According to a Wikipedia article on the subject, combustion, or burning, is a sequence of exothermic chemical reactions between a fuel and an oxidant, accompanied by the production of heat and conversion of chemical species.  In my understanding, most fuels are carbon based and the gases produced by combustion contain a large amount of carbon dioxide.  I would imagine that much of the waste material to be burnt at the Covanta incinerator would be carbon based too.  I would imagine that burning it would generate a huge amount of carbon dioxide.

I know for a fact that carbon dioxide is a greenhouse gas.  The carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, which, before man started to produce it on an industrial scale, was augmented by volcanos and forest fires, has had a profound effect on the earth’s climate since the dawn of time.  When the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is increased the earth’s temperature increases.  This effect is known as the greenhouse effect.

Knowing all this, I would have imagined that the proposed Stewartby Incinerator would generate a huge amount of carbon dioxide, along with small quantities of other more pernicious and poisonous gases, and that it would have a very damaging effect on global warming, as well as a very damaging effect on the air quality in Stewartby, Bedford, Ampthill, Flitwick and the surrounding villages.

I would have thought that a giant waste incinerator in Stewartby would do a huge amount of environmental and ecological damage.  The newspaper reports seem to be telling me this isn’t so.  For example:  There was an article in The Independant newspaper, on Sunday 1st August, entitled: UK may have to import rubbish for incinerators.  This article describes the damage incinerators can do.  However, the last paragraph of the article quotes a Defra spokesman who seems to be telling us that generating electricity by burning waste is a good thing.

I would like to say I understand all the discussions of this matter in the media.  Regrettably, I do not.  All I know for sure is that I do not like this proposal.  If I ask myself the question: “If I could afford to leave Bedford, were this project to go ahead, would I do so?”  The answer is yes.  I would be sorry to leave.  I have made a lot of very good friends in Bedford, since I came here in April 2006.  However, I would not trust the air quality in Bedford if I had a giant waste incinerator on my doorstep.  This would especially be the case if the incinerator was working 24 hours a day, seven days a week, as this one is expected to do.

What is more, the area around Stewartby and Marston Vale is fast becoming an area of great natural beauty.  Do we really want to see this spoilt with the building of some dark, satanic mill right in the centre of it?  We have the wonderful Millennium Country Park. in Marston Moretaine.  We have the Ampthill Forest and the beautiful Maulden Wood.  These areas are encouraging (and preserving) a wonderful array of native flora and fauna.  These areas could become a wonderful tourist resource, as well as remaining a source of refreshment, relaxation and recuperation for the residents of Bedford, Flitwick, Amptill, Clophill and Maulden.  Do we really want to see this wonderful area of natural beauty destroyed with the sight of, and the fumes from, some gigantic waste incinerator?  I know what my answer is.  My answer is no.

I am not the only one who thinks this waste incinerator is a very bad idea.  Here are some links to other people and organisations who feel the same way, people and organisations who are fighting to stop this plan from going ahead:

The Marston Moreteyne Action Group

The Facebook page for residents against the Covanta Incinerator at Stewartby

Tim Hill – Liberal Democrat Councillor for Wootton, Stewartby and Kempston Hardwick

I would like to join them in opposing this scheme.  I would urge you to do the same.

What would make Bedford a better place for the people who live here?

What would make Bedford a good example of sustainability to the rest of the country and the rest of the world?

What is there about Bedford which should be highlighted and made more of? Our beautiful River Great Ouse for example: Is this asset being fully exploited as a source of relaxation and spiritual renewal?

What is there about Bedford you would like to see changed?

As we look forward to Bedford 2020 on Saturday 15th May, what do we want to celebrate about our town? What do we want to deplore?

Why not use the comment section on this post to let us know your views?

Would you like to know more about the Transition Towns initiative?   Then why not check out: transitiontowns.org ?

Think again – you could be helping to reshape the future of your town.

Transition Bedford is hosting an event that will bring together different groups of people to create a vision for a sustainable Bedford in 2020.

If you belong to a group that’s interested in what our town looks like in a decade’s time, you need to be at this event – I’m not just talking about environmental groups, but also everyone from allotment societies to local history groups to walking groups and all points in between! We’re looking for as many interested groups as possible to get involved, both before the event, on the day itself and on into the future (and the year 2020!) and we’d love to know who is interested in participating.

So far we’ve created a list of topics that we’d like to explore at the meeting. If you – either a group or an individual – are willing to participate in some way in one or more of these topics, please add a comment below, saying who you are and which topic(s) you’re fired up about. “Participation” could mean helping with a demonstration, giving a talk, or simply sharing your ideas with others.

The topics are, in no particular order:

• Food
• Transport
• Energy
• Education
• Building and housing
• Local government
• Heart and soul
• Health and wellbeing
• Waste and recycling
• Community and culture
• Economy and business
• Media and communications

Once we’ve compiled a list of the people who want to take part in this inspiring event, we’ll post that onto this blog so that you can tell us if we’re missing out anyone crucial.

Still confused? If you’re wondering what on earth this whole “transition” thing is about, check out Transitiontowns.org

To learn more about what we’re doing to make Bedford a transition town, and watch a video about the transition movement, click here.

Lynn Serafinn (right) receiving BBW Award

This month, I had the great honour of receiving the Bedfordshire Businesswomen (BBW) 2009 Award for “Working within a Community Organisation or Not-for-Profit Organisation”, for my work as Founder of the Global Wellness Circle, a holistic health and wellness community, as well as my more recent work as Chair of Transition Bedford.

The winners of the BBW awards were announced Wednesday 18 November 2009 at the Woburn Sculpture Park. There were 6 awards in various business categories, all sponsored by Barclays Bank. Transition Bedford was specifically cited during the ceremony as a key reason for their selecting me for this award.

If any of you are unfamiliar with BBW, it is a long-established and highly reputable not-for-profit networking organisation for women who live and/or have business interests in the Bedfordshire area. I have been a member now for 2 years, although the awards were not restricted to members only. The women in this organisation own and run some of the most successful and influential businesses in the county, if not the country.

To have Transition Bedford be recognised at this level is not only a personal honour for me, but it is also a clear indication that the need for and importance of the work we are doing together at Transition Bedford is starting to be duly recognised by local business owners.

After the awards, I spoke with Jenny Tomsett, President of BBW, about having Transition Bedford lead a presentation at one of their upcoming meetings in 2010. She was happy to arrange this for us sometime after February. I think it would be wonderful to give some practical, hands-on tips nd information for BBW members to integrate immediately into their businesses and their daily lives. This would not only be a high-profile way of raising awareness about Transition Bedford, but it would also be a wonderful way to help support local businesses in their shift towards a sustainable Bedford.

Winners of BBW Awards 2009

Many others in Transition Bedford, and the Transition Network in general, have been recognised for their excellence and dedication in 2009. Some of you might even be reading this, in fact! So if YOU have a Transition Town Recognition Story to share from 2009, please add it to the comments below, so others can be informed. Be sure to include a link, if there is a story about you on the web.

If anyone reading this is unfamiliar with the Transition Network, I invite you to browse through earlier blog posts on this site, especially http://transitionbedford.org/2009/05/28/great-video-explaining-the-transition-network/ or to visit the Transition Network site at www.transitionnetwork.org

On behalf of Transition Bedford, I invite and encourage everyone, whether individuals, groups or businesses, who are interested in finding out how they can become an active part of this vital and vibrant initiative, and create a future together we will love, to write to us via the contact form on this site or via email at: info [at] transitionbedford [dot] org.

Lynn Serafinn, MAED, CPCC is an award-winning transformation coach/teacher, best-selling author, public speaker, personal development trainer, radio host, Founder of the Global Wellness Circle and Chair of Transition Bedford. She is author of the bestselling book The Garden of the Soul: lessons from four flowers that unearth the Self, and host of the weekly radio show Lynn Serafinn’s Garden of the Soul, hosting a wide range of guests including many of interest to Transition Town folks (be sure to catch Tony Juniper from Friends of the Earth on our anniversary show on Wed 20 January 2010.

We have The Swan Hotel, The Embankment Hotel and Eat Fish on the Embankment near the town bridge and we have the fabulous Barns Hotel and The Kings Arms in nearby Cardington.

We even have a Lebanese Restaurant,  Reem in the High Street and, opposite it, we have our very own Casbah, which means that one can sit in the Casbah and watch the world go by, without even leaving Bedford!

Yesterday, I visited Harpurs for the first time. I was so impressed, I have written a very positive review of the place on my website. If you are interested, you can find it here:

www.richardgillard.webs.com/GeneralLinks.html#Harpurs

Finally, surely no review of Bedford Cafe Society could be complete without mention of our most excellent Real Ale Public House, The Wellington in Wellington Street.

GWC was started in May 2008 as a means to support local holistic wellness businesses, and to provide a forum where people can join together to learn about each others’ values and beliefs, and form friendships and partnerships. The focus from the onset has been to build an inclusive, holistically-minded community and to provide information to the public about health, environment, and overall wellbeing of mind, body, spirit, society and world.

Now 18 months old, the Global Wellness Circle is going through some exciting changes.  Originally a small business, GWC are now in the process of applying for CIC status (Community Interest Company/Social Enterprise), and the Bedford chapter have established a firm link to our Transition Bedford initiative. That means, whereas GWC used to have a policy of drawing only from its paid membership for its speaker rota, they now are inviting (and encouraging) volunteer speakers from Transition Bedford OR other Transition Towns to speak as a representative of their initiative and the Transition Town movement in general, to share whatever valuable skills or information they have with the group.*

GWC have active chapters in Bedford, Milton Keynes, Cambridge and Hemel Hempstead, and should be getting Northampton and Dunstable up and running by February 2010. They welcome anyone and everyone to attend their events (membership is NOT required to attend), and hope that with the addition of Transition Town members, they will become an even more vibrant and exciting group, working together for a better future.

To see the kind of events GWC help to promote, check out their November 2009 events listings at http://www.global-wellness-circle.com/events/events_listings/2009/GWC_events_1109.html The listings include a wide range of events such as GWC evenings, local workshops, training, speakers, community events, exhibitions, radio shows, parties and more, all in the central UK area. All events focus on health, wellbeing and natural lifestyle, and include activities for children, families and adults.

For more information about GWC, or to enquire about becoming a speaker, kindly contact Lynn at lynn@global-wellness-circle.com. You are also invited to subscribe to the GWC mailing list at http://www.global-wellness-circle.com, so you can receive both their events listings and their newsletter, “All is Well”, every month.

Wishing you WELL,
Lynn Serafinn
Founder, Global Wellness Circle
Chair, Transition Bedford

* If you are a member of a Transition Town group and would like to speak at a GWC meeting, it is expected that you will come as a representative of your TT initiative, as opposed to representing your private business. If you do wish to promote your private enterprise (e.g., a green or holistic business you own), you are most welcome to consider becoming a practitioner member of GWC.

Dear Quaker Meeting House hirers and friends,

I would like to invite you to a public meeting organised by Bedford Quakers entitled “Climate Change, Copenhagen and Us”, at the Harpur Suite, Bedford on November 20th at 7.15 pm. Please see attachment with details of the event and the supporting organisations to date (TTBedford admin note: sorry, this attachment did not come with the email we received). We are delighted that Tony Juniper, a leading environmentalist, and Patrick Hall MP are our main speakers.

Please circulate notice of this meeting widely if possible.  If you would like to use our printed posters and/or fliers, reply to us ASAP and we can arrange a convenient collection point.

We would like to retain email addresses for communication purposes until a week after the Copenhagen Summit . If you prefer otherwise please tell us.

With your permission, we would also like to share your email address with the supporting organizations listed above who may wish to contact you regarding similar events. If you are happy for us to do so, please let us know.

Please reply to bedfordquakerevents@googlemail.com

Why is this important?
After 30+ years of uncertainty, reputable scientists and world leaders now agree that man-made Climate Change is a proven fact. The World Health Organisation claims that annually 150,000 people in the poorest countries die because of it. Increasingly lavish use of fossil fuel energy and heat is the cause. Man-made climate change can be prevented from getting worse, but it requires big reductions in greenhouse gas emissions world-wide in the next ten years, and even bigger changes before 2050. How is this to be done?

The UK government has led the way with a Climate Change Act which promises to cut UK emissions by 80 % by 2050. Other countries need to agree similar promises at the UN Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen this December.  Sceptics argue that the speed of change in history is slow and the changes required are unlikely to be made before 2050. But hope replies, “Consider the many unforeseen changes that have successfully occurred in our lifetimes.”   Concerned people throughout the country, of all political parties and faiths, are beginning to rally to the challenge.  It is hoped that this public meeting will gather a wide range of groups together.

Many thanks.

Yours sincerely,

Heather Mitchell
Lettings Officer
Bedford Quaker Meeting
November 2nd 2009

I put a question to each of the mayoral candidates via the Times & Citizen;  “I see a Local Authority’s approach to renewables as a kind of litmus test to just how seriously you take the issue of climate change, i’m not particularly interested in opinions on climate change, i’d like to know what specific policies you intend to implement to increase renewables in the area?” The Times & Citzen published a written edit of the response in last Thursdays edition. My initial response was one of dismay at how many of the answers seemingly missed the point. However, some of the content is lost in translation which is largely an issue of editing. I’ve since watched the video responses online. I urge you to take a look. The candidates mostly promise significant action. This article is a request that we hold to account who ever gets in.

Due to my personal ideals I’ve never voted in a my life, be it Local Authority of National Government. However, given that we have less than 90 months left before our global atmospheric emissions cross the 450ppm mark, which is widely agreed as being a tipping point, i may put my ideals aside. This next political term needs to be very decisive for Bedford, the nation and the world. Little do most politicians understand the full extent of the challenges and opportunities that will face us in the next four years. No space for floundering, little need for words, it’s action, vision and creativity that is our only true friend.

So the question arises.   Did Bedford deserve its Age of Stupid award?   Why not see the film and make up your own mind?   The film will be showing as part of a double bill with the controversial film “The Great Global Warming Swindle” at the Bedford Film Society on Monday 9th and Tuesday 10th November at Bedford High School Sports and Performing Arts Complex, Bromham Road, Bedford,   MK40 2BS.  Shows start at 7.30 PM and non-members can attend as a guest for a cost of £3 at the door.

For the alternative view, there is an article on the Bedford Today Website, dated 8th June 2007, which makes the case against the wind farm.   The article was entitled: Protestors welcome wind farm report.

Richard Gillard

To illustrate Bedford’s intelligence and to increase public awareness on these important issues, Transition Bedford will be hosting a free viewing of the film “In Transition” at the Ent Shed on Castle Road, MK40 3QY, on Wednesday 9 Sept 2009 at 7.30pm. Special guest at the event will be Chris Keene, a member of the “Zero Carbon Caravan”, a troop that is currently cycling and sailing from Wales to the UNFCCC talks in Copenhagen.

BEDFORD, BEDFORDSHIRE – 1 September 2009 – Former Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott thinks Bedford is “stupid.”

At least that is what he was quoted as having said in a recent article published by Business Green and The Evening Standard. According to the article, Mr Prescott said the planning committee in Bedford, whose wider borough is estimated to have a population of more than 150,000 people, should be given a “Stupid Award” (named after the recently released environmental film “The Age of Stupid”), calling the committee, “stupid nimbys” and saying “I hope they get upset about it.”

But a group of local Bedfordians, who are members of the recently formed initiative Transition Bedford, invite Mr Prescott to look a little bit deeper, beyond the surface of local planning committees, to see the real Bedford.

“And if he does,” says current Chair of Transition Bedford initiating group, Lynn Serafinn, “he would see an informed, passionate and proactive side to Bedford, where people are at the cutting edge on the issue of climate change.”

Transition Bedford is a part of the larger Transition Town Network, founded in 2006, which is now comprised of thousands of other towns, villages and urban neighbourhoods who are taking definitive, community driven, grass-roots action in response to climate change and the impending impact of peak oil upon our lifestyle. They describe themselves as a “social experiment on a massive scale” saying, “if we wait for the governments, it’ll be too little, too late; if we act as individuals, it’ll be too little; but if we act as communities, it might just be enough, just in time.” Their ultimate aim is to move from oil dependency to a “low energy, highly vibrant and fulfilling future.”

“Although Transition Bedford is a newly formed initiative,” says Ms Serafinn, “Bedford has been acting on these issues for some time now. Over the past few years, local groups like Zero Carbon Castle (founded in 2006) have really raised awareness and made great changes in the area of local carbon emissions, and various local permaculture experts and food growers have helped residents understand how and why it is vital we know about growing and harvesting local food sources.”

Ms Serafinn, a Bedford-based life coach, personal development trainer and bestselling author, also speaks about what the Transition Network refers to as “the inner transition.”

“What is important to understand,” she explains, “is that no one is going to agree to make changes to their current lifestyle unless they have a compelling reason to do so. Feeding people scary statistics about climate change may motivate some, but it is more likely to turn off others and make them apathetic or perhaps even hopeless. And while government action is certainly very important, truly lasting social change cannot occur simply via planning initiatives. The most effective means to lasting, positive change is to raise public awareness and to help re-establish people’s emotional connection to the planet on which we live, so they will want to make the transition out of a genuine sense of desire and purpose, rather than from a feeling of panic and need. The issue of climate change is an opportunity for all of us to educate, re-skill and reconnect our communities, and create a more meaningful and harmonious world.”

When asked how she will personally be involved in Transition Bedford, Lynn says that her primary focus will be on the “inner” side of this initiative, dealing with people, beliefs and wellbeing. Many others in the network are experts in the “outer” transition, being highly skilled experts in skills such as developing new energy sources, transport, conservation, food production, permaculture and other key areas.

One such expert on the Transition Bedford panel is Shane Hughes of Carbon Accounting Systems, and one of the initiators of Zero Carbon Castle. About the current and future state of local awareness in Bedford Mr Hughes says, “One of the smartest things that the Bedford Borough Council is currently proposing is a renewable hydro-electric energy project, which, if successful, could benefit the town in diverse ways. It would not only create a massive carbon saving for the town, but it would also be of great educational value as an exemplar for people around the country to appreciate and imitate. But in addition to that, we hope to turn the project into a truly innovative investment fund in which people of the town can become share-holders, creating a flowing and renewable fund of money that can be re-invested in other zero-carbon energy projects. This is the kind of community-driven creativity that the Transition Town Network, and Transition Bedford, is all about.”

Mr Hughes continues, “Something I would like people to realise is that Transition Bedford will not just be looking at ways to become carbon-neutral. We will also looking at how our local economies can become more sound and self-reliant. A recent study done down in Totnes, Devon (the original Transition Town), has revealed that if we made the shift of ensuring that even a small percentage of our building materials for new housing projects came from local sources, millions of pounds would go into our local economies, while at the same time reducing carbon emissions. Again, it is this kind of win-win scenario that Transition Bedford hopes to create here in the town of Bedford in every aspect of life.”

Ms Serafinn adds to this, “And the ultimate irony of Mr Prescott’s comment is that Shane’s Bedford-based company Carbon Accounting provided the makers of the film “The Age of Stupid” with their carbon auditing services. If you go to the bottom of their web page on their 14 March entry, you will see Shane’s company name right there. In fact, their whole media angle of the UK premier being a 1% carbon event is based upon Shane’s audit.

“So the bottom line is, people really should take the time to look a little deeper, and you’ll always find that there is more to any story—or to a town.”

Transition Bedford, whose official launch will be announced early in the New Year, will be working closely together with groups like Zero Carbon Castle, Sustainable Oakley, Goldington Golden Gardens, the Global Wellness Circle, Mile End Allotments and many others, as well as with Bedford College through their Education for Sustainable Development programme. The long-term goal will be to develop educational programmes, skills training and community projects that will not only raise public awareness, but will also help the town make the transition towards a more vibrant and self-reliant community in such areas of food and energy production, natural health, economy and environment.

Transition Bedford invite any and all members of the greater Bedford community, whether individuals, groups or businesses, to contact Shane Hughes at shane@carbon-accounting.com and get involved. You can also visit their blog at www.transitionbedford.wordpress.com.

To show just how “smart” Bedford is on the issue of climate change, Transition Bedford is hosting a viewing of the film “In Transition”, which is an uplifting rebuttal to the sense of hopelessness and helplessness many feel when they think about the challenges of climate change. The film offers a healthy dose of inspiration about what communities of people, just like the people in Transition Bedford, are doing all across the globe to make the transition towards a sustainable, resilient and vibrant society, to restore our balance and harmony with the Earth.

“In Transition” will be shown at the Ent Shed (next to the Gordon Arms) on Castle Road, MK40 3QY on 9 Sept 2009. Doors open at 730 PM, and discussions and drinks will follow at end of programme. While this programme is free and open to the public, donations will be gratefully accepted to help cover the cost of room hire.

In addition to the film, special guest at this event will be Chris Keene, a member of the “Zero Carbon Caravan”, a troop that is currently cycling and sailing from Wales to the UNFCCC talks in Copenhagen. Mr Keene says, “We are making our way to Copenhagen without using fossil fuel transportation. Along the route we’ll connect with local groups to establish an itinerary of ‘zero carbon conferences’ to build momentum for zero carbon awareness.” Bedford is one of those local groups.

That’s very smart of you, Bedford.

###

ARTICLE REFERENCES
Charlsworth, Andrew. 26 August 2009. “Prescott proposes stupidity awards for wind farm ‘nimbys’”. Accessed from Business Green website at http://www.businessgreen.com/business-green/news/2248512/prescott-proposes-stupidity

Evening Standard. 26 August 2009. ‘Prescott Slams “Nimby” Councils’ Accessed from Evening Standard website at http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard/article-23736980-details/John+Prescott+slams+%27nimby%27+councils/article.do

TRANSITION BEDFORD CONTACT INFO:
Contact: Click here
Forum: http://groups.google.com/group/transition-bedford

TRANSITION TOWN NETWORK:
Web: http://www.transitionnetwork.org

FILM “IN TRANSITION”
Web: http://transitionnetworknews.wordpress.com/2009/06/08/film-in-transition-online-preview/

BEDFORD VIEWING OF “IN TRANSITION”
Web: http://transitionbedford.wordpress.com/2009/08/27/free-film-premier-in-transition/

FILM “THE AGE OF STUPID”
Web: http://www.ageofstupid.net/

SHANE HUGHES CONTACT INFO (Carbon Accounting)
Web: http://www.carbon-accounting.com

LYNN SERAFINN CONTACT INFO (AUTHOR, SPEAKER, TRAINING):
Web: http://www.lynnserafinn.com

LYNN SERAFINN COACHING AND TRAINING ENQUIRIES:
Web: http://www.create-a-life.co.uk

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