Messages

Green Library of books and videos

greenermum — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 20:04:51 GMT

Dear all

I'd like to share some books and DVDs with you all. The idea is to learn more about green issues without having to buy the book!

The rental for each item will be 50p and will go towards buying new books and DVDs. With the DVDs we ask that you watch them with a couple of friends if possible so that you can share your experience and have a bit of a discussion.

I will detail the books in this thread.

If you'd like to borrow something, please email me cathyolsen-at-onetel.com (swap the -at- for an @).

Cheers
Cathy

PS if you've got some books to add to the Library - please let me know.

Forum: Local

Green films coming up in Wycombe

greenermum — Sat, 27 Sep 2008 09:12:31 GMT

Dates for you diary
29th October - the Power of Community - how Cuba survived Peak Oil - at the Environment Centre, Wycombe at 7.30pm
26th November - Peak Oil - at the Environment Centre, Wycombe at 7.30pm

see more at http://www.transition-wycombe.org.uk/

hope to see you there

Cathy

Forum: Events

Next Maidenhead Transition Town meeting - 2nd October

greenermum — Sat, 27 Sep 2008 09:09:29 GMT

Maidenhead are having their next meeting on 2nd October at St Mary's Church Hall 14 THe high St Maidenhead 7.30pm.
http://www.transitionmaidenhead.org/news.php

A few of us from Marlow are going so please let me know if you're going too and we can make ourselves known to each other.
Cathy

Forum: Events

THE TRUTH AT LAST - Watch the BBC's "The Climate Wars: Fightback"

Dave_Hampton — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 11:13:34 GMT

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00dm7d5/

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

well done BBC

Forum: Carbon

GREAT FILMS - TRANSITION TO A LOW ENERGY FUTURE

Dave_Hampton — Sat, 13 Sep 2008 16:31:15 GMT

There are three (highly recommended) FILM EVENINGS coming up at The Environment Centre Holywell Mead, High Wycombe. FREE!

Please put the dates into your diary?

These are in association with TRANSITION TOWN HIGH WYCOMBE.

Wed September 24th 7:30pm - 9:30pm The End of Suburbia

Wed October 29th 7:30pm - 9:30pm The Power of Community

Wed November 26th 7:30pm - 9:30pm Peak Oil

Forum: Events

TRANSITION MAIDENHEAD

Dave_Hampton — Thur, 04 Sep 2008 16:56:28 GMT

Can you support our pioneering neighbour by signing their petition:

"Please sign to show your support for a local food outlet in Maidenhead - the plan is for locally produced food outlets and a cafe/restaurant all under one roof."

Takes 30 seconds.

http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/maidenheadlocalfood/

Dave

"This petition is run by Transition Town Maidenhead, a local voluntary community group. We have an opportunity to bid for 500,000 from the Big Lottery Local Food Grants for a local produce shop and cafe/restaurant. To support the application we need to show that there is enough demand in Maidenhead. Closing date for our application is 15th Oct 2008."

Forum: Local

OWL's for sale - Don't be a muggle!

Dave_Hampton — Thur, 04 Sep 2008 14:42:24 GMT

I have a few brand new 'OWL's left, that I can offer for 25 each.

These are wonderful little devices, good for dinner party conversations, and will save you loads of money on the elec bill, and shrink your footprint.

Basically they give you a live real-time LCD display of how much electricty your home is using at any time - in pence per hour - so you can see your next elec bill coming.

http://www.theowl.com

Very educational, enlightening, entertaining even, for kids and adults alike.

Be ahead of the energy saving game...

Marlow will soon have a parliament of Owls!

First come first served.

Dave

Dave Hampton

the carbon coach

dave@carboncoach. com

Forum: Home

Choose to Re-use, Dare to Repair!

Dave_Hampton — Thur, 04 Sep 2008 14:36:38 GMT

Do come along to the Opening of a new exhibition, "Choose to Re-use, Dare to Repair" that is taking place on Saturday 13 September at 10.30 a.m. (Opened by yours truly, the carbon coach!)

With the cost of living soaring across the globe its time to get resourceful and think about just how much is being wasted for no good reason and at a huge cost to our planet.

To see the poster and full details please go to http://www.ecobuzz.org.uk/docs/Choose to Reuse.pdf

The Environment Centre on Holywell Mead

Bassetsbury Lane

High Wycombe

HP11 1QX

Ecobuzz mailing list

Ecobuzz@ecobuzz.org.uk

http://ecobuzz.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/ecobuzz_ecobuzz.org.uk

Forum: Events

ECO BLOCKBUSTERS FREE!

Dave_Hampton — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 12:15:08 GMT

As a result of a great conversation last night at the HURLEY Environment Group meeting, I am inspired to offer to act as a little DVD MOVIE Library.

A competitor to Blockbusters - and completely free!

I have - or will soon have - when I recall loans! - copies of:

AN INCONVENIENT TRUTH

THE 11TH HOUR

A CRUDE AWAKENING

etc etc

Just let me know the week you'd like to borrow and we can arrange drop off.

That way you can enjoy these vital movies from comfort of own home?

If the community has any DVDs they would like to donate or POOL into this Marlow Low Carbon Community Resource that's great.

Equally good would be if someone else wanted to 'run' this - it needn't be onerous i think once it gets going....

Dave

Forum: Home

Hurley Village Hall Tues 2nd Sept 8pm

Dave_Hampton — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 13:47:57 GMT

Hurley Environment Group

Are you worried about the price of petrol or just interested in

whats happening with oil?

Come and see the film

A Crude Awakening

Also a discussion about:

Ashton Hayes going Carbon Neutral Can We Do It?

What is happening in Burchetts Green?

Hear from Steve Harrington

Progress with Maidenhead Transition Town?

Hurley Village Hall

Tuesday 2nd September

8.00 pm

Forum: Events

CLIMATE CAMP IS FOR YOU AND ME!

Dave_Hampton — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 11:13:09 GMT

Hi!

I just thought I'd mention to you wonderful Marlow people, (with some considerable trepidation! ) that I will be off to sunny Rochester later this week - with my tent and with good 'in-tent' (groan) - to the 'Climate Camp'. Anyone want to join me?

http://www.climatecamp.org.uk/home

From the homepage: "The Camp is a place for anyone who wants to take action on climate change; for anyone whos fed up with empty government rhetoric and corporate spin; for anyone whos worried that the small steps theyre taking arent enough to match the scale of the problem; and for anyone whos worried about our future and wants to do something about it."

-----

Also going are many of my 'normally-suited' business friends, an MP I know, several posh families, in short, a surprisingly large number of 'normal' people (like us?!) who I would have considered the last people in the world to join 'the peaceful movement' of those climate 'activists' (please suspend your judgement of that oft prejorative term) ... who think that time is running out to do something - about the current prognosis of our kids home planet.
(See link below to big new national campaign backed by NEF, IPPR, Women's Institute... etc)

http://www.onehundredmonths.org

The purpose of this post is to encourage you to get your news direct from the website of the organisers of the camp - as link below - and not form judgements based solely on media coverage. Medai are (as ever) likely to pick up only on the negatives - or the activities of those who try to bring the camp into disrepute.

As I see it, there are a large number of brave people taking a stand on behalf of all our children, so I thought it was high time I joined them.

On the climate camp home page is a link to a highly coherent letter in the Guardian from 5 individuals who are prepared to risk being jailed today just for GOING to the camp (there were bailed from doing so.)

http://www.climatecamp.org.uk/home

Or if you prefer your news more serious, and from The Telegraph, read the former Govt Chief Scientist challenges the PM to 'show some courage'

Anyway, if I see any of you there, I'll be delighted.

Dave

Forum: Local

MY LETTER BFP DIDN'T PRINT THIS WEEK:

Dave_Hampton — Sat, 02 Aug 2008 14:12:08 GMT

(I sincerely hope you will print this response to Mr Weeden et al.)

We are letting the children down: Saying CO2 is not to blame is simply a whopping great oil-soaked fantasy.

or

Seeing behind the Oil industry smoke screen.

Sir/Madam

Oh bother! Its a fair cop. Mr Weeden has me bang to rights in the BFP letters page!

In his letter last week he has exposed me to the people of Marlow! Its true! Shamelessly I try to earn my living out of convincing everyone that global warming is their fault. Some readers may be a little perplexed as to how such a business model could work. Well its simple: (1) Blame your client and make them feel bad.
(2) Suggest they stop doing things they like, e.g. flying away on holidays so much.
(3) Plunge them into darkness, and make them feel bad again. (4) Submit large invoice. (5) Hope they pay. There. See how easy it is! The truth is out.

No. Its a bit more subtle than that. You can Google carbon coach to find out more. Also, legally speaking, any readers thinking of taking up this career path should be warned that in financial terms, the living I make is around half what it was before, just over three years ago now, when I was enjoying the Directorship of a top London consultancy, and winning national awards for my leadership in sustainability and social responsibility. I take this subject deadly seriously, and I have done my homework.

Any accusation that I am in it for the money, is frankly laughable. I am in this game for the sake of my and other kids. It is that simple. Our children will not thank us for a good education, or a fat legacy, if they inherit a broken planet. Ask yourself, what could be the motivation of those who want to make us feel good about carrying on burning fossil fuel?

The other belly laugh is the ridiculous notion that back in January I failed to submit my written proof on time (!) to BFP letters page. (Whos taking notes here?) Mr Weeden tells us that he was in science education until he was 25. I have referred my readers before to such bodies as The Royal Society http://www.royalsociety.org whose freely downloadable and up-to-date publication Is Global Warming a Swindle?, on their website homepage, no less, is an easy but authoritative read. Readers who have any real interest in this subject will find this document useful. Its conclusion is alarmingly unequivocal.

When 99% of eminent independent world scientists agree something, then, (unlike Messrs Weeden and Taylor,) I do not consider that I have that much to add. The Professional Institutes that they proudly list after their names are also in agreement. So too, since 2006, is Sir David Attenborough. Even the US administration of President George W. Bush concluded in 2007 that mankinds contribution to global warming is no longer up for debate. But in small pockets in Bucks, the denial, astonishingly, and shamefully, continues.

The Canute analogy is a good one. But it will take more than a few doggedly denying individuals in Bucks to stop the rising tide of the free thinking world from joining the dots, and seeing the truth, behind the Oil industry smoke screen. One is left wondering whether Messrs Weeden and Taylor keep track of correspondence outside of Bucks?

Its undeniably tough for all of us to face the music, and face the rough climate that lies ahead. But if we dont, we are simply letting the children down. Saying CO2 is not to blame is simply a whopping great oil-soaked fantasy. May I repeat my hope that all those who wish to soothe BFP readers into complacency, will be around long enough to be held responsible by todays children, who will have to live with the consequences.

Dave Hampton
The Carbon Coach

Forum: Local

http://www.onehundredmonths.org

Dave_Hampton — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 13:30:47 GMT

I've just joined http://www.onehundredmonths.org

http://www.onehundredmonths.org

Please check it out and sign up too.

Even using cautious calculations, we have only one hundred months before we pass the climate's 'tipping point' - the point of no return - where the chance to tackle global warming could be far beyond our reach.

http://www.onehundredmonths.org aims to provide one simple thing, once a month, that we can all do to play our part in preventing potentially catastrophic, runaway global warming.

And please email the link to all your friends, using the 'Send to Friends' button on the http://www.onehundredmonths.org site, like I have.

Many thanks, Dave x

Forum: Carbon

bike wanted

greenermum — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 09:09:54 GMT

Hello
Just wondered if anyone could help me, I would like to buy a second hand ladies bike.
Cheers
Cathy

Forum: Local

July 2008 letters in BFP

Dave_Hampton — Sun, 20 Jul 2008 18:35:38 GMT

Here is the full text of the letter i submitted to BFP before they sub-editted:-

(BFP deletions in bold)
(Some of these are positive improvements I feel, but some are detrimental.)

Carry on Burning, urges Weeden

Oh dear. Anthony Weeden is back, denying the reality of manmade climate change. His style, characteristically persuasive and seemingly erudite, and yet 100% wrong.

Why on earth would he wish to deceive us so? He does not come over as uncaring, unintelligent or ill-educated. So what else could be going on?

Generating a modicum of doubt amongst the gullible, was something the tobacco industry did very well, for a number of decades. They employed people, Doctors even, to deny that there was yet proof of the dangers of smoking, thereby maintaining popular confusion (and maintaining profits) for a few decades more. More Doctors Smoke Camels was the headline of one such advert.

It is common knowledge that the same techniques, the same organisations, and in some cases, even the same people, have been re-employed, behind the media scenes, to do the same job. To generate doubt. Only this time their oil industry client seeks to sow tiny seeds of doubt as to the clear and present danger of burning vast amounts of oil (releasing vast amounts of carbon dioxide, the two go together.) Its fine to carry on smoking fossil fuel folks is the lethal message they now pedal to anyone who will buy it.

Well it isnt. And BFP readers are smart enough not to be duped by such soothing voices of Crisis, what crisis.

But I do hope that those who have been protesting the innocence of CO2, quite so vocally, will be around long enough to be held to account, by todays children, for the small part they played in slowing down honest peoples necessary response to the carbon- and climate-crunch, and for downplaying the scale of climate crisis, dead ahead.

The burning of 200 million years worth of fossil fuel, over a period of just 200 years, (that is combusting one million years worth, of deposit account sunlight, for our convenience, every year) is unquestionably the principal cause of climate destabilisation, and the consequences of meddling with our home planets weather systems are being felt all over the world, already, with increasingly lethal severity.

Less than 2% of scientists have any lingering doubts, and yet by the time their truth is told by the media to the general public, some 50% still cling onto the convenient belief that some doubt exists.

So, thanks to folk like Mr Weeden, will it be Carry on burning as usual in Bucks? Or will we start to awaken from the fossil drugged sleep, and act, just in time, to cut the carbon, and give the children their future back.

Dave Hampton

Forum: Local