Making simple repairs could save the UK could save millions of pounds Sterling by replacing fuses or plugs rather than throwing away perfectly reusable microwaves with brand new ones.

In the paper “Electronic product returns and potential reuse opportunities: a microwave case study in the United Kingdom“, published in the Journal of Cleaner Production, PhD student Azadeh Dindarian and her team examined 189 microwaves at refuse centres and found that 54% of microwaves in a single year appeared to be disposed of simply for cosmetic reasons or because they had minor faults, and that 85% could be safely repaired. They have also found that some simple changes in design could prevent some of these faults from happening altogether.

Azadeh Dindarian inspects the components of a microwave oven (click image to expand - image courtesy of The University of Manchester)

Finding ways to re-use discarded microwaves could help to prevent thousands of tonnes of waste every year. These devices are often shredded in specialist recycling centres which are not often capable of retrieving valuable materials.

Azadeh Dindarian, who was shortlisted to present her research at the House of Commons, believes product reuse is essential to reduce current levels of waste and create a more sustainable economy.

Barry Sheerman, MP for Huddersfield and Chairman of policy connect, added “the excellent and compelling work carried out by the School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering is persuasive in demonstrating that many microwaves that are discarded could be reused or remanufactured, saving money, and crucially, natural resources.”

Azadeh Dindarian, 29, who is in the final year of her PhD in Electrical and Electronic Engineering, was supervised on her project by Professor Andrew Gibson, and Dr Joao Quariguasi Frota Neto.

The researchers now plan to extend the research to include washing machines, fridges and other devices to reveal the full scale of appliance waste in the UK.

Azadeh Dindarian said “our research shows that the vast majority of dumped microwaves and other white goods could easily be re-used, however unwanted functional products tend to end up being wasted rather than being disposed of through alternative routes.”

In the UK alone, nearly one million tonnes of electronic waste is generated per year and worldwide the volume is estimated at between 20 and 50 million tonnes, and to be growing at a rate of 4% per year.

Professor Gibson said “Azadeh Dindarian is working on a pioneering research project concerning the sustainability of core materials for the manufacture of electrical and electronic equipment.

“For the first time, a study is underway to look at the quality of disposed electrical goods. The results we have so far obtained are surprising in that the majority of disposed microwave ovens are either fully functional or easily repaired. The hard practical fault-finding data is what makes this project unique.”

Dr David Evans of the Sustainable Consumption Institute at The University of Manchester said “discarded electrical equipment is a significant and growing source of global waste and one that it is important for academic research to engage with.

“This work and the ongoing research invites us to think differently about sustainable end-of-life solutions for electrical equipment whilst asking important questions about the relationships between waste policy, product design and household behaviour”.

Mark Little, Chief Technology Officer for GE is interviewed at the SAE 2012 World Congress in Detroit, Michigan, USA.

He said “electric vehicles supporting grid infrastructure is here now. It is just going to get a lot better.”

“Thinking that you could power your home for a couple of days through your car is a really amazing connectivity that we have not had before” said Deb Frodl, Global Alternative Leader, GE.

Mark Little continues “today you can buy GE appliances that have the ability to connect to a home device that we and others make – the GE device is called the Nucleus. It allows you to look at energy flows around your home. It allows you to turn your appliances on and off at times that are good for energy use. It will apply to electric vehicles as well.”

For more information visit GE’s ecomagination website.

The Guernsey Bicycle Group arrive at the Grantez Mill to admire the view of Guernsey's west coast (click image to expand - ©RLLord)

One of the most pleasant ways of spending a Guernsey summer evening is exploring Guernsey’s quiet country lanes with the Guernsey Bicycle Group during their Summer Evening Rides.

These free, guided rides promote the joy of cycling, its low cost, and its health benefits, without harm to the environment.

The Guernsey Bicycle Group’s ten scheduled summer evening rides for 2012 begin in a different part of Guernsey on each occasion.

The view of Grandes Rocques on Guernsey's west coast from one of the lanes taken by the Guernsey Bicycle Group during a summer evening ride (click image to expand - ©RLLord)

These rides provide a wonderful opportunity to visit some of the most picturesque beauty spots Guernsey offers. The ride leaders will show you some of the best views in Guernsey. Afterwards you will recognise that you have witnessed Guernsey from a completely new perspective.

The first Summer Evening Ride on 29 May 2012 starts at 7 pm from Tostevin’s Vegetable Stall (Perry’s map reference p28 B4).  For a full schedule for this summer season please click the image below to download a PDF file to your computer.

(click on GBG 2012 Summer Evening Ride schedule to download PDF file to your computer)

GBG provides a Ride Leader and a “Sweeper”.  The Rides generally last no more than about 1 1/2 hours. The rides try to use lanes and minor roads, including the Ruette Tranquille network. The pace is gentle.

All are welcomed provided cycles are roadworthy. Participants are expected to respect the Highway Code. GBG recommends the use of cycle helmets, and children must be accompanied by responsible adults.

Heading north away from the south coast of Guernsey (click image to expand - ©RLLord)

(Please click on book cover to go to publisher's website)

While the routine decisions that shape our days—what to have for dinner, where to shop, how to get to work—may seem small, collectively they have a big effect on global warming. But which purchasing choices and changes in our lifestyles might make the biggest difference to the climate?

The new book, Cooler Smarter: Practical Steps for Low-Carbon Living, is based on a comprehensive two-year study by the Union of Concerned Scientists.

While other green guides suggest an array of tips, Cooler Smarter explains how to make the biggest impact and when not to sweat the small stuff.

The advice in Cooler Smarter can help you save money and live healthier. But its central purpose is to empower you, through low-carbon living, to confront one of society’s greatest threats.

A team of scientists from across the USA analyzed the climate impacts of hundreds of consumer decisions, from insulating your home to changing your diet.

From all that research comes a unique science-based consumer guide to reducing energy use and the carbon emissions that are contributing to climate change.

And the scientists turn many eco-myths on their head, like the importance of “food miles” or the superiority of all hybrid cars. They provide the science behind the right decisions that will save money and help save the planet at the same time.

Click here to view the embedded video.

“On average, the activities of each American add some 21 tons of carbon dioxide to the atmosphere each year,” says John Rogers, a co-author and senior energy analyst at the Union of Concerned Scientists who contributed to Cooler Smarter.

“That’s more than you would cause by driving an average car all the way around the world at the equator. It’s also four times the annual global average of emissions per person. It’s hard evidence of the enormous impact we each have on the planet through the decisions we make each day.”

“Our research found a set of effective and practical steps all of us can take to cut our own global warming emissions by 20 percent or more,” said Brenda Ekwurzel, a climate scientist at the Union of Concerned Scientists and co-author of the book.

“Most Americans underestimate by three times the amount they can save through the efficiency steps our scientists recommend,” she said.

“In a way, this book is like Consumer Reports meets Eat This, Not That, all backed by cutting-edge scientific and economic research. We want to give people a tool that can help them change the way they think about the impact their actions can make on their carbon footprint and on their pocketbook.”

Cooler Smarter is built upon two years of in-depth research on how the numbers stack up to figure out what are the most effective individual steps each person can take to lessen the most costly and devastating consequences of climate change.

The experts analyzed 500 different categories of U.S. consumer actions (everything from transportation and home heating and cooling to all the things we buy) to find the most effective things we can do to reduce our carbon emissions. And they were able to track the direct and indirect emissions resulting from the production and use of the goods and services U.S. consumers buy, making this the definitive guide to low-carbon living.

Cooler Smarter was authored by UCS experts and writers Seth Shulman, Jeff Deyette, Brenda Ekwurzel, David Friedman, Margaret Mellon, John Rogers and Suzanne Shaw.

The charity, which is supported by local fiduciary, funds and accountancy firm Saffery Champness, is also looking for designer and quality clothing donations.

Staff at Saffery’s will be sorting donations, which are being collected at their offices at Les Banques, and helping to run the event on the day.

The sale of men’s, women’s and children’s clothes will take place between 10 am and 4 pm and consist of clothing, shoes, bags and accessories from designers and brands at a fraction of their original cost.

Belinda Netherton, chair of the local CLIC Sargent branch, said “the quality of donations we have had so far is fantastic so we hope to draw a big crowd.”

“It’s great to have help from the Saffery team as sorting through all the donations would be a huge job for the volunteers.”

CLIC Sargent is a national charity helping children with cancer and their families. The local branch of the charity supports Bailiwick children in Guernsey and in the UK.

They raise funds for CLIC Haven, a ‘home from home’ which offers free accommodation to families while their child is undergoing treatment at Southampton General Hospital.

Donations for the sale can be made at Saffery Champness, La Tonnelle House Les Banques (near Fryer Tucks café) weekdays between 8.00 am and 5.30 pm.

Alternatively please call Belinda Netherton on 264260 who is available to collect donated items.

(please click on logo to go to CLIC Sargent website)

Theresa Lenfestey, Lisa Le Gallez, Emma Gallienne, Sarah Ozanne and Sharon Marquand joined around 15,000 women putting on decorated bras and walking the length of a marathon around the streets of London on Saturday night.

The Butterfield Bank (Guernsey) Ltd MoonWalkers (click image to expand - image ©Chris George)

The walk started and finished in Hyde Park with walkers getting underway just before midnight. The ladies completed the walk in around eight hours and found the course tough but rewarding.

The Butterfield group held a fund raising day at their offices before the walk which included a mufti day and cake sale which raised over £400. This brought their total fundraising to just under £2000.

Bras are sent to all walkers to decorate as they wish. The team found guitar print fabric online to fit in with this year’s theme, ‘Blue Suede Shoes’, and spent several evenings sewing it on and decorating it with sequins. They have also made rock and roll skirts complete with old records and musical notes.

Ms Marquand says the cause is dear to many women and the team are happy to be able to help.

“I think all of us know of at least one person who has suffered from breast cancer and are very aware that anyone could be next. My mum won her battle with breast cancer several years ago,” she said.

Walk the Walk began 15 years ago when 13 women walked the New York marathon in their bras to raise money and awareness for breast cancer causes.

A similar walk was then arranged for the London marathon but there were fewer places than women willing to take part so the charity organised the MoonWalk as a separate event for anybody who didn’t have a marathon place.

The charity has now raised over £75 million for vital cancer charities.

2012 Insurance Corporation Conservation Awards judges (click image to expand - image courtesy of Insurance Corporation)

“Go online, enter this year’s Conservation Awards competition and win funding for your environmental project.”

That is the message from organisers of the new-look Insurance Corporation Conservation Awards.

“In the past we have rewarded successful conservation projects but for 2012 we are changing the emphasis to help fund ideas and potential initiatives,” said competition founder and chairman of Insurance Corporation, Peter Walpole.

Peter Walpole surveying the land management of Petit Bot valley in October 2010 (click image to expand - ©RLLord)

‘Our objective has always been to help protect our precious green spaces but a project has a greater chance of reaching fruition if it is given the funding to get going, hence the change in our policy.’

Environmentalists and eco-friendly gardeners will again have the chance to win £2,000 and schools could earn £1,000 in funding if their entries are successful in the twenty-two year-old competition.

In 2011 the top prize went to a woodland and meadow walk on land below St Peter’s Church known as Le Ch’mn du Trésor. The natural space at the heart of St Pierre du Bois parish was overgrown, choked and untended until it was rediscovered, carefully regenerated and reopened in 2009.

A special 21^st anniversary award of £500 went to the Guernsey Botanical Trust for their work on the Victorian walled garden at Saumarez Park.

A view of Guernsey Botanical Trust's Victorian kitchen garden looking south-east (click image to expand - ©RLLord)

In a closely contested competition the top school was Forest Primary School who won £1,000 over three years to further develop their conservation garden while the special 21^st anniversary prize of £500 went to Le Murier School.

“Another change to our format is that we opened the competition much earlier than in previous years,” Mr. Walpole said.

“‘This was to give people more time to research and cost their projects as they will have until Friday 25 May 2012 to get their entries in with our judging day being on Friday 1 June, 2012. Presentation of the Conservation Awards will be on 13 June 2012.”

“With their entry forms we would like to see a plan of the proposed project, photographs of the land as it is currently and any information that would help us understand the scope and potential of the proposal.”

For more information on how to enter the Insurance Corporation Conservation Awards please call Jim Delbridge or Mel Rees at LR&D on 246668 or download an entry form from the Insurance Corporation website.

Primary schools across Guernsey and Jersey have received information leaflets and packets of wildflower seeds which, when planted, will help to feed the bee populations of both islands.

Besides producing honey and beeswax, bees pollinate about one third of the food crops that humans rely on globally. Without bees many foods wouldn’t be produced.

A bee visits an apple tree blossom on 27 April 2012 (click image to expand - ©RLLord)

Pollination is vital for many plants, including many fruits and vegetables.  Without the service of pollinating bees, humans would be without apples, blackberries, blueberries, broccoli, celery, cucumbers, onions and chocolate (cocoa) and many more foods.

In Guernsey, a low bee population means a low number of pollinators to pollinate our vegetables, fruit trees, and flowers that depend on pollination. Bees are essential to our environment.

In 2009, American Foulbrood killed about one third of Jersey’s bee population. Fortunately, Guernsey’s bee population has not suffered the same fate.

In the last 12 months, the Guernsey Beekeepers’ Association has seen its membership double as beekeeping becomes increasingly popular.

Alan Jewell, President of the Guernsey Beekeepers’ Association, said “we have been concerned to maintain the health and strength of our bee population. If islanders can support us by following a few simple steps, such as planting wildflowers, our bees have a better chance of prospering.”

Alan Jewell, President of the Guernsey Beekeepers' Association in the white bee suit with past President Chris Tomlins (click image to expand - ©RLLord)

Mrs Jane Rix, an experienced beekeeper, and a member of St Martin’s Floral Committee, joined Channel Islands Co-operative representatives at an assembly at St Martin’s School on Monday 14 May 2012 to speak to them about what they, their classmates and their families can do to help.  Mrs Rix joined the students afterwards in their outdoor woodland classroom to plant wildflower seeds.

Ways to help the bee population:

• Plant wildflowers as these provide a good range of pollen and nectar. Bees need a healthy and varied diet. These can be scattered in a small area of the garden.
• Select plants which carry the “Bee Friendly” symbol. The distinctive yellow “Bee Friendly” logo will help you choose plants that are particularly beneficial to bees (and other insects). Although this symbol is relatively new, local garden centres will increasingly stock these.
• Encourage the planting of trees – horse chestnut, sweet chestnut, maple and sycamore all provide nectar. Oak trees are great producers of pollen.

Greg Yeoman from The Channel Islands Co-operative said “we are delighted to launch our local Plan Bee initiative. We are sending out 500 packets of seeds to the island’s primary schools as part of our campaign to raise awareness of the plight of the local bee population and to inspire islanders to get involved and do their bit to help.”

Plan Bee is part of national campaign, which the Co-op in the UK established in 2009, with the aim of addressing the decline in pollinators such as bees, butterflies and moths.

(click on the Plan Bee logo to go to The Channel Islands Co-operative Society Ltd. Plan Bee website)

As part of this campaign, more than a thousand Dutch cyclists are currently transforming a 1000 kilometre long bicycle trail into a “bee trail”, by sowing organic flower seeds.

Dutch bicyclists are planting flower seeds to benefit bees (click image to expand - image courtesy of Eosta B.V.)

Twenty-three German organic wholesalers and retailers are distributing 280,000 bags of flower seeds with their organic products, and The Youth Initiative Program in Sweden has created a flowering meadow as well as a short video featuring buzzing students.

Nature & More, together with a number of NGO’s, is distributing 400,000 bags of organic flower seeds throughout Europe. The campaign, which runs through the summer of 2012, promotes organic crops and helps bees by sowing seeds of flowering plants that bees feed-on.

In the paper “Importance of pollinators in changing landscapes for world crops” published in the Proceedings of the Royal Society, Alexandra-Maria Klein estimated that 35% of global food crops depend on pollinators; of which bees are the most prominent. Beekeepers and researchers are seeing the worldwide drop in the population of bees with increasing worry.

Science published in March 2012 two articles claiming that neonicotinoid pesticides are at least partly responsible for Colony Collapse Disorder.

Nature & More, a Dutch-based international distributor of organic fruits and vegetables with an estimated US$100 million turnover, decided to launch the “Bees Love Organic” campaign with the assistance of several environmental NGOs.

The campaign hopes to distribute 400,000 free bags of organic flower seeds for bees in Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands, France, Sweden and the Czech Republic, which will create over 400,000 square meters of bee flower pasture.

In the Netherlands, a popular 1000 km long cycle track along farms and countryside called the “Potato trail” is being transformed into a “Bee path”.  More than a thousand consumers have already applied for the free flower seeds to sow along the track, like Olga from Amsterdam, who wrote, “what a great initiative! I love cycling and want to help save the bees from dying out.  Please send me some of those seed bags.”

A Dutch bicyclist sows bee-friendly flower seeds along a bicycle trail in the Netherlands for Nature & More's "Bees Love Organic" campaign (click image to expand - image courtesy of Eosta B.V.)

According to the “Bees love organic” campaign, bees have better survival chances with organic farming, not only because pesticides aren’t used, but also because organic farming increases biodiversity.

Nature & More founder Volkert Engelsman said “since the 1990′s we have been trying to get across that “organic” means much more than not using  inorganic chemical inputs.

“Farmers in Asia, America and Europe who work with us, recognize that the future of agriculture must lie in teaming up with nature, instead of fighting it. The bees are our allies, so let’s support them,” he said.

Bedell Group volunteers enhance planting beds at The Link Centre (click image to expand - ©Chris George)

Ten of the island’s schools are taking part in this year’s Little Green Fingers Schools’ Project Competition – sponsored by Bedell in association with Floral Guernsey.

The competition, launched by BBC Gardeners’ World presenter Alys Fowler, aims to help Bailiwick children to understand environmental issues and experience gardening at school.

The schools gardening competition runs for a year and winners will be announced in July 2012.

‘The competition provides an opportunity for the children and staff at all participating schools to focus on the progress of their garden and record it as they go,’ said Ann Wragg, Floral Guernsey Schools’ Coordinator.

“We have visited some of the participating schools and will be seeing others in the coming weeks to help them along with their projects. Many have completed the planning stage and are busy planting out their seedlings and getting everything ready for the summer growing season. The Bedell Little Green Fingers Schools’ Project offers assistance with the purchase of equipment, seeds and plants throughout the year to help schools on their way as well as being on had to answer any gardening questions,” said Mrs Wragg.

Schools participating include: Amherst Primary School, Beechwood School, Forest Primary School, La Mare de Carteret Primary School, Notre Dame du Rosaire RC Primary School, St Andrew’s Primary School, St Mary & St Michael RC Primary School, St Sampson’s Infant School, La Houguette Primary School and The Link Centre.

The first prize winner will be offered the choice of one of the following: either the David Hunt bushcraft workshop or £1,000 cash.

There are also two runner-up prizes of £100 and signed books by Alys Fowler, who visited Forest Primary School and St Andrew’s Primary School last year as part of the Bedell Little Green Fingers Schools’ Project.

Each school must produce a portfolio of photographs and a diary of events through the academic year.

This must show progress in their gardening skills and include a summary from teaching staff, which illustrates the value of gardening and the importance of care for the environment in their planning.

The judges, which include Phil Merrien, Manager for Parks and Gardens at States Works and Charlie Pinchemain, who has a horticultural background and has previously judged at the West Show and South Show as well as the Floral Guernsey parish establishment competition for St Martin’s and St Andrew’s, will visit each school at the end of June.

To volunteer or find out more about Bedell Little Green Fingers Schools’ Project, please contact Ann Wragg by email: a.hw @ clara.co.uk

Little Green Fingers aims to give every child, regardless of circumstances, the opportunity to experience the joy of growing vegetables and other plants, raise awareness of where food comes from and of environmental issues, and encourage team and community spirit through competition.