Simply Green Cornwall founder member Lower Treave down Sennen way has sponsored July (‘Mys Gortheren’ in Cornish) in the Cornwall Wildlife Trust’s 2010 calendar…
Check out the details on Norman’s blog here
Category Archives: Green Cornwall
STIG Press Release MAY 2009
STIG PRESS RELEASE MAY 2009
A DECENTRALISED AND SUSTAINABLE WASTE STRATEGY NEEDED FOR CORNWALL.
In recent months, some people have tried to suggest that the only choice for waste management in Cornwall is between landfill or incineration.
This misrepresentation has led to claims of crippling costs to taxpayers when the incinerator was refused planning permission.
This is not the case – there are other modern, clean and proven technologies for waste treatment such as anaerobic digestion and autoclave separation which would benefit the Cornish economy and the local environment, as well as providing far more jobs than the rejected incinerator ever would.
They could be up and running before 2012, which was the earliest the incinerator would have been operational.
In reality, there is a cost neutral window of opportunity that could allow Cornwall to opt for the best of technologies, instead of the worst, and make a profit.
A new solution to Cornwall’s waste needs to be found, as a matter of urgency.
STIG is already working with others, including Cornwall Sustainable Waste Network, Transition Cornwall Network and Enough is Enough campaigners, towards this end
Together we are determined that community will not be set against community in a manufactured contest between landfill and incineration. There is a better, fairer
way forward.
We hope that the new Council will protect and enhance Cornwall’s environment for the future, so STIG will be asking all councillors elected in June to work with local communities towards a decentralised and sustainable Waste Strategy for Cornwall which excludes Incineration and moves away from Landfill
Meanwhile STIG has written to ALL Council Candidates asking for their support in making this a priority, if elected.
Patricia Blanchard
STIG Secretary
pat@st-ig.co.uk
Fair for the future – Penwith.
Organised by Plan-itearth and Transition Penwith
It certainly was a celebration of sustainability and an excellent day for everyone who attended. The sun came out for most of the day and gifted the event with over 2Kw of free energy, courtesy of South West Solar Solutions.
Fair for the Future aims to celebrate sustainability by gathering together local people, including producers, craft workers, artists, and musicians to share information, skills and ideas so they can move forward towards a fairer future. Fair for ourselves, Fair for nature and Fair for the planet.
The event was a joint venture by Transition Penwith and the Plan-it Earth Environmental Education Project and was held at Plan-it Earth’s Chy Ena site at Sancreed near Penzance. Over 1,000 visitors – 5% of the population of Penzance – arrived to see how local organisations and businesses are working together to reduce the impacts of climate change and fossil fuel depletion in an enjoyable and informative way.
There were local craft demonstrations, lots of sustainable food and drink from local suppliers and farms, and music from local bands. The event was opened by Sancreed Parish Councillor and Tree Warden Tony Hole, who arrived in a Pony and Trap. Visitors included the Mayor of Penzance and local MP Andrew George who arrived on his bicycle.
A ‘Well-Dressing’ took place during the day, an ancient custom popular in the Peak District, that blesses the purity of the local water supply. The well at Sancreed was decorated by a colourful and beautiful display created from petals and seeds by Jo Tagney.
The FTI Cornwall Information bus attended the event and took photos throughout the day.
There’s over 80 photographs on the website.
Bio Travel research hydrogen cell potential.
Newquay taxi inovation.
BioTravel are currently researching the potential in using a type of hydrogen cell to decrease fuel consumption even further. Electricity from the vehicles altenator passes through a distilled water cell and produces ‘Browns gas’ which is made up of Hydrogen and Oxygen which are the constituants of water. This is then piped into the air intake increasing the combustive capabilities of the air which inturn makes the diesel burn more completely, and giving you more miles per gallon, in theory.
Bio Travel are going to try the technology on one of their minibuses this summer to decide whether the technology works or not.
What next for Cornwall’s waste?
The incinerator planning refusal, while considered a good outcome by many, still leaves Cornwall with the same waste problems that the incinerator was intended to resolve. So where do we go from here?
One idea that we’ve recently been looking into is a process called Thermal Depolymerisation, a system whereby organic waste is ground down, mixed with water and then ‘pressure cooked’ to break it down at a molecular level. Without going into too much technical detail it essentially mimics the Earth’s own oil production system but at a much faster rate.
The end result of the waste conversion is a form of bio-diesel that is pretty much pure enough to be put directly into a vehicles fuel tank. Where this system really impresses is that another by-product is a gas that can be burnt to create the energy required to actually run the process. A self-contained system that requires none, or very little, initial energy input.
Although this process is still being developed and fine tuned, it does look very promising. For example, imagine a scenario where you take your rubbish to the local tip and in return for doing so you have your fuel tank topped up with free bio-diesel.
Organic materials that can be processed include wood, leaves, grass, food, paper, plastic, paint, cotton, synthetic fabrics, sludge from sewage, animal parts, bacteria, any carbohydrates, or hydrocarbons. Also included is all agricultural waste which is now burned in the fields or buried.
This video shows a TDP plant in operation and explains more about the process.
Could this be the answer not only to Cornwall’s waste management, but also provide green clean alternatives for our future fuel requirements?
Thermal Depolymerisation plant.
” I have followed energy technology all my professional life. In short – Catalytic Depolymerization is the first technology I have seen which seems able to solve all the problems and seems ready to deploy now with no unknowns. CDP can supply the world’s energy and will not ruin the environment. In fact CDP will also eliminate landfill and not upset the CO2 balance. “ -Jim Trounson
A victory for common sense – a victory for Kernow.
Watching anxiously as events unfold.
Cornwall County Council planning commitee voted 20 to 1 against Sita’s plans to build a huge incinerator at St Dennis in Mid Cornwall. Despite recommendations to approve the plans from a Council planning officer the overwhelming feeling and debate was strongly opposed to it. Dick Cole, Matthew Taylor MP and a large majority of councilors took their turn to speak out against the project while campaigners from the St Dennis Anti-incinerator Group and members of the public watched anxiously downstairs in the viewing area. After a short lunch break the vote was finally taken; twenty votes against, one in favour and one abstained. As celebrations began outside County Hall a Sita representative was seen driving off in a hurry.
A truly remarkable outcome and proof that people power really can influence what happens in our Duchy. The STIG group was praised by both councillors and MPs for their outstanding research, determination and professional approach to their well thought out and well presented campaign. This was a victorious day for Cornwall and its people.
Celebrations outside County Hall as the result sinks in.
Relief for campaigners after a long hard fight.
Final resting place for the banners and flags.
Small Green village award Cornwall
St Endellion, near Wadebridge, is among five communities out of an initial 100 shortlisted, for its pioneering work in conservation and reducing carbon emissions.
See here
St Endellion is know for the mineral Endellione/ Endellionite or Bournomite
Future conservationists tour of Lower Treave
St Buryan school youngsters spent the night camping at Lower Treave Caravan & camping park. The next morning they were happy to pose for a photo with the FTI Bus which is on location in the Lands End area.
Norman the campsite owner , gave a talk on environmental issues including raising awareness of such things as the amount of water the campsite uses, followed by a tour of the site, explanation about the Bellamy butterfly bar and the different types of flora and wildlife around.
