Professional Fundraising online www.professionalfundraisingblogs.co.uk/content.php?id=44

See the play for yourself at www.youtube.com/watch?v=hZSXHSA7vFI

Press also at www.arcolaenergy.com/press.html

See: www.foe.co.uk/campaigns/biodiversity/news/arcola_bio_fooled_13912.html

The 10 minute street performance addresses the complex issues surrounding the use of biofuels.

The playful but uncompromising piece demonstrates that biofuels are a false solution to climate change.

In the performance we meet:

• A politician looking for a quick fix to climate change.
• A business man looking for easy money. 
• A farmer who will pay the price for their misguided actions.

Taking to the streets
Arcola will be performing their street theatre around London and also in Brighton during the summer.

Director: Phil Ormrod
Cast: Jed Hancock-Brainerd, Daniel Millar and Sean McConaghey

Performance dates:

• 2-3 Aug: Innocent Village Fete, Regents Park
• 8 Aug: Barge – Paddington, Camden
• 9 Aug: Islington Green
• 15 Aug: Canary Wharf
• 16 Aug: Brighton beach
• 22 Aug: Soho Square
• 23 Aug: Leicester Square
• 29 Aug: Golden Square
• 30 Aug: Sloane Square
• 5 Sept: Victoria Embankment Gardens
• 6 Sept: Soho GardensArcola Theatre

However this does not mean that we cannot make better use of waste materials. Effectively we are considering incineration of selected wastes to produce useful heat.

There is some excellent information on this subject at: www.biomassenergycentre.org.uk

We are specifically interested in using:

• Untreated wood - www.biomassenergycentre.org.uk/portal/page?_pageid=75,18712&_dad=portal&_schema=PORTAL
• Fibre Board (MDF) - www.biomassenergycentre.org.uk/portal/page?_pageid=75,18712&_dad=portal&_schema=PORTAL

Note that there have been changes made to the categorisation of Waste to allow the use of untreated timber and SOME wood composites as bio fuels. In preparation for using redundant set materials (which cannot be re-used) we need to consider elimination of materials which cannot be cleanly burnt (ply is probably one of these).

As part of their campaign, Arcola Theatre has been asked by Friend of the Earth to produce a play on bio fuels.

We have collected some background information about the pro and cons of bio fuels.

PROS:

Reduce dependence on fossil fuels
Produce far less carbon dioxide and other GHGs than oil
Reduce other forms of air pollution (such as carbon monoxide and sulfur dioxide)
Are high-quality fuels
Are immediately usable within current infrastructure
Support local agriculture development.

CONS:

Environmental impacts of monocultures: damage to soils, climate and the environment
Increased rainforest clearance in developing countries for growing bio fuel stock
Negative impacts on food prices
Higher costs than other forms of carbon reductions
Harsh agricultural labor conditions
Turning to biofuels takes emphasis and investment away from other forms of energy production
Increased use of genetically engineered crops.

For more information, we advise you to visit:

- The Guardian website: www.guardian.co.uk/environment/biofuels

- Oxfam’s report on Biofuel ‘Another inconvenient truth’ to be download at www.oxfam.org.uk/resources/policy/climate_change/bp114_inconvenient_truth.html

- The International Food Policy Research Institute: www.ifpri.org/themes/bioenergy/bioenergy.asp

Feel free to add your comments about this issue!