IMPACTS Autumn 08

Dear Contact,

While we are going to keep all our online materials free for anybody to access online, we realise that not everybody can sit on broadband all day. So we have opened an EBay SHOP selling CDs and hard copies of our programmes. Bookmark (Ctrl + D) the shop as more products will become available shorlty.

Sustainable Food

Still No1 in google for "sustainable food" - try it! Our front page was getting confused, but we didnt want to loose the top spot. We have taken the plunge and maintained the position. You can now access a wealth of information, particularly on new conferences and reports.

Our Director, Dr Charlie Clutterbuck, spoke at Newcastle Agricultural Society on Sustainable Food, is lined up to speak at QE Hall on "Feeding the World - is GM fit for Purpose?" and is chairing a workshop at the Co-op's Ethical Shopping: the producers' perspective.

We have added a new category to our SF Guide on "Soil". The soil is often treated like dirt, partly becuase of a decline in the number of soil scientists and uninversity departments. As Dr Charlie is a Soil Zoologist, he is particulalry concerened that without these skills, our land management will not be sustainable.

Environmental Practices The 'Developing Environmental Awareness' qualification (awarded by Open College North West) has been extended to include 2 new units - one for Carbon Use and one for Promoting Sustainable Food. the latter means we now have a vocational related qualification promoting more sustainable food!. To celebrate, we have produced online learning support materials for tutors and learners, complete with appropriate activities throughout. Have a look at Develop - & email for details and discuss how to promote your company.

There are a couple of powerpoint presentations on the role trade unions promoting improved environmental practices - one in Birmingham (in English) and one in Paris, in French(ish).

Arising from these talks, we have developed a way to carry out an Envirornmental Risk Assessment appropriate for people at work who have the freedom to move around (Level 3), such as supervisors, trade union reps and skilled workers. We have used the Level 3 H&S qualification as a model (see below), replacing "hazards" with "impacts".

Health & Safety Practices

To add to our free online learning materials for workers at Level 2 (written to international SCORM compliance standards), we now have Level 3 online materials. Keep you eye on H&S Level 3. The full programme will be available next week.

Carbon Counting

The USA President-elect Barrack Obama has clear targets for 25 percent of energy consumed in the U.S. by 2025 to come from renewable sources. He sees climate change both as a major global threat and a unique business opportunity. Carbon counting and energy use will become more imperative now that the US are commited to change. Keep your eye on our Noticeboard for updates...
Carbon Use VRQ Unit