Archive for June, 2007
Are you interested in finding out just how future friendly you are?
Here at the People’s Republic we take the sanguine Mr-Spock-one-eyebrow-raised approach to tomorrow, but we’re a bunch of cynics.
Not so over at Every Action Counts, a Defra-led corral of community and voluntary groups. These guys reckon we’re all accountable for the future in the little things that we do, and have a bunch of tips to help us on the route, keep us there and help save the world. Save the world, you say? Sign up now!
There’s even a chance to see how future friendly you are… at which point we raise our collective Mr-Spock-one-eye-brow, and stand in line.
Posted by Cptn
June 30th, 2007
Environmental costs
The growing importance of ethically aware business is plain for all to see - just have a look at some our sponsors to see what can be achieved.
But according to Envirowise: ‘Significantly, while 83% of South West companies say they view the environment as a “quite important” issue, in reality less than a third (32%) are actually taking practical action.’
Paul Gilbert, Envirowise regional manager for the South West, told the PRSD: ‘These results highlight a worrying divide between the growing influence of the environment and delays by business to implement practical action.
‘Not only could this “blinkered” approach impact on a company’s competitive position and reputation, but it also suggests they are missing out on the significant cost-saving potential of resource efficiency. ‘
To combat such environmental lethargy Envirowise suggests one of their free consultations, and to do little things, like printing both sides of the paper, for one. And to email your PRSD update to colleagues and friends - there’s no needed to print them out and pin them to notice boards - honest (that’s why RSS was invented).
Posted by Cptn
June 29th, 2007
Add comment
Le Grand Blu
The summer-long Ocean Project at the Barbican Theatre, Plymouth, kicks off on Saturday, June 30 with Two-Thirds Blue, a wet and wild weekend of water worship, which includes workshops, talks, live performance and a stunning new dance piece.
The Ocean Project is a multi-disciplinary attempt to ‘take a clear blue look at how the ocean has changed mankind and how mankind has changed the ocean’. No small task, no wonder it involves marine biologists, the acquarium as well as a whole host of artists, based around the Barbican. And no wonder there’s so much going on.
The launch certainly will be a hoot, culminating in a celebratory procession around the Barbican and Waterfront area ending with a cermonical offering to the ocean on Plymouth Hoe - we said study the water, you guys didn’t have to drink it.
Posted by Cptn
June 28th, 2007
Add comment
Anyone who’s entering a new job in their mid-50s (stand up Señor Brown) has probably spent a bit of time pondering their age. Age Concern, has pondered a little more and produced five priorities for the new Prime Minister to attain before his early and forced retirement (next election).
The old are worse off than they were in Thatcher’s time, said Alice Thompson in The Telegraph the other day. A fifth of pensioners were recently reported to be living in poverty, while most are seeing a growing share of their incomes disappear in council tax.
In the face of all that Age Concern’s priorities are: 1) Pledge to fundamentally reform the social care system; 2) Scrap mandatory retirement ages; 3) Re-link the state pension to average earnings - now, not in 2012; 4) Ensure the dignity of older people is at the centre of the health service; 5) Tackle low skills levels among older workers and encourage life-long learning.
Hmm, now that last one might be of use to someone who’s probably going to have to retrain quite soon, ehh Gordon?
Posted by Cptn
June 28th, 2007
Bioheat bounty
Regen SW is supporting 30 bioheat projects across the region, and three of them are in Devon, one of which is at the MET office. The sites have an interest in investigating the viability of woodfuel technolgies but so far have nothing installed, and hope to generate heat and power from renewable, local, sources.
It’s all part of the South West Bioheat Programme, funded by South West RDA and the Forestry Commission (hoping to create 48 new jobs and a sustainable market for local woodfuel worth an estimated £2.4 million per year).
Anna Halcro-Johnston, Regen SW’s Bioheat Programme manager, told the People’s Republic: ‘The level of interest in this programme has been higher than expected, and reflects a positive change in mainstream opinion towards the use of woodfuel technologies compared to better understood fossil fuel alternatives.
‘Some of the chosen sites are investigating biomass for financial reasons, others for the environmental agenda but ultimately all require a secure energy supply from a reliable source and consider that biomass can provide that.’
Posted by Cptn
June 27th, 2007
1 comment
Action Earth
There are still 50 grants worth £50 on offer to schools which take part in environmental volunteering projects in this year’s CVS Action Earth.
CVS, the largest UK volunteering charity, has linked up with the Nationwide Building Society to throws these monkeys (£50s) to the trees - last year more than 5,500 trees were planted, and litter was collected and river beds cleaned.
Remember volunteering is good for the soul, and if you miss this chance you can always submit a story to your local underground news network (that would be us here at the People’s Republic of South Devon).
This is the first year that Nationwide has supported the campaign run by CSV. The £50 grants are funded through Nationwide’s Statement Suppression Scheme - no, not the latest wheeze from the Home Office to erode your rights in the name of fighting terrorism, this funds charitable causes from the money saved by customers opting to download statements rather than have them delivered, who would have thought it.
To bag one of the remaining grants, schools can register by contacting CSV on 0121 328 7455 or online at Action Earth bit of the CVS site.
Posted by Cptn
June 27th, 2007
Add comment
Veg vote
If you’re an aficionado of stuffed aubergine roasted on a bed of golden rice, mushroom Provencale or even vegetable strudel, then you could be just the person to nominate the Best Farmers’ Market for Vegetarians.
What to look out for, according to the Vegetarian Society, is: fantastic fresh produce; a wide variety of veggie products on sale that have been grown, brewed pickled, baked, smoked or processed locally; and stallholders who are helpful and aware of what’s suitable for vegetarians. And there are so many good farmers’ markets around, you should be able to nominate two or three.
The Vegetarian Society will vet all the nominations before the judges get their hands on them, and the closing date is July 2.
Posted by Cptn
June 26th, 2007
Add comment
Summer festival time
That eclectic mix of everything that’s on in Plymouth during the summer, that is the Plymouth Summer Festival, is in full swing again this summer in Plymouth.
But what does that mean, really? That there’s a lot going on for sure, but we’re keen to hear from those who haven’t been sucked up into this cultural Hoover, and feel that they should have been - or are happy not to have been.
They’ll be difficult to find, but we shall leave no stone unturned in our efforts to bring the overlooked out into the open.
If you have an event, get in touch on and we’ll have our own summer festival.
Posted by Cptn
June 26th, 2007
Add comment
Young and old in film
Do you want to be involved in a filmmaking activity that will be watched by thousands of people? That will go out to rural communities? That can be seen on the web, too? That brings young and old together in perfect harmony? You do… do you live in Teignbridge?
Those renegades of rural filmmaking, Vanland, are back with Vanland Village Screen. And they’re looking for people aged between 12 and 20 and people over 55 to get in touch for the first part of the project based on real-life research on the experience of the yoof in the Teignbridge manor through the ages.
The second stage will be filming a local unsigned band, and the third will be going out into the wilds of the People’s Republic to show all you citizens what the heck’s been going on. For more, visit Devon and Cornwall Film.
Do you want to get involved, do you know someone who would want to? Then get in touch, either with us here at , Devon and Cornwall Film on , or with the Vanland crew themselves on 07754 23285 or . The workshops will run through June, July and August.
Posted by Cptn
June 25th, 2007
Add comment
Job centres loses
Job seekers in the South West are to face extra difficulties in trying to find employment if the proposed closure of up to 22 Jobcentre Plus offices goes ahead.
Equality South West is concerned about the impact any closures would have on the most vulnerable in the community.
Paul Dunn, Equality south West chief executive, said: ‘Many of these offices are in rural areas, which means job seekers will have to travel much further to get to their nearest job centre.
‘This is going to cause problems, not only logistically - what might have been a short trip to their local centre could turn into a day-long expedition - but also financially by incurring further expense to those who can least afford it.
‘The people most likely to be affected are those with caring responsibilities (who are mostly women) and people with physical and sensory impairments.
Paul Dunn said: ‘I have written to Claire McGuckin, asking her whether she has carried out an equality audit on each and every office. What I want to know is: has Jobcentre Plus thought through the impact on local people and their communities?’
Equality South West is also concerned about the forshortened consultation period of six weeks when the government’s own guidelines of 12 weeks.
The offices under threat are in Burnham-on-Sea, Chard, Christchurch, Dorchester, Shaftesbury, Wareham, Wimborne, Axminster, Camborne, Exmouth, Sidmouth, Ilfracombe, Okehampton, Hayle, Helston, Looe, St Ives, Saltash, Wadebridge, Tavistock, Kingsbridge and Plympton.
Posted by Cptn
June 25th, 2007
Add comment
Previous Posts
