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Sundail Summer 2007 (Text Only)
Link: Sundial Summer 2007 PDF
Sundial
Summer 2007
The Local Agenda 21 Newsletter for Stafford Borough
As part of its commitment to Local Agenda 21 Stafford Borough Council is working towards a sustainable Stafford, in partnership with all sectors of the community. We aim to improve quality of life for present and future generations by supporting sustainable development initiatives and LA21 groups across the Borough.
Who is the Greenest?
Our high street, work places and factories are all going green but who is the greenest of them all? Sebastian Pearce, Local Agenda 21 Assistant, invites local organisations to compete in this year's Green Awards.
Stafford Borough Council is giving local businesses, schools and community organisations the opportunity to show off how eco-friendly they are with a chance to win a prestigious Green Award.
The detrimental effects on our world of our activities have recently grabbed everybody's attention. We have realised that action must be taken. Eco is now chic, cutting carbon is good business sense and everyone is keen to show off their green credentials.
Big name companies and high street retailers have grabbed the headlines with their plans to be eco-friendly but there is a lot going on locally - in fact the borough has been a hot bed of green activity for many years. The Stafford Borough Council Green Awards 2007 will trumpet these achievements and reward the hard work that is going on to make our planet a more sustainable place in which to live.
If your firm is ramping up recycling, cutting carbon or watching it's water wastage or if you are part of a green project, sustainability group or eco team you could be a winner and we want to hear from you.
The Awards, now in their eleventh year, are open to any organisation in Stafford Borough from local businesses and engineering firms to youth groups and schools, farmers and B&Bs to public bodies, parish councils and community groups. For the first they are split into four categories: Business; Youth and Education; Community and Sustainable Tourism.
The 2006 Award Winners were Talbott's Heating Ltd., St. Michael's First School, Stone and the Shugborough Estate. They each received wooden plaques and funding for further projects. They also competed against winners of other Awards, based on the Stafford Borough template, from across the county in the Staffordshire County Council 'best of the best' awards.
Application forms are available from Stafford Borough Council Offices and local libraries. The form and more information are also available on-line on the Local Agenda 21 webpages, www.staffordbc.gov.uk/la21.
There has been so much interest in the Green Awards this year that we have been asked to extend the deadline for entries to 16 July so get your entries in fast!
A Piece of the Action
A new plan for sustainable development at Stafford Borough Council is being drawn up. Karen Davies, LA21 Co-ordinator, updates us on its progress and future.
Much of the Council's sustainable development work has focussed on partnership working and community based initiatives and has been guided by the Stafford Borough Local Agenda 21 Strategy (see www.staffordbc.gov.uk/la21 for annual reports of progress).
LA 21 Strategies are now being integrated with Sustainable Community Plans - and our own is currently in the pipeline.
The LA 21 Strategy also included a section on Stafford Borough Council's own sustainable development performance - so the Council, at the end of last year, developed its own draft Sustainable Development Action Plan, aimed at improving environmental and sustainable development performance across its operations and services. The draft plan, which will reflect the Council's new Priorities, recognises both growing national and international environmental concerns and the rising costs of utilities.
The Action Plan focuses on the following key areas: Managing Waste, Energy, Water, Procurement, Biodiversity, Transport and Environmental Stewardship - doing our bit.
The Action Plan, as well as setting down a series of challenging targets, includes a summary of some successes so far and issues a series of performance indicators for each area of activity, by which to measure progress.
The Council is working particularly hard to reduce electricity, gas and water consumption and has established an Energy Management Group to this end.
We hope to formally adopt a Sustainable Development Strategy and Action Plan later in the year. In the meantime we would welcome your views on the draft document - please visit www.staffordbc.gov.uk/la21 to take a look. There is a short feedback form, which we would urge you to use to send in your views and suggestions.
Meanwhile, we have had lots of organisations contacting us recently to seek advice on 'greening' their activities or premises. To help these we have put a Sustainable Development Checklist on the website which you can download yourself and use as a guide - it covers the full gamut of SD issues, from whether you drink Fairtrade coffee at work to whether you switch out lights in empty rooms or recycle printer cartridges. And if you find yourself doing well - and have plans to improve too - you just have time to submit an application to this year's Green Awards to share your experiences!
Contact Karen Davies (see Contacting LA21)
Contacting Local Agenda 21
For more information on Local Agenda 21 and Sustainability contact:
Local Agenda 21, Stafford Borough Council, Civic Centre, Riverside, Stafford, ST16 3AQ.
T: 01785 619408 Fax: 01785 619319 e-mail: la21@staffordbc.gov.uk
Karen Davies,
Local Agenda 21 Co‑ordinator.
T: 01785 619408
e: kdavies@staffordbc.gov.uk
Sebastian Pearce,
LA21 Support Officer.
T: 01785 619408
e: spearce@staffordbc.gov.uk
Bill Waller,
Biodiversity Officer.
T: 01785 619676
e: wwaller@staffordbc.gov.uk
Danny Averill (Mon, Tue)
Temporary Community Biodiversity Officer.
T: 01785 619387
e: daverill@staffordbc.gov.uk
Claudia Miller-Williams (Mon)
LA21 Volunteer
e: cmiller-williams@staffordbc.gov.uk
Thanks Rosemary
After starting as a volunteer with Local Agenda 21 in 2005 and fulfilling several roles, Rosemary Connolly has left the team to pursue other interests.
Before joining LA21, Rosemary was involved in regenerating the Hollow Allotments site and won a Green Award, after which she started to volunteer in the LA21 office. Rosemary's interest in Fairtrade and running were ideal when asked to take on the organisation of the Fairtrade Running Team and expand FT input at the Stafford Half Marathon and Fun Run.
Rosemary took over as Project Officer co-ordinating the Walking for Health initiative and Eco-Schools Network in 2006 and her time with LA21 was much appreciated by everyone with whom she worked. We would all like to say thank you and good luck.
Welcome Back
Danny Averill has returned to the Local Agenda 21 team as Temporary Community Biodiversity Officer on a part time basis. Danny will be helping organise several events this summer as part of our biodiversity programme and will be working on Mondays and Tuesdays.
Danny never really went away as he continued doing voluntary work with the team after finishing the Stafford Borough Wildspace Project last summer.
Bicycle Bugs on Show
The Art from the Spokes project is holding it's first full exhibition of large sculptures. A display of bike based art from Stafford College students will be on show at Shugborough Hall from 18 July.
The students have created sculptures based on insects out of the bits of bikes that would otherwise go for scrap. Dragonflies, wasps, spiders and other creepy crawlies will be unveiled at a special opening event that will also highlight reducing, reusing and recycling waste and the effects our waste has on our environment.
The exhibition will run through to September and thousands of visitors are expected to see the bicycle bugs. After the show Art from the Spokes is hoping to find permanent homes for the sculptures along local sections of the National Cycle Network. NCN5 follows the Isabel Trail through Doxey Marshes and Astonfields LNR where the sculptures should be visible, attractive and thought provoking features highlighting the inter-connected issues of biodiversity, recycling, transport and health.
Art from the Spokes was set up by Stafford Borough Local Agenda 21 as part of the Stafford Borough Bicycle Recycling Project in partnership with Back-2-Bikes, Culturegen and Stafford College. As well as public sculptures, the project produces small craft items such as bike chain key fobs with Drake Hall Prison, sales of which support Back-2-Bikes.
Contact Karen Davies (see Contacting LA21)
New Faces
Howard Thomas, Head Of Environment, Stafford Borough Council
'As a Chartered Environmental Health Practitioner, I believe that my professional background stands me in good stead for focussing on the here and now, as well as maintaining an eye on the horizon. To date, climate change has tended to be more of a long-range forecast, than a 5 day weather report. The temptation with a year 2050, as opposed to a 2010 timescale, is to put-off the solution to today's problems until tomorrow. Now in 2007 there is a consensus that climate change is already upon us. What we don't know is how quickly it will grip and to what extent.
The scope of the challenge may be enormous, yet through our small but significant steps, we can all make a difference for the better.
Since arriving in Stafford, I have been encouraged by the Borough Council's services taking sustainable development with increasing seriousness. Achieving a better environment for Stafford Borough's citizens is a job to me, not a slogan. So, I begin by throwing the gauntlet down to our readers; if we share a belief then we must all embrace it. Sustainability is as much to do with integrating the environment's needs into the heart of decision making in our workplaces (waste, energy, procurement and bio-diversity), as it is in our homes (purchases, travel, composting and recycling). I urge you to join with your Council by acting now.
We can't predict the future, but we can understand the present'.
The LA21 Team would like to welcome Howard and we look forward to working with him on what promises to be a very interesting and busy time for everyone involved in sustainable development and the environment.
Duty Guidance
Defra has published two comprehensive documents to help public bodies fulfil their duty to take regard of biodiversity.
Since October 2006 all local authorities and other public bodies have had a duty to consider biodiversity in all their work. The aim of this duty is to raise the profile of biodiversity to a point where it become second nature to everyone making decisions in the public sector. The duty effects over 900 public bodies ranging from local authorities, fire, police, education and health bodies, to museums and transport agencies.
Defra has been working with local authorities and other partners to develop guidance to assist those effected in fulfilling their responsibilities and this was published in May 2007. Because local authorities, like Stafford Borough Council, have a key role to play in conserving biodiversity, through local policies and strategies, planning and development control, education, procurement, awareness raising and advisory functions, Defra has released two separate sets of guidance. The first is a generic document for all public bodies whilst the second is specifically aimed at the needs and requirements of local authorities
The Guidance provides advice for different functions of public sector organisations and includes a number of case studies that illustrate what can be done.
Stafford Borough Council has had a Biodiversity Strategy for many years, however the duty brings new and wider statutory responsibilities that will have implications across the authority. The new guidance will help the Council and it's partners to fulfil these requirements and protect, restore and enhance biodiversity.
Contact Karen Davies (see Contacting LA21)
Amphibian Awareness
Great Crested Newts are losing their habitat but the planning system can help. Bill Waller, Biodiversity Officer, is finding out how to conserve this endangered amphibian.
Great crested newts breed in water but spend most of their lives on land in areas close to ponds. To conserve these intriguing amphibians planning authorities like Stafford Borough Council have a duty to help protect their habitats. Potential sites need surveying and then the planning system can be used to help protect newt populations.
The training will assist the Council comply with the new Biodiversity Duty (see left) and conform to UK and European legislation that protects the newts and their habitat. It will also help fulfil the UK Biodiversity Action Plan.
Biodiversity Officer, Bill Waller, and Danny Averill, Temporary Community Biodiversity Officer are undergoing training to help in the fight to protect great crested newts. After finishing the course they will be able to apply for a licence from Natural England, educate officers and the public and help enforce legislation.
The trainees have already been taught how to construct and set bottle traps and other surveying techniques and are being taught through practical experience. An amphibian event was held at Stone's Southern Meadow Local Nature Reserve recently to share their knowledge with the community. Bottle traps were set the evening before and then in the morning, along with 20 local people, the team inspected and identified their catch.
The third phase of the course takes place in August and after undergoing some practical experience Bill and Danny will be able to apply for their Great Crested Newt Surveying licences.
Contact Bill Waller (see Contacting LA21)
A Greener Commute
Every June the LA21 team promote green transport with events to encourage people to swap their car journeys for walks, cycle rides, public transport and car sharing.
The first event brought local Sustrans volunteers, who help keep local cycle routes spick and span, the Walking for Health initiative and Back-2-Bikes together at the Farmers' Market to promote cycling and walking. Local cycle maps and walking routes were available and lots of other information to tempt people away from their cars.
The Borough and County Councils then worked together to provide a free breakfast for staff who used green transport on their commute. The 'Low Carbon' Breakfast on 18 June had a BBQ breakfast provided by the Gatehouse, raffles, competitions and information. The end of Bike Week was marked with the councils joining forces again for a 'Pedal and Pub' lunchtime ride along the Greenway to the Red Lion in Derrington.
The usual Family Bike Ride was not held this year but plans are a foot to bring it back for 2008.
Saving Stafford's Energy
It's not always easy to find local information about energy saving so a new advice service is being launched for the Stafford area.
A grant of £8,000 has been awarded to help promote energy efficiency in Stafford Borough.
The Awards for All funding has been won by Sustainability Matters in Stafford Borough so that they can co-ordinate a new project. 'Stafford Area Save Your Energy' will guide both the general public and businesses in cutting their energy usage.
The idea behind the project is to set up a hub of information on sustainable energy and to actively engage with local consumers to save energy.
The first phase of the project is to launch a website that will provide simple, practical and locally based information on saving energy including insulation, lighting, heating and renewable energy options. There will be links to more technical information and advice on grants and local installers and services.
Future phases include a phone help line for energy queries and a team of volunteer energy educators able to go out and visit households and groups with simple practical solutions to help them reduce their energy usage.
Project worker Alison Crane said, 'Saving energy in the home is one of the major steps we can take to reduce our carbon emissions - and it saves money on fuel bills too. There is a lot of information out there, but it seems to be impossible to go to one place and find out everything you need to know to take practical steps.'
Sustainability Matters in Stafford Borough has had considerable success in recent years in promoting and raising awareness of sustainability issues locally. This project marks an exciting new phase for the group. If you want to be involved, or find out how you can help, contact Alison Crane T: 01785 611768.
Composting is a WRAP
A new scheme has seen the take up of home composters in Stafford Borough rocket. The Borough Council has joined Staffordshire County Council and the Waste and Resources Action Programme's (WRAP) national composter delivery scheme to provide cheap composters to residents. The composters range from £8 to £20 and are delivered free to your door. If you order on-line you can save a further £1.
'Previously there was a mixture of services nationally,' said Recycling Officer Becky Martin, 'Stafford Borough Council ran a scheme for many years but some councils didn't provide anything at all. Now with this national WRAP scheme we can benefit from national publicity, TV ads and better prices'. Early figures show that sales have gone from 28 composters in January to 214 in April and continue to rise.
To order a composter for your garden contact WRAP T: 0845 077 0757 (quoting STA04XXX1)
www.recyclenow.com/compost
Walkwise Calendar
Walkwise Health Walks are brisk, led walks that take approximately 30-45 minutes to complete. If you are new to the Walking For Health programme please arrive about ten minutes before the start time. Contact Rosemary Connolly, Walking for Health Co-ordinator (see pg 2).
Wednesday Lunchtime Walks
Civic Centre, Riverside, Stafford - 12:10pm
July 11th, 25th
Aug 8th, 22nd
Sept 5th, 19th
Central Clinic, North Walls, Stafford - 1:00pm
July 4th, 18th
Aug 1st, 15th, 29th
Sept 12th, 26th
Weekend Wanders (Sundays)
Look out for posters at Riverside
1:00pm - Riverside Recreation Centre, Stafford T: 01785 619686.
Wildwood Walk
Starting in January 2007. Contact Heidi T: 07810 170783
Beaconside Walks
Every Tuesday, 12:30pm
Beaconside Sports Centre, contact Karen Gretton T: 01785 353286.
Stone Walks
Every Tuesday 10:45am - Westbridge Park, Stone.
Gnosall Walks
10:30am every 1st Sundays and 2nd Wednesdays of each month. Call Gnosall Surgery for meeting points and full programme of walking T: 01785 822220.
Hixon Walks
Contact John Blount for a full programme of organised led walks supported by Salute. T: 01785 662160.
Focus On...
Wolseley Centre
The Wolseley Centre is the headquarters of Staffordshire Wildlife Trust and is a wonderful place to take a sustainable day out. It is situated at Wolseley Bridge between Stafford and Rugeley. There is parking but more importantly it is on the 825 bus route and has cycle racks too!
The visitor centre sits in 26 acres of grounds that were once landscaped gardens but are now managed for wildlife. There are a wide variety of habits that visitors can wander through along the network of paths. The grounds are on the banks of the River Trent and there are three lakes, an extensive board walk, a sensory garden, an all ability trail, an orchard, woodland and even a wildlife garden to inspire your own garden at home.
The sustainably built Visitors Centre houses a shop, café, education rooms, toilets and conference facilities. There are a variety of interactive displays for all ages as well as a monitor watching birds and display panels showing how well the solar photovoltaic array is doing. The centre is open from 9am-5pm on week days and 11am-5pm on weekends.
The Wolseley Centre is having an open day on 21 July (11am-4pm) with stalls, guided tours and other activities and has recently launched a dedicated interactive website that guides visitors around the site and describes its habitats and history.
www.wolseleycentre.org.uk
Contact Staffordshire Wildlife Trust T: 01889 880100
Get out and enjoy
A Summer of Sustainability
Stafford Borough is full of great examples of local sustainable development in action and summer is the time to get out and enjoy it. Our Local Nature Reserves are full of new life, the Farmers' Markets are brim full of local produce, the weather is just right for walking and cycling. So, rather than jetting off, take a weekend break at home and seek out a summer of sustainability!
Get Out and About
Cycling and walking are both ways to enjoy a sustainable summer. Not only do they have very little impact on our environment but they help keep us healthy too. Our health is an important aspect of a sustainable community and the Sustainable Development Programme for Stafford Borough supports this by co-ordinating an extensive Walking for Health Initiative, providing Doorstep Walks for Health and promoting cycling and local cycle routes.
Health Walks are short, led walks in local neighbourhoods designed to help people back to health, keep active, build confidence and make new friends. Walks take place in Stafford, Stone Gnosall, Hixon, Beaconside and Wildwood. The WalkWise leaflet detailing the health walks is available from LA21 (see pg5).
Doorstep Walks for Health are longer, circular routes from areas where people live out into our local countryside. There is a series of 12 Walks from Stafford and a further three in Stone. Some of the walks go along canals and rivers or take in nature areas, others go up to Stafford Castle or Cannock Chase. All the walks are detailed on leaflets with a map and a description pointing out local landmarks.
Cycling is becoming increasingly popular as a leisure activity and Stafford Borough is ideally suited for a day out in the saddle. We have several traffic free routes such as the Isabel Trail through Doxey Marshes and the Greenway from Stafford out towards Haughton and beyond. A map of cycle routes in Stafford Borough is available for you to plan your day out - why not couple it with our Local Food Guide to find sustainable sustenance!
Get Out into Nature
Conserving and enhancing our natural environment is the greenest aspect of a sustainable community. Local Nature Reserves (LNRs) and other green and wild spaces give our urban areas a chance to breath, a refuge for wildlife to survive and a place for us to escape to.
LNRs are for both people and wildlife. They are places with wildlife or geological features that are of special interest locally, which give people special opportunities to study and learn about them or simply enjoy and have contact with nature. There are six LNRs in Stafford Borough that are managed by the LA21 team and local volunteers and they cover a wide range of habitats.
Astonfields Balancing Lakes has rare salt marsh and a host of birdlife such as kingfishers and visiting waders. The heath land of Barlaston and Rough Close Common is ideal for invertebrates and lizards. Fungi are a feature of Kingston Pool Covert whilst purple loosestrife vividly paints Kingsmead Marsh. Stone Meadows and Crown Meadow are recreating flood meadows rich in wildflowers.
All the LNRs are open to the public and would make fine picnic points on a bike ride or a place to sit and watch nature.
Get Out and taste Local Food
Local food is the tasty side of sustainability. By keeping food local we help reduce pollution by reducing transport. Often local farmers who sell at Farmers' Markets or farm shops use less intensive techniques or are organic. This also helps reduce water pollution and encourages a greater abundance of wildlife. Buying local food also supports our local economy as the money we spend will be spent again locally.
The Staffordshire Local Food Guide lists over 100 different outlets for all kinds of local produce such as farm shops, pick your own sites, pubs and restaurants. They could provide the ingredients for the perfect sustainable picnic!
Farmers' Markets bring local food to our towns and are a great way to enjoy shopping. The produce is fresh and local and you can talk to the people who actually produced it. In summer they are a riot of colours, tastes and smells. There are now monthly Farmers' Markets in Stafford, Stone and Eccleshall as well as a regular local food fair in Tixall. See right for details.
Stafford Borough Farmers' Markets
Stafford Farmers' Market
2nd Saturday every month
9:30am - 4:00pm, Market Square, Stafford
14 July - Mayor's Parade, 11 August, 8 September
For more information contact Jon Webb, Markets Co‑ordinator T: 01785 245935
Stone Farmers' Market
1st Saturday every month
9:30am - 4:00pm, Market Square, Stone
7 July, 4 August, 1 September
For more information contact Jon Webb, Markets Co‑ordinator T: 01785 245935
Eccleshall Farmers' Market
4th Saturday every Month
10:00am - 2:00pm, Royal Oak, Eccleshall.
Contact: Lindsay von Elbing T: 01785 859026
Tixall Local Produce Sales
1st Saturday every month.
10:00am - 2:00pm, Tixall and Ingestre Village Hall.
Contact: Dr. Anne Andrews T: 01785 246101
More information on Stafford Borough Farmers' Markets is available at
www.staffordbc.gov.uk/la21
Staffordshire Rural Hub has produced a leaflet detailing all Farmers' Markets in Staffordshire. Contact Pat Pimlott, Staffordshire Rural Hub Co‑ordinator T: 01785 278581 e: ruralhub@staffordhire.gov.uk www.getrural.co.uk
One World Week
Stafford's Make Poverty History group is organising a One World Fair on 20 October to celebrate One World Week and is calling for interested parties to join in. They are looking for people to help out, groups who would like to attend and sponsors for the event.
One World Week is an opportunity for people from diverse backgrounds and communities to come together to celebrate their cultures, learn more about other perspectives and highlight global injustice.
Last year's Fair was held at the Evangelical Hall on Church Lane and was a great success with food from India and the Caribbean as well as music, a Fairtrade café and activities for children. It was organised with help from the local Hindi, Islamic and Caribbean societies and Church Lane Evangelical Church and supported by Stafford Borough Council's Local Agenda 21 team. The organisers would like more groups to get involved by bringing along a display or contributing to the cultural diversity of the event through food, music, dress or art. There will be a meeting at the Stafford Friends' Meeting House on 16 July at 7:30pm.
Contact Sebastian Pearce (see Contacting LA21)
Schools Shift to a Sustainable Future
A new map of sustainability in schools is being drawn up and Karen Davies, Local Agenda 21 Co-ordinator, has been assessing the lie of the land.
Sustainable development needs to be the bedrock of schools and their communities and over the last year there has been an upsurge of activity to achieve this. The epicentre of the shift is the Government's new 'Sustainable Schools Framework' published last year to guide and encourage all schools to embrace SD. This academic year has also been designated a 'Year of Action on Sustainable Development', bringing a host of exciting new resources, including a Governors' Guide to Sustainable Schools and a Carbon Detectives Kit to help schools measure their own carbon footprint!
Locally, as part of the Council's LA 21 programme, a strong Eco-Schools Network has been up and running for several years. You'll have read about our Eco-Action Day and the antics of Elliot the Eco-Bat, our Eco-Schools Mascot!
Recently, LA21 Co-ordinator, Karen Davies, was asked to talk about our Eco-Schools work, as a case study of good practice in Local Authority support, at a Sustainable Schools Conference in Birmingham. Local MP, David Kidney, subsequently invited Karen to lead a delegation to discuss a range of concerns with the DfES team working on the national Sustainable Schools initiative.
The successful meeting enabled a range of views to be shared and key points to be made. As a result a number of action points will be pursued that should raise the water table of interest both locally and politically - and thus further emphasize the importance of Sustainable Schools and help ensure that the Sustainable Schools Framework really makes a difference!
Contact Karen Davies (see Contacting LA21)
Back to a Summer of Bikes
Stafford's Bicycle Recycling Project, Back-2-Bikes, moved up another gear with the employment of a new part-time member of staff in June. The social enterprise workshop based at Greyfriars Business Park, has taken on Steven Kelly as a workshop supervisor to help Project Co-ordinator Steve Kean.
The two Steves are now be able to open the workshop and sales unit on Saturdays (10am-2pm) for the first time. It is hoped that this move will enable the project to become fully self funding and to work through the vast selection of bikes that have been donated to the project.
Back-2-Bikes will also be promoting their services at the Mayor's Parade in July along with their sister project Art from the Spokes, which converts unusable bike parts into public art works and saleable craft items.
Back-2-Bikes was originally set up by Stafford Borough Council's Local Agenda 21 team and the project has become an exemplar of local sustainable development in action. It is now managed by Stafford District Voluntary Services (SDVS).
Contact Back-2-Bikes
Unit 3, Greyfriars Business Park, Stafford
T: 01785 257483
www.back2bikes.org.uk
News In Brief
There is so much sustainable development action going on in Stafford Borough and Beyond that we can't fit it all in to Sundial, so here is a brief run down of some of the other items you may be interested in:
A Goal for All: Rodbaston College are running a conference on sustainability titled A Common Goal on 26 June.
Forest Build: The Forestry Commission centre at Birches Valley is being rebuilt in FSC timber and with sustainable features throughout.
FoE Film: Friends of the Earth UK are running a competition for one minute films that explore how we look after our planet and use it like there is a tomorrow. www.foe.org.uk
Friends of the Pool: A group has been formed to help look after Kingston Pool Covert (S) LNR. The next meeting is 20 Sept at Staffordshire Uni at 7:00pm.
Millets Go Green: Millets have launched the One Earth range of eco-friendly products that includes organic cotton clothes, recycled PET fleeces and wind up radios and chargers.
Happy Birthday: Oak Tree Farm Rural Project in Hilderstone for people with learning difficulties is celebrating it's 21st Anniversary with a country show on 21st July. Entry £1 T: 01889 505653
FAIRbay: E-bay has launched a Fairtrade Hub. The new pages list a vast selection of Fairtrade items from virtual FT stores. http://pages.ebay.co.uk/fairtrade
Festivals Go Green: A new award called A Greener Festival has been launched to challenge summer pop festivals to go green. www.agreenerfestival.com
Park Life: SBC have launched a guide to parks in the Borough and the events and activities going on within them. There is also a page on Local Nature Reserves.
Tidal Turbine: The world's largest ever tidal current device (1.2 Megawatts) will be installed off the coast of Northern Ireland in August.
Greener PCs: Google, Intel and some computer companies are forming the Climate Savers Computing Initiative to push for more power efficient PCs.
Cycle Maps: As well as Stafford Borough there are now cycle maps available for Lichfield, Cannock, Newcastle and Stoke areas from Staffordshire County Council.
Greener Print: Local company Paramount Print, who print Sundial, have switched to vegetable dye inks as part of their efforts to go green.
Ecotherepy: Mental health charity Mind has launched a campaign highlighting the positive effects that green exercise has on mental well-being. www.mind.org.uk
Climate Cooling Ice Cream: Ben & Jerry's are going 'climate neutral' including the reduction of emissions from the cows that produce their milk, through a change in feed.
YEF 2007: Sustainable Staffordshire will be holding another Youth Environment Forum on 13 July at Chasewater Innovation Centre.
Cutting Waste
Former Environment Secretary David Miliband has published a new strategy for cutting waste and said that everyone - businesses, individuals, local authorities and the Government - has a role to play in reducing the waste that they produce.
He said that this would be an essential part of the drive to tackle climate change. Landfilled waste is a major source of the potent greenhouse gas methane, while reducing and recycling waste saves energy and raw materials as well.
The Strategy outlines action the Government proposes for its own estate - a 25% reduction in its waste by 2020 - as well as more effective incentives for individuals and businesses. It also sets an increased target of 50% of household waste to be recycled or composted by 2010.
The Strategy also sets strong environmental arguments for encouraging more separate collection of food waste to boost composting and the Government will use its considerable buying power to stimulate the market for recycled products.
The Government is also launching a consultation on letting local authorities introduce financial incentives for recycling. Any such schemes will have to return all revenues back to local residents but this move could encourage a greater take up of recycling.
The Strategy and consultation are available via www.defra.gov.uk
Upping Recycling
Research by the Local Government Association has also shown that switching to alternate weekly collections, where recycling is taken one week and residual waste the next, can produce a massive increase in recycling rates.
On average 30% more household waste is recycled in areas where councils have implemented the new system.
The LGA believe that it could also save taxpayers £22 million and cut landfill by 1.2 million tonnes.
www.lga.gov.uk
Paper Drafting
An array of important consultations has recently been published by central government that will have impacts on local sustainability. These documents cover the future of energy, planning, local transport, waste and combating climate change - all key issues within sustainable development.
The Draft Climate Change Bill ended it's consultation period on 12 June and sets out to introduce a clear, credible, long-term framework for the UK to achieve its goals of reducing carbon dioxide emissions and ensure steps are taken towards adapting to the impacts of climate change. A draft bill is in it's earliest stages of consultation and seeks to involve all interested parties. Further consultations should be forthcoming.
There is also a draft bill on local transport that is seeking views on legislative proposals to help tackle congestion and improve public transport.
Further along in policy development is the Planning White Paper. Called 'Planning for a Sustainable Future', the paper looks at simplifying planning rules for householders and speeding up decisions on major projects. It also sets out rules on tackling climate change by delivering substantial reductions in carbon emissions from commercial buildings and encouraging micro-generation.
A White Paper on energy has also been published. It sets out a long-term framework for action at home and abroad to address the challenges of climate change and maintaining stable and affordable energy supply. It is accompanied by a series of consultations including the future of nuclear power and the reform of the renewables obligation.
Both the planning and energy white papers and the draft local transport bill are open for consultation thought he summer. To find out more about each visit the Consultations and New Legislations page in the 'Get Up To Date' section of the Local Agedna 21 webpages - www.staffordbc.gov.uk/la21
Post bag
Please send letters, queries and comments to:
Sebastian Pearce, Sundial Editor, Stafford Borough Council, Civic Centre, Riverside, Stafford ST16 3AQ spearce@staffordbc.gov.uk
Dear Karen,
Thank you again for your attendance at the meeting with Jake Reynolds [Sustainable Schools, DFeS] and for organising such an excellent delegation on the subject of sustainable schools.
I have tabled a series of Parliamentary Questions on this subject, and I shall let you know what responses I receive.
I have also written to Schools Minister Jim Knight, MP, to invite him to Stafford to discuss sustainable schools and see some of the work that our schools are already doing
Yours sincerely, David Kidney, MP
Dear Sundial,
I would like to say a big thank you to you and everyone from the Fairtrade Group who were giving out Fairtrade Bananas at the Stafford Half Marathon. I completed the race in a little over two hours and the tasty banana given to me by someone in a big banana suit was a life saver!
I would also like to say well done to all your team who ran in the race - I saw lots of bright yellow Stafford Fairtrade t-shirts - and a particular 'well done' to the chap who ran the race in a banana costume! I hope that you all continue to promote such a good cause at this tortuous event.
Thanks again for the life saving banana,
Mark Johnson
Team SAAFT did a marvellous job giving out 2,300 Fairtrade bananas donated by Midlands Co‑operative Society. The Team will be in action again at the 10 Km Road Race organised by St Michael's First School in Stone on Sunday 1 July giving out more Fairtrade Bananas donated by Morrisons.
If you would like to raise any issues or queries regarding Local Agenda 21 or sustainable development, please contact the LA21 team T: 01785 619408.
For other important issues, for advice or to express your views, you can contact your local Councillor or Stafford Borough Council's Chief Executive, Mr David Rawlings.
Contact: Stafford Borough Council, Civic Centre, Riverside, Stafford ST16 3AQ T:01785 619000
Sundial is available at www.staffordbc.gov.uk/la21.
As part of its commitment to Local Agenda 21 Stafford Borough Council is working towards a sustainable Stafford, in partnership with all sectors of the community. We aim to improve quality of life for present and future generations by supporting sustainable development initiatives and LA21 groups across the Borough. This is a list of some of our current, main areas of work and groups we work with:
· Bicycle Recycling Project:
· Art from the Spokes
· Back-2-Bikes
· Biodiversity Strategy Steering Group
· Cycling Working Group
· Doorstep Walks for Health
· Eco-Schools Network
· Farmers' Markets
· Farm School Link Project
· Green Awards
· Green Transport Strategy
· Health Promotion
· Local Environmental Quality Group
· Local Food Directory Group
· Local Food Links
· Local Nature Reserves
· OnTrent Partnership
· SBC Energy Management Group
· SBC Sustainable Development Officers Working Group
· Stafford Area Action for Fairtrade
· Stafford Area Save Your Energy Project
· Staffordshire Orchards Initiative
· Sustainability Matters in Stafford Borough
· Sustainable Staffordshire
· Sustainable Tourism
· Walking the Way to Health Initiative (WHI)
· Walking Working Group
LA21 Bookshelf
Stafford Borough Local Agenda 21 has many publications available. Most are available from the Civic Centre. Alternatively contact the Local Agenda 21 team, Stafford Borough Council, Civic Centre, Riverside, Stafford ST16 3AQ T: 01785 619408 e-mail la21@staffordbc.gov.uk
Don't forget the LA21 website, too, where many of our documents are available along with lots more information about Local Agenda 21 and our projects and initiatives.
· Local Agenda 21 Strategy for Stafford Borough
· A Biodiversity Strategy for Stafford Borough
· A Green Transport Plan for Employees of Stafford Borough Council
· Sundial Spring 2001 - Winter 2006/7 editions
· Eco-Watch, the Eco-Schools Network Newsletters
· Staffordshire Local Food Directory
· Farm - School Link Education Pack
· Local Nature Reserve Leaflets: Stone Meadows and Astonfields Balancing Lakes
· WalkWise - The Health Walks Programme
· Doorstep Walks For Health Pack
· Stone Doorstep Walks for Health (x3)
· Stafford, Stone and District Green Pages
· Farmers' Market Producers Application Pack
· Stafford Area Fairtrade Guide - published by Stafford Area Action for Fairtrade
· Gnosall and District Directory - published by the Gnosall LA21 Group
· Faith for the Future Action Pack
· Staffordshire Community Action Pack - published by SBC and Sustainable Staffordshire
· Cycling in Stafford Borough (Map) published by Staffordshire County Council
What's On
Do you want to get involved? There are things throughout Sundial that you can join in with.
You could also volunteer to help out the LA21 team with our many activities or in the LA21 office. contact Karen Davies, LA21
Co-ordinator for more details?
July
Sunday 1st 10am
Wildflower Walk, Stone Meadows LNR, Southern Meadow
Sunday 1st 10:30am
St. Michael's School 10Km Run & Fairtrade Promotion (T: 814084)
Wednesday 4th 7:30pm
Sustainability Matters meeting, County Staff Club, Stafford
Friday 6th 10am
West Midlands Sustainable Planning Checklist Launch, Birmingham
Saturday 7th
Live Earth: Concerts for a Climate in Chaos, www.liveearth.org
Friday 13th
Sustainable Staffordshire Youth Environment Forum
Friday 13th
Cannock Chase AONB AGM
Saturday 14th 1pm
Mayor's Parade, Stafford
Sunday 15th 10am
Cycle Route Volunteers Work Party, Isabel Trail
Monday 16th
Green Awards Application Deadline
Monday 16th 7:30
One World Week meeting, Friends Meeting House, Stafford
Wednesday 18th
Art from the Spokes Exhibition Launch, Shugborough Hall
Saturday 21st1 11am-4pm
Staffordshire Wildlife Trust Open Day, Wolseley Centre (SWT)
Wednesday 25th 7:30pm
Doxey Marshes Walk,
T: 01785 613287
Saturday 28th
Countryside Exhibition, Market Square & Shire Hall, Stafford
Saturday 28th 11am-4pm
Doxey Marshes Fun Day, Doxey Marshes, Stafford
August
Tuesday 7th 2pm
Cycling Working Group meeting, SBC
Saturday 11th 9am-4pm
Green Fair, Market Square, Stafford
Saturday 11th 11am-3pm
Mad About Marshes, Jackson's Coppice & Marsh, nr Eccleshall (SWT)
Tuesday 14th 2pm
Biodiversity Strategy Steering Group meeting, SBC
Saturday 18th 8:15pm
Bat Walk, Wolseley Centre (£2)(SWT)
Sunday 19th 10am
Cycle Route Volunteers Work Party, Isabel Trail
Wednesday 22nd 6:30pm
Volunteer Walk Leaders meeting, SBC
September
Wednesday 5th 7:30pm
Sustainability Matters meeting, County Staff Club, Stafford
Sunday 9th 10am
Heather Hike, Marquis Drive, Cannock Chase (SWT)
Saturday 15th Midnight
Katherine House Hospice Midnight Walk, (T: 01785 254645)
Sunday 16th 10am
Cycle Route Volunteers Work Party, Castle Lane
Tuesday 18th 2pm
Cycling Working Group meeting, SBC
Thursday 20th 7pm
Friends of Kingston Pool Covert (S) meeting, Octagon Room, Staffordshire University
Visit the What's On page at www.staffordbc.gov.uk/la21
Contacts
Stafford Borough Council Switchboard and General Enquires Tel: 01785 619000
The Local Agenda 21 Team, Stafford Borough Council, Civic Centre, Riverside, Stafford ST16 3AQ
Local Agenda 21 Team:
e: la21@staffordbc.gov.uk
Karen Davies, Local Agenda 21 Co‑ordinator. T: 01785 619408
e: kdavies@staffordbc.gov.uk
Sebastian Pearce, LA21 Assistant.
T: 01785 619408
e: spearce@staffordbc.gov.uk
William Waller, Biodiversity Officer
T: 01785 619676
e: wwaller@staffordbc.gov.uk
Danny Averill, Temporary Community Biodiversity Officer
T: 01785 619387
e: daverill@staffordbc.gov.uk
Allotment Mentor Scheme, Alec Nunn T: 01785 252902
Back-2-Bikes, Steve Kean T: 01785 257483
BTCV, Laura Price T: 01785 212410
Cabinet Member for the Environment, Cllr. S. Highfield T: 01782 796257
Community Council of Staffordshire T: 01785 242525
CPRE, T: 01785 277890
Environment Agency Pollution Hotline T: 0800 807060
Friends of the Earth, Robert Hine T: 01785 603387/ 253936
Friends of Riverway/Riverwoods Project, Richard Thomason T: 01785 814374
Stafford Area Save Your Energy, Alison Crane T 01785 611768
Staffordshire Business and Environment Network T: 01785 277345
Staffordshire New Nappy Network T: 01785 277682
Staffordshire Travelwise Road Safety Unit T: 01785 276610
Staffordshire Wildlife Trust T: 01889 880100
Action Organics, Alec Nunn T: 01785 252902
Sustainable Staffordshire, Helen Swift T: 01785 277253
Sustainability Matters, Roger Oldfield, T: 01785 664328
WWF Stafford, Paul Baker T: 01785 259014