Tuesday 21st April 09

What a busy day!

Gill got the boys ready for school and whilst she was taking our youngest, I got a phone call from Nick at the Credit Union reminding me that he'd booked me to attend an event at the Racecourse run by Business Link, on the phenomenon of Social Networking and how businesses and other organisations can benefit from it. York Credit Union is due to expand into North Yorkshire, and is intending to use some kind of Social Networking as well. I had discussed Facebook and blogging with YCU staff, so I went along to see what more I could learn, and to see if I could help YCU with that side of things.

So when Gill got home, our possible lazy day was made into a busy one... Gill found me some very smart (for me!) clothes and I gave myself a beard-trim to make me more presentable. At about 10am I set off and was at Priory St before 10.30 and met Nick for the first time. We cycled together along to the Racecourse and immediately found people to talk to. After coffee we were herded upstairs and sat down to listen to Shaa Wasmund give an interesting talk. She is somewhat of an expert when it comes to Social Networking and is a successful entrepreneur.

Many, perhaps most of the business people at this seminar were not familiar with Social Networking, so Shaa's talk started (after her intro biog) with what it is and how it's different to the old memes of advertising and similar 'one way' communication. Examples of social networks are Facebook, Linkedin, Second Life, YouTube, blogs and Twitter. I learned quite a lot, despite my having two blogs and an active Facebook life. I will be having a play around with various things... for instance, I've never looked at Twitter, although have read posts from friends who've 'Tweeted' to Facebook. I enjoyed participating in this event and will of course report on my experiences in due course.

Lunch at 1pm was quite nice and the conversations over lunch were really interesting.

Cycled back home over the lovely Millennium Bridge and Low Moor, in time to say Hi to Gilly before she elected to go down to school. I started to research and write my next column, which is on cosmetics. Fascinating stuff.

At just after 6 I set off for the Hull Road Ward Planning Panel with all the paperwork that I've been sent over the last 3 weeks, only one of which was an actual planning application. Five of us turned up and had a lively discussion, and were finished by 7pm, when I zoomed off down to Fulford for the York in Transition Credit Crunch discussion meeting. I was representing YorkLETS. Other organisations there were the Energy Efficiency Advice Centre, Citizens Advice Bureau, York Credit Union, Freecycle and the Women's Institute. Unfortunately there were more presenters and organisers than members of the public, but it was still an excellent evening, well co-ordinated by Bryony... and I learned a few bits and bobs here too.

I cycled back thought Heslington at 10ish and got home to find Gill asleep on the sofa. I think today must have been one of the most stimulating days I've had for a while. Didn't get to bed til after 2am.

Thursday 19th March 09

Woken by shouting children, so came down to see if I was needed and I think my presence did calm things down. People did get off to school on time though, despite shouting and kicking doors and saying why should he have to go to school etc.

I had a phone call responding to an email I sent off yesterday... I had received a newsletter from the project manager of the forthcoming York and North Yorkshire Credit Union, announcing their proposed launch in May, so I emailed in and asked whether I could be of any use? I got a phone call this morning and we discussed various sorts of networking and marketing, and I look forward to being involved with this. My interest in this stems from the fact that I founded York Credit Union, taking 7 or 8 years to get it launched. I stepped down upon launch, as I'm an ideas person and I felt I wasn't best suited to actually running a Credit Union, so I've never been a Director of YCU, just the mainstay of the Study Group prior to launch and a huge supporter of what they do. But it's so very satisfying knowing that something I dreamt about in 1997 is about to extend its services to such a wide common bond... to anyone who lives or works in York or North Yorkshire. Services will initially be pushed in areas of poverty in Selby and Scarborough, but when we launch, anyone in the common bond area will be able to join, save money ethically, and borrow money at competitive rates.

Spent some time dealing with emails and mucking around on the computer, and discovered Google's 'Street View' completely by accident, and took it up and down Hull Road in York, and was amused to see the software had fuzzed out a bag of litter left by the Council litter pickers next to the litter bin outside our house. Down Lilac Avenue, the software had missed one of the car number plates which it has fuzzed out in most cases. I was pleased to see my compost bins at Lord Deramore's School were there in plain view! I was delighted to see my good friend Richard immortalised outside his brother's shop, Country Fresh... see '36 Heslington Road, York' and you can see him, fuzzy faced, arms folded... brilliant! Fame at last, Rich!!! If you look to the right, you can see the wheelie bin with sacks of compostables next to it, awaiting my next visit. Tee Hee!

At 11 I went to St Nicks as I had been invited to a meeting about composting at the University, which I thought had been thwarted because the Compost Doctors scheme hadn't left us enough time to do anything properly to set this up, and I thought York Rotters had decided not to bother, concentrating instead on home composting. However, the meeting wasn't to discuss composting at the University, it was to reprimand me over my perceived misconduct in writing a too-frank email to the University revealing some of the workings of York Rotters (which I had misinterpreted anyway, thus possibly making York Rotters look unprofessional) and to remind me to be very careful what I say and do with my York Rotters tee shirt on. I must remember that when I'm wearing it, I am representing the organisation and mustn't mention any of the more extreme composting activities I'm interested in, lest it put people off ordinary home composting AND run the risk of upsetting our funders. I promised to do my best in the circumstances, and it wasn't an easy or nice meeting, for any of us. But it was worth having as I don't want to be responsible for anything untoward happening to the organisation. I will try harder! And it will be difficult as I have a deficit in knowing quite what is appropriate in all situations.

Home for lunch and spent some of the afternoon peeling tiny oranges (over 40 thrown away by school) to make an orange-segment and vegetaran jelly desert.

I picked up our little one and hen did some compost riddling down the garden until after 6 when I came in. Gill had made a costume for a Shakespeare thing our eldest is doing tomorrow, a cloak and 'ruff' which he seemed happy with.

A nice quiet evening. Ben popped round and had a cuppa and left me a floppy disc which will wipe the hard disc clean on the AVP Computer, so it can be safely recycled with no possibility of peoples' info getting into the wrong hands. Also had a good phone chat with a friend Linda who I've got friendly with via Facebook, after getting to know her initially through her partner and then through York in Transition. More play on Street View. More washing up.

Tuesday 25th March 08

A good day as the boys were lovely and we all got on really well. I started the day by typing in my paid blog post which I'd written several days ago but not been able to type in... it is on my experiences in London last Wednesday. Then Gill and I spent some time preparing for the new door being put in tomorrow... Gill moved stuff from inside and I removed the logpile from outside... and then I cycled down to the Credit Union to get a cheque out to pay the door installers tomorrow.

After that I popped in to see Pauline who had requested several paper potato sacks for use transporting wood offcuts from a nearby renovation job where they have said that she can have any offcuts for her stove. And the very good news is that her new neighbour, Alan ( a friend I know through the Green Party) has offered to saw her wood as a sort og 'useful workout' instead of going to the Gym... nice one Alan! More good news is that a relative of Pauline's has recently become quite a lot more empathic and warm towards her, after Pauline helped out with a family event... over and above what she had to do. This has made Pauline very happy. She also showed me an article in a glossy magazine about a chap who's decorated and fitted out his basement flat using mainly found and reused materials. I speed-read the article and said 'it's a perfect example of Permaculture' and Pauline agreed and said she was pleased that nowhere in the article did it say 'eco'... even though it was more 'eco' than many of the so-called green makeovers with loads of gadgets and expensive power generation stuff.

Came back via Martin's country Fresh to buy potatoes and cauliflower, and collect 3 sacks of compostables which I despatched into a tumbler with some shredded twigs as soon as I got home.

During the evening I did a huge pile of washing up and had a game of Scrabble with Gill who beat me... just! I also made time to squeeze 7 lemons (no idea what was wrong with them!) and then soaked some dried pear slices in the lemon juice, and also squeezed 15 limes and soaked the other half of the jar of pear slices in that juice. I particularly like citrus pears... the sweetness of the pear goes so well with the tangy flavour of the lemon or lime. I'll redry them tomorrow after an overnight soak.

Saturday 15th March 08

Up at a reasonable time, in time to go to the Credit Union AGM which was at CVS at Priory St, starting at 9.30, with time to have a cuppa and a chat from 9.15, which is when I arrived. I was very pleased to see some of my CU friends whom I haven't seen for some while.

This was the second AGM, following the first full year of trading. The CU is doing well, with plenty of members and savings and loans going out. The Union is well managed and the auditors say they are happy. This meeting made me happy.

Then came home and had a brief lunch before going down to town again... this time to the library where the Carbon Reduction Action Group was holding a public meeting on carbon offsetting, whether it is part of the solution or a just a way to carry on as nomal but pay some money to ease your conscience....

I had done lots of research about carbon offsetting, as I was putting the pro-offsetting point of view. This was initially difficult for me as I was skeptical about it, but the reseach had moved my opinion towards thinking that it is part of the way that someone who has reduced their footprint can reduce it further.

Friday 11th January 08

Up at a reasonable time and did some phoning and emailing... came accross an amazing website by a photographer called Belinda Mason, go and check it out
http://www.belindamason.com/mlp.html

Later in the day I did more hedge and then at 3 went to get the kiddies, and had a good chat with my friend Andy.

Did some woodpile building, the stuff that came from Woodlands and has been sitting split on the front garden (woodyard!) and is now being stacked in the covered woodshed in the back garden.

After tea, cycled over to Tadcaster Road to attend (and participate in!) a York Credit Union party/social at Walter's house. Good to see Simon and Melody, and the two Mikes, Peter, and Claire, and several people whom I didn't know. Stella's hubby Dave proved very interesting, as he is a train enthusiast, and volunteers for the Wensleydale Railway, but had some good stories about his career in the railways before he retired. Brought back lots of memories for me too, as whilst I was a teenager, I was a 'trainspotter' and travelled all over the network ostensibly to spot trains, but saw the country too. Now, of course, I am a train enthusiast, as they are a more sustainable form of transport than motorised road vehicles, and I prefer trains to coaches and buses, and obviously I hate cars!

Left at about 11pm, came home via a logpile in a wood which has been 'managed' so I managed to retrieve several logs for recycling into hot bathwater etc!

Friday 28th September 07

A very busy day... got downstairs at 9am, Gill had taken the boys to school so I lit the stove and did a big wash-up as I didn't last night as I was on the computer til late. I went to town via a guest house on Heslington Road, to book a room for my friend from the States who's coming to visit York on the 9th October, and then on to Cycle Heaven where I was shown my new bike, still being built. Then onto the station to get train tickets for my trip next week, and had a chat with a friendly chap at the British Transport Police about a notice which was put into my pannier about leaving it empty and open for inspection... I was advised to meet with the Station Manager. So I went to that office and was given his name to write to. Then onto Out Of This World to do my usual pick-up, and got my monthly honorarium, so took it to the Credit Union to put it in my savings. Said Hi to Kenny at CVS and had a humourous discussion about the room hire last week which failed as I didn't know to pick up the key. We also chatted about CVS's desire to recycle more, and a couple of ways in which they could deal with the food waste left over from conferences.

Then onto my building society to shuffle some cheques in and out, and back via Martin's to pick up a box and a bag of compostables and a handful of locally grown 'mucky carrots' which taste divine. Back for a late lunch and then went into the garden to deal with the stuff brought back for composting.

Gill went to school early as it was 'meet the teacher' but I've met them all and didn't feel the need to do it officially, so I spent some time emailing and then went back into the garden, and cut hedge, shredded, composted.

In the evening had a laugh with the boys who have been given a joke book from a charity shop (30 pence from Woodland's MS Respite Care Shop) and watched some gardening programmes.

In the evening I got an invite to attend a gig on the 10th of October, via Graham Martin in Facebook, so I accepted and updated my info, and uploaded a photo!

Wednesday 11th July 07

Took the children to school, my 9yr old dressed like a 'Punk' as part of his classes theme on 60's, 70's and 80's. Then home to get into town to deliver my map/plan of the YGF07, deliver some SUMA stuff to Peter at York Credit Union and meet up with ITV people in Out Of This World, to start filming.

We did a few shots of Duncan and me cycling through York, towards the ethical supermarket, and then some footage inside, with me greeting Marianne the manageress, and introducing Duncan who presents the programme. The programme is expected to be called 'Wood You Believe It? with Duncan Wood (hahahahahohohoho!) and will be broadcast in late September or early October on ITV Yorkshire. Duncan interviewed Marianne and then we went round the back to film the loading up of the bike trailer with 'unsold fruit and veg' (mustn't call it waste!) and then we did a couple of takes with us cycling past Clifford's Tower.

The next stop was at Martin's Country Fresh on Heslington Road, another two or three bags of unwanted materials for recycling. On the way back home I found some wood in a skip, but we decided that it would be too complicated to include that, so we did another take arriving back minus the wood, with just the compostables. I think they got some film of unloading and taking a barrowful down the garden, and there was lots of me sorting through the stuff and putting some aside for drying and eating, with an incredulous Duncan who hadn't yet sampled the delicious dried fruit I make on top of the woodstoves. They also did a couple of shots with me coming out of the compost toilet, and Duncan 'sampling' the 4 or 5 year old well-composted humanure and sawdust mix.

Then it was time to go to school, Duncan and I cycled down and the producer Charlie and camera person Tony ( I think) went in their car as they had loads of equipment. The TV company had cleared the filming with the school, and I did my usual daily routine of taking compostables out of the bins, putting them in the compostables bin and putting it all in the composter I installed to encourage the school to take more responsibility with their environment. The school has not taken their responsibilities seriously, including not electing me into the Board of Governers under a 'sustainability' ticket, and I am extremely angry that they aren't doing more to promote recycling and energy saving, which is why I do my daily compostables retrieval as if I didn't I'd explode and it would all get messy. So we filmed this routine! I explained that the school was good with their 'multicultural' education but not good when it came to sustainability, and I was determined to assist the school with reducing their carbon footprint, even if THEY weren't that bothered. I do feel a bit odd about this, but the school has had loads of chances to do better and they just haven't risen to the challenge. So I think I am justified. But there are bound to be repercussions.

The boys, Duncan and I cycled home after Duncan tried to interview them ,relatively unsuccessfully. Gill was filmed picking loganberries, we did some filming inside about the stove and the dried fruit and water heating, and finally back outside to check out riddling the finished compost and leafmould. All this will be condensed into 12 minutes apparently.

I enjoyed the process, and they found me quite easy to work with as I have had quite a bit of experience already.

When they had gone I dared to download my emails to find out if the Council have allowed my risk assessment. They haven't, and have found more wrong with it. I just am at a loss at to what to do. It's a nightmare.

I was as close to depressed as I've ever been this evening because of the difficulties I'm having with organising York Green Festival. I passed the message to my colleagues and asked for help.

Thursday 19th April 07

Gill had offered to support one of our friends whom had herself volunteered to support a woman who faces deportation, so Gill went to court with our friend to meet up with the woman who feels she will be killed or persecuted if she returns to her country of origin. Therefore I got up at 6.30 to complete the children's morning routine and take them to school. Feeling tired and grotty, have not been getting enough sleep and have a runny nose, probably connected.

However, have to make best use of the day and lit the stove, got hot water together, did lots of washing up and soaking labels of bottles, glass in recycling and squashed the plastic ones so more fit in the recycling and sorted accumulated stuff whilst listening to a good programme on symmetry on R4.

Contemplated returning to bed!

Did return and read my Growing Heap magazine, journal of the Community Composting Network. I have a mention because of my Ethical Man composting. Also part four of 'Composting in Schools', a subject close to my heart!

But didn't spend long as had a carrot and pumpkin soup to make, and more housework.

Lunch was with Jo, a new Rotter who seemed almost as keen on composting as I am, and I invited her to ring me and invite herself round. So she did and she was very interested in the various systems. We talked about loads of things over a sandwich and spent an hour and a half together, I hope we'll meet again. She helps run a scout group so she may get to see me as Professor Fiddlesticks as scouts are a speciality!

Phone call from Gill and our caring friend, they are taking longer in court than planned so I'll not expect them back and I'll pick up the boys. When I picked them up they were invited to go and play with a friend so I cycled home alone, picked up a giant log and when I got back, Gill was just home. A harrowing day for her, but fulfilling. I had several bits of good news... I found out that Dr Sentamu is going to be the patron of York Credit Union, I have been contacted by a professional coffin-maker and green burials person about possible compost burials, and one of the teachers at school has suddenly realised that the school isnt doing much recycling and is now my ally. All these positive things for the future make me happy.

Picked up the boys and they came home for tea, I ate some soup and sandwich and went to bed and fell asleep til 7 when Gill woke me to watch 'It's Not Easy Being Green', and spotted a Clearview stove.... they're catching on!

Lots of computery stuff, mostly googlechat with my re-ignited flame in America. Early night!

Monday 2nd April 07

Easter Hols, for the children, so had a relatively late morning in bed. Spent some time re-reading 'The New Woodburner's Handbook' by Stephen Bushway, which Bill and Dinah brought back to me. It's American but an excellent overview with much detailed analysis.

Once I'd got up properly I did some outside stuff, including making a lot of seed compost as the boys want to plant their Morning Glories, Sunflowers and my Squash seeds. There's lots more to plant too, so I made a lot. It's mainly leafmold with a small amount of seived loam and garden compost. I also added a quarter bag of commercial seed compost from a bag rescued from a skip.

When Gill had come back from getting bread and milk (although we have a doorstep milk delivery we sometimes need to 'top up' with Co-op shop milk in plastic bottles, which are recyclable but not reusable like glass milk bottles) I went to town to pay in my Out Of This World composting money into York Credit Union, collect the OOTW compostables, buy some goats cheese for Gill and zoom home in time for lunch.

A lovely sunny day, spent much of the afternoon in the garden, as did the kids.

YorkLETS had a meeting in the evening, and it was a good one although not many turned up. We discussed whether to put an advert in the Local Link magazine for new members, and also a combined LETS/Freecycle social. I agreed to contact CAB because they are helping people find ways to get by using less money, and may be holding an event later in the year which we could be invited to. I reported my successful York Co-op Members talk about LETS which resulted in one new member. We planned the AGM in June. A good meeting.

Watched Newsnight hoping that Ethical Man would be on, but he wasn't. Never mind, it could be tomorrow, or sometime later in the week.

1st March 07

Another packed day, starting, for me, with my wife waking me up and telling me it was 8am and time for me to arise and get ready to take the kids to school. Nice to do this as she will be bringing them back this afternoon AND doing both trips tomorrow as I'm in Burnley, leaving at 7am.

Spent some of the morning preparing soup for tea.... a large load of seconds tomatoes had come my way and only some were so bad they had to be composted. All done on the woodstove, of course! The post arrived and it was a good day as I got my quarterly dose of 'The Permaculture Magazine' and my weekly prescription of NewScientist. Both excellent reads, some familliar and easy to digest stuff and usually some challenging and thought-provoking items. I look forward to my next few nightly reads, as I always read for a half hour or so before sleeping, even if I retire at 1 or 2am.

Gill went to school to help with a school trip that our youngest was going on, they took the bendy bus which was apparently a lot of fun as it has CCTV and every time the youngsters saw themselves on it, they cheered and got over-excited. I cycled to Out Of This World and returned some plastic containers which had come home with me yesterday full of gubbins, and Marianne the boss gave me my month's 'honourarium' (is this how it is spelled? is this what it is?) I am a voluntary composter but the company values my services and gives me £25/month for recycling the majority of their biodegradables that can't be recycled in other ways, like cardboard which gets made into more cardboard.

Then onto the Credit Union to save this money, Mike the manager gave me some very good news which I hope to be able to share with Blog-readers in the future.

Then to Cycle Heaven where they swapped my mended and partly rebuilt bike for £165. Feels like new! Lovely, and a swift cycle to Jean out on Poppleton Rd, where I wrote a letter for her as she's too old to write by herself. She couldn't even sign it. I feel so sorry for her, old age and decrepitude isn't nice. She really wants to die, she doesn't see the point of still being alive. It's not a dignified way to spend the last months/years of her life. I really enjoy being with her, though, and was glad to help her keep in touch with an old couple she's fond of. They used to 'do' YHA trips together.

I spent an hour and a half with Jean and bombed home, it always seems downhill from Poppleton Road to Hull Road! Busy times at home as Justin Rowlatt, BBC Newsnight's Ethical Man phoned and suggested that the Yorkshire Post might be interested in my 'story', ie that I'm a keen composter with a low-impact-lifestyle. Then The Yorkshire Post phoned and I chatted/was interviewed for some time, also discussing how/when/where the YP photographer could get a shot of me/my compost bins. This will be on Sunday morning, the article will go out on Monday and Panorama, with Justin's challenge, goes out on Monday evening, so long as no huge story blows up and takes over. Exciting! I'll do anything to promote sustainability!

I went to school with a trailer-load of chainsaw and shredder at 5ish, to assist the school in disposing of a tree which blew over a couple of weeks ago. They're happy for me to have the logs and shredded twigs, as I can use/recycle both. Thank You School!

I sent 54 emails in the evening, telling people about my forthcoming Panorama appearance.
Bed was too late really, but I did get a bit of NewScientist in!

24th Feb 07

It's Saturday and an exciting meeting... for me anyway! At 9.30am at CVS was the first AGM of York Credit Union... exciting for me as I was the person who started the ball rolling back in 1997 and so to get to the first AGM is quite a milestone and makes me very happy. The meeting room was already quite full when I arrived, and soon filled up so much that more chairs had to be put out. The proceedings were very sober and really quite boring, as a CU AGM should be! However the fact that at 9.30 on a wet Saturday morning we could pack out a meeting room with such an event bodes well for the future of the organisation. The info reported was up to last September, so things have moved on somewhat with numbers of members, monies saved and loans taken out.

In AOB I told the assembled about the creation of CrUST, and our plans for a summer Green Gala on 29 July, and on the way out three people gave me their contact details and asked to be kept in touch with proceedings. I was pleased with this.

Cycled home via Richard's greengrocery to collect about 40kg of compostables.

Home-life this Saturday seemed to consist mainly of my boys wanting to 'bundle' with me, ie play fight and roll around trying to overpower me. They're not yet big/strong enough to do this but it won't be long. There is quite a possibility that someone could get hurt in these bundles, but we're sensible enough to hold back and not do anything too violent. Lots of fun, boys need bundles!

20th Feb 07

A good evening. Just returned from the Friends Meeting house where I met up with 4 others who are starting CrUST, Credit Union Support Team. I started the ball rolling with York Credit Union in Dec 1997, and spent 8 years trying to get the Credit Union started, working alongside a wide range of unionists, ecoactivists, social entrepreneurs and greens, even the leading Tory, after he lost his seat... But, when the Credit Union got the go-ahead from the Financial Services Authority I decided not to be a Director as the responsibilities didn't match my lifestyle. But I did want to support what the Credit Union was doing, so I invented CrUST.


We have 3 'Aims and Objectives'; to raise funds for YCU, as it needs funds to run and has to raise money somehow... so far the money raised by interest on loans isn't enough to pay for the staff; to put on social events for YCU members (can also be fundraising); to raise awareness about YCU and tell potential members (who have to live or work in York) why they should become a member and the benefits that they'd get with membership. (see www.ycu.org.uk)


Our one focus at the moment is to organise a summer festival in Rowntree Park, provisionally booked for July 29th 07. This will promote a range of 'lifestyle choices' connected with sustainability, peace, social justice, fair trade, personal and planetary health. We also hope to have local bands and possibly other entertainment. We discussed how we could run the event on renewables, and about sponsorship. We discussed a better name, and 'York Green Gala' was popular. I've now got to fill in the forms provided by the Council and see if they'll say yes to the event. Then the hard work begins. We've a second meeting planned in a fortnight.