Happy New Year! Here’s a quick update on what we’re up to in the next couple of months…
Here are a few quick updates on what we’re up to…if you’re on Facebook, please join our group and get involved in the conversations.
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January talk: ‘Breaking the Sacred Hoop’
Mike J. Sparrow, local author and creator of a series of novels centred upon the struggle for survival of Native American Indians in the nineteenth century, will be giving a talk about one of the most sustained, but under-recognised, acts of genocide that has ever taken place.
The history of persecution of the North American indigenous peoples provides a salutary lesson to modern-day politics, and the beliefs, traditions and culture of the native tribes provide a poignant reminder of the importance of responsible stewardship of our natural world. The sacred hoop is the circle of life, and representative of the culture of passing knowledge down through the generations.
Reeth Memorial Hall – 23rd January 2020 at 7.00 – entrance £3, and we will serve tea, coffee and cake (please make a donation!).
Step up your sustainability in 2020
Like many sustainability-focused groups, we’re seeing more interest in how to live, work and travel with a ‘lighter footprint’. In 2019, we started our Incredible Edible project, organised a successful Litter Pick along the Swale, campaigned to persuade Richmondshire Council to declare a climate emergency, and showed a film about the benefits of smallholder farming and community-supported agriculture.
“What if spending just £5 a week in the local shops meant you were doing your bit?” We’re interested in Totally Locally, a campaign that supports local, independent businesses. We hope to find time to work on this in 2020 – please get in touch if you’d like to know more.
Core Group Meeting
Our next monthly meeting is Thursday 6th February 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm, (venue TBC – please email us: info@sustainableswaledale.org). We’ll start with our first AGM (likely to be short and sweet!) and then we’ll be discussing our plans and activities for the next few months – everyone welcome!
Dark Skies
On Tuesday 18th February 2020 at 7.30 pm in Low Row Institute, Paul Clark’s talk about the ‘Swaledale Night Sky’ will feature beautiful timelapse videos and images. We are supporting this as part of the Yorkshire Dales NPA Dark Skies Festivalkshire Dales NPA Dark Skies Festival, and as a fundraiser for Low Row Institute.
Light pollution is threatening our precious dark skies and there is increasing evidence of the negative impact it has on our environment. Tickets are available through the National Park website, email swaledalenightsky@gmail.com or from Old Dairy B&B, Low Row.
When did we start warming the planet?
Ask most people when humans started warming the planet and they are likely to mention the industrial revolution, and pick a date of around 1850 or perhaps later. However, a paper published in 2003 suggested a radically different answer, with very profound implications for us today. Known as the ‘Ruddiman Hypothesis’ (after the guy who wrote the paper) it is still not universally accepted by scientists, but unlike a lot of radical theories, this one is gaining ground as the evidence supporting it slowly grows. Our latest blog gives you the lowdown on the theory and why it is gaining acceptance…read more
Incredible Edible
Our Swaledale project is part of a global movement to involve people in planting, looking after and harvesting beautiful fresh fruit and veg that’s grown right on our doorsteps, using public or otherwise unused spaces.
Although there is nothing yet to see on the ground, the Incredible Edibles project in Reeth is starting to take shape. If anyone wants to be involved from the start, please do get in touch- it is a community project and everyone is welcome.
In the coming weeks, we hope to install some raised beds so if anyone has spare compost or decent soil that they would be willing to let us have please contact us. We hope to have the plot ready for sowing this spring.
What else?
We’ve got plans for more social evenings throughout the spring, with sustainability-themed films and talks, followed by informal discussions. More info soon!