* Got any bright ideas? Free university research for hot topics

Have you identified areas of technical research that you’d like done but that you don’t have the resources to look into? Are you a full LCRN member? In that case, we’d like to hear from you. LCRN has established a partnership with the Civil, Environmental and Geomatic Engineering department of University College London to bring academic resources to bear on key areas of environmental research. If your research topic is accepted by UCL, you’ll have a team of four to five Masters students offering 300 hours of research between September 2011 and March 2012. You would not be expected to make any financial contribution although you would need to provide some time in-kind to brief the students and support them through the six months of the project (UCL estimates the time required at around 16 hours in total).

This is the fourth year that LCRN will be involved with UCL on this project. In the first year, MSc students led on research into mattress recycling while in 2010 LCRN member Vital Regeneration was able to better understand and therefore abate the emission of bioaerosols from its Church Street in-vessel composting site. “Working with UCL was extremely useful for us”, says Marie Monaghan, Vital Regeneration’s Sustainability Programme Manager. “We want to provide a safe working environment for our staff and the management of bioaerosol emissions forms a part of that. By working with the Masters students we were able to benefit from the kind of knowledge and resources that we would not normally have access to and confirm that we were on the right track.”

If you have an idea for a research topic, we’d love to hear from you by Wednesday 29th June. We’ll help you fine-tune your idea, fine-tune the proposal and test it out with UCL staff before it needs to be formally submitted to UCL. For more information, contact Edouard 020 7324 4703 or at edouard@lcrn.org.uk.

* Happy Compost Awareness Week! from the LCRN Blog

Every year, the composting community takes the opportunity to celebrate all things composting. And why not? Composting is unlikely to ever be accused of being particular glamorous so it shouldn’t hurt to raise its profile precisely because it is, as it turns out, one of the most important facets of sustainable behaviour that you can find. It’s just a shame that getting your hands dirty is more or less unavoidable and that it takes months for anything to happen.

So what is the state of composting these days? Well, things are certainly getting interesting. On a national level, one of the most influential players in the sector dropped ‘composting’ from its name and rebranded as the Association for Organics Recycling; a timely change without a doubt, as it sought to embrace anaerobic digestion (AD) within its mandate. Five years ago, no-one could’ve told you what AD stood for (perhaps literally and figuratively?) but that definitely isn’t the case now. Government support for green investment may be consistently inconsistent but some trends are too strong to stop. This is partly led by local government activity where – in London at least – you can expect to lose your seat at the cool kids’ table if you fail to collect at least one person’s food waste in one way or another.
...for more on the State of Community Composting

* Free Composting helpline for organisations and groups registered with Capital Growth

LCRN has teamed up with Capital Growth to provide free composting advice to groups and organisations that have successfully registered with the Capital Growth programme. The service aims to encourage groups to take a bit of time to consider how their composting can be managed to help and improve the growing performance of their garden. “Composting is an essential side of gardening”, says Paola Guzman, Project Officer for Capital Growth. “A lot of people think that growing plants and vegetables is really complicated when in actual fact it’s very straightforward. Composting, on the other hand, is a bit more complex and many people don’t take enough time to think about it. We’re very happy that LCRN are providing support to our registered projects so that anyone who’s starting out can learn the basics and give their garden the best chance of thriving.” If you’re a Capital Growth project that is looking for free composting advice, arm yourself with your registration number and contact Alex or Edouard on 020 7324 4696 or at organics@lcrn.org.uk.
...for more information on Capital Growth

* Project Dirt Earthkeepers grant - money for trees!

Calling all treehuggers: 2011’s Earthkeepers Grant is focusing on trees.Timberland through Project Dirt are making available £10,000 to 5 projects (up to £2,000 per project)..The application is very quick and simple, and can be downloaded from their website. For the avoidance of doubt the grant is also available non-formalised community projects.
Deadline: Midnight Sunday 08 May 2011
...for more information and to apply

* LSE Sustainability in Practice Lecture – Thursday 5 May, 6.30 – 8pm (free) at the Hong Kong Theatre, Clement House

BBC Breakfast presenter Bill Turnbull is an investigative journalist and presenter as well as a keen beekeeper, a leading ambassador of beekeeping in the UK, and the author of mishap memoir The Bad Beekeepers Club. He will give a light-hearted introduction to the world of beekeeping highlighting the ups and rather more frequent downs of his ten years attempting to produce honey and keep his colonies alive. Definitely not a masterclass on the art of apiculture; more a survival guide for beginners and the casual bystander. Ian Spencer, the Director of the LSE's Residential and Catering Services Division will chair the discussion as he is keen to become an amateur bee keeper himself and was instrumental in the Passfield Hall Honey project which gave LSE it's very first roof-top hives.
...for more information and to register

* Let it Grow (part of Compost Awareness Week) – Sunday 8 May, 11am – 12.30pm at the Walworth Garden Farm

Veolia Environmental Services have partnered with Southwark Council to organise a truly flourishing event to teach budding gardeners how to create their own compost. A gardening expert from Bankside Open Space Trust (BOST) will be on hand to demonstrate how to harvest, store and use your compost to grow some tasty vegetables which could help save you money and nourish the family in one thriving swoop. For more information visit www.southwark.gov.uk/recycle and go to the green and garden waste section or contact Bankside Open Space Trust (BOST) Tel. 020 7403 3393, Email. carole@bost.org.uk

* Rise of the Machines: Real Bread Maker Week - Monday 09 - Sunday 15 May 2011

Around 36% of bread machines hardly ever get used, so from 9 -15 May, the Real Bread Campaign is running a competition for people to dig them out and bake Real Bread in the most unusual places they can. The idea is simple: rummage round your kitchen cupboard, dust off that idling electric baker, and plug it in somewhere you usually wouldn’t. Anyone emailing a picture of him/herself and machine in action in an unusual location to the Campaign by 16 May stands the chance of winning an American bread slicer from CookshopOnline.com, plus the full range of bread flours (6x 1.5kg bags) from Marriage’s.

Chris Young of the Campaign says: "Real Bread Maker Week is all about having fun, whilst taking back control of exactly what does – and doesn’t – go into the food you eat. Baking Real Bread in a machine is perhaps the easiest route to a loaf that represents genuine value, being both very affordable and additive-free." Real Bread Maker week is also about sharing. There could be around 10 million machines lurking out there already, so the Campaign is encouraging people to pick up or pass on these unloved plug-in panificatori, and has published a list of websites, including Freegle and Streetbank, that can help. For the latest news, ‘like’ facebook.com/realbreadcampaign and follow @RealBread (with #realbread hashtag) on Twitter.
...for more about Real Breadmaker Week

* Nappuccino with maternity and baby wear swap – Monday 16 May, 12.30 – 1.30pm

Come to 1st Place Children and Parent’s Centre in Burgess Park (SE5 ORN) and find out about real nappies and swap your baby and maternity clothes. 1st place will also be launching our free real nappy trial packs.For more information, contact Helen Murie@1stplaceuk.com (0207 740 870)

* Baby Toileting session with treasure baskets – Wednesday 18 May, 1.30 – 2.30pm

Come to 1st Place Children and Parent’s Centre in Burgess Park (SE5 ORN) and learn about toileting gradually. While you listen, your child will get to play with a treasure basket. This workshop is suitable for parents with babies under 6 months (or expecting). For more information, contact Helen Murie@1stplaceuk.com (0207 740 870)

* From Public Sector to Social Enterprise, SEL- Wednesday 18 May, 10am – 4.30pm

Social Enterprise London presents a practical introduction to the process of establishing a social enterprise out of a public sector body. It will cover what a social enterprise is and how it can work within the public sector as well as step by step guides to starting a social enterprise and establishing one out of a public department. It will be held at Social Enterprise London, 21 Garden Walk, EC2A 3EQ for a fee of £225 (+VAT) per person. For further information contact matthew@sel.org.uk or 020 7033 2604.
...for more information and to register

* London Green Fair launched - Saturday/Sunday 04/05 June 2011, Regents Park

Spanning two days, the London Green Fair – powered by wind, solar and hydrogen – is an event that reflects the green aspirations and achievements of London, as well as providing an enjoyable and engaging day out for people from all walks of life. Building on the success of the 18 year history of Camden Green Fair, the London Green Fair is a natural progression and exciting evolution for this original and great event. In the prestigious setting of The Regent’s Park, central London – with covered and open-air environments – the London Green Fair will be an interactive smorgasbord of both serious and suggestive takes on the environmental issues that affect Londoners. Campaigners please note - the closing date for stall applications is May 13th, so if you want to book your place and guarantee your audience, you should act now to avoid disappointment.
...for more about the London Green Fair  

* Mutual Aid Fund: Learning to Lend - July 2011

Are you a community organisation with a close relationship with your members? Have you identified a need for affordable and accessible small loans in your community? Are you committed to tackling that need? Mutual Aid Fund is a scheme aiming to enable community organisations to start a micro-loan fund for the benefit of their members. Being close to the members and their needs means that the organisation can use
the fund to design financial products that are accessible, affordable, and appropriate for their members.The lending activity not only enables the organisations to meet their members' needs better, it also helps them move away from grant dependency and towards developing into social enterprises.

London Rebuilding Society gives training on how to run a loan fund (six-day ‘Learning to Lend’ course), makes a loan to your organisation to create the loan fund (optional), provides support and advice throughout the process and offers peer networking and learning opportunities. For more information, please contact Lana Hersak, Community Microfinance Development Manager, on 020 7862 1666 or email Lana.Hersak@londonrebuilding.com
...for more about the London Rebuilding Society

Events Coordination Intern –working closely with one of our directors to support the Events function. This voluntary internship offers an excellent introduction to environmentally minded events coordination and the opportunity to further develop organisational and production skills.
For more info download the document here: Events Coordinator Internship Role Description

Workshop Coordinator Intern –working closely with one of our directors to support the aims and ambitions of the organisation. This voluntary internship offers an excellent introduction to environmental education via different modes of teaching, and the opportunity to further develop presentation and effective communication skills.
For more info download the document here: Workshop Coordinator Internship Role Description

Fundraising Volunteer -  conducting research and making recommendations for new funding opportunities and to help with obtaining funding via bid writing and relationship building so that Magnificent Revolution reaches, and exceeds, its funding targets.
For more info download the document here: Fundraising Volunteer Role Description

Sales and Marketing Volunteer - advertising and pitching innovative products to new and existing customers; to identify new markets and businesses opportunities.
For more info download the document here: Sales & Marketing Volunteer Role Description

For more information on any of these internships, contact Barbora at volunteer@magnificentrevolution.org

* Community Outreach positions at The Mill @ Coppermill (x2)

The Mill is the newest community space in Walthamstow, East London, linking diverse groups and building a sense of neighbourliness and social capital. Formed by a group of residents who have secured an old library building, and a year’s NESTA funding, we have two full time positions to fill. Both roles will need someone who is flexible and patient as we adapt to the changing demands.

Community Organiser £29,000 - £33,000 (40 hrs/week, incl. weekends, can be offered on job share)
This role will be the public face of The Mill, spending about 50% of the time in the office and 50% in outreach, encouraging use of the centre. The ideal candidate will be enthusiastic, proactive, and a good listener, able to understand what people want from a community space.

Community Administrator - £25,000 - £29,200 (40 hrs/week, incl. weekends, can be offered on job share)
This role will be the person who makes it work behind the scenes. The ideal candidate will be a practical and resourceful administrator with book keeping experience and the ability to cope with varied requests from diverse people. You will need to be well organised and have experience of buildings management as well as a great track record in dealing with the public and co-ordinating volunteers.
Deadline: Friday 06 May 2011
…for more information and to apply

* Events Fundraiser at Friends of the Earth – up to £29,535

In this exciting new role, you’ll manage a brand new fundraising challenge – the Big Green Bike Ride – recruiting riders and supporting them as they raise funds and prepare for their ride. Joining our Fundraising and Supporter Development team, you’ll need exceptional project management skills, an eye for marketing challenge events, and a natural ability to motivate and inspire people. Above all, you’ll need the imagination and drive to make this event a fundraising success and build it into the future.
Deadline: Thursday 12 May 2011
...for more information and to apply

* Recycling Assistant, London Borough of Hackney - £25,515 - £27,009 (36 hrs/week)

As part of their Neighbourhoods & Regeneration team, the London Borough of Hackney is seeking a focused and confident forward-thinker to help implement the Waste and Recycling strategy. The responsibilities required during this 12 month contract range from administration, organisation, promotion, delivery and monitoring of kerbside and communal recycling schemes. The ideal candidate will be flexible, able to multi-task and demonstrate the ability to communicate and present useful information and ideas clearly and helpfully to residents and colleagues.
Deadline: Sunday 15 May 2011
…for more information and to apply

* Development Worker at Hornbeam Environmental Centre (E17 9AH ) - £11.50/hour, 18 hours/ week

The Hornbeam is organised and run by its users, providing a community cafe, a base for local food and environmental education projects, and a space for people to find out what’s going on locally and how to get involved.  They are looking to fill a new post to develop the Centre to become financially sustainable whilst remaining a hub for environmental and social action in the London Borough of Waltham Forest and surrounding areas. The person in this role will build engagement by increasing community participation and use of the Centre and work to maximise self-generated income.
...for more information and to apply
Deadline: Friday 25 May 2011

Five men arrested in connection with the Mill Hill scrap yard fire which closed parts of the M1 motorway have been released on bail. The five men, aged between 14 and 17 were arrested in a series of early morning arrests across Barnet and Harrow in the early hours of Wednesday 27 April and will be subject to further enquiries in mid-June. The investigation has been linked by CID officers with a series of “suspicious” fires which have broken out across the borough in April.

Barnet borough Detective Chief Inspector Mark Roycroft said: “Although we are pursuing a number of active leads into these fires we would still ask that anyone who has any information about these crimes contact Barnet police. Your information could be invaluable to the investigation and bringing those responsible to justice”. The scrap yard fire, which occurred in the early hours of 15 April at Apex Metal Recycling, caused “serious damage” to the yard and required the London Fire Brigade to evacuate nearby homes due to the presence of heated gas cylinders in the yard.
...for more on this story from MRW

Related Story: Spate of fires hit waste sector over Bank Holiday
Fires at waste management sites across the UK over the Bank Holiday weekend has prompted concerns over whether waste and recycling operations may be “easy prey” for arsonists.
(click here for more)

International Compost Awareness Week 2011 has kicked off under the banner of ‘passing on’ composting and gardening knowledge. The event, which represents the 11th year of the international campaign designed to promote composting, began on Sunday May 1 and will run to Saturday May 7. In the UK, the Week involves councils, retailers and community groups across the country holding initiatives and campaigns around issues such as home composting and the use of peat-free compost. At its core, the concept of ‘passing on’ aims to involve those who have never composted before by offering advice on how to get started or provide additional information on compostable items to those that have already undertaken some composting. And, other efforts such as using peat-free compost for the first time, as well as providing more background for gardeners, particularly those with no green waste or minimal space, looking to use wormeries.

A new addition for Compost Awareness Week 2011 is also the onus being placed on the use of social media. Supporting documents published by the Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP) encourage participants to make use of Facebook and Twitter to update residents of composting initiatives over the course of the week. For example, using the Twitter hashtag #caw2011.The supporting documents also present Worcestershire county council as a case study and draw attention to its ‘composting clinics’, which it has run for the last few years. For the 2011 Compost Awareness Week, Worcestershire is pushing the message of home composting and encouraging residents to purchase home composting bins. It claims that 90,000 residents have already taken advantage of the councils subsidy on bins and is continuing to offer bins at a discounted rate. Waste management and recycling company LondonWaste is holding a compost giveaway at its EcoPark in North London on May 3 and May 4, as well as hosting a ‘compost trail tour’ at the site.
...for more on this story from letsrecycle.com

* Response to Tesco’s bring banks

Tesco has announced plans to remove local authority recycling facilities from its premises in a letter sent to all local authorities. LARAC principal policy officer Andrew Craig said he was “disappointed” with the move, which appears to disregard a previous code of practice agreed in 1999 between the organisation and the British Retail Consortium (BRC) on the operation of supermarket recycling facilities. Craig added that Tesco has asked councils for agreements which involve payments for the upkeep of recycling facilities, in exchange for data on the tonnages recycled, although he added that Tesco haven’t, in every case, require to be paid a full recycling credit.

Other major supermarkets have no plans to follow suit. A Sainsbury’s spokesman said: “We are aware of the challenges facing councils’ recycling budgets and we currently have no plans to change our procedures. If councils wish to alter their recycling systems, we will negotiate with each council on a case by case basis.” A Waitrose spokesman said: “We are committed to helping our customers recycle and we provide recycling facilities in our car parks wherever possible.  The vast majority of these facilities are council-run and we have no plans to change this.” LGA environment board vice chairman Cllr Clyde Loakes said: “This decision takes a valuable revenue stream away from councils which was used to reduce the cost to council taxpayers of dealing with municipal waste. Since 2005 retailers have failed to reduce the amount of packaging they produce. In addition, each year more than five million tonnes of edible food waste is discarded, largely because retailers actively encourage consumers to buy more than they can consume. As the market leader Tesco should demonstrate how it will help address these issues to reduce the annual £560 million cost of landfill which falls on council taxpayers.”
...for more on this story from MRW

WWF, one of the world's leading environmental organisations marked fifty years of successful conservation but was reminded of bigger challenges to come. As WWF staff and supporters gathered in Zurich to celebrate their half-century, guest of honour Archbishop Desmond Tutu - a long-time champion of fair and sustainable development - warned we live in a world threatened by greed and consumerism.

"Our desire to consume everything of value, to extract every precious stone, every drop of oil and every creature from the sea knows no bounds. This quest for profit subverts our present and our future. There are too many people who are getting better and better at exploiting the environmental heritage which belongs to us all. We are not heading for an environmental disaster - we have already created one. We are meant to live in a world which we share, and we are meant to live as members of one family And yet whenever we look around, isn't it devastating to see the inequities and levels of poverty? Our population is increasing, environmental degradation is increasing. How do we resolve these inequities when all we are told is growth, growth, growth? There is enough for everyone - but not enough for our greed. There's enough for us all to live a full life - so why do we want to destroy the only home we have?"
...for more on this story from WWF

* Project launched to support community renewable energy growth

The Co-operative Group and Co-operatives UK are joining forces to work on a new piece of research to support the development of community renewable energy in the UK. With increasing levels of local innovation in the field of community renewable energy, The Co-operative Group has commissioned Co-operatives UK to work in partnership with existing renewable energy co-operatives on research to examine current practical and policy challenges. The action research project, Community Energy, which will be completed in March 2012, will address the urgent need to understand how to support new co-operative and community-owned initiatives to network, share learning and develop a coherent voice in the energy policy debate.

The Co-operative Group, through advice and support delivered by The Co operative Enterprise Hub and finance through The Co-operative Bank, is already a leader in the community renewable energy sector. And now with its new Ethical Operating Plan – the ‘Join the Revolution’ campaign – The Co-operative Group is making even bolder commitments to investing £11m to support the growth and development of co-operatives by 2013, and to extending commercial lending in the area of energy efficiency and renewables from £400m to £1bn.
...for more on this story from ClickGreen

* Can the NHS ever be green?

While slow to enter the choppy waters of sustainable development, the healthcare sector is now making up for lost time by addressing its own contribution to climate change and the pressing need to become ‘future proof’. In February 2011 the NHS Sustainable Development Unit (SDU) for England published its ‘Route Map for Sustainable Development’, a blueprint for a sustainable health service. For an organisation still in its infancy – having formed in 2008 – the SDU has made impressive strides towards visualising a sustainable health system and the components needed to achieve it. Using the Triple Bottom Line (TBL) approach - an accepted way of analysing an organization’s economic, social and environmental impacts and performance as well as its capacity for sustainable growth - it is examining a broad range of areas in which the NHS can become more resource efficient, including buildings that encourage low carbon use, lowering the carbon impact of procurement, minimising the creation of waste, ensuring efficient water use and promoting care closer to home.

Contribution to climate change is not the only damaging environmental impact associated with western mainstream medicine. In the past decade there has been increasing concern over pollution of the aquatic environment by pharmaceuticals, most visible in developing countries where cheap drugs are produced for the massive Western markets of the US and Europe. One drug manufacturing area in India has been described by scientists as ‘Bhopal in slow motion’. Away from such manufacturing centres, pharmaceuticals are now a widespread source of chemical pollution and have infiltrated aquatic ecosystems around the globe. This is because bioactive chemicals that are ingested or applied to the skin ultimately enter the water system, either through lavatories or through bathing and showering. Trace amounts of numerous different human and veterinary medicines can now be detected as far afield as the Arctic, while drinking water in major cities around the world is contaminated by low concentrations of sex hormones, antibiotics and antidepressants - all of which have the potential to interfere with complex biological functions. Aquatic toxicologists have warned that climate change will cause differences in the movement, quality and distribution of water that could affect stream acidity all over the world. This change in pH could increase the toxicity of pharmaceutical contaminants in fresh waters.
...for more on this story from the Ecologist

Festivals: the green guide
Here’s our pick of the best (and greenest) festivals around.The ultra green one: Green Man; The one for city slickers: London Green Fair; The literary one: Hay-on-Wye Festival; The international one: Roskilde Festival
(click here for more)

Royal Wedding triggered record energy demand on National Grid

National Grid's control room managed the demand of a million kettles being turned on at once. The surge of 2,400 MW when television coverage passes back to the studio after the procession to Buckingham Palace is the fourth highest ever surge in demand due to a television programme.
(click here for more)

Five charities in the London Borough of Harrow have forced the council to review its decision to cut their funding by using a 'call-in' system that allows residents to challenge policies. The system, which applies to councils that use an executive decision-making process, means they must reconsider a decision if it is challenged by more than 150 people. Charities including Harrow & Wealdstone Shopmobility and the Harrow Association of Disabled People have collected petitions from service users and other local residents calling on the council to review its decision to cut their grants. The council has recently announced it would reduce the number of voluntary sector grants that it awards from 91 to 31 after making a cut of 15 per cent to its voluntary sector budget.

A spokeswoman for Harrow Council said its cabinet would have to review its decision to cut the charities' funding, but added it would be free to reaffirm its original decision. Representatives of the charities will outline the effects of the funding cuts and explain why they feel the authority should change its mind at a council meeting on 4 May. Helen Dashwood, manager of Harrow & Wealdstone Shopmobility, said the charity had collected 500 signatures from residents on a petition that asked the council to reinstate its funding. "I do understand there are a lot of groups looking for the money, but the council's system for deciding who to fund has not been fair," she said. "Without this funding, the charity will close down. This will have a disastrous effect on disabled people in Harrow who are trying to live independently.”
...for more on this story from Third Sector Magazine

* Rise in London Living Wage puts £5.5 million in pockets of capital’s low paid workers

The Mayor of London Boris Johnson has announced that the London Living Wage will increase by more than five per cent to £8.30 per hour. The latest rise reflects the high level of RPI inflation, which has raised the cost of living and resulted in the need for the rate to increase to ensure recipients do not suffer a fall in real living standards. More than 100 London-based employers have now signed up to the London Living Wage, a three-fold increase on the 27 who had committed to the policy when the Mayor was elected in 2008. Nearly all major banks in London and all the major law firms pay the London Living Wage, and across the GLA Group, more than 3,000 employees receive the wage. Research carried out by Queen Mary University of London estimates that since its introduction in 2005, the London Living Wage has benefited almost 10,000 workers boosting their pay by an extra £60 million. Workers in the capital currently paid the living wage will see an extra £5.5 million in their pocket once the new rate is applied.

The new rate is outlined in the seventh annual London Living Wage report, A Fairer London: The 2011 Living Wage in London, which has been published today by GLA Economics. The report concludes an hourly wage rate of 22 per cent above the National Minimum Wage (NMW) rate is needed in London just to take the wage-earner above the poverty level. Around one in 10 workers in the capital currently receive less than the poverty threshold, and one in six receive less than the £8.30 London Living Wage.
...for more on this story from the Mayor of London

* London Voluntary Organisations Urged to Respond to Cuts Survey

London Voluntary Service Council (LVSC) and its partners have launched ‘Big Squeeze’ survey to measure the impact of the recession and public spending cuts on the capital’s voluntary and community sector. The survey seeking is responses from organisations across London’s voluntary sector to create a full picture on the impact of cuts to their services and beneficaries. The information gathered can help influence strategic policy and decision-makers to understand the impact of recent cuts and the recession and how this affects Londoners reliant on voluntary services.

The survey includes questions about: How the economy and changes in policy are affecting clients, demand on services and impacting on organisations;The impact of funding cuts on Londoners; Lessons learned from challenges faced and how that learning can be taken forward.
Deadline: Friday 27 May 2011
...to respond to the Big Squeeze Survey

* Capital Growth – Local Lead

Local community organizations in specified boroughs (see website) are being given the opportunity to work in partnership with Capital Growth, through running a local food-growing network.  Funding of up to £1000 per borough is available towards costs for running activities for organisations wishing to become a Capital Growth Local Lead.  The role of the Local Leads is to build on local activity and initiatives and develop further opportunities for local food-growing projects to share information, resources and develop ideas.
...for more information and to apply
Deadline: Wednesday 4th May, 5pm.

* TENDER: North London Give & Take days

The seven boroughs of Barnet, Camden, Enfield, Hackney, Haringey, Islington and Waltham Forest have come together with the North London Waste Authority (NLWA) to deliver a series of Give and Take days to encourage people to reduce the amount of waste that they throw away. NLWA is now seeking proposals for the delivery of fourteen Give and Take Days between September and November 2011 as part of north London’s waste prevention programme. If you are interested in the delivery of the Give and Take Days please request a tender specification by putting your request in writing to: Dimitra Rappou, Waste Prevention Officer, North London Waste Authority, Unit 169, Lee Valley Technopark, Ashley Road, Tottenham, London, N17 9LN or email: dimitra.rappou@nlwa.gov.uk
Deadline: 12 noon, Thursday 05 May 2011

* TENDER: Bikeability cycle training delivery agent

The Government is committed to supporting bikeability for the remainder of this parliament. The department is now seeking a partner to manage bikeability on its behalf, and manage the grant funding for child bikeability training in England from the start of the 2011/12 financial year. The amount of the grant available to be distributed will be 11 000 000 GBP in 2011/12, with further grant totals to be confirmed for 2012/13 to 2014/15. The department requires the contractor to provide a number of core services to both the department and bikeability partners.
Deadline: Monday 09 May 2011
...for more information

* Funding Opportunity for individuals, groups, or non-profit/ civil society organizations in Wandsworth

The Wandsworth Big Society Fund (small grants fund) will fund projects which: (a) Encourage, promote and support active citizenship, civic action and volunteering; (b) Support the aims of the borough’s sustainable community strategy to make Wandsworth safer, healthier, more prosperous and sustainable; (c) Show support from within the relevant community; and (d) Draw in other resources from the community or elsewhere to complement the Council’s contribution. The Fund is now open for applications and bidding deadlines for this year are 31st May and 17th October 2011.
...for more information and to apply.

* New Green Equipment Investment Fund Open to Applications

The Carbon Trust and Siemens Financial Services have jointly launched a new scheme designed to provide flexible financing options to all types of organisations seeking to lower their energy costs and make their operations more efficient. The Energy Efficiency Financing Scheme, which has an overall budget of £550 million over the next three years, is the first of its kind. It will enable UK businesses to invest in cost effective energy efficiency equipment and other low carbon technologies, such as new efficient lighting and biomass heating. Loans and other financing options will be provided to fund equipment that can lower energy bills, with payments calculated so that they may be offset by the anticipated energy savings. Financing can be arranged from a minimum of £1,000, with no upper limits. The scheme is available to all kinds of businesses and organisations operating in the UK, from sole traders and partnerships through to large corporate enterprises, local authorities and other public sector organisations. Applications may be submitted at any time.
...for more information and to apply

* The 'Sperm Bike' Carries Donor Samples to Fertility Clinics Around Copenhagen

Copenhagen is a paradise for cyclists and a city that the rest of the world could learn a lot from. One of the things that make biking so convenient there is the use of cargo bikes. This one is the 'Sperm Bullitt' and it belongs to the Nordisk Cryobank.
...for more on this story from TreeHugger