The Appliance of Science

It's been interesting to watch the media's rants - across most papers - about the 'Climategate' events at University of East Anglia's Climate Research Unit (CRU). Transparency is important, not just in climate science, but in society.

With the knowledge, social media platforms and connectivity that already exists via the interweb, it's doesn't feel like to big a step to apply the same level of rigour to other equally important aspects of the challenges facing our communities and broader society. Such as food security and the role of agri-food companies in pushing GMO into the food chain. Such as the role of the banks in creating a culture where politicians believed they were alchemists, able to conjour gold from base materials. Such as the complete lack of real time planning for the changes that we need to make for climate, biodiversity, waterm food and energy.

Let's keep the focus on climate science, and not lose sight of the things that need to start happening whilst the talking is going on.

New thinking for a new Britain

Newsnight's Paul Mason painted a compelling picture of what's wrong and what needs to change. In his two programmes, he asks what's wrong, and what the answers are for a new Britain.

"To me, it seems that we are lacking a vision of where to go next...I'm travelling west to Wales in search of answers...beyond this last outpost of [Port Talbot's] heavy industry, you begin to get a sense of what a post-indsutrial era might involve. I've come to West Wales to meet a group of business people with a radical new idea of how to do things"

A summary of Paul Mason's two programmes is here on his blog; Monday's programme is on itunes here, and Tuesday's here.

My thoughts?

1. The answers are already out there
2. We need to start asking better questions about what's wrong
3. A step change in collaboration between organisations and sectors will be key
4. Community and localised responses are essential
5. It's time to start building the plan to make this happen

As a good friend, Patsy Gannon wrote: "what was most telling was the stark contrast between you guys and the overweight lardy politicians bickering,talking over each other and scoring points. If ever there was an illustration that something needs to change, this was it"

The most fun thing since the invention of football

Great couple of quotes on TYF's famous coasteering in this neat article from the Guardian:

"...generally make your way around the fabulous Pembrokeshire coast just as nature intended (assuming nature intended you and your children to be some sort of unhinged amphibious climbing creatures). It is the most fun thing since the invention of football..."

St Davids in the Washington Post

A recent visit by Washington Post journalist Pamela Petro produced this homage to St Davids, which all helps us green our little city:

"Wales has harnessed the tides since medieval times, as I discovered on a quick side trip to the restored tidal mill at Carew Castle, a magnificent hunk of crenellated rock on a bluff overlooking the Carew estuary, less than an hour's drive southeast of St. David's. Today's high-tech version takes ship propulsion technology and reverses it: It uses seawater to turn propeller blades to create electricity, rather than using power to turn blades to move seawater. The turbine is the green jewel in the crown of this little city, founded by a 6th-century saint, where cars run on recycled vegetable oil, the primary school operates entirely on solar power and all the town's homes are being fitted with solar panels or solar shingles...

TYF Adventure, which calls itself "the world's first carbon-neutral adventure company," aims to introduce visitors to the Welsh coast with as little impact on the environment as possible. It wasn't the season for sea kayaking, rock climbing, surfing or coasteering -- too cold -- but on previous trips, I've learned that those are the best ways to investigate the coast, from its trademark gray seals (population about 5,000) to its fossil-rich rocks and white-sand beaches.

A word about coasteering: I haven't done it (yet), but my friends Annie and Caroline claim that it's like "extreme rock pooling," referring to the British love of poking around in tidal pools. "When the sea gets rough, it's like being swirled in a benevolent washing machine," says Annie. Wearing wet suits and crash helmets, they alternately swam in Cardigan Bay, scrambled over rocks and up sea cliffs, shimmied down ropes and hiked cliff-top paths. They swore that it was exhilarating and "toe-tinglingly edgy," and that nothing has ever made them hungrier."

Hay on Earth: £40,000 for sustainable innovation & leadership

It's a pleasure to confirm funding and arrangements for the 2010 Hay on Earth sustainability workshops that will once again be running at the internationally reknown Guardian Hay Festival. In this third year of the event, there's great news.

With support from the Welsh Assembly Government, four groups will be given a £10,000 grant that turns heads, engages the community and makes a real difference to change. The application form can be downloaded here, and the programme from here.

Eight groups will be shortlisted under each day's topic focus, and others are invited to attend to share, learn and develop their own ideas. The morning and afternoon sessions of each day are ticketed and free.

Hay on Earth 1: Food

Hay on Earth 2: Low carbon travel

Hay on Earth 3: Enterprise and business

Hay on Earth 4: Community and homes

The paragraph below gives a taster for what the selection panel will be looking for in the 'Green Dragon's Den' style sessions:

"Tim Smit, Founder of the Eden Project, talks of the need for leadership in sustainability being “big, bold, dangerous, compelling, sexy, aggressive and rock and roll”. Successful projects in sustainability stay away from doing what they’ve done before because it’s easy and focus on what needs to happen first, then on how to make it happen. Einstein talked about doing the same thing and expecting different results being a sign of madness. Your project should be something that Tim Smit (and Einstein) would relate to…"