A future home for enterprise in Bristol: it’s going to be green
by Helen Burley
Posted on 27 October 2011 | No responses
Posted by Toney Hallahan
Businesses and organisations from across Bristol and the wider region converged on Temple Meads recently to set a vision for the Bristol Temple Quarter Enterprise Zone (TQEZ). This 70 hectare area is set to enhance opportunities for Bristol’s creative industries, and the good news: it’s going to be green!
In fact the challenge for the day, as set by the head of the West of England Local Enterprise Partnership, Colin Skellett was: “how do we make the TQEZ cutting edge sustainable and an exemplar of a green city?”
Shining a light on Bristol’s independent shops
by Helen Burley
Posted on 24 October 2011 | No responses
As far as I’m concerned, Bristol’s independent shops play a huge part in contributing to the quality of life in the city – it was one of the things I raved about when I moved here five years ago, and visitors I take shopping are often envious.
Bristol is particularly well provided for in terms of local high streets. The Gloucester Road has been celebrated as one of the best independent shopping streets in Bristol, but other parts of the city also do well – and a Bristol Independents campaign has been launched to keep them alive.
Now… Continue reading
Bristol Green Doors shortlisted for SW Green Energy Award
by Helen Burley
Posted on 11 October 2011 | No responses
Bristol Green Doors – the innovative Bristol project to raise awareness and share experience of eco-refurbishment – has been shortlisted in this year’s South West Green Energy Awards, in the Best Community Initiative category.
The first ever Bristol Green Doors weekend in September 2010 attracted visitors from across the country, keen to learn more about people’s experiences of retrofitting their homes – and a second big event is now being planned for a follow up weekend in spring 2012.
Visitor feedback suggested many were planning on carrying out energy efficiency work in their own homes… Continue reading
Schumacher, Green Jobs, Renewables, Earth Music – welcome to the UK’s Green Capital!
by Paul Rainger
Posted on 7 October 2011 | 1 response
A glance at the Bristol diary for the next few weeks reveals just why the city makes a good claim to be the UK’s Green Capital. And why if any UK city can become home to an ambitious festival of big green ideas and events it is Bristol.
The Schumacher Centenary Festival (8th & 9th October)
ETSUK Environmental Trade Show (13th October)
Renewable Futures Conference & Green Energy Awards (9th November)
Earth Music Bristol concerts (18th to 26th November)
First up this… Continue reading
Cooking Oil Power Sorted
by Paul Rainger
Posted on 5 October 2011 | No responses
South Gloucestershire residents, in the north of the UK’s Bristol city-region, can now recycle their waste cooking oil, helping to supply safe, clean, renewable electricity to the National Grid.
Across the UK, taxpayers foot an annual bill of around £15 million for cleaning up drains and watercourses damaged by household cooking oil that is often poured down sinks. YouGov research found that the most common way to dispose of oil is down the drain, causing Water companies to spend around £15m per annum clearing up 170,000 tonnes of used cooking oil put down the drain.
But now in South… Continue reading
Don’t be fooled by the sun
by Helen Burley
Posted on 30 September 2011 | No responses
The welcome return of the sun this week is just the latest spell of weird weather to have hit Bristol in the last 12 months – from heavy snow in early December to soaring temperatures in February. It’s perhaps no wonder that the apple tree in my garden is so confused it’s producing blossom again.
But while we can enjoy the unusually warm weather now (apparently we should thank the jet stream), there’s no getting away from the fact that autumn is round the corner and cold weather will follow.
Time then to take a tip from… Continue reading
How to cut your environmental impact while growing your business
by Paul Rainger
Posted on 26 September 2011 | No responses
Many old fashioned business leaders seem scared of making a commitment to reducing their environmental impact while their business is growing. They see the two goals as contradictory. But increasingly pioneering businesses are proving that this is simply wrong.
One such pioneering business leader, the co-founder of Commercial Group Simone Hindmarch-Bye, is speaking to businesses in Bristol this week at a West of England Carbon Challenge and Bristol Green Capital joint event. Simone will telling her success story of how to embed green practice into your company, reducing carbon emissions while growing the business.
Commercial Group is… Continue reading
Working co-operatively
by Helen Burley
Posted on 23 September 2011 | 1 response
As the economy teeters on the edge of recession and businesses around the world struggle to secure credit, the UK co-operative sector has seen a healthy expansion, reporting an increase in turnover of 21% since the start of the credit crunch in 2008.
Indeed the shared-ownership model seems to be very much in vogue. Just this week the government launched a consultation on the possible mutualisation of the Post Office – which would give staff, customers and potentially local communities a stake in how the business is run.
Bristol has long been home to… Continue reading
Putting the SPark into World Green Buildings
by Helen Burley
Posted on 20 September 2011 | 1 response
The Bristol and Bath Science Park (SPark) is one of 25 venues across the UK joining this week’s celebrations for World Green Building Week.
The SPark One event, supported by Low Carbon South West and Forum for the Future, will be showcasing its sustainable design, including on-site renewables, with 200 sq m of solar PV, a solar thermal hot water system and biomass boiler.
The science park has been designed as a hub for the region’s science and technology businesses, developed by the Quantum Property Partnership,… Continue reading
Will Business embrace Lunchtime Allotments?
by Paul Rainger
Posted on 12 September 2011 | 1 response
Growing your own is all the rage. With long waiting lists for allotment space, we’ve seen veg beds spring up in parks, guerrilla growers taking over derelict land and even veg growing on supermarket roofs.
The beneficial effects of reconnecting which nature through growing are well studied, from healthy eating itself, through to general improvements in health, happiness and even productivity at work.
So, could leading business embrace Lunchtime Allotments as the next must have staff perk? Will tomorrow’s young generation of more values led employees see an hour lunchtime break to tend their veg as another key… Continue reading
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