Apartments - sustainable

Are town centre apartments sustainable, they help if you work eat sleep and play in a central location , so I don't think that they have been an idea in Crewe , but i think that we have hit an over supply now. This is evidenced by several flats coming on to the market via the auction houses at bargain prices
My advice is don't get tempted yet as they will fall a lot more before they really are a bargain.

Sustainable?- I think so in a town like crewe, if you live here you can certainly walk to work, if you work in town.

New Bike

As part of my new green image - i bought a new bike and took the train to manchester with my bike

My observations,

1 £11 return journey - maybe a little expensive - should be £5?
2 No where to put the bike on the train, thus blocked the walk ways
3 only one other bike on the return journey

It is not rocket science, but a carriage should be available for all bikes to store them, cheaper fares (but we know that anyway!) and if we did this prior to the congestion charge in manchester it may make the transition easier

Congestion Charge in Manchester - now a reality

I can not hardly contain my excitment about the thought of the "congestion charge" in Manchester, sadly it is not coming in for a few years

It will mean less traffic in manchester and the roads leading into Manchester, also promisd capital sums of £1.6 billion to invest in the public transport, which is badly needed and hopefully evybody will start getting use to the idea years in adance

What will it mean to Crewe?

Hopefully any large companies wishing to locate in mManchester may just consider towns such as crewe to build teh new HQ's . So Crewe needs to be ready to court any firms that now have second thoughts on Manchester.

Green Party - C&N Elections

Well, I never thought that I would ever vote Greens, but i think that the time and day has finally arrived.

My biggest fear, and thought, is transport, and for that reason mainly that is why I will be voting Green, they wont get in , but I value my vote and it helps me know that it is the "Right Vote".

It is a shame that some of the mainstream parties cant adopt some greener transport policies.

The first thing I would do is assit public transport- I drive everywhere and dont want to- I really want to catch teh train on some longer journeys and I have dusted down my bike!


some further comments


www.creweandnantwichguardian.co.uk/news/byelection/news/display.var.2282122.0.greens_hit_out_at_excessive_rail_fare_rises.php

Bergen - Now that is a green city

You would expect Norway 3rd and Norway's Last Europen City (Stavanger, this Year) of Culture to be over run with cars and people but I have never seen such an understated city - It really is fantastic and also part of the city form (above) form part of a world hertiage area.

It has everthing going for it, a port, an airport, a rail way station and fantastic landscape

and as such it really is a green city, buildings of sustainable materials, no cars road pricing, Electric Buses ,A Train statition in the city centre - I now i really want to live there!

There must be a down side?, and yes there is the cost of living !

It also must be the most expensive place in the world , except of course to Olso.

Carrier bags - do we still need them? or just wasteful?

We all drive in our cars to the supermarket and put our shopping in carrier bags to take the food/shopping home and we are still guilty of using hundreds of carrier bags a year.

I for one have now used my last carrier bag and find it unbelievable that the sales staff still offer a carrier bag for one or two items when there has been so much press about their use!

Is it not possible to invent something else that is cheaper more sustainable that a carrier bag??

And what is more unbelievale is online shopping which may be more sustainable that traveling to a supermarket , but they still hand out carrier bags with the food that is then put into portable boxes?

I know Tesco et Al are clever so come on come up with something better! It will be more economic in the long term and it may just help the planet.

Get your, glasses, sunglasses or Ray Bans repaired at EyeWearRepairs.com

smoking? Will it do any good to hide fags from display?

It never ceases to amaze me the arugumenst that are put up in support of smoking- I have an 86 year aunt that chain smokes , and she justifies smoking by saying it never did her any harm- I have given up arguing now, because she has a point but it will get her in the end! Her mother died at the age of 92,

There is no doubt that smoking will kill you and it has a massive drain on the NHS , either booozing or smoking account for most illness in local hospitals, and if folk wont take responsibility for themselves then unfortunaly I am in favour or governement intervention, in the strongest way.

I just dont understand why kids statrt in the first place- I used to drop my son off at school and was horrified at the number of school kids were standing in the surrounding streets smoking.

Is it beyond common sense for the parents to know if there children are smoking, you can smell it for one, and if you dont stop them you are effectively helping them ultimatly to die young(er)

empty properties-EDMO

It is estimated that around 280,000 properties in England have been unoccupied for 6 months or more, and from June 2006 local authorties have the power to take over such properties and rent them out.

I think that the powers are probably "under used" and there are certainly empty properties in the locality that could be taken over via the EDMO's. This one little unknown law could go a long way to helping the housing shortage.

If you know of a property it may well be worth getting in touch with the local council and test how far they will go and ultimatly how commited they are to reducing a problem?

I just wonder that given the credit crunch and hosuing depression how many LA's will undertake the EMDO's with all of the empty apartments around.?

If you let me know of any properties let me know and i am quite happy to confront the council on this issue

eco town- what we missed out on!

This is the most succesful eco town in europe in a town called Vauban, Freiburg in Germany- I haven't seenit yet but i will certainly be taking a trip in summer to see how the germans do it! - Its just a shame that some of the local councillors didnt have a trip to Vauban , before they decided against the eco town outside Nantwich and I just wonder if pochins withdrew the application without going to germany.

It always good to have some facts before you rule something out of hand, and it makes my blood boil to see these people in such postion making decision that will effect us all -Centarl government suggests that we need 3 million new homes by 2020. Where do they suggest that they are built?

NIMBY

some interesting facts

• All houses are built to a low energy consumption standard, with 100 units designed to the Passivhaus ultra-low energy building standard. Other buildings are heated by a combined heat and power station burning wood chips, while many of the buildings have Solar collectors or photovoltaic cells.

• Vauban is connected to the town center by a tramway (line 3, Paula-Modersohn-Platz).
  Around 40% of the households have agreed to live without their own cars, while others have to leave their vehicles in at the edge of the development. Consequently most streets are pedestrian friendly and suitable for kids to play, and have a 5km/hour speed limit.

• The site was originally developed as a military base in 1936, and was occupied after World War II by the French forces occupying the region. The military left in 1992. Over a period of some years the vacant structures were occupied by various tribes of hippies and anarchists. Following battles with the city government, squatters won the rights to four of the original twenty barracks. The other sixteen were re-appropriated by the city and have been converted into private apartments or student dormitories for the University of Freiburg. Some former residents of these structures have taken up residence in a diverse assortment of cars, vans, and retired civil service vehicles, forming what has been named Wagenplatz.

can they really argue?

Bad Planning? or Bad design?

Sometimes we get a little too desparate for things that we don,t look at the details!

These are grade 1 listed railways cottages, in the heart of Crewe Town centre, and would look fantastic in any town or city, but if you look to the end of the street you see a "grey blanket of uninspiring design!" what a mistake.

Who is to blame the cllrs, the planners, or the developers, or us as we were a little too eager to get a leisure scheme.

Tesco - Recycling Centre- Crewe

Tesco get a lot of bad press- but here in Crewe they have done themselves proud in Crewe , with a brand new recyling centre- it looks fantastic and in a very prominant spot at the front of the supermarkets site so now there are no excuses not to take your rubbish with you back in the car and get rid of it.

Tesco are very good at what they do so I am sure this recycling centre will work very well- so put on your sandles, stop hugging those trees and get down to Tesco.

Any thoughts?

Eco town at wardle??

It hit the news this week with a bang- i posted last week about the possibility, then it hit the news big time.

The government is quoted as suggusted that we need 3 million new homes by 2020, but where are we going to put them

Prescot was a champion of brownfield developments, and largely very succesful, but we still dont have enough devlopments on the go to satisfy the demand.

There are 1.6 million people that are on the council house waiting list across the uk at the moment , and this figure is sure to increase and we dont build any more council houses any more for the needy.

The only way forward is to seek some sensitive green field sites such as Wardle , which is partially brownfield.

It brought out the NIMBYs on tv

What do you think?

Car parking Charges in Crewe

In last weeks chronicle Cllr Hogben is making a stance over car parking charges in Crewe.

I am in favour of car parking charges and any hike in car parking charges, as this is the only way available at the moment to deter cars causing congestion in Crewe.

What is the alternative Cllr? Some issues just should be political , cllrs should use common sense rather than political point scoring to make judgements.

We should also be charging on the motorways but thats another story.

Congestion Charge in Crewe?

Red Ken is introducing further taxes on Gas-guzzling vehicles such as 4x4 'Chelsea tractors' will have to pay a daily charge of £25 to enter London's congestion charge zone from October this year, Ken Livingstone has announced

The existing congestion charge has been an enormous success in london and plans are being introduced to have a charge in Manchester and Durham ?

I am in full agreement with the charge and hope that soon it will be introduced across the whole country for towns and city centres.

Why recycle?

UK households produced 30.5 million tonnes of waste in 2003/04, of which 17% was collected for recycling. (source: defra.gov.uk) This figure is still quite low compared to some of our neighbouring EU countries, some recycling over 50% fo their waste. There is still a great deal of waste which could be recycled that ends up in landfill sites which is harmful to the environment.
Recycling is an excellent way of saving energy and conserving the environment. Did you know that:

• 1 recycled tin can would save enough energy to power a television for 3 hours.
• 1 recycled glass bottle would save enough energy to power a computer for 25 minutes.
• 1 recycled plastic bottle would save enough energy to power a 60-watt light bulb for 3 hours.
• 70% less energy is required to recycle paper compared with making it from raw materials.

Some Interesting Facts

• Up to 60% of the rubbish that ends up in the dustbin could be recycled.
  
• The unreleased energy contained in the average dustbin each year could power a television for 5,000 hours.
  
• The largest lake in the Britain could be filled with rubbish from the UK in 8 months.
  
• On average, 16% of the money you spend on a product pays for the packaging, which ultimately ends up as rubbish.
  
• As much as 50% of waste in the average dustbin could be composted.
  
• Up to 80% of a vehicle can be recycled.
  
• 9 out of 10 people would recycle more if it were made easier.

Tesco - £1.99 Chicken? Food for Thought?

Tesco has introduced a £1.99 chicken as the latest Government research shows more than a quarter of broiler chickens have difficulty walking

What are your thoughts? We cant turn the TV on at the moment without seeing the TV chefs arguing the point about eating this kind of crap

A Defra study of 51,000 birds within 176 flocks belonging to five major UK producers, revealed that at an average of 40 days, 27.6 per cent showed "poor locomotion" and 3.3 per cent were almost unable to walk. The figures come despite regular culling of flocks.

We can all vote with our feet and not buy such chickens and i would urge you to do just that

Asda introduced a £2 chicken last year

Greener Shopping

Lesson 5 - Greener shopping

There are now lots of choices you can make when shopping that help take care of the environment.
Take a bagHang on to your shopping bags and take some with you when you next go to the supermarket.
Look for the labelsUse labels to choose products that have a lower impact on the environment. For example, energy efficient appliances and cars, and sustainable fish. Using labels to buy sustainable wood and peat free compost will protect important natural habitats that help balance climate change effects.

Buy recycled

Recycling and cutting waste

Lesson 4 - Recycling and cutting waste

Reducing, reusing and recycling waste saves on the raw materials and energy which are needed to make new paper, metal, glass and other items. Saving energy helps tackle climate change.
Re-use and repairAvoiding waste in the first place, by re-using and repairing items, is the most efficient way to reduce waste. For example, buy items that can be re-used rather than disposables, and pass things on when you’ve finished with them.

Recycle moreNearly two thirds of all household rubbish can be recycled. Most councils run doorstep recycling collections for paper, glass and plastics, often more. But local civic amenity sites often accept many other things – from wood and shoes, to textiles and TVs.

Get compostingComposting food waste reduces climate change effects. Many local councils offer subsidised compost bins or home collection for kitchen and garden waste.

Eating and Drinking

Lesson 3

Eating and Drinking

Producing, transporting and consuming food is responsible for nearly a fifth of our climate change effects. Some foods have a much bigger impact on the environment than others.

Look for the labelsLook for the labels to help you choose food that has been produced with the aim of reducing the negative impact on wildlife and the environment

Buy fresh and in seasonBuying food and drink when locally in season, and unprocessed or lightly processed food, is likely to mean that less energy has been used in its production. Providing it has been produced and stored under similar conditions, choosing food that has travelled a shorter distance will help to reduce congestion and transport emissions.

Reduce your food wasteThe average UK household spends £424 a year on food that goes in the bin - if this ends up in landfill it produces methane, a greenhouse gas judged to be more than 20 times as powerful as carbon dioxide. Throwing less food away produces less methane and reduces other harmful environmental impacts from producing, packaging and transporting food.

Green travel

Lesson 2 - Travel

Personal travel accounts for around a quarter of all the damage individuals do to the environment, including climate change effects.

Choose an efficient carIndividual car travel is responsible for the majority of climate change impacts from travel. If you’re buying a new car, look for the fuel efficiency label to choose a more efficient model. This will cut your carbon emissions and save you money on fuel and Vehicle Tax.
Try to reduce your car useReduce the number of short trips you make in the car. Walking, cycling, or taking the bus or train will help reduce local air pollution and the climate change effects of getting around.

Tackling the environmental impact of flyingConsider the need for a flight and the alternatives to taking a plane. If you do fly, you can offset your CO2. You could consider options for reducing your travel, for example taking fewer, longer breaks if possible instead of several short ones. Maybe you can find what you want closer to home, by taking a holiday in the UK or travelling to nearby countries by rail or sea.

Greener living: a quick guide to what you can do

Lesson number 1

Tackling climate change will be one of the most important things this generation does, and everyone needs to get involved. Every day, more and more people are taking actions to help reduce carbon emissions and tackle other environmental problems. Here are some ideas about how you can help.

Where to start?

Throughout the Directgov environment and greener living section you will find practical ideas to help you make everything a bit greener, from your home to the contents of your shopping basket. But if you’re short on time, here are some ideas to choose from to get you started.
1. Save energy and water at home

Burning fossil fuels to heat our homes or produce electricity releases carbon emissions, which cause climate change. The energy you use at home is likely to be your biggest contribution to climate change. 80 per cent of it goes on heating and hot water, so this is a good place to look for savings.

Turn down your thermostatTurning your thermostat down by one degree could reduce carbon emissions and cut your fuel bills by up to 10 per cent.

Look for the labelsWhen buying products that use energy – anything from light bulbs to fridge-freezers – look for the Energy Saving Recommended label or European energy label rating of A or higher. The European energy label also tells you how much water appliances use, so you can choose a more efficient model.

Improve your insulationMore than half the heat lost in your home escapes through the walls and roof. Cavity wall insulation costs about £450, can take a couple of hours to install, and could save you £92 a year on fuel bills.

Install water efficient productsLow flush volume toilets, water efficient showerheads and aerating heads on washbasin taps help to reduce your water use significantly. Also, fixing dripping taps and fitting a ‘hippo’ in toilet cisterns are cheap ways of saving water. You can also collect rainwater in water butts and use it for watering your garden instead of a hose.

Crewe and Nantwich Waste Management

Last year the people of Crewe and Nantwich Borough threw away around 46,316 tonnes of rubbish. A quarter of this is recyled , with the rest going to land fill sites and we are runiing out of sites quickly which means we all need to do a bit more on the recycling front.

The best solution would be to CUT DOWN the amount of rubbish we all throw away every day, and this is the theme of a major new council drive.

Waste all of a sudden has become a problem- Until last year we all took the matter of waste management for granted ,not only in Crewe but also around the uk.

We need to be serious about our waste and do our bit to help the council help save the planet

Amazing Waste Facts
On average, every household in the UK uses, and then throws away one 2 litre plastic bottle every day. That means a staggering 17MILLION a year in the Borough of Crewe & Nantwich! This is a major problem for Landfill Sites as they take about 800 years to rot away.

Also in the UK, we use more than 8 BILLION carrier bags each year, approximately 134 bags for each person in the UK.

• 
  
  That means that in Crewe and Nantwich, we use roughly 15 MILLION CARRIER BAGS per year.
• 
  
  Every disposable nappy that has ever been thrown away still exists in the Landfill Sites.
• 
  
  It takes 3,000 used plastic bottles to make one picnic table.
• 
  
  Every year the average dustbin contains enough unrealised energy for 500 baths, 3500 showers or 5000 hours of T.V.
• 
  
  Some fleece jackets are made from recycled PET (a type of plastic) bottles.

Secret' eco-town plans spark protest- guardian-10th feb 2007

Caroline Flint the housing minister is planning 10 eco towns.

I understand that one of these might be postioned out-side Nantwitch- Rumour or Truth?

Personally, I think that we need to start somewhere and it is better to control the supply of new homes than to allow market forces to impinge on the Green Belt.

The current Planning system generally regulates the supply of Land but as the Goverment has issued targets of a further 3 million new homes by 2020 to keep up with the increased population , they need to come from somewhere and the feelings are that they may need to impinge on previous green belt as the brownfield sites are not emerging as previously thought due to a variety of issues .

Do we want an eco town oustide Nantwich or else where in the uk?

Further thoughts can be read here http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2008/feb/10/communities.planning1

Let me know what you think?