Journal Live - Blog Central

Morpeth farmers' market is 10 on Saturday

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 10:27:43 +0000

If you are looking for something to do this Saturday then head up to Morpeth.

The Morpeth Farmers' Market celebrates its 10th birthday.
There will extra activities, alongside the usual showcase of Northumbrian produce, to help mark the day.

More information here.

The market and celebrations will take place this Saturday (7th November) from 9am-2pm

A fair acknowledgement

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 09:42:34 +0000

Huge congratulations to People Tree Founder Safia Minney on her MBE for Services to Fair Trade and the fashion industry.
Prince Charles presented the award.

CO2 advert complaints

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 09:54:07 +0000

There have been over 300 complaints about the Act on CO2 advert, which shows a child being told a bedtime story about extreme global warming and features a cartoon dog drowning.

The Department of Energy and Climate Change launched the £6m campaign, in which the government states for the first time that scientific evidence has confirmed that climate change is man-made, earlier this month.

I showed it to my two children (ages 10 and 8). They couldn't see what the fuss was about, although I can understand that it may worry younger children.

Watch the advert below and you can decide.

Happy green halloween

Fri, 30 Oct 2009 21:52:52 +0000

Dear Anna,
Please can you suggest how I could make Halloween Night environmentally friendly?
Yours
Beth Symon, Jesmond

Hi Beth,
I sure can. Turn off the lights, go to bed early and pretend you're out.
Happy Halloween
Anna

Jonathon Porritt in Newcastle

Thu, 29 Oct 2009 19:26:15 +0000

I have been to a few public lectures at Newcastle University but never have I seen the Hall so packed.
All were there to listen to the infamous environmentalist Jonathon Porritt, who amongst other things has been called weird, wacky and even evil due to his views on population growth.

Eco girl's night out

Thu, 29 Oct 2009 15:31:18 +0000

Getting ready to go out eco-style doesn't have to mean boring.

My adult social life tends to be restricted these days, to getting drunk with other Mums at the back of some community centre, whilst Coco the Clown entertains the kids at a birthday party.

However on Tuesday night I had the chance to do something altogether more sophisticated, more intelligent, more grown -up.

No 10 petition for Windows and Boiler scrappage scheme

Mon, 26 Oct 2009 22:38:46 +0000

I was not a huge fan of the car scrappage scheme, only for the reason that I objected to it being spun as a green scheme when in fact it was a way of propping up the car industry.

If that's what the Government want to do then fine, but at least have the decency to be honest about it.

Two areas where I think that the scrappage scheme would be far better directed at (if the environment is truly paramount) are retro-fitting housing stock with energy efficient boilers and windows.

Eco Catt - what a great idea

Sun, 25 Oct 2009 23:01:36 +0000

"I don't believe it" I said to myself as I picked up this Saturday's Journal (sounding a bit too much like Victor Meldrew for my liking).

On page 31, there was an interview with model Tracy Barton (Tracy bags a new career) about her new Eco Catt shopping trolley.

The basic premise of the idea is a funked-up version of the good old shopping trolley, usually associated with elderly ladies, for the 21st century eco-conscious shopper.

"Look at this" I said as I pasted the page on to my husband's face. "I knew someone would do it! I knew I was ahead of my time!"

Is it better to leave a light on or to keep switching it on and off?

Sun, 25 Oct 2009 22:17:53 +0000

As mentioned in last week's blog, I am asked a lot about turning appliances and lights off because people seem unsure as to whether it is better to leave them on if you are just popping out of the room.
Does it use more energy to fire up each time than it does to just leave them as they are?

The advice I found on the internet contradicted itself.

I found what appeared to be reliable websites stating that appliances or lights should always be turned off, even if leaving the room for a minute, whilst other websites seemed to suggest turning lights and computers on and off shortened the life of the appliance.
Some sites put forward that more energy was used in the constant on/off activity.

Energy Saving Week Diary - buy better day

Sun, 25 Oct 2009 21:52:26 +0000

Last day of Energy Saving Week - Buy Better Day

Buy better day, as it suggests, is all about buying better.
The Energy Saving Trust take on this is to encourage us all to note the Energy Saving Logo, which can be found on house hold appliances.

The logo is carried on a range of products from boilers, low energy lighting to digital TVs.

Also look out for energy ratings on goods and services were a rating of A is good.
White goods, cars, homes and even flights now carry a rating.

However I would like to encourage readers to think about two other areas where they can 'buy better'.

First of all: BUY RIGHT THE FIRST TIME.
It is a false economy to buy three school polo tops from a supermarket for £3.

Energy Saving Week Diary - Switch off/turn down/turn off day

Fri, 23 Oct 2009 14:06:26 +0000

Day four: Switch off/turn down/turn off day

Yesterday, I had been hoping to astound you with some amazing facts about switching appliances off.

However, either the Energy Saving Trust had taken its own advice and switched off its website or else there was too much 'traffic' on their site as I simply could not log on.

This means that I have had to wait until today to write about yesterday now that the site seems a little less busy.
I also managed to have a good chat with their Press Office regarding the oft asked question: "Is it better to leave things off or to keep switching them on and off?"

In our house, we are good at:
• Turning radiators down
• Switching lights off.
• Switching the computer off

Things I am not so great at are:
• Running upstairs to turn the wireless off every time I go out
• Unplugging items when not in use

The two things I don't do are important because according to the Energy Saving Trust

Energy Saving Week Diary - Smarter driving day

Wed, 21 Oct 2009 17:58:48 +0000

Day Three -Transport

I haven't exactly set a great example today; bad weather, one child at home ill, one husband away and one child in a Rugby match has seen me doing more 'short' journeys that I would like to admit to.

Each mile emits 30 party balloons worth of CO2. I think I have driven about 10 miles today so that is 300 little party balloons out there as a result of me being rubbish at organising myself.

If you do have to drive here are some smarter driving tips - these could save you up to 15% off your annual fuel bills.

Energy Saving Week Diary - Warmer homes day

Wed, 21 Oct 2009 15:19:34 +0000

Day Two - Insulation

Half of a typical home's heat loss is through the walls and loft, so it's worth checking whether yours are properly insulated.

If everyone in the UK installed loft insulation it would save nearly three million tonnes of CO2 per year - the equivalent saving of taking nearly one million UK cars off the road.

Similarly, if everyone in the UK that could fill their cavity walls did so, they'd shave around £700m off the nation's annual domestic energy bills - that would pay to heat 900,000 homes for a year.

Our loft is already well insulated but the three biggest places we lose heat from in our house are the windows, the doors and chimney breast.

Junk mail leaves me even colder

Wed, 21 Oct 2009 14:13:18 +0000

Regular readers will know that I have got a bit cross of late with the people delivering unwanted junk mail through my door (Junk mail leaves me in the cold).

My main gripe was at having leaflets left hanging out of the letter box, which create a huge draught through the house, thus making my insulation efforts totally pointless.

Energy Saving Week Diary - Wasteful Behaviour

Wed, 21 Oct 2009 13:44:19 +0000

Day one of Energy Saving Week looks at wasteful behaviour.

First of all I need to know where I am being wasteful.

I keep looking at the variety of energy monitors available on the Good Energy Shop comparison site and get a bit put off.

None of them do exactly what I want it to do at the right price.