Page 30 - link magazine

The Link Magazine • August 1997
30
FORD & Following the New York summit conference on the world environment at the end of June,
Jean Saunders of Swindon Friends of the Earth asks:
VAUXHALL Is the future safe in your hands?

OLD TOWN BREAKERS
oday the average Brit is tries needed to act responsibly and Furthermore, intensive farming
CAR & COMMERCIAL DISMANTLERS
driving farther by car, pro reduce levels of greenhouse gases is heavily subsidised whilst or-
Top cash prices paid Tducing more waste and us- linked with climate change. ganic farming receives little help.
All parts off the shelf ing more water and energy. Britain has met the current tar- Big fields and the use of pesticides
60 day guarantee Meanwhile, the world is in cri- get but with a decline in manufac- mean there is also an environmen-
-
Did newn I sis, with three-quarters of its re- turing industry, which means that tal bill to pay: loss of wildlife, habi-
Open 7 days \ Breakers! Iw sources being consumed by a quar- other countries are being asked to tats and natural predators.
Tel/fax '5 ter of its population, a consump- bear the environmental cost of the We all want 'freedom of choice',
01793 480020 tion that is also to blame for most energy and resources used to make but how often do we stop to think
Mobile I. of the pollution. Five years ago the goods we buy and sell. about the effect of our lifestyle on
Bath Rd world leaders met in Brazil to ad- Taxing pollution and non-re- others? What is the environmen-
0589 050506
Little London Newport st\ \ dress this problem, agreeing a glo- newable resources would be a step tal and social impact of us being
Old Town, Swindon bal action plan call Agenda 21 in the right direction particularly able to fly and drive wherever we
which recognised that rich coun- if the revenue is used to provide want? How have the cash crops
alternatives such as affordable we demand such as tobacco, tea,
public transport and insulating coffee and flowers damaged third
houses. Fossil fuels are still too world countries that produce
PARTS>< MART cheap and energy efficient tech- them? Closer to home, is it right to
nology is not encouraged. Nearly water the lawn when groundwater
a third of all energy is used in the is being depleted and rivers are
Spare parts for all home home yet the average British dwell- running dry, or throw away valu-
ing consumes ten times more able materials that could be re-
power than houses being built else- used or recycled? Is it necessary to
appliances by Mail Order where in Europe. Consequently 'kill all known germs', insist on
the recent budget should have re- washing being 'whiter than white',
duced VAT on energy-saving blitz and blight nature so as to
goods and not fuel bills. destroy all garden 'pests'?
Why pay more when you can fit it yourself?
Shoppers are unaware of the true Caring for the environment and
price of what they buy. Organic others is about global citizenship,
Telephone: (0 1793) 537800 produce seems expensive but there taking responsibility for your own
is the hidden cost of removing actions, being aware and making
Spare parts for all popular makes
agro-chemicals used in intensive sound choices about what you buy
Unit 8, Pembroke Centre, Cheney Manor, Swindon farming from our water. A situa- and how you choose to live. Is it
tion not helped by the fact that really a sacrifice to give up what
more and more of these chemicals you don't need, to preserve what
are required to revive soil ex- you do? You can do it, it's good for
WANTED hausted by forced production. society and it's good for your soul.
Swindon recyclers break record,
AT A FAIR PRICE
but target still long way off
Domestic appliances (washing machines,
refrigerators, cookers etc) also TV/VCR & HiFi
All items must be less than three years old,
of good quality and in tidy condition

Tel: Swindon 525807

- The Bargain Centre
152 - 154 Cricklade Road, GorsehiH, Swindon

FOR YOUR GENERAL CREDIT CARDS & SWITCH
ACCEPTED
BUILDING SUPPLIES
ALL TYPES AND QUANTITIES OF SAND• GRAVEL With summer gardening in full swing, Swindon Council is campaign-
STONE• SHINGLE• CEMENT* PAVING
BRICKS* BLOCKS • PLASTER• PLASTERBOARD ing hard to get people to recycle more organic material. About 30% of
010 PLASTIC UNDERGROUND PIPING all household waste is made up of kitchen vegetable scraps and garden
TOPSOIL • LORRY HIRE clippings and cuttings. At present it goes straight into landfill, but it can
• BUILDERS WASTE DISPOSAL SERVICE just as easily be composted in the garden and reused to improve soil.
• FREE LOCAL DELIVERY*
The council are offering compost bins made from 95% recycled
For Friendly Helpful Service plastic at a really special price of just £16- about half the normal price.
• ...•••. Call the Swindon Composter credit card hotline on 0345 660699. Or
talk to the council's recycling officer Sean Spencer-Wort on 466079.
HARVEYS
Over 3,000 Swindon Composter bins have been sold sinceMay. Cyril Dollimore
Now Builders Merchants from Laurel Court, Upper Stratton bought the three-thousandths bin and won
Swindon 643744 a home composting kit worth over £20. He is pictured above with, John
McCulloch of compost bin makers Blackwall Ltd., left, and Swindon Council
Unit 7 • Bramble Close • Swindon SN2 60W
recycling officer Sean Spencer-Wart.