Environment

The Big Dee Day Event, 2011

Big Dee Day Group

The 4th Big Dee Day Event took place on Friday 16th and Saturday 17th September 2011. As usual, it was all arranged by Mike Taylor and his team of Coastal Rangers, with support from council officers and from many kindly and supportive Businesses and Volunteer Groups of all sorts, shapes and sizes.

Work pressures kept my wife and I away from the opening day, when the first event was the usual breakfast affair, this year at Tata Steel. On that day, Cllr. Hilary McGuill, our Chairperson for the municipal year, went out and about with the coastal ranger team, getting around to thank as many volunteer groups as possible during the day.

On the second day, my wife and I shared the landrover with Mike, first visiting the Quay Watermen at Connah's Quay and admiring their efforts to improve that waterfront. Their aims for a Museum are to be admired and supported, if at all possible. Then, and not necessarilly in the right order, it was off to Flint, Bagillt, Greenfield, Holywell, Broken Bank and return visits to the Watermen and Greenfield. It was great to see the Wildfowlers and The Model Aircraft buffs forming common cause on behalf of the environment.   It was also great to see the number of ordinary folks of all ages who were pitching in to show their support for the event and their objection to the "Sod You" elements of today's "Throwaway Society" who wilfully muck up our environment and cause untold cost and suffering to both flora and fauna all along the coastal strip.

As well as the usual items, such as plastic bottles, drink cans and plastic bags, crisp packets, chocolate bar wrappers and the smaller stuff, the Grosvenor Caving Club helped haul 4 supermarket trolleys out of the Connah's Quay Dock, along with lorry tyres and baulkes of timber. Alongside that, the Watermen cut up and carted away an entire fibreglass boat that had been a notable eyesore for many years.

At Shotton, there were folks of all ages getting stuck in to clear mattresses, old bedsteads and bicycles, just thoughtlessly dumped into the presently unofficial wildlife area on the seaward side of the railway.   Biggest medal of the day must go to my fellow county councillor, who represents Shotton, Cllr. Eric Owen, who managed to inadvertently disturb a wasps nest and get stung 8 times for his efforts, before he could get away and let Mike Taylor and others beat off the rest of the angry insects that were persueing him.

Thanks to the efforts of Brownies, Cubs, Guides and Scouts, along with Army and Airforce Cadets and the civilian elements, another couple of hundred bags of rubbish were gathered together and collected for disposal by FCC Waste Management teams.

From me, from my wife and the county as a whole, a huge "Thank you" to everyone involved. You really did show, once again, just what the good side of "Community" is all about."  Long may that spirit thrive.

Zero Waste Wales - A Sustainable Waste solution for Wales

Click here for a pdf of Dr Paul Connetts' sustainable waste solution Powerpoint presentation. Please be aware that it may take a little longer than usual to open as it is large file size and includes a lot of images.

Anti Flouridation Network

Industry world-wide has a remarkable ability for getting the cost of disposing of their wastes taken up by the public purse. In this case, the public actually pays for a non medical quality waste to be bought on their behalf and dumped into their water supply. It really does beggar belief. Take a look at this link here which will take you to a video about Fluoridation of qater supplies on the Fluoride Action Network website.

The Story of Stuff

From its extraction through sale, use and disposal, all the stuff in our lives affects communities at home and abroad, yet most of this is hidden from view. The Story of Stuff is a 20-minute, fast-paced, fact-filled look at the underside of our production and consumption patterns. The Story of Stuff exposes the connections between a huge number of environmental and social issues, and calls us together to create a more sustainable and just world. It'll teach you something, it'll make you laugh, and it just may change the way you look at all the stuff in your life forever.

Click here to see the movie.

CANK update

Castle Cement I have produced a report about CANK - Campaign Against the New Kiln. This report details what has been happening over the last couple of years and covers how the Padeswood Cement Works and the government have reacted to developments.

If you are interested please click here to read it.

If you have not already visited the CANK website it makes interesting reading and contains a wealth of information and links about all things related to the new kiln and how these type of kilns affect local communities.

In relation to the Kiln at Padeswood, here is a selection of documentation which provides further reading on the subject.

Mechanical Biological Treatment & Mechanical Heat Treatment of Municipal Solid Waste.

Unintended Consequences - Municipal Solid Waste and the Throwaway Society.

A Zero Waste UK - Institute for Public Policy Research and Green Alliance.

BSEM Incinerator Report - under section 10 there is information about Cement Kilns.

Dr. Chris Busby, a Cancer Specialist, set out our concerns about cancer clusters in the electoral wards around the cement works. Dr. Roberts and Co. rubbished the work. The government withdrew the ward by ward data we had used and then in 2003 Roberts, backed by officialdom, produced a report that proved "conclusively" that there was no problem.
Unfortunately for them, Dr. Chris Busby eventually took a very long hard look at how that report had been consructed. His findings can be seen by clicking here.

Please bear in mind that due to the scientific, emotive and political nature of the subject, these are just a small collection of items available. If you require further reading please contact me or refer to the CANK website.