Friday, September 21, 2007

Severn barrage: outmoded, overpriced, destructive

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Great letter on the Severn Barrage issue in todays Bristol Evening Post from Redland's Carl Turville, opposing barrage support given by Bristol West Lib Dem MP Stephen Williams. The points against the big barrage project are true and very telling indeed, though I'm not so keen on the opening jibe or as confident as the writer about the intentions of Russia I have to say (so lets build up our energy security).

The big barrage is indeed outmoded and overpriced as well as destructive. New energy efficiency and renewable technologies are rapidly coming along that are better. They are often homegrown.

It is vital that we harness the best and most appropriate technologies - they wont destroy wild, green places that need protection.

St Brendan's College green progress and green plans set a good example

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The college where I worked for five yrs (1999-2004, including teaching environmental science), and whose governing body adopted the environmental charter I drafted and put to them certainly seems to be continuing to make some green progress as well as having green plans for the future. I hope of course that they make all the green progress they can.

In June this year: St Brendan's College said that it ‘is part of a new national initiative launched today which aims to showcase green education and help encourage sustainable development.’ It gave several specific examples of green initiatives, including new buildings that will have 'sustainable technologies such as ground source heating, solar energy generation, automatic buildings that control themselves, natural ventilation to avoid the need for air conditioning and automatic close down of PCs at night.'

Yesterday saw the unveiling of the 500th sign thanking people for not driving in Bristol, one of several, installed at St Brendan's College, encouraging students staff and visitors to think again before using their own car.

St Brendans continues to offer the AS and A level Environmental Science course (and has done since I taught it there).

Plus the college website says that the ‘…second key area in which the College Chaplaincy functions is that of Christian action. This takes a variety of forms, the most significant being: Justice and Peace Group,…& People and Planet Group…


But this is not all….


St Brendans is also part of the Sound of many waters Catholic environmental initiative and on Oct 4 is launching a UK Catholic school’s environmental audit project with the help of a presenter from the TV program Coast (an Open University/BBC series!).