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Sustainable Girton News |
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A number of articles related to the Sustainable Girton Project have appeared in the Girton Parish News, and you may read some of these below. In addition, there are news items from 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008 and other extended articles.
January 2009
Tree Shredding Thanks
Thank you for your support of the Christmas Tree Shredding Event. We raised £200 for the children's vegetable garden from 113 trees, and 1 wreath. Josh and Peter from Acacia Tree were fantastic and great fun to watch. Julian from South Cambs was very supportive and answered questions from a number of the 173 people who attended the event. The tree shreddings now grace my 6m x 2m driveway as they are too acidic to use as mulch around trees at the school, but are great for keeping the weeds down on my driveway. It smells like Christmas. Many of the children enjoyed seeing the chipper in operation and several borrowed my ear protectors and watched outside.
The Girton Allotment Society Soup and Cakes were delicious as usual and kept everyone going. Many thanks to everyone for the donation of their time and energy to make this such a lovely event.
Debra Wilson
August 2009
Water Wise
I'm writing this in the aftermath of a 43mm rainstorm (nearly 2 inches in old money) in the night of 6-8 August. It was a great opportunity to confirm that the surface water systems at Wellbrook Way are working properly. But it remains true that Cambridgeshire is classified as a semi-arid region, with an annual rainfall of about 560mm, or 22 inches. So trying to save water is important. And I recently discovered a way to help.
In general taking a shower is more economical than having a bath, but some mains-pressure showers can use a startling amount of water. Much of this is carefully heated (at your expense) and then sent straight down the drain without even touching your body. What a waste! But there is a clever gadget which reduces the water flow through your shower, in order to save some of that wasted hot water. It is produced by a company called EAGA and the really good news is that thanks to a Government initiative you can send for one absolutely free!
There are a couple of catches. The odder one is that it is only available on-line, which may exclude a lot of the more needy from ever seeing or taking up the offer. If you are interested but don't have access to the internet please contact me and I shall help you. The other is that the device is not designed for electric showers.
But I have a mains shower, so I filled out the on-line form and waited. The confirmation email I was promised did not arrive, but after a week or two the device did. The pack contains a little insert which easily attaches between the supply and the shower hose, and a plastic bag with graduation marks on it, The instructions ask you to put the shower head into the bag and run the shower for 5 seconds. This measures the flow and enables you to decide whether you need the insert or not. I did. So I fitted the device and tried my shower. I should say that I don't normally run it on full power, but I felt so little difference with the insert in place that I decided it must be a bit of a con. But the plastic bag persuaded me that I was indeed using less water.
So if you would like to save on water you can go to http://www.eaga.com/showersmart/ or ask to borrow my plastic bag to test your shower.
Douglas de Lacey for Sustainable Girton
September 2009
Transition Gardens
Transition Towns (and villages) are towns which are in process of making the transition from unsustainability (high CO2 use) to becoming more sustainable (less CO2 use).
We like to think that Sustainable Girton has tried to be part of this wider transition movement, which is now gathering pace in places like Totnes and the City of Cambridge.
But have you thought of your garden as a Transition Garden? That would be a garden which is becoming less dependent on artificial fertilisers and pesticides; grows more food to reduce the huge food-miles of supermarket bought produce; and is a pleasant place in which to spend time and reduce the need to travel to find rest and relaxation at a distance.
In recent years we have been extending the amount of space in our garden given over to growing vegetables (though this year we have succumbed to the dreaded tomato rot), and our flower beds now include bright yellow flowers which later will turn into lovely pumpkins and courgettes.
Can you share ideas with us on how your garden is becoming more sustainable?
John & Diana Ranken