Practical Sustainability

Renewable Energy Club Meeting 3rd September - Green Deal

2011-08-15T19:13:00.000+01:00

Saturday 3 September 2011, 10.00 for 10.15 a.m. to 12 noon
Quaker Meeting House, 39 High Street Warwick, CV34 4AX

Hear presentations on the Government’s flagship ‘Green Deal’ policy to see the
energy performance of UK’s housing / non-domestic buildings vastly improved.
The Energy Bill, introduced to Parliament in December 2010, includes provision
for the new 'Green Deal', which is intended to revolutionise the energy efficiency
of British properties. The Government is establishing a framework to enable
private firms to offer consumers energy efficiency improvements to their homes,
community spaces and businesses at no upfront cost, and to recoup payments
through a charge in instalments on the energy bill.

REC-W is delighted to welcome 3 great speakers … with a busy year ahead to launch

David Jullien, CEO, Act on Energy
With summer drawing towards a close and energy costs on the rise again,
David will remind us about using less energy and speak about fuel poverty
in Warwickshire – a key group that ‘Green Deal’ plans to help

Chris White, Member of Parliament, Warwick and Leamington
Chris has shown a particular interest in energy issues since being elected,
and spoke in the 2nd Reading of the Energy Bill in May. He will overview
the Green Deal, it’s objectives, explain the ‘Golden Rule’ and the
challenges tackled and issues still being addressed

Tim Pollard, Head of Sustainability, Wolseley UK
Tim is well known for his passion in tackling climate change and energy
security issues through the building supply industry. He is closely involved
in work streams to deliver the Green Deal – and in particular trying to
ensure that local and smaller builders get a share of huge business
opportunities that will come.

Presentations will be followed by questions and a discussion facilitated by Roger Matthews –
Community Energy Warwickshire.

This meeting is open to REC-W Members and the general public
A DONATION OF £2 IS REQUESTED TOWARDS REC-W COSTS

To confirm attendance - or for further information please
e-mail membership@renewable-energy-club.org.uk or call 07581 085346

http://www.renewable-energy-club.org.uk/

New Opening Hours

2011-08-05T14:06:00.002+01:00

The Action 21 Sustainability Centre at East Lodge will be open to the public until mid-Autumn EVERY SUNDAY from 2pm – 5pm, manned by Action 21 volunteers as well as our park ranger, who will all be happy to show you around and answer your questions about the project and building. We welcome your ideas and suggestions about what you’d like to see at the Sustainability Centre and you can register your interest for future events and training such as willow weaving, sustainability courses, recycled craft, nest box making, bicycle maintenance and more.

Summer Update on the East Lodge Permaculture Garden

2011-07-22T14:53:00.000+01:00

It is now high summer – and the East Lodge Permaculture Garden is looking great!

We did not attempt to finish it all this year (as if a garden is ever finished…). The herb garden in front of the Lodge was planted up last year, and is now stuffed full of herbs: please pick a sprig whenever you are passing.

And this summer we have focused first on the biggest bed inside, to turn this into a mini ‘forest garden’ with perennial food plants. The Sunday working group dug this over and constructed swales and berms (to slow down and hold water run-off), before planting fruit trees and bushes and self-renewing vegetables such as Jerusalem artichokes. There are also some extremely happy looking annual veg – potatoes, brassicas, cucumbers and more.

There are more annual vegetables in one raised and one lower bed. The path is fully wheelchair accessible – and we’re making sitting spaces for the suntrap along the Lodge. Next to go in are bullrushes (really!), now we have learned that these natives were a major source of calories before wheat-based agriculture reached Britain. The point of this garden is to demonstrate new ideas – techniques for low maintenance food production, unusual plants, things that help us understand food history and food cycles.

In the autumn we’ll be planting more fruit trees and a hip-bearing rose hedge, concentrating on local, pest resistant and wild-life friendly varieties. We’re also working on our wildlife corridor on the banks of the river, with assistance from Warwickshire Wildlife Trust.

For now the hard digging is over (though weeding remains a pleasant Sunday activity). Why not come along – if only to sit in the sun and admire the work so far!

Ruth

Working group every Sunday 11am – 4pm. PS East Lodge itself will be also open every Sunday afternoon 2-5pm from now on until mid-Autumn, so there is no excuse not to drop by!

The Recycle Races - with Prizes and Giveaways

2011-07-22T14:28:00.001+01:00

Children’s Summer Recycling Activities with Prizes and Giveaways

Starting on Wednesday 27th July there are five fantastic fun-packed events.

Each event runs from 10am until 2pm and there is a free limited edition bag available for the first 100 people each day.

Find out how clothes and textiles are recycled

Bring along any unwanted/outgrown clothes - even your old school uniform for recycling!

Quiz sheets

Colouring-in

Litter-picking games

Recycling relay races

Paper potting (fill the paper pop with compost, pop in a seed and take it home to grow!)

Paper making (beware this gets messy!), weather permitting

On Tuesday 9th August and Tuesday 16th August The Recylce Races features Dr Bike and is hosted in Jephson Gardens by the new Action21 Sustainability Centre at East Lodge!

Pump Rooms Gardens (by the bandstand) - Wednesday 27 July, 10am - 2pm

Abbey Fields (play area) - Wednesday 3 August, 10am - 2pm

• Jephson Gardens by Action 21 Sustainability Centre at East Lodge

SPECIAL EVENT Tuesday 9 August, 10am - 2pm

- "DR. BIKE" bicycle MOT performed by the dedicated volunteers from the Action 21 Bicycle Workshop. Dr. Bike welcomes the public to bring their bikes for a full check-over including minor repairs and adjustments in exchange for a donation to support Action 21.

- £3 Prize Vouchers for the Action 21 Re-Useful Centre

- Free Organic Apple Squash (in re-usable sports cups)

St Nicholas Park (play area) - Wednesday 10 August, 10am - 2pm

• Jephson Gardens by Action 21 Sustainability Centre at East Lodge

SPECIAL EVENT Tuesday 16 August, 10am - 2pm

- £3 Prize Vouchers for the Action 21 Re-Useful Centre

- Free Organic Apple Squash (in re-usable sports cups)

About the Action 21 Bicycle Workshop

Here are 5 good reasons why Action 21's Bicycle Workshop, based at the Re-Useful Centre, is so exciting:

1. We make it possible for people to cycle, thereby reducing their carbon footprint and transport costs, by providing cheap quality bikes to members of the public. Prices for good adult bikes start at £30, roughly 20% of their original price. This doesn't reflect the quality of the bikes on sale - which have all been thoroughly checked by properly trained mechanics who give their time voluntarily for Action 21.

2. On top of the environmental benefits, riding a bike is a fantastic way of improving personal fitness.

3. We're taking a stand against a throw-away culture by encouraging re-use. All of our bikes have been donated to us by and would otherwise have been thrown away. Our fully-trained volunteer mechanics give them a thorough overhaul and a new lease of life.

4. Our volunteer programme provides training and gives people a skill. Volunteers have included those on work placements, wanting to learn a skill and give their time to charity, and retired mechanics wanting to give something back.

5. The money generated from bike sales helps sustain the other charitable activities of

Action 21.

Green Drinks...Friday 12th August

2011-07-22T14:02:00.001+01:00

Green Drinks is a great opportunity to get together with like-minded people.

On the 2nd Friday of each month at 5pm at The New Inn on Leam Terrace, enjoy the lovely garden and good company.

****NEXT DRINKS Friday 12th August****

Hope to see you there...

...the Action 21 Team and Trustees

Volunteering Opportunities - On-line Sales

2011-07-08T16:10:00.000+01:00

Project Overview

Action 21’s Re-Use shops accept and sell donated goods to reduce the number of useful items going to landfill and to raise money for sustainability projects in the local community. Last year we diverted over 100 tonnes of reusable goods from landfill!

We sell some higher value items online as the larger customer base available through the internet means we can increase the turnover of goods we sell.

Volunteer tasks

· Assisting with the smooth running of the project from the moment an item arrives until the time it leaves

· Researching the value of items on the internet

· Posting items for sale on internet shopping sites, including writing creative descriptions

· Responding to customer queries

· Recording and posting out items and receiving payments

Skills/previous experience sought

· A basic level of computer literacy is required, although you do not need prior knowledge of selling items online as full training and support will be provided.

· We ask individuals to be enthusiastic about the role and willing to learn to work using their initiative.

Benefits of volunteering:

· Expenses: We believe that volunteers should not be out of pocket for donating their time and effort and so we pay back all volunteers’ reasonable travel expenses & there’s tea, coffee & biscuits on tap.

· On the job training and support is provided, including review sessions to check you’re enjoying your volunteering placement and that your needs are being met.

· You’ll be part of the wider network of Action 21 volunteers, receiving regular updates and information on our projects and invites to our well attended volunteer socials.

· Excellent work experience, especially for people pursuing any career which needs administrative and organisational skills.

2011-07-08T15:00:00.000+01:00

Warwick Folk Festival

Would you like free entry to the Warwick Folk Festival ?

Once again, Action21 are providing the Litterpicking and Recycling Service at the Warwick Folk Festival (Thursday 28th– Sunday 31st July) which takes place in the grounds of Warwick School on Myton Road, Warwick.

As the event is a ticketed, if you do a 4 hour shift, you get free entry to the festival for the day!

If you do more that one shift a day, we’ll also provide you with a meal voucher to use at one of the catering stalls at the festival.

To help us plan a rota we are asking anyone who is interested in volunteering to let us know what days and times you might be able to help.

Shift Times:

Thurs 28th: 2- 6pm (Set up bins on site)
Friday 29th: 9am- 1pm, 1pm - 5pm, 5pm - 9pm
Saturday 30th: 9am- 1pm, 1pm - 5pm, 5pm - 9pm
Sunday 31st: 9am- 1pm, 1pm - 5pm, 5pm - 9pm
Monday 1st: 8am - 10am (pack bins up)

Rick and Kristie will be the staff on site all weekend, so please get in touch with them directly if you'd like to help out: kristie@arccic.co.uk or rick@arccic.co.uk

East Lodge Sustainability Garden. May News

2011-05-19T20:22:00.001+01:00

EAST LODGE SUSTAINABILITY GARDEN

May News

Action 21’s wonderful garden site behind the East Lodge Sustainability Centre (at the Willes Road entrance to Jephson Gardens) is developing, many thanks to volunteers and donations of plants & materials.

Following two Permaculture courses (last summer and this winter) we are designing and building the garden as a Permaculture demonstration – that is, showing how we in Leamington can grow much of our food making use of the ‘genius of the place’ with nuts and fruits, and with perennial as well as annual veggies, including traditional and local plants.

If you have been there recently, you’ll have seen a flourishing kitchen herb garden out front – and paths and beds in states of progress inside. The focus this summer is on developing these planting areas:

Main bed as a permanent mini ‘forest’ garden, with fruit trees, bushes and perennial fruit & vegetables, and some temporary height using the ‘Indian trio’ of corn, beans and squashes this summer
Wildlife-friendly hedge along Willes Road to give us some protection from careless interlopers, but also provide both bird & beneficial insect food and autumn berries for use in syrups
Demonstration ‘balcony’ garden using containers, to show what it is possible to grow in a very limited (but sunny) space
Nut trees – probably filberts
Making good use of climbing fruit and vegetables along our internal fences
Wildlife corridor by the river
Experimenting with pre-agricultural food staples – such as bulrushes, a major source of carbs for early Britons!
Easy and proven medicinal herb bed – although they may not all be European natives, we’re aiming for a useful and hardy set of herbs for any local garden

Other ideas include a lean-to polytunnel, a permanent rotation of ’18 day compost’, and no-dig beds. Over time we hope to develop the way water flows around the garden with swales and berms, look at aquaculture (using fishes as an integral part of the system) and perhaps more ‘vertical’ structures. We cannot do everything at once – but then learning and experimenting and sharing is a big part of the idea for this garden.

The garden makes full use of recycled materials, and aims to recycle plants too – to use donations of cuttings, spare seedlings etc, and then to make cuttings and seedlings available when we have spare. We are particularly interested in local, particularly tasty or easy to maintain varieties, so if you have spares for anything you’d really recommend, please think of us!

If you are interested in being part of it – and it is a fabulous spot, very accessible to the public – the garden needs:

Volunteers – if you have gardening skills, come and share them, and if you don’t, come along and learn in the doing. Volunteers prepared to take on regular tasks such as looking after new plants and weeding, volunteers who love to work together on new beds, or anyone who wants to take on responsibility for an area – please get in touch.

Donations of spare plants, cuttings, seedlings: at the moment we are seeking –

Cuttings of fruit bushes – gooseberry, currant, raspberry family
Cuttings of species rosa – anyone got any dog rose they don’t need in their garden? We’re looking for species which as well as being spikey produce great hips and are attractive to insects.
Cuttings of any other spikey but useful bushes – for example berberis, pyracantha, or good blackberry varieties
Any offshoots or tubers of perennial (or effectively perennial) vegetables, such as artichoke, cardoon, perennial onions, asparagus, good king henry, Jerusalem artichokes. Anyone got any horseradish surplus to requirement? (which probably means anyone who’s ever planted it….)
Spare seedlings for annual vegetables: we don’t need many of any one kind, but a good range would be brilliant for showing what works where in more mixed beds with permanent planting, as well as in containers
Spare seeds… even a few of a kind would be perfect, especially if you know they are great tasting and reliable varieties

Ideas and suggestions: ideas from your experience on what to plant and how to use plants together to make the very best use of our local conditions – please let us know!

Ruth, for Action 21 and the East Lodge Sustainability Centre Working Group

Contact me on ruth.wallsgrove@tkjpartners.com or phone Action 21 on 01926 339077 and leave a message at any time

Kenilworth Hedgehog Rescue Centre

2011-05-19T12:18:00.005+01:00

Picture from Wikimedia Commons

Breaking news!

Just to let everyone know that 10 hedgehogs have been released into the woodland from the 'Kenilworth Hedgehog Rescue Centre' There are 6 nesting areas placed into the habitat piles in the woodland and there are 2 feeding areas for the hedgehogs.

Good luck to the hedgehogs and I hope they are having a great time.

Moth trapping at Jephson Gardens Sat 21st May

2011-05-19T11:55:00.001+01:00

Warwick University Mixed Hockey Club raise £275 for Action 21

2011-05-17T16:23:00.006+01:00

Ex Action 21 volunteer Maddy Hodgson persuaded Warwick University Mixed Hockey Club to do a fancy dress fun run and auction themselves out as 'servants' for the day. The event was a massive success and raised £275 for Action 21

The money has paid for bespoke cork information boards at the Sustainability Centre in Jephson Gardens. These will be full of information on sustainability projects in the area and will be viewed by an admiring public for a long time to come.

Reece Garrard, Ekow Acquah, Peter Wing, Ben Tomita, Tori Garbutt, Maddy Hodgson, Matthew Pattison, Ali Darke, Tom Brookes and Julia Klinger-Moore.all took part in this fund raising event.

A massive Thankyou from everyone at Action 21!

Dawn Thomas, A volunteer with a vision

2011-05-04T10:47:00.013+01:00

Dawn Thomas has joined Action as a volunteer with a vision. Dawn liked the look of the bottle greenhouse and could see potential for the small area of ground in front of the Re-useful Centre, so she offered to take it on as a project.

Dawn grows her own organic vegetables and has regularly bought things from our shop for her Kenilworth allotment. She is known by her fellow allotment holders as “Skippy” because she always has her head in a skip and her legs sticking out of it. She has got her ticket for Gardeners World on June 19 and is also going to a talk by “the man himself....Monty Don.”

Dawn hates waste and is a practical problem solver. So far she has developed a four year crop rotation plan, for the donated bath tubs outside the shop. Dawn will be growing vegetables and green manure (i.e. mustard and comfrey) in the bath tubs.

Comfrey and mustard can be dug straight into the earth during spring, summer or autumn and then planted with vegetables a few weeks later. Comfrey can be used as a liquid feed, by sticking it in an old pair of tights and hanging it in a water butt. Comfrey leaves can also be laid around vegetables to stop snails and slugs.

The raised beds Neil Dally made from old kitchen cupboards and off cuts of donated wood will be put to good use. Dawn is planting a variety of plants that work to attract insects, birds and wildlife, and can be used as companion plants. As part of the four year crop rotation Dawn is growing a variety of brassicas, legumes, roots crops and catch crops. This is an organic way to protect vegetables such as the broad beans, runner beans, cabbage and lettuce from unwanted disease and insects.

Dawn is growing nutritionally non demanding, non crop rotational and permanent crops. Sunflowers, marigolds, tagetes, nasturtiums, wild flowers, nettles and cosmos will all look wonderful in the summer. All of these will also help to attract wildlife, keep unwanted insects away from the vegetable and help fertilise and grow the tomatoes, runner beans and peas that are being grown in the raised beds along with the flowers.

If your soil is not very good, or you have an old pot from last year, Dawn thinks these crops will grow well:

Chives

Coriander

All year round lettuce

salad leaves

Rocket

Lollo Rossa lettuce

Parella red (winter hardy for cold frames)

Radish

Rhubarb

Parsley

Chard

Tom Thumb lettuce (solid and quick to mature)

In June Baginton Nurseries and Hinton Nurseries are kindly donating flowers for Dawn to plant, which will add some colour and good cheer to this exciting area.

A huge big thank you to Dawn for continuing the work of Lucy Bishop (bottle greenhouse) with vision and hard work. The front of the shop looks great and we hope it inspires our customers to get growing.

Thorntons to sponsor Easter Egg hunt in Jephson Gardens!

2011-04-07T11:03:00.006+01:00

Thorntons are sponsoring the Easter Egg Hunt in Jephson Gardens !

That means 10 LARGE eggs and 40 chocolate lollies worth of delicious Thorntons chocolate free for the lucky finders.

Action 21 would like to say a big Thankyou to Thorntons for sponsoring our event.

Action 21 in the news ....

2011-04-05T11:55:00.001+01:00

Leamington Observer Press

Coventry Telegraph

Spring Herb Gathering & Remedy Making Workshop

2011-03-22T14:51:00.004Z

Spring Herb Gathering & Remedy Making Workshop:
1 - 3pm, Sunday 10 April at East Lodge Sustainability Centre, Willes Road

Throughout the year there are a feast of herbs on our doorstep that we can use in home remedies. Sadly much of our herbal knowledge has become lost as we depend more on mainstream medicine. Yet there are many ways that we can use herbs in home remedies. Plus it's a lot of fun!

At this fun and informal session we will:

* gather seasonal herbs such as nettles, dandelions, nettles
* make a herbal vinegar
* make a herbal salve

You will need:

* bag for collecting herbs and gloves (especially for nettles!)
* a clean jar for vinegar making, plus enough apple cider vinegar to fill it
* a clean mini jar (e.g. - lip balm jar) for salve

£3 to cover salve ingredients & hand out.

The workshop will be run by Elizabeth Marsh of Amiya Natural Beauty

Places are limited so please let us know beforehand.

This session is a collaboration by Action 21, Transition Town Leamington and local business Amiya Natural Beauty.

Volunteers needed to run gardening group

2011-03-22T14:41:00.004Z

Action for Health

A Communal vegetable garden for anybody with mobility problems

Volunteers Needed!

Action 21 and Brunswick Healthy Living Centre are looking for volunteers to run gardening sessions, for people with mobility issues, at Dobson Lane Community Allotments in Whitnash.

If you have gardening experience, empathy, and an interest in enabling people to learn, you could run a weekly gardening session for people with mobility problems. For more information call Wayne Edmunds on 01926 422123 or email volunteering@brunswickhlc.org.uk

Easter fun in Jephson Gardens

2011-03-22T13:24:00.003Z

Jephson Gardens will be buzzing over the Easter weekend. Parents and children are invited to come along and take part in all things spring. with story telling, butterfly painting, egg-hunts, face painting and possibly the appearance of some cute spring chicks.

Click on the picture to see the timetable of events.

This is a mans world ...

2011-03-10T12:44:00.007Z

Action 21’s bike volunteers have been hard at work getting a huge number of bikes ready for spring. A whole floor of Action 21’s Warehouse is dedicated to fixing bikes. It’s staffed by volunteers who make a regular commitment to getting their hands dirty, for no pay.

Graham Oliver, Action 21’s Volunteer Bike Co-ordinator (John’s volunteer boss) had a high flying career in the beer brewing industry before taking early retirement. He then ran a steam railway business, with 850 volunteers. Unable to give up working he responded to an advert for a Bike Co-ordinator and got the job. When Action 21 had to scale down its employees, due to the loss of revenue from the Recycle Warehouse, Graham stepped up and offered to work two days a week for no pay!

So are these guys total martyrs, or do they get something out of it?

“When you retire you miss the work environment; your colleagues, the banter, the cups of tea and biscuits. Working is also the perfect excuse to avoid the hoover and the to do list, that awaits you at home!” John McArthur. Volunteer Bike mechanic.

There is always a good atmosphere on the bike floor and you get the impression that these guys look out for one another. Graham admits he also likes coming to work, to avoid daily household chores, and spend time with people:

“When you look at John you see a professional craftsman at work, who takes great satisfaction in the finished product. A bike arrives in a sad and neglected state, we refurbish them and they go out for sale, fit for purpose, to someone who needs a bike.”

Graham is also a cycling enthusiast who believes in the project because:

“Cycling is a healthy and sustainable mode of transport. The only fuel it needs is the food you eat, and that is produced in this country. By selling the bikes we are also raising money for other local sustainable projects .”

If you would like to volunteer as a bike mechanic you will be given full training and regular cups of tea and biscuits. For more information call into Action 21's Re-Useful Centre: 5 Ramsey Road, Sydenham, CV31 1PL. Opening times Tuesday to Sunday 10 – 4pm. Or telephone Action 21 on 01926 886438

What’s in a name?

2011-02-17T12:35:00.005Z

Agenda 21 is a blueprint for sustainable development into the 21st Century. Its basis was agreed during the "Earth Summit" at Rio in 1992, and signed by 179 Heads of State and Government.

Agenda 21 is a guide for individuals, businesses and governments in making choices for development that help society and the environment. Agenda 21 is a huge document, with 40 chapters in 4 sections. It deals with:

1. Social and economic dimensions;- developing countries; poverty; consumption patterns; population; health; human settlements; integrating environment and development.

2. Conservation and management of resources:- atmosphere; land; forests; deserts; mountains; agriculture; biodiversity; biotechnology; oceans; fresh water; toxic chemicals; hazardous radioactive and solid waste and sewage.

3. Strengthening the role of major groups:- women; children and youth; indigenous peoples; non-governmental organisations; local authorities; workers; business and industry; farmers; scientists and technologists.

4. Means of implementation:- finance; technology transfer; science; education; capacity-building; international institutions; legal measures; information.

The number 21 refers to the 21st century.

Action 21 refers to action we are taking, to implement this agenda for the 21st century, in our local community.

Dobson Lane Community Allotment Project

2011-02-15T11:57:00.004Z

Dobson Lane Community Allotments are successfully up and running. The next stage is to fill the raised flower beds. These beds will enable people with mobility problems to get growing without having to bend down. We are aiming for members of Brunswick Healthy Living Centre to start using the beds at the beginning of the growing season.

If you are able to help please come to our Work Party:

Date: Saturday, 19th Feb 10am-1pm
Please wear: Your scruffy work clothes and sturdy boots.
Please bring: Shovel/spades, barrows/buckets, gloves, elevenses and refreshments.
Where: At the very end of Dobson Lane, Whitnash.

Please support Action 21 by finding our shop!

2011-02-03T10:39:00.008Z

Getting to The Re-Useful Centre.

We have all moved into Ramsay Road and it's a hive of activity. The shop is crammed to the rafters and there's a real buzz about the place. Please support us by exploring our treasure trove, and dropping off your unwanted stuff.

How to find us:

5 Ramsey Road (off St Mary's Rd),
Sydenham
Leamington Spa
Warwickshire

Tel: 01926 886438

There are two main routes:

1. Go up Sydenham drive (towards Asda) and take the first turning on the right into St Mary's Road, go past the Malen Garage and take the next turning on the right into Ramsay Road.

2. From Radford Road turn into St Mary's Road, carry on over the bridge and Ramsay Road is the last turning on the left.

The scenic route:
Meander along the canal until you get to bridge 37a which will take you onto St Mary's Road, walk along St Mary's Road (away from Radford Road and Ramsay Road is the last road on the left.

The Re-useful Centre sells second hand books, furniture (from nearly-new to antiques), refurbished bicycles with a one month warranty, and tested electrical goods like TVs, kitchen appliances and stereos. You will also find Green Geeks here selling refurbished computers and repair services.

600 tonnes and it's still moving ...

2011-01-27T11:56:00.007Z

The weights have been calculated and the Recycle Warehouse has sold in excess of 600 tonnes of goods in the last 5 years. That's approximately 86 double decker buses! Imagine what a massive hole in the ground that lot would take.

Pretty good work for a small community organisation with a handful of staff and massive reliance on volunteers. Thanks to all that hard work 600 tonnes of household goods are now happily re-scattered around the houses of Leamington residents, who are using it all over again.

Lets hope when they fancy a change it gets donated to the re-useful centre, so it can continue on its sustainable journey; from owner, to owner to owner.

If furniture and crockery could speak thay'd have a lot of stories to tell. If you are the proud owner of something bought from the Warehouse rest assured it is imbued with history, and is part of a long story that's not over yet...

Letters of support for Action 21 ...

2011-01-22T10:15:00.005Z

The Courier (21/1/2011) has published another kind letter of support for Action 21 In case you miss it here is Ann Morrison's letter;

What a waste of a community group

It is with sadness and incredulity that I read in the Courier last week that Action 21 will no longer run the Leamington recycling site at Princes Drive. Your article suggests that the reason fro selecting Sue Ryder is that they would be more successful in directing waste from landfill, (presumably based on their premises).

I wonder if the tender process took into account the years of local volunteering from Leamington residents that made this site and the organisation special to the district.

Other charities may be good at what they do, but Action 21 is essentially an environmental community group that had successfully recycled much household waste.

Is this an example of a large national charity who may be able to employ specialists in presenting bids in a persuasive way, to the detriment of a small, well respected local community group who may now have to suffer job losses?

Ann Morrison, Leam Terrace. Leamington Spa.

Thankyou Ann, it's great to know that the many hours volunteers have spent working for Action 21 is recognised by the public. The changes have meant many job losses for Action 21, but we're not giving up. Most of the volunteers are staying on and we will be redoubling our efforts at the Re-Useful Centre. Please help us to make it work by donating your unwanted items.

Energy Project Meeting

2011-01-20T18:32:00.003Z

Solar 300

Energy Project Meeting

Milverton Primary School

Tuesday 25th January at 8pm

The Solar 300 Energy Club need four more households to fit solar panels for everyone to qualify for a 25% discount.

This week The Leamington Observer reported that Milverton school recently installed photovoltaic panels for generating electricity from sunlight and solar collectors for heating water with sunlight.

If you want to make the most of the sunshine, please come to the meeting.

For more information call John Pickering on 01926 332965

Letter of support for Action 21

2011-01-20T13:39:00.006Z

Marianne Pitts wrote a wonderful letter to the Leamington Courier, who published it in their Opinion Postbag section on January 7th 2011.

I would like to say a big thankyou to Marianne for supporting Action 21 so eloquently.

Marianne's letter;

"Is money all that matters to the council?

The news (Courier December 24) that Action 21 is no longer to be in charge of the recycle Warehouse on Princes Drive is disturbing.

Action 21 set up this centre nearly five years ago to such good effect that Warwick County Council (WCC) has recently given them a grant towards a new building.

Hundreds of volunteers have given time and ideas and have worked hard to raise the profile and level of activity. The proceeds support the Sustainability Centre in and around the Willes Road gatehouse of Jephson Gardens, using a local asset which had been abandoned and unused for many years. This centre must be in jeopardy with the loss of Action 21's income from the recycle warehouse.

What reason can there be for taking this resource away from Action 21?

The Sue Ryder foundation is an excellent charity doing valuable work for the long term disabled and for cancer patients, but it is a national, as opposed to local, charity. the HQ is in London and the nearest carers are in Wolverhampton.

The Courier article reports a belief that a Sue Ryder shop would generate more income. for whom and how and why does it matter? Will as much material be saved for reuse and from landfill?

What about the ecological argument? Is money all that matters to WCC?

Local volunteers of Action 21 have been snubbed by WCC - why?"

Marianne Pitts, Leam Terrace, Leamington Spa.

More join solar scheme

2011-01-20T11:53:00.004Z

The Leamington Observer reported on Action 21's solar thermal challenge this week.

Here is what they wrote:

"More green-minded householders in the district are hoping to power their homes with solar technology.

A dozen households in Kenilworth have already had solar technology installed thanks to a new eco-friendly scheme run by Action 21 - the Leamington based sustainability project.

And now residents in Leamington are hoping to sign up to the Solar thermal challenge.

The scheme, offering discounted solar panels to groups of 12 householders, was launched in May last year with the aim of installing 300 solar thermal units in the district.

Carolyn and John Pickering, who live in Greatheed Road, are keen to have solar thermal units installed in their home and have already rallied together eight other householders but need just a few more in order to get their twenty five per cent discount.

Action 21, which promotes sustainable living to people in Warwickshire through positive practical action just like the solar thermal challenge, has joined forces with supplier Eco2solar to offer the discounted thermal units.

Climate change campaigners say over 30 minutes the earth absorbs enough energy from the sun to power the entire planet for a whole year. The solar challenge aims to capture just some of that solar energy.

Anyone who would like to join the scheme can contact John Pickering on 01926 332965".

Thanks to the Observer for writing this article. Let's hope it gets four more households joining and going solar.

Recycle your old car and give to charity at the same time.

2011-01-20T10:29:00.012Z

Giveacar is a social enterprise founded by University graduate Tom Chance. Tom has used his entrepreneurial knowhow to plug a hole in the U.K. market for scrapping cars for charity. This is something that has been going in the U.S. for some time.

So how do you go about it?

Visit the Giveacar website or ring them on 020 0011 1664. They will arrange for a collection agent to pick up your car at a convenient time. This will usually be done within 3 days of you making that call. Depending on the car’s state, it will then be sold at an auction or disposed of through an Automated Treatment Facility (ATF).

The good news for the environment is that if it is disposed of through an ATF, at least 85% of the weight of the car will be recycled. The profits from the scrap of, or sale of, the car will be donated to the charity of your choice, minus the Giveacar administration fee.

If you would like to nominate Action 21 you will find us listed under environmental charities on the Giveacar website.

Re-Use Idea #1 - Bowls From Old Vinyl

2010-12-20T13:33:00.004Z

In the first of a series of re-use projects, we show you how to make bowls from old vinyl records. We've been doing this at our Re-Useful Centre in Sydenham, Leamington Spa - so if you need a last minute Christmas present come by and pick a few up.

Or you can do it yourself:

1) Choose a vinyl album or single, preferably that is scratched so it can't be played any longer. Try and look for well-known bands/ songs or something that is a bit different (coloured vinyl/ jazzy labels).

2) Heat oven to 150 degrees Celsius.

3) Use an ovenproof object such as a cup/ bowl/ ramekin to fit the centre of the chosen piece of vinyl. Also, need to find something tall enough that the melted item will not touch the oven shelf or baking tray.

4) Heat for approx. 2 mins (it really is that quick), until the vinyl has softened.

5) Carefully remove the item from the oven.

6) Using oven gloves (or similar) you can gently squeeze or pull the vinyl into a better shape.

7) The vinyl cools quickly, but if you want it to cool more rapidly, you can plunge it into cold water to set the shape.

Action 21 lose Recycle Warehouse

2010-12-16T13:31:00.017Z

Action 21 have lost their bid to the council to carry on running the Recycle Warehouse at Princes Drive... That's the shocking news I read on the website last night and it has been sinking in ever since.

When I first came to Leamington the Recycle Warehouse was privately run. It didn’t have that much stuff in it, and what it did have often seemed expensive. I had just moved into a house with two young children, no furniture and very little money. I desperately needed to find a shop where I could afford to buy the stuff I needed to turn my house into a home. We were using an old plastic bit of garden furniture as our dining table, and we had no sofas or chest of drawers. Our house pretty much stayed like this until Action 21 took over the tip shop and turned it into the Recycle Warehouse. For me, it was like a dream come true and I used to go there nearly every day looking for a bargain. After about six months I had mostly furnished our house from the donations of Leamington’s wealthier residents.

Being a regular, and chatty, customer I had been spotted by volunteer Bruce who persuaded me to start volunteering at the shop. I was new to Leamington, and a stay at home lone parent, so it was great for me to have something to do outside of the home that didn't include the words nursery or playgroup. I started volunteering at the shop on Monday mornings. It’s a very active job so I always felt a bit thinner by lunchtime and uplifted from the social contact and laughs I’d had. I’d take some money with me in case I saw anything nice for my house and often came back with something new. To work all morning for nothing and then be happy to spend your money in the shop might sound strange, but I now know that volunteers are often recruited because they are great customers and that doesn’t change just because they start volunteering. If anything some probably spend more money than they did before. Talk about a win win situation for Action 21!

I’m now at the stage where I donate more stuff than I buy and, call me shallow, but I like the fact that when I drop things off there’s usually a helpful man to lift furniture from my boot. I’ve watched things I’m donating being sold again before they hit the shop floor. It’s great to see someone else being really pleased to get something you don’t want any more; my children’s highchairs, buggy’s and scooters have all gone this way and watching re-use in action like that gives me a good feeling.

Sue Ryder do palliative work with people at the end of their lives, and that needs funding, so I wish them all the best with the Recycle Warehouse. They are in receipt of a profitable up and running business that will help to pay for their important work. Our loss is their gain, and whilst it's hard for the people involved with Action 21 to let go of something they have invested so much in, I know that everyone can appreciate what Sue Ryder do.

Donators, customers, volunteers and staff have all made the Recycle Warehouse the great shop it is today, and will hopefully continue to be. Action 21's challenge is to get people to feel the same way about The Re-Useful Centre in Ramsay Road as they do about the Recycle Warehouse. So please support Action 21 to get through this loss by donating and buying from our shop in Ramsay Road. We hope to continue to develop it into something as unique as the Recycle Warehouse. With all the wonderfully creative people involved with Action 21 it’s going to be injected with a lot of energy. All we need is for people to donate their lovely things, and customers who love a bargain.

Cold Weather Volunteers

2010-12-09T11:57:00.008Z

Artist Tim Robottom creating Cascade at the Re-Useful Centre.

With the wonderful art and plastic bottle Greenhouse outside, The Re-Useful Centre looks like a shining beacon of creative community spirit, in the middle of an industrial setting . And I guess that is because, that is what it is.

I called in last week, in sub zero temperatures, to find lots of staff and volunteers all about to light the candles on a birthday cake for Jason, an Action 21 volunteer.

I asked Shop Manager, Ben Moore, “what makes people come into a cold warehouse to volunteer in sub zero temperatures?”

Ben: “People like to be around people. People like to volunteer on the days when we have other volunteers around. No-one wants to go into a cold P.A.T testing room on their own, but if there are lots of volunteers P.A.T testing in there, more people want to do it.”

I agree. I’m really pleased that I am now volunteering alongside two other volunteers in the office. It’s a healthy and stimulating work environment that combats the isolation of being a stay at home mum, in a very natural and spontaneous way. Working with other people makes you feel like you belong and are part of a team.

As Ben said “You have to be really, really nice to volunteers and make it a good place to be.”

Action 21 have a huge variety of volunteering options available and try to help you get what you want out of volunteering. You might be a high flyer who wants to offer their skills to a worthy cause, a graduate wanting to gain experience in something specific in order to help with job applications, a parent who is only available during school hours or a retired person who is used to working full time, and is not totally ready to stop. Action 21 volunteers come in all shapes and sizes so Action volunteering options have to come in all shapes and sizes too.

For volunteering opportunities you can call our Volunteer Co-ordinator, Amy Footer , on 01926 453030 for a chat, or browse for volunteer roles on the Action 21 website.

Battery Obituary

2010-12-02T12:18:00.016Z

Picture taken by Mathieu BOIS

According to the Warwichire County Council website 'around 600 million UK household batteries (22,000 tonnes) – the equivalent weight of 110 Jumbo Jets – are sent to landfill unnecessarily every year! The chemical make up of batteries varies from type to type but most batteries contain heavy metals which are the main cause for environmental concern. When disposed of incorrectly these heavy metals may leak into the ground when the battery casing corodes. This can contribute to soil and water pollution and endanger wildlife.'

New regulations, which came into force 1st February 2010, require all shops selling more than one pack of four AA batteries a day, to take back waste portable batteries free of charge. I called two of the major supermarkets in the area and found that one had a collection box in the store and one was unaware of their legal obligation. So TAKE ACTION, (and get some feelgood factor while you shop), by dumping your batteries in the right place.

To reduce your future consumption Warwickshire County Council advise you to:

Use the mains when possible.
Use rechargeable batteries and a battery charger. This saves energy because the energy needed to manufacture a battery is on average 50 times greater than the energy it gives out.
Opt for appliances that can use power derived from the sun via solar panels or from a winding mechanism, e.g. radios, mobile phone wind-up chargers.
Participate in Warwickshire County Council's battery collection schemes at your local household waste recycling centres .

A Re-Useful Present

2010-11-17T21:04:00.002Z

I’m very proud of myself for sending my sister a birthday present without buying anything new. She loves old books, so I found these at Action 21′s Re-useful Centre - a warehouse full of second-hand joy rescued from landfill.

I always save the wrapping paper from presents that people give me. I didn’t bring any of this with me when I moved but nevermind, a magazine cover did the job well.

Finally I parcelled it up in an old envelope with the homemade card.

And there it is, a gift without anything new. Something worth baring in mind in the run up to Christmas.

This has been cross-posted from Katie's own blog.

Dinners on the Doormat

2010-11-10T11:20:00.013Z

This weeks re-use ideas come from Sam, who is generously giving up her time to volunteer at the Recycle Warehouse:

"A door mat in your chicken run will attract worms underneath. Turn it over and give the chickens a really tasty wormy treat. They will enjoy scratching their feet on the mat, and you can keep your garden clean by putting food on it."

So don't delay, use this top tip to treat your chickens to lunch. Because they, are worth it.

In Praise of Practical Projects

2010-11-07T11:32:00.002Z

As with all environmentalists, I often find myself having moments of crisis. Those moments when you’re confronted with the state of things can can’t help but think, ‘How can we possibly make a difference?’ During my first week working for Action 21 I have had my fair share of those moments, but I’ve also been able to feel pretty inspired.

Action 21 run two second hand shops in Leamington Spa, the Recycle Warehouse and the Re-Useful Centre, in order to divert good from landfill. The Recycle Warehouse is based on the tip site, so is able to intercept goods that people bring to be dumped. They do a fantastic job, September 2010 saw them divert over 2o tonnes of furniture, books, electrical items etc (basically anything that you can think might be thrown away) from landfill. But as I was being shown round the shops, that voice of doom started to set in. So basically, it said, the amount of stuff that you see here (and there is a lot of stuff) is the kind of thing that gets needlessly thrown away and end up in landfill in every other town in Britain. I started to panic, how can we possibly make a difference??

But we all need to start somewhere. The practical projects that Action 21 runs and promotes do make a difference, albeit a small one. Being part of these projects does make me feel like I am doing something towards a larger goal. We are starting to see lot’s of communities starting their own practical projects, often as part of Transition initiatives, and it’s these grassroots projects that will add up to contribute to the bigger picture. There is no magic instant solution to climate change, to excess waste, to pollution… instead we have to celebrate the communities around the globe that a coming up with their own solutions. We can only work as hard as we each can and hope that together we will make a difference.

[cross posted from Another Cuppa]

Comfort Curtains

2010-11-03T10:47:00.007Z

Coming from a generation of blind lovers I have been slow to appreciate the joy a cosy pair of curtains can bring. Drawing them at night brings warmth and privacy unmatched by any Venetian I have ever known. Opening them in the morning gives me those first precious rays of sunshine. The luxury of this experience is down to the inner lining which, in layman’s terms, is basically a blanket. Hidden between the curtain and its lining it matters little what it looks like, and is the perfect use for those lovely old blankets that are taking up far too much storage space.

Lining your curtains with blankets is innovative re-use that will keep your house warm.

Randalising!

2010-10-20T13:44:00.009+01:00

Designer Richard Randall has offered his support to Action 21’s Re-Useful Centre, which recently opened its doors to customers for an extra day every week. On 23rd September from 2pm Richard was at the Re-Useful Centre, promoting re-use and talking to people.

Richard Randall has been designing all of his adult life, and for the past 14 years has been creating all sorts of wonderful interiors on TV, from the Big Breakfast to ITV’s 60 Minute Makeover. Richard’s catch phrase is always “Randalise, don’t vandalise”, and he specialises transforming old pieces of furniture into cutting-edge masterpieces. He is on a mission along with Action 21 to recycle and re-use and wants to get everyone being creative and making furniture over that would otherwise go to landfill.

Richard says: “Action 21 is an amazing organisation and I feel honoured to work alongside such a fantastic inspirational group! I love to be creative and my involvement with them enables me to show others how to make a huge difference to their home from furniture that would otherwise be skipped. Living in Warwickshire myself and appreciating what a delightful part of the country it is I feel it’s my right to put something back into the community.....so let’s get Randalising not Vandalising on a big scale!!”

Chintz is back ...

2010-10-11T19:12:00.011+01:00

I know this might not be to everyone's taste, but I love it. It came into my life covered in pale pink plastic vinyl with shagpile carpet stuck on the top. Now it's a dressing up box, of such fancy, that I'm sure Liberace would have approved.

All that was needed was some second hand bits I picked up from car boot sales. My upholstering skills are zilch, so I just cut out the material and tacked it under the fringing with upholstery nails. The base is covered in wallpaper. I lined the straight edge along the top and tucked my badly cut edge underneath. A generous spread of wallpaper paste and voila - chintz is back!

My Glasses

2010-10-06T12:32:00.016+01:00

These are my glasses. Or rather, they are the glasses that have enabled me to see over the last seven years. I don't know if you have to have a visual impairment to understand the huge emotional attachment one has with ones glasses, but for me each style, colour and prescription clearly tells the story of who I was when I wore them.

I remember choosing them, and I remember losing them. As my new glasses arrived, with their alarmingly stronger prescription, I struggled to come to terms with my new identity. Each time I held on to my old glasses, telling myself that I could wear them occasionally. But of course I never could, because my eyesight had got worse.

I keep them in a lovely brown box that is tied up with a ribbon. Sometimes I get them out and look at them. They really do feel like a part of me that I can never get back. Giving them away feels harder than putting my signature on an organ donation form.

This must surely reflect what they have done for me over the years. They have given me fully functioning working sight, enabling me to read, drive and see the world in all its glory. How selfish of me to keep this gift hidden in a box.

So today I am going to support the wonderful work of Vision Aid Overseas, who collect old glasses (that are dropped off at participating shops) and send them to prisons in the Uk for inmates to polish and pack. The Vision Aid Overseas Team are Opticians who fund themselves for six week overseas work. They take the collected glasses out to the developing world, where they are carefully matched with the right eyes. For the new owner this can mean the difference between working and not working.

Glasses can be dropped off at any Birk and Nagra Pharmacy in Leamington Spa, at Vision Express or Charnleys.

Flowerpot Boots

2010-09-29T11:40:00.005+01:00

Gumboots, army boots, monkey boots, smelly boots.

Fill them up with earthy boots

And make them arty farty boots.

2010-09-22T14:00:00.004+01:00

Since my son started secondary school (two weeks ago) the packing and unpacking of 'the bag' has taken on a whole new significance. Getting it wrong spells disaster; my son won't have the books he needs or be able to deliver the homework he slaved over. My anxiety over this whole secondary school thing is like a huge cloud. The silver lining is that I have learnt that stress can be well managed with obsessive organisation.

Enter: Box files. Lots of them. All beautifully covered and colour coded for different subjects. Cereal boxes out, high level filing in. If only someone had told me before that mornings could be an oasis of calm through the simple implementation of a filing system. So take my advice, say goodbye to those cheerios and get cutting and sticking. For full instruction you don't even have to turn over the packet, simply click on this link.

Change the Envelope

2010-09-15T12:03:00.006+01:00

After a wonderful summer exploring the Devonshire countryside, by visiting three or four car boot sales a week, I am left with a dilemma. I bought one hundred cards for £1 but they don't have envelopes. I am loathe to invest in new ones because this would defeat the object of getting a bargain, whilst reducing my consumption, and someone else's waste. What's more they are exactly the same size as the envelopes used by the utilities companies, and I get more bills in a month than I need envelopes for birthday cards. So, my dilemma; how do I re-use an old envelope and turn it into a quirky, stylish and ethical addition to my card, rather than an over selotaped expression of meanness? The answer has to lie in the good old felt tipped pen. A few squiggly lines, a nice personal message, or a play on their name, and an old envelope soon becomes compensation for the fact I have not actually made the card. It brings a childlike quality of yesteryear, that most adults would be only too grateful for, when they have a birthday reminder that time is marching on. Well that's my theory and I'm sticking to it. Any complaints can be sent back in the same envelope.

Leamington Bees Seek Adoption

2010-08-24T16:15:00.001+01:00

By Action 21's Kathy W.

Busy bees at Leamington’s environmental charity Action 21 are inviting residents to help local bee hives survive in the face of alarming decline, by adopting a bee.

The charity has 196 honeybees waiting to be adopted in its new observation hive at its Sustainability Centre in Jephson Gardens. The hive has been installed in a bid to take action locally to help to protect against Colony Collapse Disorder, which sees honeybee colonies dying out worldwide even though no-one fully understands why.

Bee sponsors will be helping to prevent dwindling bee populations in Leamington as well as supporting the town’s ecology, which would suffer from a lack of bees as agriculture, gardens and the environment would all be affected.

Action 21’s Beekeeper Amy Footer said, “There are many fun benefits to adopting a bee. You can name your bee, have a unique photographic portrait taken of your bee to keep, receive ‘bee-mail’, which gives you regular updates of how your bee is ‘bee-having’, plus we are setting up a bee-cam so you can watch your bee from home. You can also pop into the centre at Jephson Gardens to visit your bee and watch it at work through the glass-sided hive.”

For only £2 a month, which goes towards bee keeping equipment and upkeep of the hive, sponsors will also receive a quarterly newsletter and an exclusive yearly invitation to Action 21’s ‘Meet the Beekeeper’ session. Plus the charity offers a Bee Guarantee whereby if you discover your bee has passed on, they will allocate you a new bee at no extra cost.

Action 21’s hive has been built in partnership with the Warwick and Leamington branch of the Warwickshire Beekeepers’ Association, from recycled oak in accordance with the charity’s re-use objectives. The Branch has also provided the bees for the hive as well as support and mentoring.

Warwickshire and Leamington Beekeepers (W&LBK) Chairman Mick Smith said, “We are really pleased to be working with Action 21 on this important venture. What some people don’t realise is that besides making honey, bees are important because more than 40 percent of the food chain relies on them for pollinating crops. Locals can also help bees by creating bee friendly gardens or even by keeping bees themselves”.

If you would like to adopt a bee or find out more about bee keeping contact the Action 21 Office on (01926) 453030, go to the charity’s web site at www.Action21.co.uk or email info@action21.co.uk.

The observation hive will be on display to the public during the centre’s official opening on Saturday 11th September at the Willes Road end of Jephson Gardens.

Hooray for partnerships!

2010-08-12T15:55:00.002+01:00

Partnerships are brilliant. They allow us to do far more together than any of us could do alone, and create huge benefits for everyone involved. A friend talked to me yesterday how co-dependency is a feature of human life, and it certainly does reap benefits for us in the Sustainability field.

Every summer we run a project with a handful of local authorities, providing three days of outdoors environmental education for over 1200 primary school children at under £9 per child. This wouldn't be possible without the partnership working.

We've also got a fantastic partnership deal with Ecotricity. Every time someone switches to Ecotricity (which is good for them) and quotes Action 21, we get a £25 donation (which is good for us). And the whole thing is good for the planet.

And here's what Ecotricity say about themselves:

"Ecotricity is an energy company with a difference. They take the money their customers spend on their electricity and gas bills and reinvest it to build new sources of green energy. Every unit of green energy they generate directly replaces the energy normally made from conventional polluting or depleting sources."

In an age of depleted resources, financial and material, these kind of partnerships are going to be increasingly important. If we work together, then we might, just might solve the Sustainability thing.

Community Plot!

2010-07-14T12:04:00.005+01:00

Action 21 are looking for a community group to take on a large (60 metre2) plot of land at Dobson Lane Community Allotments in Whitnash.

The site has 44 individual plots and one other community allotment used by Brunswick Health Living Centre's community group 'Get Physical'. Co-ordinator, Joan Collins, started the allotment so the group's members (who have learning difficulties and/or mental health issues) could get more active by being involved in a sustainable community project:

"An allotment is a gentle introduction to exercise and it's good for your mental well being. We will use the food we grow in the cafe at the Brunswick Healthy Living Centre. It's organic and healthy."

Allotments are gaining popularity as people become more interested in where their food comes from and how it is grown. Sharing an allotment plot means everyone can get involved no matter what their skill level. It's a sociable activity in a lovely setting.

It has taken a lot of hard work to turn this scrubland into attractive community allotments. Volunteers and local businesses Jaguar Land Rover, Carillion PLC, Barclays Bank and KES builders have all contributed to the success of the project by volunteering their staff and donating materials.

Project Manager Louise Male wants to organise workshops in den building, willow weaving and green woodworking and plans to build raised beds, for people with mobility issues, and compost toilets.

This is a great opportunity for a local community group to get involved by taking on an allotment. Whether they are looking to learn new skills, provide social opportunities or get healthy, having your own piece of land and growing your own food is rich with rewards.

For more information email louise@action21.co.uk or telephone Action 21 on 01926 453030

Wash and Go.

2010-07-14T11:08:00.004+01:00

The school holidays will soon be upon us and what better way to keep the kids entertained than by pouring water onto plants. You can catch the August showers with a swanky water barrel (placed under your guttering) or you can opt for more the more make and do options, (necessity being the mother of invention and all that) of buckets, milk bottles with the tops cut off, empty pots etc. This way you can continue to be an eco water collector whilst camping.

After a night in a tent what better way to wash and go is there than fresh rainwater? No more queing for the tap with a long line of happy campers or festival revellers. You will have washed in water, heated by the sun, before they have got on their hiking boots / or got back from the party. If you want to be squeaky clean grab a handful of chestnut leaves and scrunch them up in water. This will produce a totally natural soapy lather making you shiny and happy and ready to rock and roll.

Introduction to bike maintenance

2010-07-07T12:59:00.008+01:00

Sign up and learn the basics of bike maintenance with Laura, Action 21's Bicycle Workshop Co-ordinator on this day-long course. Cost £30 (10% discount for Action 21 members) includes a free puncture repair kit. 5 places available, so email eleanor@action21.co.uk or call 01926 453030 to book your place now.

Time: 10am - 4.30pm

Location: The Re-Useful Centre, Ramsey Road

Dates: Saturday 14th August OR

Saturday 21st August

Become a valuable volunteer!

2010-06-30T13:54:00.004+01:00

Action 21 need volunteers to work in our shops. You could volunteer for as little as a morning or afternoon a week, or more if you enjoy it. It's a sociable environment and with lots of volunteers working there's time to have a laugh or two. You will be out in the sunshine, mixing with people and feeling good that you are helping to divert goods from landfill. Profits from the shops are ploughed into local environmental projects that benefit the community.

For more information you can either pop into the Recycle Warehouse or Re-useful Centre and speak to a member of staff or, call Amy on 01926 453030 or email her at amy@action21.co.uk and she will get back to you to arrange a meeting.

Don't Delay!
Volunteer Today!

Recycling Week: June 21 -27th 2010.

2010-06-23T14:15:00.005+01:00

A huge big thankyou from Action 21 to everyone who volunteered at the Peace Festival. You worked tirelessly in blazing sunshine and did a terrific job. It was a fantastic festival and the brilliant clean up operation helped to make it a family friendly event, promoting good causes and making Leamington a better place to live.

Events and places that offer opportunities for social interaction are what make communities. I have spent the morning at the Recycle Warehouse filling in questionnaires with customers to find out what they think of the Recycle Warehouse and Re-Useful Centre. Most people cited friendly staff as a reason why they liked visiting the shops, and many people visit the shop every day. Our customers like picking up interesting things at low prices and having a chat with people while they are there. They think the shop is well laid out and that it's easy to find things. Customers get satisfaction from knowing they are diverting goods from landfill. Lots of people didn't know that the profits from the shops are put into environmental projects in the area, but they were all happy to hear this.

Recycling Week: June 21 -27th 2010.

2010-06-16T11:45:00.011+01:00

Recycle Now are using this year’s recycling week to focus our minds on recycling unused electrical items. Their website is packed full of useful information on recycling and events that are happening in your area.

Leamington’s most exciting event of the year, The Peace Festival is on this weekend (19th-20th June). Come and say hello to the Action 21 staff and plant a seed in re-used containers, or get a free M.O.T for your bicycle from Dr Bike. Action 21 staff and volunteers will be working hard to recycle all the rubbish at the festival.

When all the fun is over,and all the recycling has been done, it’s still inevitable you’ll be left nursing a pile of leaflets. So here are some tips and tricks on how to re-use them:

Make planting pots for seeds by wrapping newspaper, or leaflets, around a jam jar and folding in the bottom. Remove the jar and fill with soil to make the pot stable. Once the plant has grown big enough you can put it straight into the ground as the paper will gradually disintegrate. Andrew Garner.

Get modeling with paper mache. Tear into strips and cover in wallpaper paste. Cover balloons, plastic bottles, styrofoam trays and shoe boxes. Or make your own base using masking tape and cardboard. Let each layer dry before applying the next. Lay the strips of paper across each other and apply at least three layers. Once dry your model is ready to paint. Robyn Dorling.

Shred and use for packaging or bedding for small animals. Caroline Lukehurst.

Give them to your local primary school for kids to make collages out of. Tricia Belvedere.

Make paper aeroplanes. Milo Richards aged 11.

Paint red and use as a red carpet for lego figures. Milo Richards aged 11.

Cut up and use as confetti at a ‘green wedding’. Eleanor Perkins.

Green up our festivals this summer.

2010-06-14T09:32:00.005+01:00

Action 21 are looking for volunteers to help with recycling at The Leamington Peace Festival (19th and 20th June) and the Warwick Folk Festival (23-25th July).

For a minimum of four hours volunteering a meal will be provided and free entrance to the Warwick Folk Festival for the whole day.

By collecting and sorting plastic bottles, glass bottles and cans, last years recycling stewards diverted 1.8 tonnes of recyclable waste from landfill. Without these volunteers this would not have happened.

Anthony Wood says that when he volunteered last year he "enjoyed the atmosphere of the festival and the chance to do something positive to help the event be a success."

If you would like to get involved call Action 21 on 01926 453030 or email amy@action21.co.uk

What does sustainability mean to you?

2010-06-09T13:15:00.010+01:00

As oil spills into the Gulf of Mexico The World Ocean Council are holding a conference (in Belfast) to bring together industries with concerns in marine environment sustainability.

Being responsible, for one of the worst man made environmental disasters in history, is hardly the kind of carbon footprint that any company would want to carry. BP’s ruptured well lies 1,600 metres below the surface, and plugging it is proving difficult.

Carrying the can for the environmental footprint of a large petroleum organisation is way beyond the thinking that most of us will ever engage in. But if sustainability runs through every area of your life it will inevitably affect the smallest, and the biggest, decisions that you make. Rather than being a private matter, it is something that travels with us to work, on holiday and into our social lives. When it comes to sustainability the personal really is political.

Cross cultural, economic, geographical and social differences effect the way we live our lives. Worrying about how to offset my air miles is irrelevant to my life but may be a major cause of concern for others. The poorer you are the less you consume the world’s resources. This begs the question; if you don’t enjoy the luxury of travelling by plane do you have the same responsibility, as the frequent flyer, for sorting out your rubbish?

Is it possible, or even desirable, to share a vision of sustainability in a world of inequality? If sustainable living meant equal responsibility, and equal benefit, it would be easy to see why those who consume the least felt less inclined to concern themselves with environmental issues.

Luckily it doesn’t. Sustainability is about raising the quality of life for everybody in a community. When you take on environmental responsibility social responsibility comes with it. I live in hope that if the wealthiest countries live in a sustainable way, the poorest countries will benefit the most.

Are you a practical person with time on your hands?

2010-05-19T14:27:00.009+01:00

When John Ford retires he found he had time on his hands that he wanted to fill, becoming a volunteer Portable Appliance Tester for Action 21 enabled him to put his practical skills to good use:

“I’ve always liked fixing things and had an interest in electrics. Volunteering as a Portable Appliance Tester for Action 21 means I save a lot of electrical goods from landfill. I’ve taken early retirement and this has become a hobby for me now” (John Ford: Volunteer PAT Tester)

Action 21’s shops, The Recycle Warehouse and Re-Useful Centre receive lots of electrical items and they all have to be safety checked before they can be sold. Donations are piling up so Action 21 is keen to recruit more volunteers to carry out the necessary safety checks. Volunteers enjoy a sociable working environment and gain a qualification:

“If you are a practical person, interested in how things work, then this kind of thing might suit you “(John Webber: Volunteer PAT Tester)

Action 21 are a not-for-profit environmental organisation. They have two shops in Leamington Spa that sell donated items of furniture, bric a brac and electrical items. Profits from the shops are then put into practical projects that aim to make sustainable living easier for the people of Warwickshire. They are proud to have over 90 volunteers involved.

If you are interested in becoming a Volunteer Portable Appliance Tester telephone Amy Footer: Volunteer Co-ordinator, 01926 453030 or email amy@action21.co.uk .

Volunteer PAT Tester Shawn hard at work.

Cycle Routes

2010-05-12T14:22:00.006+01:00

Warwickshire has some beautiful countryside that can be explored using cycle routes that keep you safely out of the way of traffic. The Council have produced leaflets (which can be purchased online) for specific routes, with information on suitability for children, what kind of surfaces to expect and how long trips might take.

Action 21 has a bicycle workshop, at the Re-Useful Centre, which refurbishes and sells around 40 donated, second hand bicycles every week. They also have a box of spare parts selling for pennies.

If you need a bike (or a bit for a bike) visit the Bicycle Workshop at the Re-Useful Centre,
5 Ramsey Road, Sydenham, CV31 1PL

Tel: 01926 886438

Opening times: 10am - 4pm, on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

Recycling Toothbrushes

2010-05-05T15:52:00.011+01:00

Peter Gostev, Management Studies Student at the University of Nottingham), won second prize in the Student Venture Challenge 2010 for his business pitch on biodegradable toothbrushes;

‘Around 4.5million kg of toothbrushes are disposed of each year – the equivalent of 3,700 Minis, 1.6million laptops or 1,000 elephants. The vast majority of these toothbrushes end up in landfill and take thousands of years to decompose.’

There’s no reason why today’s (mostly non-biodegradable) toothbrush can’t be used tomorrow. All it takes is a little creative thinking. I asked my friends what they did with theirs:

‘Hair dying (great for home highlights) and cleaning.’ Anne Louise Hansen
‘Art work-painting and inks.’ Kath Galley‘
'I just cleaned the filter of my pond with one ’ Claire Francis
'They are really good for cleaning your gem's and even better are the vibrating ones’. Custard Armistead Walton
‘Getting dog poo out of the grooves in the kids trainers – yuk!’ Bridget Hart
‘Remove the bristles, immerse in boiling water for a couple of minutes and bend then round jam jars to make kids bangles or links of a chain. Cleaning shoes especially where sole meets shoe, the steamed milk nozzle on coffee machines, threaded or greasy mechanical parts.’ Kay Hammond

If you are thinking of any other uses please take the time to leave a comment; it could save landfill from another dreaded toothbrush!

Permaculture Course

2010-05-05T15:25:00.006+01:00

Sustainability is not something you learn overnight. For me, living in a sustainable way started as a justification for enjoyable old habits (rummaging through junk shops, car boots and skips) and has gradually developed into the desire to know how to create a wild and natural garden and eat locally grown food.

In March I blogged on 2010: International Year of Biodiversity, and canvassed my friends for tips on how to attract wildlife without spending any money. I dutifully did everything I was told and the results have been nothing short of a transformation of the relationship I have with my garden. Gone are the days when I look at the lawn, as something to be manicured to perfection, and the garden as an empty space that nobody uses enough to warrant its hard work. All it took was a few piles of wood, a little pond (an old sunken sink), a variety of feeding platforms (old chimneys with tree rounds on top) and my garden is alive with birds, butterflies and bees. Birdsong fills my ears, the children’s leftovers are never wasted and I am enjoying my garden more than ever before, with a lot less work.

Permaculture is a practical way of redesigning how we do things by following how systems work in nature. Action 21 are running a two day Permaculture Course on Saturday 22nd and Sunday 23rd May at the Education Centre in Jephson Gardens. Course leader Ruth O’Brien wants the sessions to be informative, relaxed and fun. Four people have already signed up and Ruth would love more of you to join. For information telephone 01926 453030 or email info@action21.co.uk

Art and Re-use.

2010-04-21T10:09:00.020+01:00

This week I have been inspired by Bryonie Porter to try and revamp some old furniture with wallpaper. After seeing her gorgeous pieces in a magazine I tried covering a simple box. The secret is to have the right colour paint (that matches the wallpaper), so you can cheat on those bits that are just too tricky to cover. I pasted on the paper, let it dry and then used a stanley knife to cut along the edges. A clear varnish can then be applied to make it more robust. I can't pretend my box was as great as Bryonie's work but I still like the results. The Recycle Warehouse and Re-useful Centre always have cheap and interesting bits of furniture you could experiment on.

On the subject of alternative art Gaia have handed over their basement to Leamington newcomer Adam Holton, who has organised and is hosting an exhibition and sale. Adam wants to promote local and international art that is not mass produced and meet some of the alternative Leamington faces.

Recycled waste from Nepal has been transformed into a five foot pink elephant and some really quirky kitchenware. Amy King is showing photographic compositions that combine Leamington landmarks with views you could only see from space. Paintings and poetry adorn every wall of this underground room and Adam is still happy to put more work up.

If you would like to have a look, buy something, or show your own work the exhibition is open during shop hours and runs until April 30th 2010.

Really Re-Useful homeware

2010-04-10T14:40:00.003+01:00

Annnnd...the General Election is off! The starting gun has been fired. Britain will be undergoing some huge changes this Spring to be sure. But what about you? Are you ready for a change? Are your surroundings looking a little bit stale and tired? Do you think a bit of novelty wouldn't go amiss?

No - not at Westminster. In your living room! If you are doing a bit of a Spring clean and have decided you need a bit of new furniture to spruce up the place, you should come down to the Re-Useful Centre in Syndenham, where we are fully stocked in homeware.

Any colour-scheme, design or theme you wish for, the Re-Useful Centre has it. And you can make a difference when you buy - all of the money goes back to Action 21 projects.

The best bit is, you can pick up a bargain at the centre armchairs from fiver and cushions from 50p.

Armchairs from £5

Cushions from 50p

Garden chairs from £2

Mugs, cups and saucers from 20p

Large dinner service from £9

Dining tables from £5

What comes and goes at the shops.

2010-03-24T10:34:00.004Z

This week I did a little market research to find out about peoples donating and purchasing patterns.

On being asked what the most popular donations at the Recycle Warehouse are most of the staff laughed and said ‘anything’, which shows what a fabulous variation of stuff comes into the shop. After a brief discussion however the general consensus was books and videos, closely followed by crockery.

The most popular purchases at the shop are electrics, beds and crockery. We have actually had a few electric beds too!

Customers would like to see more parking spaces. Staff and volunteers would like to see one ways signs and I would like to see more donations and more customers.

The shops really benefit from a fast turnaround of goods. Some things barely hit the shop floor before someone else has bought them. So keep giving, keep looking and keep buying.

Action21 is a not for profit organisation and money made at the shop is put into environmental projects in the community.

2010-03-17T17:47:00.002Z

Photographic Competition.

2010-03-17T12:27:00.008Z

Bringing you Action 21's very first photography exhibition!

Thank you to everyone who sent in pictures for the Re-use photographic competition. Some of the pictures might inspire your artistic side.

The Recycle Warehouse has lots of customers who are artists looking for source materials. Graham Church, Shop Manager told me “One customer bought all of the sports equipment and another collected tea trolleys. They used them for art installations. People are always buying our crockery to use on mosaics.“

Anne Goodwin, Shop Volunteer collected wine stoppers. She then hung them upside down in her window creating pretty light reflectors.

I like to think many a dumped toilet is now bursting with flowers in someone’s garden and can visualise a row of them, filled with spring daffodils, as looking positively alternative.

It’s not what things are made for it is what they are used for that counts. We all need to find an outlet for creative expression and what better way to create a treasure than with another persons junk.

The exhibition is being held at the Clarence Suite, Oddfellows Hall, Leamington Spa between 7pm and 10pm. All photographs will be framed and on sale during the evening and tea, coffee and snacks will be available. For more information email eleanor@action21.co.uk or call 01926 456076

New community allotment set for success.

2010-03-10T14:09:00.007Z

Whitnash residents have shown their support for the Dobson Lane Community Allotments by volunteering at the Woodland Work Parties and applying for allotment plots. Demand has been so great that Action 21’s Project Manager Louise Male has been forced to start a waiting list.

Robyn Dorling, Action 21 volunteer says:

“The people of Whitnash have really made this project happen. Volunteers have worked hard at turning this scrubland into allotments ready for planting. Being able to allocate the plots in springtime will be a real bonus.”

Action 21 wants to keep the community involved in the project.

“There are always new things for volunteers to do and running courses on the site will make it a well used space that local people get benefit from.” (Robyn Dorling, Action 21 Volunteer)

Action 21 plans to get local schools involved in running Forest School courses. Forest Schools are a national organisation that put on short courses for people who want to learn about working in a woodland environment. The courses are aimed at children, young people and people with disabilities.

The site will also be used to run Green Woodworking courses. Participants will be able to learn the skills of working on unseasoned timber, with hand tools, to create something unique for their home or garden.

If you would like to get involved through volunteering you could help with:

• Making a raised bed for people with mobility issues.
• Building compost toilets.
• Constructing a fence

The allotments will be run by the people that use them and they will vote on any decisions that are made. A meeting to set up the Dobson Lane Community Allotment Association will be held at Whitnash Community Centre (Acre Close) on March 24th at 7pm. Everyone is welcome.

There’s another work party on Saturday 20th March. If you would like to get involved call Action 21 on 01926 456067 and we will make sure that you receive a warm welcome.

2010. International Year of Biodiversity.

2010-03-03T10:17:00.080Z

The continuing loss of species on our planet has led the United Nations to declare that 2010 is the International Year of Biodiversity.

Such important recognition, that human activities are causing irreparable damage to our ecological infrastructure, should lead to legally binding treaties to curb the loss of our complex natural diversity.

Warwickshire County Council have drawn up Species and Habitat Action Plans, and have plenty of suggestions for ways that people and organisations can get involved.

The Natural History Museum are heading a campaign called ‘Do One Thing’, encouraging individual action to stem the loss of our diverse ecosystem.

Ryton Country Park are putting on some great activities for adults/parents and kids as part of their ‘Build a Wildlife Garden Series’.

I have canvased my friends on how to encourage biodiversity in our gardens:

"You can start by thinking about plants to encourage insects and birds. For example, butterflies love buddleia; autumn berries are good for birds etc ..." Tricia Belvedere.

"Put out bird feeders and get composting." Myk Reilly.

"Insects love nettles.

You can leave out piles of logs for beetles." Deborah Lynam.

"Stuff an old sock with pet hair, cut holes in it and hang from a tree or washing line. Birds will use it as nesting material.

Tie bamboo canes together and saw cross ways to form mini beehives. Bees are great for gardens.

Hang a bell from your cats' collar, an estimated 40,000 song birds get taken by cats each year.

Make fat balls for birds out of lard, bird seed and any fat you cut off your meat ... this is good for your waistline too!" Claire Francis.

"Seeding an unused area of garden with a wild flower meadow will encourage a wide range of critters.

Make nesting boxes for ladybirds. They eat aphids so they are a bonus in the garden." Caroline Lukehurst.

"A pot of nettles growing is a perfect breeding ground for butterflies.

Ladybirds love box and privet and they eat will eat greenfly.

Bees love borrage and any other white or blue multi petal flowers.

Leave a stack of logs for hedgehogs.

Plant loads of succulent beautiful hostas and watch the slugs greedily destroy them!

A pond, or sunken sink, is a home for toads, frogs, dragon and may flies, water skaters and newts." Em Thor.

Thanks for all these great suggestions. If you have any more ideas please leave a comment. As with most things in life, the simpler the better.

Woodland Work Party Photos.

2010-02-24T16:14:00.008Z

Volunteer, Liz Drake took photos of the Woodland Work Party. I've put some of them together on youtube. You can see them by following this link.

Dobson Lane Allotments Woodland Work Party

2010-02-24T11:52:00.014Z

Last week the Courier and The Observer wrote articles about the the Woodland Work Party at Dobson Lane Allotments (Saturday February 20th). Writing a press release and then seeing it in the papers is a great feeling. I'd thoroughly recommend it to anyone who enjoys writing. As a volunteer for Action21 I get to see what I write making an impact in print. If you are interested in volunteering please contact amy@action21.co.uk

Louise Male, Project Manager tells me that the Woodland Work Party went extremely well;

"The morning weather was frosty but the day soon gave way to sunshine (and very muddy boots). There was an excellent turn out of 18 volunteers, including two local PCSO's (Police Community Support Officers). Volunteers pruned, pillared and coppiced part of the wood, taking out any low or dead branches. Coppicing prolongs the life of a tree as well as creating a rich mosaic of habitats, attracting a wide range of flora and fauna. It also allows us to grow and harvest materials that can be used in future activities, specifically willow and hazel for willow weaving, hazel fencing and bean poles. The wood was then used to make two large habitat/brush piles which provide cover from predators and places for nests, escape routes and dens. Many insects are attracted to these piles of decomposing wood, which provides a bounty of food for birds, amphibians, reptiles and mammals. An area was also cleared to host Forest School Activities".

Allotment applications are also now coming in thick and fast. Having this project publicised in the paper has helped it to get the local support it needs.

And lo' he turned water into energy

2010-02-19T01:03:00.003Z

Leamington Spa has grown up around the River Leam. The waterway, which flows from Northamptonshire to the River Avon, has been the source of energy for the community since Anglo-Saxon times. And since the Doomsday book of 1086, there have been watermills on the Leam, near Mill Bridge which serviced the town for 1000 years.

So why the history lesson?

Well, it is because a variety of local groups have decided it is time to kick-start the use of water-generated energy on the Leam again and reinstall a turbine on Mill Bridge. The proposal has been prepared by Encraft, an engineering consultancy.

Water power is a superb way of generating energy. It is cheap (once the turbine has been built), it is clean, reliable and unlike solar energy, it can be generated constantly. Hopefully, we can learn something from the Victorians, who installed a water pumping turbine in the bridge abutment on the orders of William Louis de Normanville only to be decommissioned in the 1940s.

A talk in the Pyne Room at Warwick School will give an overview of the exciting history of water generation at Mill Bridge. Matthew Rhodes (MD Encraft) and Bernard Perkins (a director of Action 21) will be taking the talk and describing how the project could be put into operation as well as outlining the obstacles involved.

The talk is on Thursday, March 11th and is entitled, "Bringing history to life on the Leam: Can de Normanville's turbines run again?" It is hosted by Warwickshire Industrial Archaeological Society. The talk promises to be highly interesting and should give some pointers about learning from old ideas in order to work towards a sustainable future.

For more info on how Action 21 is working to get Leamington supplied with hydro-power, visit http://www.action21.co.uk/leam_hydro.html

On yer bike

2010-02-17T11:12:00.003Z

A while ago I heard about pedal-powered smoothie makers. Nice gimmick, I thought. But do they really have any practical application? And then, a couple of months later I found myself entranced by a programme on the BBC following a team of cyclists on static bikes hooked up to a generator creating enough electicity to power a whole household. The amount of effort they had to put in was pretty impressive - when simple things like baking a cake or using a hairdryer are expressed in terms of human energy it all seems like a lot of hard work! But then again, it's a good way to combine exercise with renewable energy.

And now the bike team and volunteers at Action 21 are going to build a pedal-powered electricity generator. I'm really looking forward to it! I wonder what they'll come up with...

What do you think? Is pedal-generated power something we should all be thinking about? Does it have a future?

There's a meeting on Friday 26th Feb at the Cricketer's Pub in Leamington Spa from 4pm-6pm for all interested in building a pedal-powered generator. If you're not already an Action 21 volunteer, please email Laura@action21.co.uk or call 01926 453030 for more information about this project.

In celebration of Warwickshire potatoes.

2010-02-10T13:10:00.016Z

This week has seen a personal epiphany. I have finally woken up and taken action that means I will not have to buy my vegetables from the supermarket anymore. My journey started last week when I watched Jimmy’s supermarket Secrets. I naively looked in amazement as Jimmy Doherty talked through the journey of a potato from seed to shop. The seeds from Scotland are transported to Egypt to be planted in sand, that has no nutrients, in the middle of a desert. Water is brought in (by lorry I think), nutrients are added and the crops are then continually sprayed on a twenty four hour basis. The potatoes are then driven to a factory where they are packed in peat that has been imported from Ireland. This is all before they start their long journey back to Britain’s supermarkets.

I was very happy when, the next day, my friend asked me if I would be interested in going to a social at Canalside Community Food in Radford Semele, with a view to sharing a weekly vegetable bag. We arrived to a lovely welcome party of people singing around a fire with cups of tea. I was introduced to Caz and Tom, who run the farm, and we were taken on a guided tour through fields of healthy looking crops. All the fruit and vegetables are grown organically and collected from a yurt. Having started out thinking that it would be a hassle to have to get my vegetables from somewhere other than the supermarket, I quickly realised that this would be an enjoyable and educational weekly outing for me and the kids.

I came into work and finished off the Press Release I have been writing for Action 21’s new Community Allotments in Dobson Lane, Whitnash. We need more volunteers to help out at the Woodland Work parties on Saturday 20th February 10 - 3pm and Saturday 20th March 10 - 3pm. There should be approximately forty allotments available in April. Twenty have already been allocated but there are currently twenty left.

If you are interested in volunteering at the Woodland Work Parties call Action 21 on 01926 456067 so our Project Manager Louise knows how much soup to make. If you would like to apply for an allotment you can pick up an application form from Whitnash Library, or download it by following the link posted on on Action 21's website.

If all goes to plan these practical projects will soon be showcased at Action 21’s new Sustainability Centre. Apparently we will be growing a few potatoes there too. If you have a project you would like to showcase please call Rick on 01926 456067 or email rick@action21.co.uk

Photo competition

2010-02-04T15:53:00.000Z

Action 21’s photo competition
“Re-use: the possibilities are endless”

Are you a budding photographer keen to show off your photographic skills? Would you love to have a photograph displayed in a local exhibition space where other photographers can see your work?

If so, Action 21 would love you to enter their photographic competition to find the best photo which sums up, in a great photograph, the endless possibilities of re-use.

One entry per person should be submitted by the 7th March to Action 21 for consideration. The photographs which are judged to best to represent the “endless possibilities of re-use” will be displayed at the exhibition at the Oddfellows Hall, Leamington Spa, on Thursday 18th March 2010, with the overall winner receiving a bottle of organic, sparkling wine. All photographs will be signed by the photographer and will be available to purchase, with all profits going towards Action 21's work.

Please send one entry per person on A4 photographic paper (unframed and signed on the reverse) to: Eleanor Perkins, Action 21, Riverside House, Milverton Hill, Leamington Spa, CV32 5HZ.

Happy snapping!

To find out more about Action 21’s re-use schemes, visit www.action21.co.uk or drop in to one of our shops at the Recycle Warehouse or Re-Useful Centre.

Recycling Plastic.

2010-02-03T12:11:00.020Z

We are still looking for ideas on how to re-use or recycle VHS videos. Designer Patrick Schuur, created this “cassette tape closet” by using 918 cassette tapes and individually screwing them into a wooden frame. Greenopolis is a great site for art made from recycled plastic.

We would love to see something so creative and cool being made out of all the donated videos we have. All your ideas will be gratefully received and you could win a £10 voucher to spend at the Recycle Warehouse or Re-Useful Centre. To enter email eleanor@action21.co.uk or follow the link.

On the subject of recycling plastic you’d be hard pushed to beat Kevin McCloud's 'Slumming it', which shows how the people of Dhavari recycle 80% of the plastic waste from the city of Mumbai. (In Britain we only recycle 20% of plastic waste.) Living in squalid and insanitary slums, in the most expensive capital in the world, the people of Dhavari have created a vibrant and colourful community around the recycling of plastic. Here plastic has enough value to make people spend every day sorting through other peoples rubbish to pick out items they can sell for recycling. But it’s dirty and degrading work.

I have been trying to work out what I can learn from this and my first thoughts are that I don’t want anybody else having to wade through my dirty rubbish to pick out things that can be recycled. I’d much rather do it myself than have it transported to another country for someone else, with little choice for work, to have to sift through. If I could actually see the journey my rubbish takes and meet the people who deal with it along the way I am sure I would approach my weekly rubbish sorting with a more positive attitude.

Keeping the recycling of rubbish closest to the source where the waste was created means we are taking personal responsibility for the waste we create and the impact this has on our environment. Mumbai achieves this incredibly well because of the work of the people in Dhavari but the recyclers working conditions are appalling to say the least. There is no reason why communities in Britain can’t achieve the same levels of recycling through egalitarian means. No matter how rich or poor we are we all have to sort out our own rubbish. Maybe rubbish, like auditions, really is one of life’s great levellers.

If you live in Leamington, Kenilworth or Warwick and want an extra red recycling box or bag call 01926 410410, ask for recycling and within a few days they will be delivered to your door.

Help Haiti

2010-02-01T12:41:00.002Z

The tragic earthquake in Haiti has prompted various means of donations, but did know you can help locally…

Times in the recession are hard and if you can’t afford to donate cash to help the people of Haiti- DON’T WORRY.

The Royal Leamington Spa Rotary club are urging people to bring certain items to the Recycle Warehouse which is run by Action 21, where supply boxes can be made to order to help those in need. The things we need for supply boxes include:

• Hygienic supplies: new toothbrushes, soap, cotton wool, toilet rolls.
• For babies: baby grows , washable towelling nappies, feeding bottles or cups.
• General support: toys, pencils and paper, roll of garden/kitchen sacs.
• For shelter: Hammers, screwdrivers, lightweight waterproofs.

If you are able to help financially in this emergency crisis, then donations can also be made out to: The Rotary club of Royal Leamington Spa, 28 Warwick Place, Leamington Spa.

By Meghan Tyrer

You can find the full list of items for the Shelter boxes here:

http://www.action21.co.uk/press_release_01-02-2010.html

Nine million bicycles

2010-01-27T11:53:00.017Z

It's great to see that Warwick District Council have installed a pedestrian crossing with traffic lights near the Recycle Warehouse on Princes Drive. Making walking or cycling to the shop easier is good for the residents of Leamington Spa and Action21.

There seem to be ever more people cycling around these days and the sale of bikes at our shops is going well. Laura Colebrooke, bike workshop co-ordinator at the Re-useful Centre says " I cycle everywhere I go. I believe that's very achievable for most people. Obviously it's good for health and the environment, but also for a woman it's empowering. bikes are how women got to the suffragette meetings after all!"

Beijing, once home to nine million bicycles, has seen a steady decline in their use since the economic boom has increased the use of cars. Consequently its residents now experience pollution and traffic jams. Beijing's city government are hoping to reverse this trend and get people back on their bikes. To achieve this they plan to re-install lost cycle routes. build more bike shelters, make bikes easily available for hire and invest in the subway network.

The less people use cars the more people use bicycles seems a pretty fair correlation. Less traffic, less pollution and increased safety are good cycling incentives. Action 21 promotes the use of bicycles over cars by fixing up old bikes and selling them in their shops. It's always good to see that other towns, countries and cities are taking action to promote the same aims and values. If we all think locally we really can impact globally.

For the full news story follow the link:
http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/TOE60N00G.htm

Biodiversity.

2010-01-20T14:02:00.004Z

I bought a funky kitchen table from the Warehouse this week. It replaces the old glass one I got from the Warehouse a few years back. I haven't decided whether to take the old one back or find out how to grow lettuces under it.

I know that the birds and the bees benefit from biodiversity because eating a variety of crops is better than eating one. As I assume the same applies to me I don't want to be stuck eating nothing but tomatoes for a month. Can anyone advise me how I can grow a good variety of salad greens under my old glass table top?

Can I furnish my whole house from the re-use shops?

2010-01-18T10:10:00.003Z

I was pondering the other day about the variety and amount of stuff that comes through our re-use shops and wondered - do you think it's possible to furnish your entire house with stuff saved from landfill? Imagine having a completely empty house, limited budget and a desire to buy things with a bit of life. What would you need? Sofas - tick. Dining table, chairs, TV, cutlery, microwave, books, shelves, ornaments, lamps, beds, pictures, a mirror - tick! I reckon it's possible. Now who's up for the challenge?

Competition Time!

2010-01-13T13:16:00.007Z

Even though the universe is expanding at an ever increasing rate we still think we could make a road to the end of it with our collection of VHS videos.

Think of a green idea for what we could do with them and you could be the winner of a £10 voucher to spend at either of our re-use shops.

Please send in your suggestions and / or photo's to eleanor@action21.co.uk

Closing date February 28th 2010.

The Re-Useful Centre.

The Re-Useful centre opened last summer and is home to our bike mechanics and our shop. We have masses of furniture for sale there and shelves (upon shelves) of books. You can also buy cheap upgraded computers from the Green Geeks guys.

Please come and have a browse around, or just take some time out for yourself, by grabbing a good book and relaxing on one of our comfy old sofas.

Action 21's Re-Useful Centre: 5 Ramsey Road, Sydenham, CV31 1PL.

Tel: 01926 453030

Opening times: 10am - 4pm, on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

Back in the Warehouse.

2010-01-06T11:45:00.004Z

The Recycle Warehouse roof has been fixed and it's open again! They have been making do with containers and a gazebo as a shop for a long while now so it's great to see the Warehouse back in use. This means we can keep large items of furniture and electrical goods clean and dry.

Ben has been collecting antique pieces of furniture and has pulled together a team of volunteers who are interested in restoration. I think this is a great new project and really look forward to buying some of the results. If you are interested in learning how to restore antique furniture please leave a message for Ben at the Warehouse.

The Warehouse staff kept landfill down by barely taking a day off over Christmas. They were incredibly stoic working through freezing conditions (most of them volunteers) and all deserve a big cheer and somewhere to keep dry.

So, all in all, a great start to the new decade for Action 21. The Warehouse is bigger and better than ever before. Get down there and grab yourself a green bargain.

Last Minute Christmas Shopping....???

2009-12-21T16:32:00.004Z

...Try the Recycle Warehouse... we're open right up until Christmas!

For a brief plug of our Re-Use Shops on BBC Coventry and Warwickshire have a listen to:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/p005l1k8/Tim_and_Marian_at_Breakfast_21_12_2009/

(about 2hrs 49mins in!)

Christmas

2009-12-16T10:44:00.009Z

With the stress and joy of Christmas upon us it's a challenge to keep on top of the recycling. Come January you don't want to find your grey bin is overflowing and the dustmen won't collect it.

Wrapping paper is NOT recyclable so the way I see it you have two choices. One, keep it in the family and use it again and again, and two, get creative with magazines and newspapers. You could liven up Christmas morning by wrapping your presents in a witty collage of news stories or you could stick to a theme (Copenhagen, Global Warming, Floods). If you want to play it safe go for a good old fashioned crossword. This will give your family and friends a great opportunity to reveal their staggering breadth of knowledge on Christmas morning.

Get the kids to have a clear out of their old magazines and toys, and make some much needed space in their bedrooms for any Christmas deliveries. If you drop them off at the Recycle Warehouse (Tip Shop) you'll be doing your local community a big favour.

Santa,if you have time in your busy schedule to read this, the Re-Useful Centre and the Recycle Warehouse are fully stocked with books, toys and nick nacks that would top up the finest stocking. Don't hesitate to send your elves down and we'll do you a special deal for bulk buying.

What a great opportunity for recycling Christmas has turned out to be!

I'm off for two weeks so now is the time to wish you a very merry red, white and green christmas!

2009-12-09T12:43:00.002Z

My name is Robyn Dorling and I volunteer for Action 21 every Wednesday. I work in the office alongside the Manager and General Assistant. I've been able to try out loads of different office tasks since I started volunteering over a year ago and this has helped me find out that I enjoy writing. Coming into work today and being asked to make a weekly contribution to this Blog has made my day.

I'll do my best to keep my posts short, entertaining and helpful and would welcome feedback. Being an avid re-user I'd also like to swap stories about great finds at the Recycle Warehouse and Re-Useful Centre. I'm still feeling very green towards the lucky customer who found the retro Rolex watch a few weeks back!

So post me your finds and, if you volunteer for Action 21, let me know what the best giveaway bargain was from your shift.

I look forward to hearing from you.