CAG Project - something for Churches?

The CAG project has been approached by Ruth Conway of SS Mary and John Church, in the Cowley Road, Oxford to see if church groups could be more active in the 3 Rs – reduce, reuse and recycle. We would like to explore how church congregations could work along side CAGs , borrowing their expertise and experience. Many churches are part of eco-congregation which aims to encourage churches to consider environmental issues within a Christian context and enable local churches to make a positive contribution. Many have churchyard projects, as does SS Mary and John to have a wildflower remembrance garden, and create habitat for wildlife.

Ruth wants to expand church members’ activities, and start ‘green groups’. Selly Oak in Birmingham have a green group that have been active for about ten years and involved in many projects including; car share/hire scheme, cycling, raising awareness of carbon reduction, and encouraging growing your own – all things that CAGs do! In their entrance to the Church they have a “Green Machine”. This is a collection point for recycling about 14 items, items that are not currently collected by their Council but things that could be useful to other people. This seems a great idea, if every church in Oxfordshire had a group of people responsible for dealing with the collected items, much more could be reused or recycle. CAGs are being asked to share their local knowledge and suggest items that could be collected, that have a use. For instance the Selly Oak group collect knitting wool to be distributed to housebound people who knit for Oxfam – is there such a group of people here in Oxford , knitting for Oxfam?

What do CAGs collect and what do they do with the items? Is there use for?:

· used stamps
· spectacle
· used envelopes
· foil
· printer cartridges
· mobile phones
· Other suggestions and outlets for disposal please………


Please send your ideas to me by the 26th May so that I can collate them all together when I get back from holiday and then take this further. We will share your ideas and what to do with such items with all the CAGs , possibly with a leaflet, but certainly on the website.


If you have not yet seen the new look CAG website, do have a look and sign up as a member. www.cagoxfordshire.org.uk


Frances Buckel | CAG Project Officer

resourcefutures

c/o Waste Management Group|Oxfordshire County Council | Speedwell House| Speedwell St|Oxford OX1 1NE
Mob 07903 037290|Tel +44 (0)1865 815871| Fax +44 (0)1865 815787| www.cagoxfordshire.org.uk ... Read this ...

GoingCarbonNeutral website

A colleague from Henley alerted me to this website at the Transitioners meeting. It looks very interesting with plenty of ideas for us to think about following the CarbonCutters meeting on May 20th.

http://www.goingcarbonneutral.co.uk/ ... Read this ...

Swapshop - 27th June - Larkmead School

SWAP SHOP
27th June 2009
10-11:30 am
Larkmead School ( Main Hall )
Faringdon Road
Abingdon
OX14 1RF

Admission, Bringing and Swapping is FREE
Refreshments, BBQ and Cakes for sale ( proceeds to go to Lark Rise )
We would appreciate no traders or dealers, please as this is a school and community event.

Organised by Lark Rise ( the Parent Teacher Association of Larkmead school ) with the aims of encouraging community links and of raising awareness
of Reuse/Recycling and saving items from going to landfill.

We have some details on our website and more to be completed soon. www.lark-rise.org.uk
... Read this ...

Age of Stupid - screening in Abingdon, 22nd May

Further to conversations after the Power of Community screening, it has been confirmed that "The Age of Stupid" will be screened in Abingdon

It will be shown at the Peachcroft Christian Centre (community cinema) on Friday 22nd May, which corresponds to the national release of the film. Doors open at 7pm with the screening starting at 7.30. We have to pay a licence to show the film, so there will be a small entry charge of £2.50. ... Read this ...

Landshare

Further to the notes from the last CarbonCutters meeting, and thoughts on land available for cultivation, some of you might be interested in this site: www.landshare.net

This tries to link up people who want to grow with available land. ... Read this ...

Bike Week - June 13th-21st - Events in Abingdon

Saturday 13th June 10a.m.-1p.m. - Stalls by St Nicolas arch - Sustrans, event information, security marking, unusual bikes, cycling survey.

Sunday 14th June - 1-3p.m. - Bike Treasure Hunt - Follow an easy, circular course starting in Abbey Meadows with clues to look out for on the way. Bring a picnic. Suitable for families.

Sunday 14th June - 4p.m. - Cycle ride around the modern boundaries of Abingdon, led by Andy Watt. Meet by St Nicolas arch.

Wednesday 17th June - 7.30p.m. - St Ethelwold's House, 30 East St Helen St. - "How to look after your Bike" - a qualified bicycle mechanic will demonstrate bike safety checks and simple repairs to small groups. Also fun cycling films to watch, bookstall and refreshments. Entry £3.

Sunday 21st June - 2.30 -5.30 p.m. Historic Abingdon ride - Mike Ellwood will lead a ride around the historic sites of Abingdon, both ancient and modern, with frequent stops for explanatory talks.

Children under 16 must be accompanied by an adult on all rides.

For more information, contact Eleanor on eledanger@hotmail.com
... Read this ...

Green Economics Institute - introductory training course

The Green Economics Institute is pleased to announce that it is running
an introductory training course in Green Economics on May 16th 2009 at
The Old Music Hall in Oxford.
There are few places left and we encourage early booking to secure
attendance.

Everyone is very welcome. No prior knowledge of economics is needed to
be able to enjoy this course- which has lecturers from and with
experience of several continents, including Europe and Asia with an
emphasis on Africa.

The course will explore green solutions to the economic downturn, to
climate change and to the current mass extinction of species. It will
also focus on prevention of poverty and also poverty as a gendered issue
especially in the context of Africa and will feedback from the important
women's unequal pay and poverty conference just held in March by the
Green Economics Institute.

The course is designed to introduce participants to some of the major
themes in economics and in the development of green economics and some
of the main theories and writers and practitioners. It is designed to
help them to share their own experiences and to be confident in dealing
with economics, and economists and economics techniques in their future
activities of all kinds.

It will appeal to government officials, business people, campaigners and
NGOs and academics in all sorts of fields. We take a wide holistic and
multidisciplinary approach to the practise and theory and implementation
of economics.

The course is participatory, and will include case studies, and lectures
and workshop. The material and course has been run in a variety of
countries and situations as varied as at Oxford University, in Poland,
in Germany, and also in the open air in fields and tents.

If you would like to come along please pre register and fill in the
booking form. There are a few places left and this will be the
last reminder sent out to fill these places.

More details and booking form are here

Miriam Kennet
Director
The Green Economics Institute
00 44 1189841026
www.greeneconomics.org.uk
Editor International Journal of Green Economics
www.inderscience.com/ijge
... Read this ...