Congratulations to our neighbours!

I was in Sheffield yesterday and firstly I must congratulate the council and railway authorities on this amazing square!

You walk out of the station and the gateway into the city is this incredible water sculpture. There is a mirror like curved piece of steal with water running down into various water features below.

I have to say whether it is driving into Huddersfield and seeing the wind turbines or getting of a train in Sheffield and seeing this incredible sculpture - Wakefield's neighbours are changing the face and attitudes of northern towns and cities.

My reservation is that even as Wakefield's plans emerge they are not meeting 'flagship status'. We need to be pushing boundries - I remember Jonathan Hall (Ex-Wakefield Regeneration) saying that we need the econmic regeneration and then we can think of changing peoples attitudes and looking at sustainability.

I have to say - our neighbours are showing that you can put people and sustainability first and then peoples will help you drive the change forward.

Again well done everyone in Sheffield who worked hard to pull of this fantastic gateway to the city!



PS. Sheffield have had bill boards around the city encouraging people to recycle over Christmas! In fact they are giving profits from the recycling to Sheffield's Children's Hospital - to encourage people even more!

Well done again Sheffield!

New Year Anger!

I explained at the begining of this blog that I am involved in a number of community initiatives. I chair the Wakefield District Partnerships 'Sustainability Advisory Group' which promotes sustainable practice in our district.


I was absoluely fuming today when I heard what has being happening at one of Wakefield's recycling centres over Christmas.

A local Wakefield citizen after Christmas had his kids stripping of the paper, and plastic, seperating the bottles and cans etc. so he could take it down to his local recycling centre. He then realised he hadn't enough to fill the car so he went and spoke to his neighbour and took his waste as well.

They then jumped in the car and headed off to the centre - after a long cue they were told, "PUT IT ALL IN THE BIG SKIP WE ARE TO BUSY TO RECYLE TODAY - IT IS ALL OFF TO THE LANDFILL"


This makes me so angry. I am going to speak to people this week and get this issue addressed. I am sure the person in question has commitment to continue recycling but people so often in the district say, 'it all ends up in landfill there is no point recycling'. What can I now say to these people?

The WMDC website says "If we each take more responsibility for our waste, as individuals and as communities, we can try to ensure that our local environment is protected both now and for future generations." Well guys, individuals are taking responsibility but it seems that either council staff or policy is causing the problem now - get it sorted!

Prolog

I have been working for a number of months in 2006 on local community projects and hopefully doing some good work. I am trying to make Wakefield a little bit better.

I do a mix of stuff - I spend some time as an advocate helping people speak up, a fair amount of time coordinating Street Angels a bit of time on Fairtrade, lots of meetings and stuff for Wakefield's Sustainability Advisory Group and recently time helping people look at starting a 'chic' Ethical Shop and cafe for 18 to 35s.

A friend and community worker said, "You're going to end up ill if you keep doing all this stuff." Then I was told by a colleague, "After you finish your large advocacy case in early January you will need a few weeks off to recover."

Well. I am fairly tied, probably fed up, don't know what work I am doing in '07 and not too sure anymore what I belive in, 'but the fight is strong in me'.

For 2007 I am going to focus on one word 'Emergy'. Looking at the full cost of what I and others do . . . . . . . . .