town – cue the woodland animals putting the guy into hilarious situations to make the young ones laugh, until he understands that he must help them save the forest. you have to be very basic with kids films!

Avatar

So there is this human guy who goes to a planet to help collect its resources until he joins the natives etc.. etc.. Its surprising that a film, which has a plot as simplistic as the above three films and many others could become the biggest of all time. Graphics are great, the level of depth of Pandora and its creatures is breathtaking, I just wish the plot was also.

Wall-E

Stunning graphics and characters; most of which just talk with beeps and whistles – it is basically a silent film, going more into depth about the problems with humanity more then the above films do. It also gets extra points for going into the issue of obesity.

Toxic Avenger

If you liked the straight-to-video gore films of the 80’s, the kind that are full of blood, crash-humour and semi naked girls then this the environmental film for you and I. Its the story of a weedy mop cleaner who gets  pushed into toxic waste and turns into a beefy mutant. he then seeks revenge on those that bullied him in the most sickest ways. However that’s not all its full of humour, its low budget somehow makes it great, the 80’s fashion is hilarious/ kind of cool and it has an environmental message. the Mayor of the city is aiming to gain loads of money from pouring toxic waste into the rivers – the Toxic Avenger stops him and the old lady running a white slave trade. This film was actually a success leading onto video games and an animated kids series – not bad for a 18+.

Princess Mononoke

In my mind the best film from Studio Ghibli. Like all these Japanese fantasy movies they seem kind of hard to follow at first; but the message is there. Iron Town is destroying the forests, the sprits are a bit pissed cue pay back. Yes you can say, it sounds like Avatar, however trust me – this in my mind is the ultimate environmental film. please check it out.

Any other environmental films to add to the list?

Simon.Howlett

volcano!!!

Well after several days of peace and tranquillity with the population able to hear bee’s buzzing and birds singing, we are back to the sound of engines crossing the sky to far flung destinations or France.

If you have been in a cave for the last week or so then you wouldn’t know about the Icelandic volcano that has erupted, spewing out enough ash to cover the North Atlantic and Western Europe

The news has been covered in the usually way of saying ‘CHAOS DESCENDS ON BRITAIN’ like our lives were drastically changed and people were running down the streets screaming because of not being able to cope.

Of course some people had the problem of being stuck abroad wanting to come home, they may have complained; but who wouldn’t like extra days of holiday even if it is on uncomfortably airport chairs!

News channels also had the extra problem of not being able to pronounce the Volcano’s name thus it just became the Icelandic Volcano (last time scientists check they was more then one volcano on Iceland) and not Eyjafjallajokull.

What is more interesting about this whole episode is the amount of environmental discussion the volcano has produced.

One point is that, I bet there are scientists somewhere analysing the data collected during those days of grounded planes to do with temperature, CO2 levels and cloud cover; hopefully they will come up with the same results those scientist that did the same thing in America when planes were grounded after 9/11 - results that state. Planes really do add to the climate change issue.

- It’s also good to know that those climate sceptics who believed volcanic eruptions cause more CO2 were proved wrong by Eyjafjallajokull’s activities.

It can also be said that the issue of Britain becoming sustainable and living on home grown crops was raised. Not only were holiday makers disrupted but so was crops like radish and pineapples; stuff with modern technology can be grown here in the UK anyways. Usually 90,000 tons of fruit and veg arrive at Heathrow per year, so much that many of these tons just get thrown away due to rotten. How good would it be to go back to an age where gardens are used as a food source, instead of being full of fanciful plants?

Transport systems have also had a boost; many stranded people are now taking train and boat to reach the UK. Imagine if due to this there is a surge in ‘taking it slow’ travel to Europe at least; after all they is a quote that goes along the lines of ‘it’s the travelling that makes a destination more pleasant’

Maybe the most important aspect is that the disruption adds to the campaign against a third runway at Heathrow. Since Heathrow re-opened I have remembered how loud planes are. For example when I first moved to Twickenham I would wake up whenever a plane was flying low thinking; Jesus it’s going to crash – I got used to the noise and have the option to go back to my home town if I want to hear nature, however many who have been born and breed here, for the first time ever, know what its like to have peace and quiet. There is even a movement to have a ‘plane free day’ once a year just for this factor. http://ow.ly/1B7uL

Of course flight companies say this will cost the economy billions, but hey I’m sure billions of people will be able to cope with that fact for one day.

Now, however we are back to normal – press have moved on to talk about Girls Aloud and flight companies are raking in the money; it would of been good in my mind if Eyjafjallajokull kept on producing ash until real chaos did descend and the newly elect Prime Minister would have to establish sustainability initiatives but alas this time the volcano decide to calm down before a Hollywood produce thought it would make a great movie.

Simon.Howlett

UK Aware and The Climate Summit

On Friday 16th, my day was busy – so busy I only had 5 hours sleep! (I usually live the lifestyle of a cat and sleep constantly)

This is due to an international conference call I willing signed up to help and accidently partake in.  - More on this latter.

for now lets concentrate on the exhibition earlier in the afternoon.

UK Aware as it states within its blurb

‘is the UK's only green and ethical lifestyle exhibition. Providing tips and hints for greener living, and products, services and inspiration which will help you live a more sustainable, greener lifestyle’

Sounds fantastic! i was drawn in automatically and signed up to attend on its first day (plus i got a discount – which also helped)

It took place at Olympia and had over 100 exhibitors (or as the Average Joe calls them – stalls )

Now I can be cynical and talk about how small it was and that they expected footfall of 15, 000 was way of the mark; but that's not positive and it does not help within the movement that I and all these exhibitors care about – being sustainable and ethical, in a world being affected by climate change.

While I was there, I picked up loads of leaflets (don’t worry I will recycle them) some can be looked over by REN to benefit our projects and our borough’s local groups. Some are for my personal use for career purposes and the rest are going to be used to make my housemates more eco-conscious.

Here is a list, link & brief description on those you might find useful.

More Eco Directory full of green, ethical and organic retailers + you earn a % cash back on everything you buy.

See what you are buying into A labelling scheme for businesses that have to go under an evaluation to see if their social, environmental and ethical (SEE) practices are good for the world! 

Green Metropolis a bookstore, in which you sell an unwanted book for £3 or buy a book for £3.75, 5p of this is then donated to the Woodland Trust – a great idea that keeps books out of the recycling bin.

Ecover Started of making detergents and cleaning agents, this has then expanded into helping customers make the whole home eco-friendly as possible.

Appetite For Action I don't know if this has been spread around schools, if parents have had to take letters of their kids explain the scheme; but what it is, is a educational website to help schools tackle sustainability issues via food – Yum!

Action Aid For those campaigners out there, Action Aid are involved in stopping tax dodging by multinational companies, the Robin Hood tax on bankers and making people create events in which there get to wear T-shirts stating ‘Say Bollocks to Poverty.’

The event was Held by Global Action Plan and it has been growing year-by-year. All it needs is more footfall – so watch out for it next year.

Now time for the other thing I was involved in.

The Climate Summit The premise is simple – have a live international video conference involving those involved with Climate change – whether its on a volunteer, religious, media, educational etc.. level.

I became involved in this due to my work with the UKYCC and it lead to me having phone calls at random points of the day from someone in Hawaii! My role was simple - to help those taking part in the conference within London, become settled and ready – problem was I really did not know what I was doing?

I was up till 2am finding out who might be turning up to this conference and finding out where it was meant to take place – worse of all when I turned up at the supposed location, they had never heard of this event even being booked??? Oh and as 6 people were meant to turn up but only  4 did- I then found myself trying to join in on conversations about religion and insurances policies concerning climate change.

The whole event was a shambles – but it was the first of its kind, the main guy in charge hopes one day to get heads of religion and government leaders involved to talk about climate – and I hope it Will happen one day.

The issue is, this debate thing – was kind of like Copenhagen Cop15. In that we had these speakers from around the world who raised they points of views on how religion can play a major role in reducing climate change and how insurance within the western world can be a major drawback on climate initiatives; but they did not suggesting on how to act. Myself and Anna Keenan another youth and a true campaigner, who went on hunger strike throughout Cop15 agreed on this factor and that they were not really interested in our views as being the generation who has to deal with climate change. (just like Cop15 again)

Here is a link to the 90 minute debate – I come in at about 9 minutes and only speak for 2 minutes – because, they are more interested in religion issues then youth. (oh and i wasn't that great at speaking)

http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/6223746

If you head to 60 minutes you get to hear Anna Keenan, who talks of global conscious, networking and the role of youth. In a realistic world this in turn could of led down a path of conversation figuring out religion and insurance polices relation to the younger generation creating something which then could started to be figured out.

Instead this great idea of getting great minds and people together just turned into a mild coffee shop chat.

Simon.Howlett