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Jamie's green machine
THIS is the car that Jamie McCartney built... the young experimental artist from Brighton has turned an old smoke belching East German Trabant, the most polluting car ever, into a car with no carbon "tyre"print whatsoever – unless towed away by a motoring rescue organisation.
Car-bon Miles debuts on Saturday in the Manchester Art Car parade, but pedals into Blackpool, clad in funky lighting, solar panels, neon tubes, and chasing LEDs, for the UK's first Illuminated Art Car Parade for the Festival of Light on October 21.
Jamie explains: "Me and my tireless engineer James Fleming will be the pedal power. We're now known as pedal heads rather than petrol heads.
"It's the 50th anniversary of the Trabant, and using humour to attract attention is my way of getting the public to consider the impact of cars on our environment, health and future.
"In simple terms, Car-bon Miles is a real road car converted to pedal power. Stripped of the engine, tank, gear box, back seats etc, in order to save weight, she is pedalled by two people.
"This contraption was inspired childhood memories of my pedal car and the foot-powered cars in the Flintstones, Wacky Races and Bugsy Malone.
"Imagine my delight when I found this car, which still had its old German licence plates, beginning with the letters 'ART'. It was fate.
"I'm delighted to be returning to Blackpool. My last trip was with a very lovely girl who I probably should have married. We had a fun and cuddly evening on Blackpool beach.
"As an artist with a Brighton studio by the sea, it's great to have the opportunity to exhibit in another of Britain's great seaside towns."
jacqui.morley@blackpoolgazette.co.uk
How councils are coping with cutting down on carbon
BLACKPOOL wants to become the "fastest growing green town in the UK" – but doesn't the annual splurge of power on the Illuminations shoot that in the (carbon) foot?
Eight years ago, the six miles of Lights used 1454kw of electricity. Last year's used 915kw, a massive saving of 37 per cent –- enough to run a large office building of 2,000 people.
More economic lights, lower watt lamps on lower voltage lines, and light emitting diodes, the most efficient means of generating light, are being used.
Last year saw the first zero energy tableau, the Green Machine, powered solely by solar and wind energy.
Today the Lights use only power from renewable sources, cutting carbon dioxide emissions to zero, and saving 420 tonnes hitting the atmosphere each year.
Three wind turbines on South Promenade, installed in summer, generate three per cent of the power needed. More are planned. They already power council buildings such as
Solaris at Harrowside and the new Enterprise centre, South Shore.
Come 2010, the "greatest free show on earth" will be completely carbon neutral.
The push is on to persuade more of us to dump cars and opt for pedal power – the council is running cycle training for adults and an annual Ride the Lights extravaganza has proved a big hit.
Blackpool has just signed up to the Carbon Trust Programme, which gives practical advice on cutting emissions for 143 of the UK's 468 local authorities.
Deputy leader Ian Fowler wants to encourage residents and children to support a leaner greener resort: "Our simple aim is to build a reputation of being the fastest growing green town in the UK."
ECO-CONSCIOUS Wyre is all "Wyred" to save energy – and face the risks of rising seas.
Council leader Russell Forsyth, who signed the Nottingham Declaration on climate change, says nowhere is the effect of climate change more visible than at the coast.
Sea levels have risen, along with the risk of flooding and erosion.
Wyre has built better environmental measures into the new showcase sea defences, re-using demolition materials, precast elements to reduce waste, longer lasting material with reduced maintenance, and local suppliers and labour.
The scheme protects against a tidal event with a probability of 0.5 per cent in 50 years, taking into account coastal climate changes.
Coun Forsyth says: "As a community living in close proximity to both coastal and rural areas, combating climate change is a very real issue. It's important we look at damage limitation."
Jan Finch, lead council officer for climate change, is helping establish a countywide strategy, ahead of a regional one. Lancashire Climate Change Group hosts a summit for all 15 county authorities in December.
Jan says: "By showing public support for such initiatives, we tackle what is a very real ongoing concern here at Wyre and, ultimately, help to save the council money."
Wyre's measures include: free insulation packages for deprived areas, grants for older and disabled owners, insulation for park home owners, an affordable warmth strategy. low cost home insulation in partnership with utility companies, low energy bulbs to households on benefit, grants for domestic renewable energy, and ensuring new homes meet higher standards.
Waste sent to landfill in 2006/07 was almost 20,000 tonnes less than the previous year. The local countryside team also works with schools to pledge to "mend the world".
FYLDE has FLoWE (Fylde Low Waste and Energy) project.
The brain-child of Michael Jack MP, the basic intention of the project is to make Fylde the most energy efficient borough in the country.
To do this, FLoWE will offer advice and assistance on energy efficiency, renewable energy and waste to local residents, businesses, organisations and schools and will also be looking at low carbon transport issues.
A large part of the project will be aimed at assisting those in the borough to reduce their carbon footprint. Hit www.fylde.gov.uk/flowe or call 01253 658 257.
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Weather for Blackpool
Saturday 04 February 2012
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