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We run a regular programme of public lectures, seminars and meetings, with guest speakers covering a range topics
and answering questions from local people.
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What's coming up...
Dulwich Going Greener in 2009- Find out
what is going on
Monday 23rd February 2009 at 8pm at
the The Crown and Greyhound, Dulwich. This is an important meeting for you to add your voice and a great way to meet people! Admission is free.
Previously...
Free practical growing workshop in association with Food Up Front Sunday 9 March 2008, 3pm; Francis Peek Centre, in Dulwich Park (near the car
park)
Come to our free practical workshop
in the new Francis Peek Centre in Dulwich Park (adjacent to the car park) in association with Food Up Front (www.foodupfront.org),
a local network that encourages and supports people to grow
food in the space they
have available at home or work. Guest speaker: Jenny Jones, Chair, London Food
Film: Power of Community – how Cuba survived
peak oil
Thursday 20 March 2008
, 8pm; Crown & Greyhound, Dulwich Village When
the Soviet Union collapsed in 1990, Cuba's economy went into a tailspin. With imports of oil cut by more than half –
and food by 80 percent – people were desperate. The film tells of the hardships and struggles as well as the community
and creativity of the Cuban people during this difficult time. Cubans share how they transitioned from a highly mechanized,
industrial agricultural system to one using organic methods of farming and local, urban gardens (recently shown on BBC2 in
'Around the World in 80 Gardens'). Future diary dates During this year's Dulwich Festival (9 – 18 May 2008), there will be three public
talks and debates - details to follow in our next newsletter but here are the dates for your diary: Friday 9 May 2008 Linbury Room, Dulwich Picture GalleryFuture World Jerome Lewis
and Ben Brangwyn with Peter Tatchell
Wednesday
14 May 2008 Old Library, Dulwich CollegeFuture
Food Craig Sams and Felicity Lawrence
Friday 16 May 2008 Linbury
Room, Dulwich Picture Gallery
Future ArtsDavid Lan and Prof. Paul Heritage
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Those attending our lecture (January 2007) on air travel were able to plot their journeys over the last 12 months and
see how much carbon dioxide was released into the atmosphere as a result of their flights. The results varied greatly from
person to person, but as a group our Dulwich audience was above the national average. A lively debate followed the
public lecture - the view of most people attending seemed to be that air travel is a benefit that it would be hard to give
up. But cutting down on short haul flights is an option that appealed to some - especially as many popular destinations in
both the UK and the nearby continent have fast rail alternatives. Many flights leave Heathrow each day for Paris, for example
- whereas going by train is generally quicker...
A Windmill in Dulwich Park?  Our first public seminar filled the upstairs meeting room at the Crown
& Greyhound in Dulwich. There was standing room only at the back as author and campaigner Donnachadh McCarthy explained
his success in reducing his personal carbon footprint.
Donnachadh McCarthy may be known to you as a former member of the Royal Opera Ballet, or
indeed a forthright member of the Liberal party but increasingly he is becoming known as the first householder to sell his
electricity back to the National Grid! Could he be the first of many?
Since 1992, when he returned from having spent time with the Amazonian Yanomami Indians,
Donnachadh has gradually transformed his 1840’s terraced home into what he calls ‘a retro eco-home’.
He started with his electricity and the installation of solar electric panels. This included
an electronic display panel showing how much electricity the roof was producing and conversely, how much the house was using.
This was a red-letter day! At this point Donnachadh realised that turning on the kettle is the equivalent of turning on 150
light bulbs. After that the kettle was only filled with the actual amount of water needed!
A little over a year ago, the water heating system of his Victorian house was the next item
on Donnachadh’s home improvement list. He had a solar water heating system installed, which has supplied up to 70 per
cent of his hot water needs. Grants via the Energy Saving Trust’s Low Carbon Buildings programme can significantly reduce
the costs associated with this work. You can find out more by visiting www.est.org.uk
Donnachadh is full of enthusiasm for the future; ‘The exciting fact is that a low-carbon
lifestyle is achievable now for all of us.’ He has written extensively on the steps we can all take in his persuasive
book ‘Saving the planet without costing the earth’. Below he outlines a few ideas to get us all going today:
- Switch off lights or heating in unused rooms
- Use energy-saving bulbs in all relevant light sockets
- Have a shower rather than a bath
- Always buy recycled toilet paper
- Ensure that your roof is properly insulated
- Switch off appliances rather than putting them on stand-by using the remote control
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To sign up or volunteer for an event, see our "Contact Us" page.
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