Experience Education Employment Environment by Morag Warrack (first published in West Sussex County Times)

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Keith Colin at Sompting

Earlier this month I had the great pleasure of being shown around two of the four sites managed by Keith and Liane who, along with a great team of trustees run the charity Sustainable Sussex.

Volunteer Fiona, who lives in a flat 20 minute’s bike ride away, told me, “I’ve been helping for two years now.  It was a real lifesaver during lockdown!”

The small area (it’s less than one acre) is rich in birdsong – all the more noticeable as there is little or no traffic noise.  The scent of elderflower blossoms fills the air as swallows swoop low over the small fields. Read more

Gardening to save the planet by Kia Trainor CPRE Sussex Director (first published in West Sussex County Times)

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Female Orange tip

Dave Goulson is Professor of Biology at the University of Brighton. His books, include ‘The Garden Jungle’ and ‘Gardening for Bumblebees’.

At a recent talk, he explained that we need insects to pollinate our food crops.  In the UK some growers are now employing people to hand-pollinate their plants, because insect numbers have declined so dramatically.

We can help here though. The area of gardens across England is over 4.5 times that of national nature reserves, so by gardening for nature together we can make a difference.

As part of the CPRE Sussex ‘Festival of Spring’, Prof Goulson explained how we can garden to save the planet: Read more

Why we need to talk about homes after gas – through a Horsham eco open house trial

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Click to view presentation

At our last Sussex Green Ideas Zoom event on Wednesday 16th June we learnt about the challenge of transitioning from gas and the urgent need to cut the 17% of UK emissions that come from heating our leaky homes. You can view the Homes after Gas presentation here.

It helps that we can now choose renewable energy instead of fossil fuels – and generally save money, this is our energy cost comparison and switching site www.Bigcleanswitch.org/SussexGreen it only takes about 5 minutes to switch!

But the next step is the end of gas heating. From 2025 new builds will not be connected to the gas grid. The government hasn’t yet set a cut off date for new gas boilers in existing homes but it will need to do this soon. Read more

Child in Tree

Forest School: freedom and Fantasy by Terri Meadus (first published in West Sussex County Times)

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shopping hierarchy

What’s your next strategy for sustainable shopping? by Oisin Collishe (first published in West Sussex County Times)

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shopping hierarchyWhat’s your next strategy for sustainable shopping? Find out…

by Oisin Collishe

With the shops re-opening now, can we use this moment to briefly pause and ask ourselves if we need to rush out to buy stuff which we might use for a season then discard?

USEFUL QUESTIONS TO ASK WHEN SHOPPING:

(We don’t necessarily even need to know the answers!)

  1. How far did this have to travel to get here? (eg Made in China)
  2. What will happen to it after I’ve done with it? (eg Send to a charity shop or a Humana bin? Or swap with a friend?)
  3. How much time/energy/water did it take to grow/make this garment?
  4. Can it be re-made into something else? (eg polyester can be made into pens)
  5. Will it biodegrade? (eg wool)
  6. Will it have added micro-plastics or dyes into the water-systems?

Read more

Countdown 2030

How to Build a Happy, Healthy and Green Community by Paul Hannam (first published in West Sussex Country Times)

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Paul Hannam

By Paul Hannam, Chair of Greening Steyning

As Sir David Attenborough and others have warned 2021 is a turning point if we are to get on top of the climate and ecological crisis we are all facing.

Whatever your politics, whatever your lifestyle, whatever your values or interests, we have to rise above our individual differences to work together for the common good.

Will we look back and see the pandemic as a watershed in history, the moment when we acted as global citizens and community champions? If there is one definitive lesson from the Covid-19, it is that we have an astonishing capacity to unite under a common purpose. If we can maintain this resolve, we can prevent climate and ecological collapse.

Each one of us has a role to play as individuals, families, employees and members of a community. On our own, it is very hard to make the changes we need to. Working together, we can transform our communities. Through mutual support and community action, street by street, we can achieve our vision. Read more

Nuthurst community allotment

Nuthurst Community Allotment by Sally White (first published in West Sussex County Times 6th May

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Nuthurst community allotment

Nuthurst Community Allotment by Sally White

One of the better things that happened in 2020 was that Jonathan van der Borgh turned up on Angus White’s doorstep.  He brought with him the brilliant idea to create a new community allotment in Nuthurst.  That idea is now becoming a reality.

As soon as we spread the word via the December issue of our local Parish Mag, The Link, we quickly gathered an extremely enthusiastic team of Nuthurst-ers! With seven pairs of hands on board, we cleared the ground of the old Architectural Plants’ site which has now moved to Pulborough.  We weeded, shovelled soil, ploughed, rotavated, spruced up the glasshouses, chitted spuds, amassed loads of seeds and sowed.

We did another ‘shouting-about-how-great-we-are’ routine in The Link and on Social Media. These shout-outs have been very well received; we have had a flood of interest from local residents and also from local businesses who are keen to contribute much needed materials and equipment. Have a look at our website for details of how to get involved and for a list of the businesses who have been kind enough to donate to the allotment. Read more

Horsham controversy over wood-burning stoves (West Sussex County Times 15th February 2021

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Some fear that the fires are a danger to health and the environment.

And a Billingshurst man stoked up anger when he called on people to stop using them and suggested that the fires were merely ‘a fashion statement.’

Robert Bishop maintained that it was impossible to follow Government Covid advice and open windows because of smoke from neighbours’ wood fires.

But others have hit back, saying that, far from being a ‘fashion statement,’ the fires are an essential source of heat for many homes in the Horsham area without gas supplies.

And they maintain that wood is a renewable source of energy, unlike oil or gas.

However, Asthma UK says burning wood gives off tiny particles that can get into the airways.

A spokesman said: “Breathing them in can make your airways inflamed, bringing on asthma symptoms”.

Carrie Cort, founder of Sussex Green Living “If you’re using a wood-burning stove, make sure it’s well maintained, and that you’re using dry woods.”

Read more