Sunday, July 31, 2011

Deal Beach Clean 31st July

A really big thanks to all our volunteers who came on this morning's Beach Clean - we had about 20 people out on a lovely Sunny Deal Sunday.

Wendy is working out how much we collected - (latest: is 32kgs) - but considering the council clears the larger stuff during the tourist months there was still quite lot.

The next Deal Beach Clean will be on Sunday 25th September at 9am

For more information on our beach cleans please contact Wendy at beachclean@dealwithit.org

Friday, July 29, 2011

Visit to North Deal Community Centre...

I have just come back from the opening of the North Deal Community Centre and what an encouraging experience! 
A partnership between a community group and a developer have achieved so much, and as green as they could possibly make it as well as thoughtful and imaginative design. 
Please go and have a look; they are open to the public this weekend , from 10 until 4pm. 
For those who do not know where it is, it is at the top end of Golf road, or go down College Road and then along Cannon street to the end and turn left.
Regards 
Rosie Rechter
Deal With It - Co-ordinator


Tuesday, July 26, 2011

Deal Town Council vote to support 'Transition Deal'

The Deal Town Council tonight voted to support Deal working towards Transition Town status and assisting where possible and practicable. 

Tonight's vote comes after 'Deal With It''s  coordinator Rosie Rechter did a presentation on the transition movement at its previous meeting. The council will be making a formal statement of its support in the next days.

This is a great step forward in supporting our community becomeing a low carbon one which can navigate its way through climate change and challenges of peak oil.

Victoria's Green Matters 27th July 2011

Deal With IT's Secretary Victoria Nicholls writes a regular column in the East Kent Mercury:
The Transition movement has an inspiring motto – ‘from oil dependence to local resilience’. It focuses on the positive, encouraging communities to come together and work towards a life that is not so dependent on fossil fuels. There are twin dangers in the reliance on a carbon-based lifestyle – peak oil and climate change.

The world will never run out of oil but it has run out of oil that it is cheap and easy to extract hence the ever-increasing price today. Climate change is already happening; this can be seen around the world where populations are reporting more extremes of climate in many regions. The continuing use of our dwindling supplies of oil, coal and gas to produce energy to feed our consumerism has led to the increase in the world’s temperature and to climate change.

Growing food together, either on an allotment or in gardens, is an opportunity to educate people about where food comes from for those whose only knowledge is the supermarket. Rethinking transport and moving away from the car towards walking, cycling and using buses and trains cuts carbon emissions and reduces air pollution. Working towards locally produced energy through community owned generation, whether wind, solar or anaerobic digestion will cut emissions and secure supplies.

Many communities around the world have become Transition Towns, several of them here in Kent. Faversham, Whitstable, Sevenoaks, Tonbridge, Tunbridge Wells, Medway, Canterbury and Hythe have already opted to try to change their way of life; to become more resilient to face the challenges of the future.

We would very much like to add Deal’s name to this list; to make our town a healthier, richer, more inclusive and resilient community and we believe that by working together with local government, existing community groups and committed individuals we can achieve this.

Monday, July 25, 2011

Zero Carbon Transport by Transition Kingston

A sweet video from Transition Town Kingston on their Zero Carbon Day experiment on sustainable transport....


Video link is here: http://youtu.be/2Lmy9wVkDiw

Thursday, July 21, 2011

Rippledown Environmental Centre - Stuff for Kids during the Holidays

Our colleagues at Rippledown Environmental Centre have two weeks of fantastic fun wildlife and environmental things to do during July and August

Rippledown Holiday Club 25-29 July & 22-28 August

www.rippledown.com/holidayclub​/

Tuesday, July 19, 2011

'Gasland' fracking film in Deal 16th August

DealWithIT are showing GASLAND - (2010) Directed by Josh Fox. Winner of Special Jury Prize - Best US Documentary Feature - Sundance 2010. Screening at Cannes 2010....

On the USA's experience of rush to exploit shale gas by fracking....


Dealability 43 Victoria Rd Deal - 7:30pm - Tuesday 16th August

See trailer here

http://www.gaslandthemovie.com/about-the-film/synopsis

Monday, July 18, 2011

Get involved with Nature conservation with Hawkshill Working Party

There's a great opportunity to keep fit and protect the flora and fauna of the
chalk downland that is Hawkshill Freedown, in Walmer.

This priceless amenity is owned by the Walmer Parish Council and in times when 80% of the species rich habitat has disappeared, we have a chance to protect it. The Hawkshill Working party,
coordinated by Clive Grant and Sue and Brian Pitcher (and advised by wildlife
management consultant Martin Newcombe) welcome volunteers with open arms every
1st Sunday and 3rd Monday of the month, 10.30a.m. - 12.30.

All you need to do is turn up at the car park by the T junction of Liverpool Road and Gram'sRoad; tools and protective gloves are provided. You can drop a line to let Walmer council know you're coming if you want to or just turn up. 01304 381506 or clerk@walmercouncil.co.uk .

In July, work carried out by a varied group (aged from 17 to 70!) included trimming back the bushes and brambles that constantly threaten to over run the site, and counting this year's orchids. So, a great way to be a friend to 400 species (including - crows foot garlic, pyramidal orchid, kidney vetch, pallid cockroach, rose chafer, lesser stag beetle, bumble bees, top snail, common lizards, linnets, ergot, slow worms,
spotted flycatchers, tree sparrow, turtledove, roast beef iris and stinking iris) in the open air with stunning views; an unbeatable offer!

Thursday, July 14, 2011

Victoria's Green Matters 13th July


Deal With IT's Secretary Victoria Nicholls writes a regular column in the East Kent Mercury:
We may think that there are many threats to our safety in the modern world; there may be terrorist attacks, nuclear meltdown and climatic disasters but much greater threats exist from the unseen enemies that are bacteria and viruses.

There was a disturbing report last week concerning the continuing use of antibiotics by the farming industry in this country. The numbers of livestock have fallen over the last ten years but the use of antibiotics has still risen. Pressures to produce cheap and plentiful food by the supermarkets has led to too many animals being reared in cramped conditions where infections are easily passed around. To reduce these infections, antibiotics are routinely administered. It is widely accepted that this use of antibiotics has led to the growth of antibiotic resistant bacteria, including the recent outbreak of E.coli in Germany. This outbreak has claimed 39 lives and a further 3,300 people still require hospital treatment. The regular use of antibiotics has meant that the bacteria that can infect humans have developed resistance to these drugs. Infections that we look upon as routine, to be easily treated, such as pneumonia and TB, will again become fatal and simple appendix operations will be lethal as they were as recently as 1927.

Factory farming is a threat to our health but the over-prescription of antibiotics by some doctors must also be considered. Patients neglecting to take a full course of treatment also encourage antibiotic resistance.

We can all do something to stop these practices. If we refuse to eat cheap, imported meat and eat meat from sources we know to be free from antibiotics, we can get the message across. Unfortunately, we are up against big business once more but we have campaigned before and won, so we can do it again.

Wednesday, July 13, 2011

Letter from EAST KENT FRIENDS OF THE EARTH GROUP.
A new report for The Coop warns that the full environmental impact of Shale Gas Drilling needs to be fully assessed before any more projects are approved.

There is growing concern over the contreversial technique used - Fracking where the rock is fractured using chemicals.In The US Texas have become the first state to pass a law requiring companies to disclose which of up to 600 substances they use in fracking. Growing disquiet has forced Texas Governor - Rick Perry to act after companies constantly refused to disclose the information. In New york State contamination of water supplies has lead to aban on all fracking operations until the effect on their water  supplies can be fully addressed.

The UK Government and Local Councils need to act now and stop all further Shale Gas 
Drilling at least until all the wider environmental concerns can be exposed and addressed.

Stuart Cox
Group Coordinator
East Kent FOE

Monday, July 4, 2011

Victoria's Green Matters 6th July 2011


Deal With IT's Secretary Victoria Nicholls writes a regular column in the East Kent Mercury:
It is difficult to imagine living without water at our fingertips. We have always been lucky enough to have water on tap; as much of it as we like to drink, to cook with, to wash in, and even to water the garden.

In large areas of the world people have no water in their homes at all. Usually, it is the women and children who have to walk miles each day to fetch water from a well. This water may not be clean and can cause illness and death from pollutants or disease. These nations are too poor to provide sanitation even when they have sufficient water.

In the Middle East and North Africa, a strange paradox exists. Many millions of people live in cities where there is little available water. Ancient aquifers are almost exhausted and fresh water must be imported from nations where there is a plentiful supply. Desalination is another option but this is an energy hungry process and at a time when oil prices are rising, and supplies dwindling, an expensive one. Food supplies are unsustainable to an ever-increasing world population. The effects of climate change have arrived some 20 years earlier than expected.

The need for water grows faster than the world’s population. China has been affected by appalling droughts, and unable to feed its growing population, has imported food grown in areas where water is plentiful. It has even bought land in wet areas to grow food for importation. Climate change will result in more moisture being evaporated in warmer air but this moisture will most likely fall in already wet areas rather than replenish supplies in dry areas.

In our country we are very lucky but we have a responsibility to treasure every drop of water as it falls, stop leaks as soon as possible and always think before we waste water.