Baglady

I’m doing my whole life ASAP now, in Australia. Now I’m back in my garden.

GASAP Growing as much food as I can

SASAP Shopping mostly at local organic food co-op, no packaging, local grown where possible, AND friendly! Buying Fair Trade where possible.

CASAP avoiding processed foods, eating fresh and doing without a fridge for onen year…

TASAP Walking a lot more now, too hilly to bike; train, bus and taxi as in Northern Ireland

Water from rain water tank beside my house

Heat from solar/air panels for my hot water

Firewood for stove from felled tree in garden

Joined 2 bushcare groups, a few minutes walk from my home. Knitting. Camping in a green caravan.

People talk about climate change a lot here. Scientists get threats.

'Get in the Game' lobbying continues..

The theme of the day was for constituents to gain support from their MLA’s to sign-up support for A Climate Change Act within the NI Assembly.

Like the other 50 constituents, Baglady’s Iris and Rachael had registered and followed the SCC request inviting their 6 MLA’s to attend.
We were grouped according to our constituency, Iris South Antrim and Rachael Strangford and joined the tables prepared to lobby and listen to the MLA’s throughout the afternoon.

Each table was shared with Lagan Valley and Strangford grouped under chair Jeremy from Oxfam Ireland.

The afternoon opened with a keynote welcome address from the sponsor, Anna Lo MLA, Chair of the Environment Committee, followed by introduction by Northern Ireland’s Chair of Stop Climate Chaos, Gary McFarlane.

With the tables full, discussion followed with points being raised at the Lagan Valley, Strangford table from MLA’s Steven Agnew, Paul Girvan, Kieran McCarthy, Basil McCrea and David McNarry as follows -
Why does NI need its own Climate Change Act?
- Concern was expressed about parties taking the lead with Climate Change due to there short term [3years] in government;
- NI energy sources were discussed: renewables wind and tidal; fossil fuels from gas fracking.
- How such an Act will effect and possibly restrict trade such as local businesses working under Climate Change legislation maintaining profit margins within world markets.
- Construction – Assembly finding budget to support required renovation or new build.

The constituents answered the MLA’s questions expressing personal and professional views:
- the need to have a long term view such as those taken in relation to the Health Service allowing budgets to be set supporting the required changes.
- At present the “NI Assembly sets legislation for energy, transport, agriculture, trade, investment, and construction, and therefore should have a legally binding NI Climate Change Act to guarantee all Executive departments met their requirements to lower carbon emissions.”
- the need for a long term view – ensuring the next generations’ sustainability.
- children and youth in education are fully aware of these issues and enter the present labour market with minimum support to explore and innovate sustainable solutions

Once questions had been answered and suggestions discussed it was clear that some MLA’s were prepared to support the Act and others were not!
Some politicians stated they had come to find out more and to try and understand the issues around Climate Change more clearly.

MLA’s Steven Agnew Greens, Kieran McCarthy Alliance, and Basil McCrea UUP from LaganValley / Strangford constituency, and MLA’s Roy Beggs UUP and Paul Girvan DUP from South Antrim/East Antrim constituency all signed the rugby balls joining Minister for the Environment Alex Attwood, and sponsorsing MLA’s Anna Lo, John Dallat and Peter Weir alongside many more in support of the Get in the Game campaign!

The campaign continues lobby your MLA’s by following link -
http://www.communityni.org/campaign/stop-climate-chaos-ni#.T6vwdRztleU

Solar panel lights the van at night and the crash of waves lulls Baglady to sleep… I didn’t do much work that week, a lot of sleep and dreaming walking and even a little fire on the beach

BUT

one of those darn new surveys is out, telling us [based on 1500 people]

NATION NOW ‘INDIFFERENT’ TO ENVIRONMENT as the Sydney Morning Herald reports it.

They talk about Climate Change a lot here, especially on ABC radio. But the sharing of info on what to do, and how, is pretty rare.

Ah well, something to fill up Baglady’s days when she’s not looking up from down under to see how sustainable Northern Ireland is….

Meanwhile the first school invite’s in, and Baglady’s fixed to meet her local MP Roza Sage, about Living ASAP, on Midsummer’s Day, June 21st…. be there, ASAP…

Baglady coming down from Slemish Mountain, 2004

Congratulations to Iris, Rachael and friends and family in Comber and Ballyclare, NorthernIreland; for keeping alive the great Northern Irish ASAP tradition; and for GLOing with me Baglady. and friends and family right around the world.

Ours here in the Blue Mountains [Australia] was small, terrific, with great ASAP food and discussions. They’ve told me all about Permaculture, Community Gardens, slowfood, treeplanting, sustainable clothes, etc etc….

I’ve been telling them about how Baglady and ASAP stepped softly and sweetly across religious, political and other barriers in Northern Ireland; and a little bit about all the amazing people involved….

So we meet again in a month…. a great world event!

The NSW Government is visiting 25 centres for these meetings, where they consult with local people about local issues.

Baglady was in plain clothes, but even so, who should come to her table but NSW Environment Minister Robyn Parker [left in the picture]? Hope to see you again very soon, Robyn!

This week is Climate Week

And remember our Ballymena Living ASAP event? Local newspaper photos…..

Opened by Ballymena Mayor, with speakers from Ballymena council, Soil Association, Transition Towns, Patton Group, and DoE's Rethink Waste

Business, community and schools attended Ballymena ASAP

We exist to identify and promote work that restores our damaged environment, gets rid of rubbish, and reduces harmful practices.

Through baglady appearances, film, the web and other media, our campaigns give publicity to good practices, and to highlight those things that need to change.

for Climate Week 12-18th March, we are working to raise awareness : WATER ASAP

Clive Kyle - speaker from Ballymena Borough Council

What a FANTASTIC headline! Thanks Carla, Jim and all at the Guardian. We hope to scan the story and get it up here, for all to see.

Baglady emailed Carla: I’m so pleased and to be honest, relieved that you took the trouble to get there and get the story. Very good communications. Makes all the difference to the strength of the story.

We desperately need good, strong, positive environmental reporting now, everywhere in the world. And we’re only just starting to get it,

You’ll probably all be glad to know that Baglady Productions has not ceased production in Northern Ireland. Far from it.

Flushed with the Ballymena ASAP success, the team will now take it out to/on the whole of Northern Ireland. And of course Baglady’s stickin’out in Australia. Loads of Irish here! We’re planning an All Fools Day gathering on April 1. Maybe you can join us ASAP. We have no time to lose.

Blessings from Down Under, Shirley/Baglady

now please read the text of the article…

Students attended from Cullybackey HS, St Patrick's College and Northern Regional College

by Carla Speer

BALLYMENA’S drive to become a centre of ‘green’ living excellence stepped up a gear last week with an event in the Braid that brought together recycling experts and community groups.
The event was organised by, Baglady Productions, the brainchld of ‘Baglady’ Shirley Lewis, who although now living in Australia, joined the event by video message.
It attracted guests speakers from the council, the Department of the Environment, and a range of community groups.
The event was well attended and guests included the Mayor, councillor Hubert Nicholl, local students and businesses.
They were treated to a programme filled with information on the environment, centred on issues such as developing partnerships and empowering communities with sustainable actions.
The ASAP workshop “highlighted the fact that partnership is very necessary,” that is according to Jim Kitchen, Project Manager of Transition Town Whitehead and Soil Association.
Mr Kitchen told the Guardian: “Ballymena is a rural hinterland, the local inhabitants will have different answers to people who live in bigger cities. However, there were some good examples raised at this event which replicate our communities interests.”
Ballymena Borough Council are taking the initiative of Baglady Productions and bringing it forward to create a greater awareness of sustainability to Ballymena.
Clive Kyle, from the council, Assistant Director of Development, Leisure and Cultural Services, said he has full support from the council on the issue.
He said: “ We already have cluster groups, we want to develop sustainability, and develop a strategy as soon as possible.”
Mr Kyle continued: “The corporate plan will include measures, such as community planning to improve the issue of sustainability in Ballymena.”
A spokeswoman from Baglady Productions said the aim was to get the true message of sustainability out there to people of Ballymena.
Iris Cody from Baglady Productions offered her sincerest thanks to the hard work and dedication from Mr Kyle. She commented: “Clive was a great asset throughout the entire process. We could not of done it without his support and kindness.”
Ms Cody spoke warmly of Shirley Lewis, she said: “The entire process began with Shirley, she dedicated her ten years in Northern Ireland to the people of Ballymena to help them. She dedicated her time to living ASAP and bringing people together.”

Baglady friends: Jacky, Jim, and Julia

Very good reports hurtling across the world to me about the Ballymena ASAP event last Monday Jan 30.

We got film of it all, the laughter was great, the facilitators and other speakers were great and LOADS of people were there.

And thanks to John Toal and his show for the great last minute blast of publicity. Plenty of local people heard us on Saturday Magazine.

Well done everybody, says Baglady who, as promised, has not deserted the scene, but is looking up from below/Down Under… to see how yez are all doing with ASAP

AND getting a cast of thousands ready to speak from the brilliant Blue Mountains, and other Aussie parts….

Do not adjust your screens, this is really happening, and not a moment too soon…. Best, S the B

Radio Ulster, voices of the people of Northern Ireland. 11.45 Irish time. 10.45 Eastern Standard time, Australia.

Travel ASAP with me as I zoom down right into the map, which in turn transforms magically into the faces, voices, the classrooms of Northern Ireland. The streets, the villages and towns of Northern Ireland. The children of Northern Ireland.

A lot of people here in Australia are saying: The one thing we all need is a change of heart. That’s do-able.

Only 2 sleeps till Ballymena ASAP, 11-4 Mon 30th. We’re all with you Ballymena! AND all the people who’re taking part, from all round the place. Portadown, Whitehead, Belfast, Comber, Strabane…….loads of other places…