WELCOME

Welcome to the EcoLincs website. This is an information site aimed at people who live and work in and around Lincoln. It is managed by the EcoLincs group, which is a voluntary organisation interested in sustainability. To find out more about the group click on About Us. Otherwise feel free to browse the site and please contact us with your comments - you can add your comments to the Forum or you can find contact details in the About Us section.

LATEST ENVIRONMENTAL NEWS

GO GREEN AND SAVE MONEY

Volunteer Centre Lincoln is organising an event to promote ‘going green’ and how you can make small changes to your life that make a longer lasting difference!

• Save Energy
• Travel Wisely
• Care for your Area
• Save our Resources
• Shop Ethically

Friday 24th October 10am - 1pm at Lincoln Drill Hall
Come along and find out about different initiatives already running in the City of Lincoln and see how you can get involved!

Light refreshments available.

 

'LINCOLNSHIRE'S CHANGING FOOTPRINT'

 

A selection of twenty six photographs submitted by local residents and members of ecolincs have been selected for this thought provoking and inspiring exhibition.  This exhibition will help us to understand the effect climate change is having on all of our futures.

Photograph by Nev Gurnhill

The exhibition will be launched in the chapter house on Monday 6th October 2008 at 3pm and will remainl until Sunday 12th October.  The exhibition will then go on tour around various location throughout Lincoln, including the Ruston room at the Lincoln Drill Hall, Kodak express gallery on Guildhall Street.  For more information about the exhibition please contact kate.bell@lincoln.gov.uk.  You can view some of the photographs here.

 

ECO-HOTEL BY BRAYFORD POOL?

A plan for a 6-storey hotel on the north bank of Brayford Pool is being considered by Lincoln City Council.  Nic Lance has suggested that the hotel should produce renewable energy to meet some of its energy needs. “It would be a wonderful gesture as the hotel would be built on the site of the former Electricity Works – effectively a power station.  At the beginning of the 20th century, coal-fired engines produced the first electricity for Lincoln here. So why not look towards solar panels and micro wind turbines to produce a new generation of clean, green electricity at the start of the 21st century?.  Fossil fuels won’t last forever and recently, energy costs have shot up, so it’s a good incentive to produce renewable energy and Lincoln’s first eco-hotel.” Go to article in full

PERMACULTURE ARRIVES IN LINCOLN

On 5 April, Chris Chidlow - a permaculture tutor from York – came to Lincoln to give an introduction to Permaculture gardening.  He gave a mixture of theory and practical advice together with some DVDs of inspiring Permaculture projects around the world.Go to article in full

SHOPS HEATING THE SKY

 

It was a cold wintry day, the temperature just above zero. In fact there had been a flurry of sleet, but many shops in Lincoln kept their front doors wide open.  Between the Stonebow and the Strait, 40% of shops had open doors.  These included Poundland, Intersport, French Collection, Jean Station, Blacks, British Red Cross and The Works.   Further down the High Street, one of the worst culprits was Fresh to Go which had so many doors open, it was virtually open air.  Go to article in full

ARE YOU INTERESTED IN AN ALLOTMENT?

There are 900 plots spread accross 18 sites in Lincoln.

If you are interested in taking up an allotment click here for more information.

THE FUTURE OF OUR WASTE

The health of the planet – and the council tax we pay – both depend on finding alternatives to throwing our waste into landfill sites. Here County News looks at the draft Lincolnshire Waste Strategy currently out for public consultation.

 

Lincolnshire

Anti-

Incineration

Alliance

 

For more information about this campaign click here

 

SAVE MONEY- SAVE ENERGY- SAVE A TONNE!

www.saveatonne.com is a simple, one page website with the clear
message that you don't have to dramatically change your routine to make
dramatic changes to our environment!

    The informative site features ten easy ways for individuals to
'save a tonne' of CO2 from switching off your TV to car sharing.

    The calculations show just how quickly these changes amount to a
dramatic impact to the environment and your finances.

 

Could you be an Every Action Counts Community Champion? We are r

 

COULD YOU BE AN EVERY ACTION COUNTS COMMUNITY CHAMPION?

Every Action Counts are recruiting, training and supporting over 1,000 volunteers in England, helping them to become Community Champions.

Every Action Counts Community Champions include anyone who likes to get involved. You may be the chair of your residents' association, but you don't have to be. You may help out at your local toddlers' group, but it's not essential. In fact, you don’t actually need to be involved with any other community group, you just need enough passion to help Groups / Clubs / Societies within your community take action for a more sustainable future.  For more information go to www.everyactioncounts.org.uk  If you would like to attend a training session in Lincoln contact Kate Bell on 01522 873311 or email kate.bell@lincoln.gov.uk

 

 

Visit the Lincolnshire Echo Environment page for local news, or select stories from the following Earthwire UK news-feed.

Crocodiles wiped out by invasion of the toxic toads In a contest between a toad and a crocodile, it seems obvious the croc will win. Not, though, if its adversary is a cane toad – the poisonous pests laying waste to Australian wildlife. Landfill site 'could provide renewable energy' Energy experts have said a landfill site in Wiltshire could also serve as the location for a wood burning unit capable of producing power. Marine renewable energy stretch opens for business Renewable energy businesses are being invited to put forward their plans for development in the Pentland Firth stretch of sea, Scotland. First test flight set for solar power plane A solar powered plane is gearing up for its first test flight in April of next year. Kingsnorth company puts 'hold' on investment E.On is to slow down the development of new power plants as a result of rising prices and the financial downturn, according to its chief executive. Crown Estate launches tidal competition The Crown Estate is inviting proposals from developers to build the UK's first commercial marine power plants in the Pentland Firth, north Scotland. Government warned on nuclear plans A government-commissioned report has warned that plans for a new generation of nuclear power stations across the UK will be delayed by political wrangling and legal challenges. Suffolk sea defence case reaches High Court A retired engineer, who has spent hundreds of thousands of pounds in a bid to prevent the erosion of cliffs which threatens his Suffolk home, has launched a High Court challenge to a conservation body's decision which he says amounts to letting them crumble. Johnson pledges Heathrow legal challenge cash London mayor Boris Johnson has pledged an initial £15,000 towards the cost of mounting a legal challenge if the government gives the go ahead to plans for a third runway at Heathrow airport. Speeding Antarctic Glacier: Scientists Discover Another Reason For Glacial Acceleration New satellite data have helped scientists crack the case of a speeding Antarctic glacier -- a finding that promises to help improve sea level forecasts. Missing Radioactivity In Ice Cores Bodes Ill For Part Of Asia When glaciologists failed to find the expected radioactive signals in the latest core they drilled from a Himalayan ice field, they knew it meant trouble for their research. But those missing markers of radiation, remnants from atomic bomb tests a half-century ago, foretell much greater threat to the half-billion or more people living downstream of that vast mountain range. Potential 'Green Collar' Job Growth In US During the presidential campaign, Barack Obama proposed an economic plan that would create 5 million jobs in environmental industries. These so-called "green collar" jobs do, in fact, present the next frontier for US manufacturing, says a new report. Can Renewable Energy Be Sustained? Engineers and entrepreneurs are rushing to explore alternative sources of efficient and renewable energy. One professor has strong words of caution as projects involving wind farms and photovoltaic cells proliferate. Coordination is lacking in development of alternative power sources, he warns. UN: Industrialised countries' emissions on the rise The five percent decrease in industrialised countries' CO2 emissions between 1990 and 2006 was mainly due to economic decline in Eastern and Central Europe in the 1990s, but the overall trend has been upward since 2000, according to UN data. 85% recycled building wins an award Bournville goes green Obama vows climate 'engagement' US President-elect Barack Obama promises to "engage vigorously" on climate change, ahead of a major UN summit. Offshore wind farm a step closer An energy company hoping to build a windfarm off the Teesside coast is given planning permission for a substation. Electricity plan for waste gases Plans to generate electricity from burning gases at a controversial landfill site are unveiled. The Tech President's to do list Barack Obama has been called everything from the Facebook President to the YouTube President, but just what is on his hi-tech agenda and who will be his first tech Czar Earth needs all the friends it can get Despite the environmental now being a mainstream topic, green campaign groups are still as relevant as ever. Review of water industry suggests more competition among suppliers An independent review of Britain's water industry has called for moves to encourage competition in the sector. Russia to build nuclear reactor for Hugo Chávez Russia's deepening strategic partnership with Venezuela took a dramatic step forward yesterday when it emerged that Moscow has agreed to build Venezuela's first ever nuclear reactor. Ian McEwan on what Obama's election means for the environment Ian McEwan: The only one who can unite humanity for this life-or-death struggle against climate change is Barack Obama Country diary: Wenlock Edge The spotted woodpecker inches to the very topmost twig, which bends and sways as if this whole huge tree can barely support him. Cocaine users are destroying the rainforest - at 4m squared a gram Four square metres of rainforest are destroyed for every gram of cocaine snorted in the UK, a conference of senior police officers as told yesterday. Start building new atomic stations now, urges British Energy chief The country should press ahead with building a new generation of atomic power stations to suck in investment and create jobs, British Energy said yesterday. Obama renews promise to break with Bush-era environmental policies Barack Obama today renewed his promise to make a decisive break with George Bush on the environment, using a summit convened by Arnold Schwarzenegger to promise a "new chapter in America's leadership on climate change". Could nuclear sell-off be another taxpayer bail-out? When the government agreed to foreign company-led consortiums taking over, it was forced to agree to become the insurer of last resort Council obstructs family's ethical land project It was four years ago that Janta and Merav Wheelhouse and their two children pulled in to a Shropshire field on the northern edge of the Long Mynd hills to camp for the night. Wind Turbines, Trucks and Train Announcements: Managing Noise for a Healthy Environment Event to highlight links between transport noise and health risks. Energy security 'must not be excuse to expand coal power' The government should not use energy security as an excuse to build unabated coal power plants, according to a study by energy and climate experts. Waste materials used in mainstream washing machines A leading manufacturer of household appliances has taken the first steps towards making its machinery out of recycled materials. 'Frankenstein' crops could be grown in secret to halt GM trial sabotage GM crop trials should be carried out in secret or behind security fences in a bid to prevent saboteurs from ripping them out of the ground, it is claimed. Energy department 'to press ahead with nuclear' The economic downturn will not affect government plans to create a new generation of nuclear power stations, the energy minister will today confirm. Two boys, some bottletops and a big recycling idea A small town in New Jersey has become a collection center for plastic bottle tops after two schoolchildren began collecting them to help the environment. Santa delivers green message Santa parades through Perth on his rickshaw. FATHER CHRISTMAS has shown his willingness to move with the times—by going green. CleanTech Biofuels Enters Into Alliance Discussions for Expansion Into France Emissions up in developed nations Emissions of greenhouse gases by industrialised nations rose 2.3% from 2000 to 2006, the UN climate change agency says. Under-ice flood speeds up glacier Great floods of water beneath the Antarctic ice sheet can now be linked directly to the speed at which that ice moves towards the ocean, scientists say. Natixis Sees Opportunity In China Renewables Sector HONG KONG - Natixis Private Equity Asia Capital (NPEA) sees opportunity in China's renewable energy sector, particularly wind power companies and makers of energy-efficient equipment, but has reduced its exposure to solar-power companies. Climber Plumps For Portable Toilets For Everest KATHMANDU - A young Nepali climber is seeking to popularise a toilet fashioned from a plastic bucket with a lid to promote eco-friendly climbing on Mount Everest. China cuts key water, air pollutants in early 2008 China cut its emissions of water pollution and acid rain-causing sulphur dioxide in the first half of this year, as Beijing closed dirty power plants and the global economic crisis hit heavy industry, state media said on Tuesday. China farmer avoids jail in fake tiger photo trial BEIJING (Reuters) - A farmer in northern China found guilty of doctoring photos of an endangered tiger after collecting a cash reward from wildlife authorities, has been handed a lighter sentence on appeal, local media said on Tuesday. Ex-Soviet bloc leads rises in CO2 emissions: U.N. OSLO (Reuters) - Greenhouse gas emissions in many industrialised nations are still rising, especially in the former Soviet bloc, despite agreements to cut back, the U.N. Climate Change Secretariat said on Monday. California seeks one third renewable power by 2020 SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - California committed to getting a third of its electricity from renewable sources by 2020 in a Monday executive order by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger. New carbon standard set for forestry trading OSLO (Reuters) - A new standard for carbon trading will help link forestry and agriculture projects into a million-dollar market to help fight global warming, backers said on Tuesday. Emissions up in developed nations Emissions of greenhouse gases by industrialised nations rose 2.3% from 2000 to 2006, the UN climate change agency says. Climate change threat to woodland A trust wins funding to help in its fight to save fragile woodlands in the far north of Scotland. Emissions up in developed nations Emissions of greenhouse gases by industrialised nations rose 2.3% from 2000 to 2006, the UN climate change agency says.

Environmental News provided by EarthWire UK