Wednesday 9th September 09

A nice lazy day in many ways. Just did some housework, picked some tomatoes, riddled some compost, did some dried fruit. At 3pm I cycled down to school, and on the way picked up LOADS of aluminium cans, well over 30, which over the summer had been thrown into the long grass and nettles on the verge on Windmill Lane. I picked them all up and bunged them in my trailer, when I got home I had a stamp-fest and squashed them all. I need to go and visit a metal merchant soon.

I had a bright idea about a fundraising stunt. Ask a load of people to collect lots of aluminium cans, unsquashed. Hold a competition to see how many cans can be squashed in 30 seconds. Or, a system with with one point for a can squashed on it's side, and two points for a can squashed so it's just a circle. This latter method is more difficult: put the can on flat ground with the opening downwards, and just gently crinkle the sides of the tin inwards a bit. This reduces the risk of the can popping out from under your foot, and increases the likelihood that it will squash down into a small circle. This stunt would be fun, as can squashing is an art... a bit hit or miss, even for someone experienced like me, and the squashed cans would be left to sell for cash, to raise money for whatever cause you chose. Entrants could pay to enter, or be sponsored, and a prize or prizes awarded for the most done in the allotted time, or most points earned.

Any thoughts folks? Am I just being a daft eco-dreamer or shall I organise something like this?

At about 8pm, I decided to go to the Green Drinks meeting at the Black Swan, which was nice as I had some good chats with Guy, David (who shared some astounding news), Sarah, whom I introduced to several more people she could interview for her PhD, Graham, Rich, Ivana, and Jim who is going to come and see my composting set-up soon I hope.

I got back in time to see Newsnight with Franny Armstrong and Ed Milliband discussing air-travel and carbon emissions. Good to see the Age of Stupid getting another mention and the new campaign 10:10, to get people to commit to reduce their carbon emissions by 10% in 2010... a good start for the vast majority of people who haven't yet begun to act. Possibly a little more difficult for someone like me who has already cut their emissions significantly. It is easy to take a tonne off a footprint of ten tonnes, but more difficult to shave off 100kg from a footprint of a tonne or so... but I've signed up anyway, as I reckon our solar hot water panels will reduce summer gas use and summer evening log use.

Had a nice chat with Ali after midnight...