Blogs

 Low Carbon Living Events - Alresford 2010

Who would have thought that our small events group could produce a stir on Facebook, we have three events which we organised and obtained funding for in 2010. We have made contact with WInAcc and we posted details onto Facebook on our FB page and on other pages

1. Age of Stupid Screening - 7.30pm Arlebury Park

2. Climate Change Condensed - 6.30pm Arlebury Park

3. Low Carbon Living Fair - 1 - 5pm Perins School

We have made contact with other communities through WinAcc (Danielle mostly) and we found out that there are a series of events going on throughout the same weekend.

The journey starts here...

I have been thinking about reducing my personal carbon footprint for a while now. I have signed up to the 10:10 campaign. I will be signing up for the 20:12 campaign by WinAcc.

My current carbon footprint (household) is over 9 tonnes per year. I have an energy monitor which is currently displaying the greenhouse gass emissions of our local library which has a display of our up and coming events related to our low carbon living project - see www.alresfordgreening.org for more details.

It's been a considerable time since I last blogged here on WinAcc. Other commitments seem to have a habit of taking over from writing blog posts here and generally being green. What with work, other blogs, magazine editing, a new startup business and family life I've barely had time to think about anything green.

And that's often the problem with many people who are trying to reduce their carbon footprint. Other things get in the way. Time is short or life just gets in the way.

There are many hidden food miles, chemicals, packaging and other nasty issues in our everyday food. It is nearly impossible to find out exactly where it has been, and how many processes it has been through to arrive in our own kitchens, therefore we can't be held entirely responsible. But armed with the facts, we can make the right choices.

One process that really grates on me is freeze-drying. Think instant coffee, powdered milk, dried fruit (in those expensive cereals), even your goldfish flakes! Freeze-drying is a wonderous invention that removes moisture, making the product light, long-lasting and easy to transport.

I've been emersing myself in more and more 'green' stuff recently and have also been reaping the rewards of growing my own veg. In Winchester Discovery Centre there was a dedicated table set out for green books. I picked up 'How many light bulbs does it take to change a planet?' by Tony Juniper. So far I'm enjoying it.. I'll deliver some more critique when it's finished.

I've been occupied over the last week or so tending and harvesting my veg patch. Now, I'm no gardener. I lack the basic time needed to make a garden glamourous. So taking on a veg patch was always going to be a bridge too far. In the past I’ve failed because I planted too much and the crops I chose were susceptible to desease. But this years been different because I've planted foods that require little to no maintenace other than the odd thinning out and trim.

I've started small. I've not bitten off more than I can chew and it's paid dividends for me. So don't be daunted by the thought of a veg patch. Just start small and it's really not that tough and the best thing of all is that you'll have some super fresh veg on your table.

To kick start things of here at my WinACC blog I thought I'd start by posting about a topic that is close to my heart when it comes to being greener. It's future fuels and in particular, LPG.

The following is an account of my LPG conversion done to my beloved BMW 323. It was done some time ago and I've only really got round to putting some words together.

The Car

The car was a BMW 323 SE 2.5 litre 6 cylinder auto. That might not mean too much to some people but in a nutshell it was refined, quick, comfortable but not in the slightest bit economical or eco friendly.

On a good day I averaged 25 mpg, on a bad day maybe 15. It was nice though. And here's a picture of it.

Welcome to WinACC's new blogs area!

We want WinACC members from across Winchester to join our blogging team and help inspire and enthuse people about any aspect of your path to low-carbon living. This is your chance to have your say and let others comment on your endeavours. Plus, it's easy; if you can write an email then you can certainly write a blog on this website.

If you're interested, please log in and post a comment below to find out more and start blogging!