Useful links and videos

If you're interested in learning more about CEC's this was a fabulous live streamed event with a group of CEC's across Surrey with Councillors and other local stakeholders.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AWXmRqUBRno

We ran a biochar workshop at our Blackdown Hills Eco Hub (land CEC) a few weeks ago and have linked up with Plymouth University (Low Carbon Devon) researchers, a building company who is trialling the installation of thermal green walls, farmers, rewilding projects, local gardeners, Eden Project course graduates in environmental/ecosystem and my friend whose land we're using for the Eco Hub has a plant nursery.  It was amazing seeing it all come together and the massive potential for the biochar we're making, across so many different contexts.  The initial results from the thermal green walls with biochar added are encouraging, it seems to increase the thermal capacity.  The thermal walls are equivalent to cavity insulation and of course provide so many more benefits than just insulation!!  Over the coming months researchers are going to be looking at the root structures, biochar supports healthier plants grown, sequesters carbon, great habitat for microbes and releases minerals slowly to plants over time, as well as which plants having the highest thermal capacity, carbon capture and health over a long time period in the wall pouches (also looking at pots, trays in the nursery).  The rewilding project will use biochar to absorb pollutants from road run off.  A farmer will start a small trial using biochar with slurry (it absorbs nitrates, phosphates) can also be used in feed to reduce methane, or bedding and then used back on the fields reducing need for fertiliser and over time as it is absorbed into the soil should prevent run-off and sequester more carbon etc.

By making biochar from brash which local farmers / landowners burn in open fields when managing hedgerows we're putting to use a rich resource.  Now back to attempting to get some funding (nightmare application form 26 pages so far!), so that we can increase our production and support more projects.

https://www.plymouth.ac.uk/news/living-walls-can-reduce-heat-lost-from-buildings-by-over-30-study-shows

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fJCry5Cz5Os&t=31s Gareth and Daneel on Fair Share Commons and Eco Entrepreneurs

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C85RGp1l2vc&t=314s Community Led Climate Adaptation - Becs Talks to Climate Emergency Centre Network

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_FmWiayXadk HEART Community Group on 13th April 2022, this inspiring conversation explored what Climate Emergency Centres are, and the benefits they bring for local resilient communities. We were also joined by Ben McCallan, who started Zero Carbon Guildford, and gave us a tour!

The lies our culture tells us about what matters --- and a better way to live | David Brooks  https://youtu.be/iB4MS1hsWXU

Rivercide:  https://youtu.be/5ID0VAUNANARivercide - George Monbiot

https://www.stopecocide.earth/ Activating a law to protect the earth

Ecocide is a word to describe what is happening to our planet; the mass damage and destruction of the natural living world.  It literally means “killing one’s home”. And right now, in most of the world, no-one is held responsible.  

It’s time to change the rules.  It’s time to protect our home.

A couple of videos from Rachel (Otto Scharmer) one is an Ode to Nora Bateson https://vimeo.com/584274053  we're both connected with Campus Co-Evolve https://campus-coevolve.org/ 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d9GP_88_F18  Visual Practice for Theory U