Community Energy and Efficiency

Marta — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 12:37:12 +0000

In these times of rising gas and electricity costs, and concern about the impact of our lifestyles on the planet, there is growing interest in local renewable energy generation and efficiency.

DECC have launched a new fund for communities in England and Wales who are playing an active role in the development of a low carbon society. They want to fund projects that increase understanding of energy efficiency and renewable energy technologies. This is really interesting for Arcola Energy with our research in hydrogen power and long-term involvement in our local community.

There’s also very encouraging news from Germany, where as TreeHugger reports over half of the renewable energy produced is owned by citizens and farmers, and not utility companies. Perhaps the same situation will start happening in the UK…

Arcola Energy for Schools is Project of the Week for London Sustainable Schools Forum

Feimatta — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 11:50:04 +0000

Arcola Energy is a member of Project Dirt ; London’s largest and most active green network. It’s a social network of people / organisations doing tangible green projects. The London Sustainable Schools Forum is a group trying to make London’s schools more sustainable places. We’re really excited that Arcola Energy for Schools has been listed as their project of the week – for our workshops where pupils use renewable energy technologies to design, build and test possibilities for a low-carbon future. For more information about the LSSF – check HERE

Green Theatre Network Meeting held at Arcola Theatre and Tent on 24th November

Feimatta — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 10:38:41 +0000

The event was an opportunity for members of the Green Theatre Network to meet up,
share progress, discuss issues and find new ways to improve sustainable
practices within theatres. The morning consisted of discussions and updates,
particularly from members of the network who gave brief summaries on their
latest sustainability initiatives. There were also discussions on the future of
greening theatre and what we can ideally achieve by 2025.

The variety in projects ranged from new LED lighting techniques, introducing Green
Riders into contracts, energy monitoring and measuring, Climate Week 2012
progress and more. It was inspiring and exciting to see how each theatre or
company is using different initiatives to be more sustainable.

The event was organised by Julie’s Bicycle, an
organisation working to integrate sustainability into the arts.

Scientific evidence from Cambridge University!

roshowes — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 17:29:38 +0000

We, at Arcola Theatre were thinking about getting an “air curtain” for our front door. An “air curtain” is when you have hot air blowing from above the door frame, to maintain the temperature inside although the door to the outside is open. Now we decided to close the door instead, after reading that this would cut 10 tonnes of our annual CO2 emissions. For more information about this research, look up “Close the Door” Campaign.

UN COP17 Climate Negotiations kick off in Durban

Marta — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 16:26:05 +0000

The 17th UN negotiations to try and limit the harmful effects of greenhouse gas emissions and potentially catastrophic climate change began on 28th November, in Durban South Africa. Since the UN Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) entered into force in 1995, the Conference of the Parties (COP) to the UNFCCC have been meeting annually to assess progress in dealing with climate change.

With the slogan “Working Together; Saving Tomorrow Today”, it seems as though there is plenty of optimism and a will to achieve. However, recent COP meetings, in Copenhagen and Cancun, were felt by some to have failed to deliver lasting commitments from countries to decrease their greenhouse gas emissions.

Here’s an update from the UKYCC delegation in Durban on Monday 5 December:

“It’s the first day of the second week and the pressure’s started to build. This is the make or break week for the negotiations and I’ll be honest – I’m afraid it’s going to be break time. There are some really important issues on the table – the one a lot of people are talking
about is the Kyoto Protocol. It’s the only legally binding treaty we have to reduce carbon emissions but it runs out in 2012. If we want to have emissions reduction targets (which we do), then we need action now. The KP (as it’s called) only applies to developed countries. The US never signed up to it (they just don’t like playing fair or acknowledging that they’re part of the world) and now Canada is actively trying to kill it so it can sell highly polluting tar sand oil to every other country in the world for maximum profits. Japan and Russia are being lame too.

It’s not often I’m proud to be British but the EU, and the UK within it, are doing their best to keep it alive – I’m 100% of the way behind them. Say it loud and say it proud: ‘I heart KP!

Other important issues are having a broader mandate for a universal treaty that will cover both developed and developing countries come out of Durban. That, and money. Always with the money! But the UNFCCC want to create a Green Climate Fund to manage the money that will support mitigation and adaptation to climate change. The big question is, who’s going to take care of the money and where’s it going to come from?

For a more in-depth insight, check out the second UKYCC hand puppet video. If talking hands can’t explain what’s going on, nothing can!”

Websites to keep up to date with progress of the talks:

http://adoptanegotiator.org/ – A blogging platform which tracks the progress of the negotiations day by day
un.ukycc.org - the website of the UK Youth Climate Coalition, who have a delegation at the conference
http://www.cop17-cmp7durban.com/index.html – the main website of the conference; useful for full background information.

Feeding the 5000! – Trafalgar Square 18 November

Feimatta — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 14:35:25 +0000

A free lunch was served to over 5,000 people in Trafalgar Square. All the ingredients used for the lunch are fresh and would otherwise be wasted – wonky carrots, mis-shapen potatoes and other fresh surplus produce.

There were live cooking demonstrations and plenty of other activities to get stuck into, all of which involved enjoying delicious food rather than throwing it away. Feeding the 5,000 invited citizens and businesses to all join in a pledge to reduce food waste. For more information please check this website http://www.feeding5k.org , or you can find it on facebook (http://www.facebook.com/pages/Feeding5k/141410032625501) and Twitter (Twitter @Feeding5k).

Tom Hunt was the chef at the event who took on the huge task of feeding everyone (http://www.tomsfeast.com). Check out his food blog here: http://www.tomsfeast.com/blog/

TEDx Youth @Thames Event – 20 November – ZSL London Zoo

Marta — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 16:52:25 +0000

If the voices of young people alive today were heard in parliaments, councils,
courtrooms and corridors of power, what would we do differently? If future
generations not yet born could speak to us now, what would they say about the
world we hand down to them?

With speakers who have innovative ideas and creative solutions to the challenges intergenerational justice poses for topics such as climate change and sustainability, democracy, law, and economics, its certain to be a fascinating afternoon. For more information including how to book tickets, see HERE

The event is part of a global network of independently organised TED events.

Designing out Waste – panel discussion at the Royal College of Art

Feimatta — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 12:07:24 +0000

On Monday 7 November, Arcola participated in an exciting discussion about designing out waste in the art and design sector. It was organised by the London Community Resource Network with speakers from TRAID and the East London Furniture Project; it was an exploration of how artists and designers can ensure sustainability in the first place by Designing Out Waste.

The talk was part of the Sustain series of talks at the RCA. For more information, see HERE

Time for Community Currencies – workshop at Arcola on 11 October

Feimatta — Tue, 18 Oct 2011 13:34:59 +0000

As the world’s economy enters a ‘dangerous phase’, with the IMF warning the US and Europe risk double-dip recession, experts fear a domino effect in Europe’s debt crisis.

But what of LETS and Timebanks, and the emergence of the UK Transition Currencies such as the Brixton and Lewes Pound? How can we organise currences for Dalston and other communities in Hackney and London?

There was an opportunity to find out with Michael Linton, leading world expert in community currencies, what the future looks like for the money we make ourselves.

This event was organised by Les Moore, of Common Resource

Better Batteries

Feimatta — Wed, 28 Sep 2011 09:11:47 +0000

BETTER BATTERIES

Better Batteries is a UK-wide campaign encouraging the music and theatre industries to make the switch to using rechargeable battery systems, particularly for portable sound equipment, and increase battery recycling rates in line with government regulations.

WHY?

Rechargeable batteries have 32 times less impact on the environment than disposables.
Rechargeable batteries are completely reliable.
Significant cash savings can be made from using a rechargeable system.

Julie’s Bicycle invites you to find out more and get involved at www.BetterBatteries.info, they are launching the nationwide campaign to raise awareness to the environmental and financial benefits of using rechargeable batteries.

Recycle your Batteries

In 2009 only 10% of batteries were recycled in the UK and in February 2010 regulation was put in place requiring this to increase to 18% in 2011, and 45% by 2016. Recycling batteries is crucial to reuse finite natural resources and prevent the release of harmful chemicals such as lead, mercury or cadmium.

Case Studies and more information available here