Earth Cafe launches Environmental Sustainability Action Forum

If the passing Ospreys sighted in Rochdale recently happened to be soaring across from the town hall clock spire above the Esplanade to Touchstones last Monday evening they would have been ariel spectators to what was almost certainly the largest environmental meeting to be held in our town for a number of years.

An assembled audience of some fifty people participated in the first of a series of meetings under the umbrella of the newly launched Environmental Sustainability Action Forum; a green offshoot of Rochdale’s very own Cooperative Social Enterprise and aspiring Environmental Centre Earth Café.

It was a lively, enthusiastic and diverse audience which included Rochdale’s Liberal Democrat MP Paul Rowen, Samir Chaterjee, Rochdale Green Party and Rochdale Labour Party activists, who all took time out from their busy election schedules to attend at intervals during the evening.

Church Groups, Community Centres, Rochdale Fair Trade Foundation, Save Spodden Valley Campaign, Rochdale World Development Movement, Rochdale Rotary Club, Rochdale & Milnrow Friends of the Earth all rubbed shoulders with veteran peace campaigners and Environmental Officers from RMBC, former tree house dwellers from Newbury By Pass Campaign and Greenpeace, who took the time out from their busy lives to attend the launch meeting.

Earth Cafe Founder Helen McCarthy chaired the evening speaking passionately of the need to engage the community in local community and environmental initiatives.

Helen McCarthy said: "Earth Café aims to try and articulate and be an advocate for the local community giving a voice to the community’s vision of what “Sustainability” means to them. From energy saving, recycling & renewables to local initiatives such as Transition Towns, green shoots are springing up all over the country as local pressure is being put on Councils to respond to the real challenges posed by climate change. We can all make what initially may seem to be small changes to our lives to make our Borough sustainable, greener and a more pleasant place to live, love the place you live and help to make a difference by starting at home”.

Ben McCarron of Manchester Friends of the Earth painted a necessarily bleak picture of what may be in store with Peak Oil. The pesticides, fertilizers and plastics dependent on oil would also go along with our love affair with the car, meaning starvation and mass migration of millions of climate refugees could well become widespread long before the sea levels rise with possible climate change.

Pointing out that the recent volcano eruption & the grounding of all flights from British Airports is in its unexpected and unplanned nature exactly the same type of events we can expect to encounter in the future in terms of climate change.

But there are positive solutions if people begin to live more sustainably and adopt more environmentally friendly lifestyles.

Executive Director of Merci, Caroline Downey, herself another Rochdale resident gave an illustrated talk on how Bridge 5 Mill, once a derelict Silk Mill was reclaimed by a handful of committed individuals and transformed into the greenest building in Manchester.

Karen Hayday gave a well received motivational speech on the activities of Hourglass Environmental Ltd to set up community allotments, Wildflower Meadows, Butterfly Bar and Wild Walk & Wetland Planting at the Valley Road Community Leisure Gardens & Food Growing Projects at Kitkholt and Falinge. This will enable people to grow their own food and reclaim derelict or neglected community land on the estates of the town.

Karen Hayday said: "In July 2009 Hourglasses Growth Project won the North West in Bloom Grow Your Own Award being singled out for its horticultural excellence, and its ability to involve, support & develop beneficiaries within a top quality local food project"

"We are currently based at the Kellet Street site where we provide opportunities, experience and informal training for local residents to enable them to use their skills to improve the environment in their immediate locality through growing a wide range of plants and vegetables both in the countryside and on the streets and on balconies”, said Karen to a round of applause and cheers for her project and dedication.

With the remainder of the meeting being dedicated to Ketso feedback workshops asking people to imagine what they would like in a perfect world to happen by 2020 to make Rochdale more sustainable and environmentally aware.

Andrew Wastling concluded: "Rochdale people have passion, energy and brilliant ideas on how to make our town a green & pleasant town where we can all live sustainably. Earth Café intend to continue giving people a voice for these ideas, we now need someone in the Council to begin to listen"

Earth Café is a home grown vision of an environmental Cooperative Social Enterprise committed to promoting environmental sustainability & environmental awareness in Rochdale Borough. 

The Environmental Sustainability Action Forum was a prelude to a one day Environmental Conference on the theme of sustainability & climate change & the local response to growing environmental concerns within Rochdale.