The saving the planet movement has gained traction in recent years. The focus has shifted from preliminary scientific research stages to successfully implementing sustainable focussed practice into the daily life of households. Countless courses of action exist to make shape the future and create a world that is more environmentally mindful. This article focuses on the how and why of observing considerate environmental practices.

Electric Vehicle Initiatives

Public transport, general road users, and private vehicles all contribute to toxic pollution levels globally. The time has come or is way past due, to find an alternative, less damaging mode of getting around. Queue the electric vehicle. The benefits of EVs are indubitable. No fossil fuel usage means fewer emissions overall and a lessened usage of Earth’s natural resources. For a comprehensive electric car guide, find all the information from lvelectrix.co.uk in this dedicated link. This website from LV insurance is an informative hub detailing all things regarding electric vehicles. They leave no questions unanswered.

Practice Sustainability

Sustainability in this context refers to the actions people take to move away from hard and fast natural resource exhaustion. Natural resources are found and harvested from the Earth. Examples include:

While some of these resources are renewable, others are more finite, which means they will run out. Some of these natural products also cause untold harm to the atmosphere through the emission of harmful gases while in use. The most common way to convert to a more sustainable life is through converting energy use into the field of renewable resources. A great deal of this energy type exists and can be put into practice fairly universally.

Move Towards Renewable Energy

The move towards renewable energy is something to be celebrated. With such a range to choose from, there is inevitably a course of action to be adapted for every circumstance. Below, are a selection of sustainable and renewable energy sources to explore.

One: Solar Energy

Solar energy, as the name suggests, is harnessed from the sun’s UV rays. To utilise it efficiently, solar panels are installed on the roof of a property. These panels are used to create energy, just like electricity would. Widespread use of solar energy would create a ripple effect worldwide away from air pollution, greenhouse gas emission, and excessive harvesting of fossil fuels.

Two: Biomass

Biomass is the production of energy through anything that was once alive, think plants and food waste. This common household waste is burnt in a biomass boiler, which then converts into energy that can power appliances, lights, and general household functions.

Three: Wind Energy

Wind energy, as the name suggests, harnesses the wind to create energy. It emits zero air pollutants or other types of harmful emissions that are damaging the atmosphere. Though it requires land, it is a highly functional source of power.

Eliminate Single-Use Plastic in Daily Life

Plastic is beyond a doubt hurtful to the wider world. There are negative consequences for both land and sea through the continued insistence on plastic usage, and a positive practice would be to remove it as much as possible from daily life. Sea–wise, up to 14 million tonnes are present in the ocean right now, which damages natural habitats, species, and water quality. Earth–wise, it sits in landfills, is not biodegradable,and enhances the effects of global warming through industry and implementation. Try out the following tips for reducing your plastic practices:

Raise Awareness in the Local Community

Plenty of communities recycle, but not everyone joins in.Raising awareness in the local community may look like an event supporting sustainability held at the local village hall or church, speaking with the local school to implement environmental mindfulness into teaching practices, or as a one–off guest assembly, promoting the positive benefits of recycling and proper disposal of waste. The list is endless, and these are just the key suggestions to choose from.

Final Thoughts

Reaching optimum levels of sustainability is and should be a concern of the present as much as the future. The problems exist now and are undeniably real, harmful, and counterproductive to an intuitive healthy lifestyle.

Collaborative post with our partner.

Games 2 Go: Tension – The Top Ten Naming Game.

Trying to get your children off screens? Want a way to keep them entertained on the move? This clever little game involves the entire family.

A riotous race to call out possible solutions to a given subject. But be careful as only answers matching the 10 on the card will score points. The game is fun, fantastic, fast-paced, and frustrating in equal measure. The new travel version has all the awesome elements from the original game but is conveniently slimmed down, allowing you to take it anywhere with a mini card dispenser and scorer.

Great for holidays, on the go, or even at the park, it fits easily into the palm of your hand. Slip a card out of the dispenser and then score using the snappy little poppers on either side. Ideal for involving different generations, the game includes cards that are appropriate for players as young as 8 years old. Can you handle the Tension?

Take on holiday or play on the move. Games 2 Go: Tension is the perfect carry-out card game and costs £13 from Cheatwell.com

Brady Square was my mother’s home and where I still visit, toddling around, remembering so much: Uncle Stan Newsome, Auntie Isobel and David …the stories, teasing, love, laughter. 

Nick, one recent owner, caught me peering through the gates and gave me a tour of the shop turned house, but first we walked past the guard-raptors, straining at their pole tethers!

My connection with Brady Square led me towards the unstoppable Marion Taylor, Secretary of the CCA Committee,who told me of the community’s amazing efforts to help during Covid, (read here )  But little Annie Newsome’s girl became Oliver Twist and wanted to know more – about what was happening now with CAA.

Marion took me back to the beginning: ‘The CCA building opened in 1939 and was used as the Unemployment Exchange until this moved in 1970s to premises in Washington Galleries. This is when the building became our  CCA centre.

‘The building was Council owned but for several years they have wanted the community to take over the lease. In 2021 a new committee was formed to discuss the way forward.

‘The council had undertaken a survey of the building and were prepared to spend £100,000 on the update. We as a committee felt we had to protect community assets. Failing to do so would result in the unthinkable, the sale of the building

Marion told me that most of the  council costings were for the structural renovations. So what about the inside? I wanted to know. ‘But before you tell me, surely these lovely doors aren’t to be changed?’ She assured me they weren’t, just tarted up, but those weren’t her words. They belong to little Annie Newsome’s girl, who is BAD.

Marion made clear that the renovations were discussed with their users, and potential users before applying for funding, bearing in mind they were catering for all members of the community.

Unstoppable, her enthusiasm knowing no bounds, Marion took off:

‘We wanted to build on the fact that our users enjoy the ambiance and homeliness of the centre, the kitchen is always available for that ever-welcome cuppa and our rooms are multifunctional. We have two large community rooms where various activities take place and you can have the choice of which area suits your needs; whether it is Didi dancing at 18 months or exercise sessions. We have bookings for team meetings, cultural creations, wildlife group, home schooling, and recently hosted a sign language course. Fat Quarters sewing group (named after the last material on the bail!) and The Forever Young Bingo Ladies are a regular weekly booking’

Oh, oh, when I saw the image Marion sent of the Bingo Ladies I was so thrilled, because I am also clearly forever young, as I have the same Stretchers shoes as two of the ladies, navy with bright pink laces. Never seen anyone else wearing them.  Marion said, ‘There you go, you can take the person out of Brady Square but you can’t take Brady Square out of the person.’

Marion continued the wonderfully long list of those using the CCA centre: weekend parties  as we can adequately house bouncy castles, discos and as an extra we have tables and chairs for the children to have their buffet. It’s wonderful, as like Topsy who ‘growed’, this often results in party guests booking their own parties. Let’s not forget Shake that Boogey who has increased her sessions to three times a week and the weekly physical exercise with Amazon steps.’ Marion added that this was: too energetic for the likes of me)

With hire charges at £10 an hour, though perhaps needing to rise to £15 in the current situation it’s still ‘as cheap as chips‘ in Marion’s words. It is too, in comparison with other community centre charges.  ‘CCA is advertised on social media’ Marion says, ‘and we hope everyone knows they are welcome to pop in at any time for tea and a chat.’

In addition it’s  clear the community spirit reinforced during Covid is still alive and kicking, as the CCA powerhouse needs donations of medical supplies and toiletries for Ukraine and spectacles for Camboldia. They liaise with the Polish Centre in Newcastle as to what help they can supply.

WIFI is to be installed soon when they will have a new computer hub either for educational purposes, becoming familiar with computers, accessing the internet or just to play games on the tables CAA will provide.

Even more good news is that refurbishment has begun and  Frost Magazine will be following the new and improved CCA every step of the way. During this period all users will be directed to alternative areas within the building including the Bingo Ladies  who can continue to flash those pink laces.

For information:   Columbia Community Forum  Columbia Community Association Facebook

Margaret Graham is editor of Frost Magazine, and the author of many novels under three names. She is also little Annie Newsome’s daughter and proud of it and her  connection to Brady Square.

As a Yorkshire lass myself I suppose I have a bias – but when Elspeth Biltoft, the founder of Rosebud Preserves talks of the beauty of the Yorkshire Dales, old-fashioned preserves recipes, traditional fruits like greengages, quince and rowanberry, and gathering so many elderflowers (only those at the peak of bloom are good enough) that your arms ache and your head is swimming with the perfume, I’m a captive audience.

With Elspeth’s passion for the best quality, wild-gathered and natural seasonal products, combined with Rosebud Preserves chef John Barley’s scientific and innovative approach to achieving perfect products, this partnership is a ‘recipe’ for success. Yorkshire born and bred (she recalls being carried on her father’s shoulders through the Dales as a child) Elspeth has also built collaborations with local farmers and small producers to get the very best of everything.

Her jams and jellies use simple balanced recipes, with no additives, preservatives or even pectin – setting is achieved from the fruit alone, skilful cooking and unrefined cane sugar, which adds a delicious hint of molasses. They make their own top quality vinegar for the preserves, the fruit and cider for the Bramley Apple And Cider Sauce are sourced from the monks at Ampleforth Abbey and they collaborate with The Spirit of Masham Distillery for their rather special Elderflower Gin Liquer. Just removing the cork releases the heady aroma of wild elderflower, transporting you to a shady spot under a hedgerow of elders in the Dales.

I was particularly excited to try the Greengage Fruit Cheese. The very firm jelly with the intense flavour of those old-fashioned plums is a new twist on the Spanish ‘membrillo’ (quince paste) and is just perfect with a good cheese. The allspice and cinnamon in the Spice Plum Chutney really took me back to my childhood and mum’s cooking, however their mince pies – Almond And Orange Mincemeat encased in amazing pastry from Two Dales Bakery of Reeth are a real step-up from traditional mince pies. The mincemeat is made without suet and the ground almond and orange provide an irresistible light sweetness.

So if you are in need of a treat or you’re looking for a special gift, do check out their individual jars and bottles but also the gift sets at https://rosebudpreserves.co.uk. The mince pies won’t be available until November, but you don’t need to wait to try the mincemeat – apparently it goes very well with ice cream.

By Dr K Thompson, award-winning author of From Both Ends of the Stethoscope: Getting through breast cancer – by a doctor who knows

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01A7DM42Q http://www.amazon.com/dp/B01A7DM42Q
http://faitobooks.co.uk

Note: These articles express personal views. No warranty is made as to the accuracy or completeness of information given and you should always consult a doctor if you need medical advice.