Another fantastic group writing for us again this week. This time with the duel purpose of love for books and planet, by providing a place for unwanted books to be loved again. Here it is, Free Books Southampton.
Free Books Southampton (FBS) is a volunteer led group based at the Third Age Centre (3AC),
in partnership with Transition Southampton. We take in donated books and redistribute
them to the community in Southampton and further afield.
“Second hand books are wild books, homeless books; they have come together in vast flocks
of variegated feathers and have a charm which is domesticated volumes of the library lack”
– Virginia Woolf
We are very lucky to receive generous book donations from different places; from
individuals, schools, libraries or shops etc, who are having a clear out and do not have space
for them. By taking books from us, you are reducing the amount of waste that goes into
landfills each year and you are helping to recycle valuable resources.
Most of the books we get given are in good, readable condition. However, we do receive
books that are worn and damaged. Those that are not in good nick get used in various arts
and craft projects at the 3AC and across the city. We encourage others to recycle books that
cannot be used for reading anymore and we can happily provide some for people to use in
their craft projects. Our own most favourite creation is the book hedgehog using such
books. Just two simple folds on a page repeated throughout the book can make a cute
creature. We have taught people how to make these at many events in Southampton.
We are a small team of volunteers who work together to sort through donations, put books
out on display, making them look presentable, running the Facebook and Twitter social
media sites, emails and giving books out at community events.
Being based at the 3AC means we can provide free books to those who want them 7 days a
week. All you have to do is stop by, browse our selection and help yourselves! We have
most genres ranging from; sci-fi, thriller, romance, non-fiction, autobiographies and children
just to name a few. There is no excuse to not read, there is something for everyone and they
are FREE!
We are very lucky to be supported by a great community in Southampton. We have been
asked to give books out at a number of events. Not only are we able to give books to those
in Southampton, more recently we were able to donate 271 books to Brikamaba Primary
School in Gambia. We would not be able to do things like this if we did not receive
donations! In 2017 we gave out 5166 books and we are hoping to beat that total this year.
If you would like more information about Free Books Southampton please do not hesitate to
send us an email booksforfree.soton@gmail.com, send us a Facebook message or drop by
the 3AC.
“I have always imagined that Paradise will be a kind of library” – Jorge Luis Borges
Let Pompey Breathe is back again to talk about air pollution. You can read all about our campaign to reduce air pollution in Portsmouth and find more information on the petition we are currently collecting signatures for here. Today (21st of June) is Clear Air Day and we want to talk about ways you can protect yourself from air pollutants and how to join in the fight for clean air.
Communication is key
Poor air quality is a huge issue, and it can seem overwhelming to think about how we can tackle it, as individuals. Dealing with this growing problem requires a joint effort, we need councils, local business and residents to work together. Education and engagement is critical, there still seems to be a disconnect between people’s understanding of the consequences of dirty air and its impact on our health. With an estimated 40,000 premature deaths a year across the country due to outdoor air pollution, according to a report from the Royal College of Physicians, it’s become a national health crisis. So we need to build awareness of the problem. Some suggestions are:
Dirty Air isn’t just outside
In addition to the estimated 40,000 deaths a year due to outdoor air pollution there’s also the yet unquantified effects of indoor pollutants, which include radon, biological materials, particulates and nitrogen dioxide. This needs serious consideration as we spend the majority of our time inside. But there are some measures that can be taken to lower the risk:
Reducing air pollution would not only protect our health but also slow down climate change. There is still hope if we work together and act quickly.
This is an environmental variety show charity event occurring in Southampton at The 1865 on Friday 18th May.
This is for anyone who wants to get involved in the City’s sustainable transition to a greener, cleaner, braver space. It’s a completely non-profit event to raise money for Transition Southampton (a local community led organisation that aim to transform the city into a more sustainable place via local projects such as the Repair Cafe) and other environmental projects. We’ve got a great line-up and a 750 people capacity venue, with the possibility of raising £6000 by just throwing a kick-ass party.
We have three aims:
What you can do, you ask? We’d love your support and your help! Buy a ticket, email all your members, say ‘going’ on our Facebook event and tell all of your friends – that simple! Any questions and give me a shout.
Hello and welcome to another CrowdLeaf newsletter 🙂 Vicky is away this week, usual service will resume when she’s back.
This weeks newsletter is jam packed full of green and sustainable goodness.
With two guest articles coming out in the last week, I point to the upcoming event as listed below, the Brave New World Variety Show Shindig and another fantastic company doing great things to make the world just that little bit more sustainable ‘The Eco Collective’ a fully vegan Supermarket for good.
Firstly our usual plea, anyone or any company who is organising green events, sells sustainable products or any other variation thereof is welcome to contact us about working together on boosting the green community and economy. As part of this we are also restocking our store and are looking for local providers to link up with our store so if you are interested, please email us.
This week just like the last has had some pretty interesting developments. Solar reached a peak at 28.5% of the UK’s energy this early May bank holiday weekend, producing more energy than nuclear and gas powered energy plants.
Again, there are some great events going on this month so please check them out and get involved. Once again last week Ryan @rwscarter was back on the airwaves to discuss all things green and sustainable with Xan Philips, you can listen again here.
Government unveils plans for business-backed plastics innovation hub
As mentioned in last weeks newsletter –
Now Morrisons is trialling bring your own tupperware to reduce plastic waste.
UK’s Most Polluted Towns And Cities Revealed
Terra watch: Rocks Could Have A Role In Combating Climate Change
AB InBev – the world’s largest brewer orders 800 hydrogen-electric trucks
Solar reached peak energy so far this year, on the hottest Early May bank holiday on record.
In pictures: Kenya’s coastal conservation heroes
Whitley awards for nature conservation 2018 winners – in pictures
Storage And Organisation Ideas For Recycling Centers
Swanage Pier Dive And Litter Pick 12th May
Southdowns Green Fair 13th may
Brave New World Variety Show Shindig in Southampton – 18th May
Sholing Valley’s Spring Fayre 2018 19th May
Tools And Tips For Reducing Plastic 24th May
Something we look to help businesses do in the future. If you are a business that is in the waste(not) business please get in touch –Mixed Plastic Banks In Southampton
Here is Southampton’s list on what to put into your blue lid recycling bin: What Can I Recycle?
Pledge Your Commitment To Improving Hampshires Recycling Habits
This brilliant website gives tips and ideas about food waste and how to reduce it.
Instead of throwing out or bagging up (to gather dust) all those clothes children quickly grow out of this is a brilliant website to buy or sell unwanted children clothes. It is run by a busy mum who also knows what it’s like with ever growing children and the endless amount of clothes children accumulate.
‘Last year a quarter of the clothing we got rid of was simply thrown away. That’s a staggering 300,000 tonnes that went into landfill. So many of those items could have been re-used and enjoyed by a another child, instead of contributing to the destruction of the planet.’
Please join us on Facebook, like and share with fellow environmental and wildlife enthusiasts where we will keep you up to date with climate change, sustainable and wildlife and conservation news and anything else green.
We would also like to start adding a directory to our newsletter, making it more accessible for everyone to gain information, join other environmental groups or eco-friendly businesses that sell eco-friendly products. If you or someone you know are interested, please contact us. We can also help advertise and advise on any campaigns and fundraising events, with the option to advertise on our webpage, facebook and newsletters.
Equally if you have an article or blog which is relevant to the local or global cause of making the world cleaner and greener or feel there is an issue that could be part of a discussion, then feel free to send it over and we can publish it.
Contact us via our website:
Look us up on Facebook or drop us an email:
vicky@crowdleaf.org.uk
ryan@crowdleaf.org.uk
On behalf of CrowdLeaf,
Vicky & Ryan
Please come and check out our store to support our cause and green community!
London Air Pollution Live Data
See you next time!
“A world made of plastics” ….. a sad way to visualize the future of the planet -and our animals- if there is not a real global culture around protection of the environment.
The first step to be taken is to raise awareness that there is a problem and that it has not been necessary created by the plastics industry but from a no responsible use and disposal.
This sculpture shows the need to “place” plastics and ourselves in the correct position to being able to respect one of the most important resources of the planet: the sea and the wildlife. Unfortunately represents one of the most important focus of contamination and devastation of wildlife. This is not a matter of the own nature of plastics but of an aggressive and irresponsible attitude from people. In which an important lack of Education and empathy towards a green culture build a decontrol system without taking individual responsibility. Is it clear for me that at this level of “nature devastation”, penalizations and consequences for individual/companies unethical behavior should be taken very seriously to the point to ban their activities if there are not under certain minimum standards of sustainability.
Ethics has become the only path towards sustainability and not just a matter of good intentions or individual idealism but of a normal practice responsive to a new normal of increasing harm into the environment.
Is estimated that 12 million tones of plastic are in our oceans, killing up to 1 million marine birds and 100.000 marine animals each year*.
For the 30 million plastic bags used in the United States per year alone, 12 million barrels of oil are required. And for all of the water bottles manufactures in the United States each year, roughly 17 million barrels of oil are needed. The drilling, transportation and processing of this oil into plastic materials is an energy intensive process that involves burning fossil fuels.*
There are 50 billion water bottles consumed every year, about 30 billion in the US.*
Its an imperative to “reshape” people´s attitudes and the own plastic industry without the emotional aspects of being in “war” but of a steady action of changing habits and ways of producing. All the devastation linked to disposal is not a matter of responsibility of the plastics industry in itself but of practices that must be condemned by strong sanctions.
The fact that plastics come from burning fossil fuels doesn’t mean that must be completely eradicated but that innovation should lead the path towards a new production system. The smart investment on research and development will definitely lead to an innovative relation between producing plastics and protecting the environment.
“Killing the plastic industry” is not the answer, but a reshape of the sector by a strong boost of their capacities for innovation and reconversion towards a brand new industry. In addition, a strong framework of ethical codes (and sanctions) and a solid Education within their citizens.
In the end, it means a cultural change at all levels –individual and business-.
As the sculpture: plastics, sea and people, could live happily in a harmonious relationship in which Education and a dramatic change of culture towards sustainability and empathy would build the roots for a new green world.
*www.onegreenplanet.org/environment/how-plastic-is-harming-animals-the-planet-and-us/
*www.huffingtonpost.com/norm-schriever/post_5218_b_3613577.html
*Sculpture by Alison Mc. Donald
Some of you have already listened to @rwscarter on VoiceFm recently, some of you are so dedicated that you have heard both of his appearance so far. Credit where it is due, that cannot have been as easy as listening to Adam from Green Hampshire or Denise from ‘Eco Hair and Beauty‘. Both the earlier show and the now regular slot. On that occasion (my first VoiceFm appearance) I was with the wonderful Denise Baden from Southampton University who was discussing the great initiative ‘Eco Hair and Beauty’ which have written for us here at @CrowdLeaf before. She also discussed the sustainability agenda in Cuba- which she tied in rather nicely with her musical ‘Fidel’. More of that can be found here along with a link to that guest appearance below.
Like wise the new green show on VoiceFM – hosted by Xan Philips and the green agenda taken forward by @rwscarter on Xan’s ‘The Business show’ every first Thursday of the month from 8pm- 9pm.
The December the 1st episode can be found above – With the inside scoop on all things Christmas ,Autumn Statement, local green campaigns, national crowdfunding news and the green agenda and insights, from £5 notes to electric vans.
As @rwscarter is now a regular guest- the first in the sequence of Green issues radio appearances os merely the start, we want your green news, campaigns and insights to share live on air. At the moment this scheduled be broadcast every first Thursday of each month from 8 PM however we are both human and sometime this may change, so keep an eye on our twitter and on here. You can tune in on 103.9FM or find us online at : http://www.voicefmradio.co.uk . If you happen to miss the show but still want to listen, perhaps you want to take us for a train journey, or on a long walk – there is both a listen live and as you’ve probably noticed from the links above a ‘listen again’ option. Thanks as always for being here with us – keep your green news, campaigns, opportunities and more coming our way. Equally there is room for suggested sustainability/green/conservation songs – please do share your suggestions.
CrowdLeaf is a proud sponsor for Thursday the 24th of November’s Crowdfunding: Deep Impact Conference.
@rwscarter did an interview with Barry James the brain child and man in charge for the conference. Barry is CEO of the Crowdfunding Center and Secretary of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Crowdfunding among many other positions, ventures and successes. This week Barry found time to talk about how crowdfunding can help the green, sustainability and conservation community and much more. Listen below as we discuss the speakers, the concepts, the change that Acts of Parliment such as the Social Value Act can and will make a difference to the causes we care about.
Here’s a list of some of the fantastic sponsors for the event. Click on the video or the link to see/ hear about the speakers and schedule for the day.
