Category: Waste

Waste Group Meeting Minutes – 27th Aug 2015

28th August 2015

What are our interests?

Chris C- brought along some info on his take on waste which is very much about delving into the systemic issues around why and how we create so much waste and how we can change our processes in the first place to prevent waste. Life Cycle Analysis (L.C.A.); How do we alter the system process? Barr has stopped doing bottle returns (why?); Put pressure on businesses to use re-usable/refillable containers; Proposal: set up working group to propose laws to bring in re-useable packaging; Green Growth.
ACTION-Wants to research this more and create TT think-tank to lobby HBC, laws, policies etc.

Chris P- Composting (kitchen waste); Rubbish as a metaphor for the way we treat our environment in general; Mindfulness towards refuse and how we can help support this in wider community; HBC inaction on stated policy (pressure required). ACTION- Research packaging-free shops. Share shop (Frome) -research. The People’s Supermarket – check it out and share with others.

Tom R- Companies reducing their waste by doing things more online ie banks sending multiple statements. Was working with Richard Watson on getting funding for an Anaerobic digester (turns compost into methane gas)in Hastings area, many complications and needs £50-70,000 to set up. ACTION- Research community composting clubs

Alison- Community composting, getting HBC to let people use spaces in parks to grow food, saving them money, businesses could maintain ‘plot’ too and put ad up to explain. HEN (Hastings Environmental Network) is initiating a waste campaign focusing on Takeaway packaging. I think it would be good to ask to meet HBC to discuss how we can work together on waste issues, get community involved and save them money ie. growing food anywhere we can, letting people use spaces in parks to save HBC money, community compost bins, Share Shop (Sue Dawson/McManus?)- having a shop to share and borrow tools etc (with no rates or rent from HBC), etc more ideas please! ACTION-to research what Germany are doing. Contact Adam Clamp re packaging campaign- how can we help?

Ended with a sense that we wanted this to be quite a politically pushing group?
Next Meeting- Thursday 24th Sept 6.30-7.30pm at WRH

Visit to Brighton Real Junk Food Project

11th July 2015
© https://instagram.com/realjunkfoodbrighton/
© https://instagram.com/realjunkfoodbrighton/

Several members made a visit to the Brighton Real Junk Food Project with Hastings Matters. They intercept edible food and serve it on a pay as you feel basis. Find them Wednesdays at the Churchill Square market and Fridays at the One Church.

The visitors were really impressed with the organisation and are considering doing something similar in Hastings.

Here are some observations by Carol Ridge.

Set up

  • Community Interest Company with six directors.
  • Ten chefs who include people who prep.and cook. Three to four people hold Food hygiene certificates.
  • Individuals are responsible for various tasks. Book keeping, Food collection etc

Volunteers

This group is from the community and includes anyone with a day to spare. It may also include people with mild learning difficulties. Volunteers are introduced a few at a time.

Food collection

Food is collected from supermarkets and shops/markets. Lidl supply a large proportion.

Venue

One Church in Gloucester place Brighton. Fully equipped kitchen with large ovens, work surfaces and dish washer. Crockery and utensils are provided by the church. Three shelves are allocated to the project in the pantry for “Dry stores”.

Diners pay as they wish but we saw many that did not pay at all. Biodegradable take away containers are provides for those who wish to take food home with them. There is also a small area where people may help themselves to items such as boxes of cereals, fresh fruit and snacks. It depends what is available each week. Any number from one to three hundred people are fed.

Diners from all sections of the community

The day we visited diners included the young and the elderly but on this visit there were more young people. The unemployed and the employed, the poor, the disabled, students, single mothers and their children and whole families. Even a group of international young people who were part of the “Couch surfing “organisation.

The atmosphere is so upbeat and positive.

Any unusable food waste is sent to SILO. This is a restaurant that has a super compost machine.

 

You can visit their website at http://www.realjunkfoodbrighton.co.uk/

Vision Day at the White Rock Hotel.

25th April 2015

On Saturday 18th April 2015 we had our visions event at the White Rock Hotel, a fantastic afternoon when more than eighty people came together to contribute ideas for a more sustainable town. Here is a taster of some of the ideas discussed, including a few quirky ones:

Food growing

  • Community Gardens
  • Edible bus stops / guerilla gardening
  • Garden matching schemes

Transport

  • Car free days on the seafront
  • Travel passes for integrated transport system (including new funiculars to the West/East Hills)

Economy

  • Local currency
  • Skill share/swap

Energy

  • 100% renewable energy owned by Hastings Community
  • Bio-digesters to generate energy from local garden waste

Housing

  • Rent reform / Land tax control
  • CPO / planning reform
  • Eco-housing including Eco Open Houses

Waste

  • Community composting
  • Packaging-free shops
  • Acknowledge the value in waste and use it.

Also, the presentations about Transition Town Lewes, Community Fruit and Veg Project, Trinity Wholefoods Coop, Energise Sussex Coast and a short film of a TED talk emphasised the power of community.

As such, it feels important to consider the following in the future work of Transition Town Hastings:

  • work with existing community groups
  • bring people together to create a friendlier and safer environment
  • bridging age gaps through common activities
  • developing Transition Streets
  • encouraging broader engagement

We were excited to discover lots of people at the event had valuable skills to offer and we hope to see these in action soon.

On Monday 25th May at 7pm there will be a core group Transition Town Hastings meeting in the Notley Room at the White Rock Hotel.

This meeting is for those wishing to be involved in deciding the next steps. We will be looking at how we form and facilitate working groups, develop projects and raise funds. (Photos © John Cole).