Making friends with the climate in Wiltshire
November 2007
Climate Friendly Bradford
Climate Friendly Bradford (on Avon) was founded in May 2006 and comes under the umbrella of the Wiltshire Wildlife Trust's ‘Climate Friendly Communities’ scheme. The aims of the group are to raise awareness of climate change, to reduce carbon emissions in Bradford on Avon and to promote a greener way of life.
Activities of the group so far have included: an 'Open house' day (part of the Bradford on Avon Arts Festival) where owners of solar panels etc showed interested people around; a 'launch' with a panel of politicians answering audience questions and drama on a climate change theme from the local secondary school; an exhibition in the station waiting room on the theme of far flung train travel; a questionnaire in the shopping centre and attendance at many town events. We now have about 120 people on our contacts list and this is growing all the time.
On the third Monday of the month Climate Friendly Bradford holds a meeting at the Quaker Meeting House, Bradford on Avon with a speaker on an aspect of climate change and feedback on the activities of the group. For example, in June 2006 the speaker was Jonathan Starks of Southern Solar Ltd who gave a talk on renewable energy options for home use. The company’s two most popular renewable energy systems are solar thermal, to supply domestic hot water, and photovoltaic to supply electricity. Solar thermal is better value for money, each square metre of solar panel generating twice as much energy as photovoltaic.
Southern Solar have in the past also supplied wind turbines of about 2.5 kW, but experience has shown that these are not really viable where the average wind speed is below 6 m/sec. The average for most of the country is 4.5 m/sec so the company do not supply them unless the site is very windy. The company can also supply ground source heat pumps. In addition they are currently carrying out trials on biomass heating boilers fuelled by wood pellets. Results so far are promising. The company can also supply rainwater harvesting systems.
In July John Grimshaw, Chief Executive of sustainable transport group, Sustrans, gave a stimulating and witty talk on how people can be persuaded to leave their cars at home and walk, cycle and use public transport more. Sustrans is responsible for the National Cycle Network but is constantly developing other practical and imaginative solutions to transport challenges. Bradford on Avon is certainly challenged on traffic but John left us with a number of ideas the group is hoping very much to take forward.
More recently (8th September) Climate Friendly Bradford held an Eco Trade Fair in St Margaret's Hall, Bradford on Avon. A range of firms specialising in renewable energy, insulation, re-cycled products etc were present – it was the perfect place to start for people interested in greening up their homes and lives and reducing their carbon footprint.
Find out more and get the latest from Climate Friendly Bradford at:
www.climatefriendlybradford.co.uk
Click here to visit the Climate Friendly Bradford blog.
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