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S o u r c e :
Title of newsletter : Greenway Newsletter
Published by : Greenway Year : 1998, Number : 39 - 40

C O N T E N T

EEBW '98, 6TH ENERGY EFFICIENCY BUSINESS WEEK INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE & EXHIBITION

(October 6-8, 1998, Prague, Czech Republic)

Contact:

    SEVEN
    Slezska 7
    120 56 Prague
    CZECH REPUBLIC
    Tel.: +420.2.2424 7552
    Fax: +420.2.2424 7597
    E-mail: seven@ecn.cz

'MAKING INFO TECHNOLOGY
WORK FOR RENEWABLE ENERGY'

(October 8-9, 1998, Birmingham, UK)

Contact:

Julie Belsten
The Franklin Company
192 Franklin Rd
Birmingham, B30 2HE, UK
Tel.: +44.121.4594 826
Fax: +44.121.4598 206
E-mail: ifs@tfc-bham.demon.co.uk

EPIC'98, 2ND EUROPEAN CONFERENCE ON ENERGY PERFORMENCE & INDOOR CLIMATE IN BUILDING

(November, 19-21, 1998, France)

Contact:

    Laboratoire des Sciences de l'Habitat
    CNRS D 1652, Ecole
    FRANCE
    Nationale des Travaux Publics de l'Etat
    Tel.: +33.4.7204 7027
    Fax: +33.4.7204 7041
    E-mail: secretariat.lash@entpe.fr

ECOTOPIA 1998

(1 - 18 August)

Ecotopia, the 18-day-long gathering of european environmental activists, will this year be held near Freiburg, Germany. The theme: Transport. The dates: 1-18 August. Not to be missed. Come for all or part of the time.

To register, contact the host group:

    Umwelt und Projektwerstatt
    HabsburgerInnen Str.9
    791 04 Freiburg, Germany
    Tel.: +49.761.554 083
    Fax: +49.761.554 084
    E-mail: UMWELTWERKSTATT@3LANDBOX.comlink.apc.org

III. PUBLICATIONS

NEW BRITISH BIKE MAGAZINE

Open Road Ltd., publisher of Bike Culture Quarterly, is launching a purely British cycling magazine. The first issue of this bi-monthly magazine, called Bicycle, is planned for release in March. Contents will include product reports, investigative news, campaign ideas, opinion, events listings and cycle culture.

Pre-publication subscriptions (before March 30) are available for L9.90. Part of the subscription will go towards a campaign to raise the profile of cycling nationwide.

Contact:

    Open Road Ltd., Bike Culture Quarterly and Bycycle
    The Roylor Centre
    James Street
    York YO1 3DW
    ENGLAND
    Tel.: +44.1904.412 200
    Fax: +44.1904.411 155
    E-mail: Peter@bcqedit.demon.co.uk

THE SCIENCE OF SANITY

Edited by John Whitelegg, World Transport Policy & Practice is a high-quality quarterly scientific journal with a firm commitment to sustainable transport. Subscriptions cost £50, or the equivalent of £65 if paid in any other currency. Article submissions encouraged.

Contact:

    Cheques/IMO payable to Eco-Logica Ltd.
    53 Derwent Road
    Lancaster LA1 3ES
    UNITED KINGDOM
    E-mail: pascal@gn.apc.org

INTERNATIONAL FINANCE AND DEVELOPING COUNTRIES IN A YEAR OF CRISIS:
1997 DISCUSSIONS AT THE UNITED NATIONS

As the financial crisis unfolded in Asia in 1997, the UN General Assembly hosted a series of lectures and discussions with prominent authorities on international finance and developing countries. This book contains articles by specialists and includes, among other things, the texts of several UN resolutions on finance.

Available from:

ENVIRONMENT AND DEVELOPMENT
TERMINOLOGY BULLETIN

This two-volume publication lists environment and development terms in the six United Nations official languages: English, French, Spanish, Arabic, Chinese and Russian. The volume is designed to ensure the use of correct titles and nomenclature on new concepts, as well as facilitate understanding and direct contact among the international and research communities.

Available from: 

UN Publications,             UN Publications
2 UN Plaza                   Palais des Nations
Room DC2-853                 CH-1211 Geneva 10
New York NY 10017, U.S.A     SWITZERLAND
Fax: +1212.9633 489          Fax: +41.22.9170 027
E-mail: publications@un.org  E-mail: unpubli@unog.ch

REFWORLD CD-ROM

This full-text database in CD-ROM format, produced by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), contains over 17,000 in-depth reports and analyses on country situations. It includes UNHCR and UN documents; laws and regulations on asylum, nationality and citizenship from more than 150 countries; and worldwide refugee statistics. REFWORLD is updated every six months and is available on an annual subscription basis.

Available from:

    Centre for Documentation and Research, UNHCR
    Case postale 2500
    CH-1211 Geneva 2
    SWITZERLAND
    Fax: +41.22.7397 367
    E-mail: cdr@unhcr.ch

HUMAN ECOLOGY, HUMAN ECONOMY -
IDEAS FOR AN ECOLOGICALLY SUSTAINABLE FUTURE

Basic concepts, case studies, and policy directions. Case studies include: greenhouse response in the energy sector, impact of energy use, urban transport, ecologically sustainable development in Australia.

Edited by Mark Diesendorf and Clive Hamilton.

Book, 378 pages, 1997.

Contact:

SEX, SULPHUR AND A FISHY BUSINESS

The video is scheduled for showing on TV in Sweden and Norway. Its aim: 'shaking up viewers and again getting one of our greatest environmental catastrophes (acidification) high up on the political agenda'.

Video, 58 minutes, gratis, 1997.

Contact:

    The Swedish NGO Secretariat on Acid Rain, Box 7005, 40231 Goteborg, Sweden
    Tel.:+46.31.105 590
    Fax :+46.31.7114 6220
    E-mail:christer.argen@snf.se

STEPPING TOWARDS SUSTAINABILITY IN ENERGY: PRACTICAL PROPOSALS EUROPE

Report of the findings of EASE, 'Energy Alternatives for a Sustainable Europe' campaign, which held 25 seminars on energy issues across Europe. Organisations from 8 European countires worked together on the project.

Main report (English) £20, 1997.

Summary report (English), 24 pages, £5, 1997.

The Summary report is available in Danish, Dutch, English, Finnish, French, Georgian, german, Italian, Lithuanian, Spanish, and Ukrainian.

Contact:

ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES 

No.1: Environmental taxes    No.2: Climate Change

No.3: Environmental          No.4: Local Authorities
Agreements

Reports, each 60 pages, ach 10 ECU, 1996-98

Contact:

IV. IT MIGHT BE INTERESTING/USEFUL TO KNOW

CHEAP, WARM AND ECOLOGICALLY SOUND

The first farmhouse designed under the State Program was built in a few weeks in the village of Mikhedovichi in southeastern Byelorussia. Compared with houses in the village, the straw-bale house saved considerable building costs in both labour and materials. It also uses 3-4 times less heating energy.

Compared to the brick and concrete buildings in the same village, the straw-bale building is much cheaper, warmer, and better for the environment. After being stuccoed, it is very strong, fire resistant, and durable.

More information:

STRAW AS A BUILDING MATERIAL

From very early times straw has been used as building material: mixed with mud and clay, or as roofing material.

The modern straw-based building technique is based on a centuries-old practice in the USE. It was started by early settlers in Nebraska, where lack of traditional building materials forced them to experiment with other materials. The modern use of agricultural baling equipment has turned straw into building blocks.

Roughly, there are two types of building technique:

  • The Nebraska method, in which stacks of straw-bales from the weight-bearing construction of the house.
  • The Post-and-Beam technique with bale in-fill, where a post-and-beam structure carries the weight of the roof.

The houses, covered with a finishing layer of wood or stucco, look like any other house in the area.

The straw has considerable advantages:

  • Insulator - The straw has excellent insulating qualities which minimizes heat losses.
  • Heat accumulator - The massive structure of the straw bale and stucco absorbs large amounts of heat and, then later emits it constantly to the room providing a pleasant indoor climate.
  • Easy to construct - Because the straw bales replace bricks, insulation, and facade materials, their use simplifies the building technique. The basics can be learned in a few days. This allows considerable labour costs to be saved.
  • Inexpensive - As the straw is an agricultural by-product, it is cheap and available in most regions of the world, with little or no transportation cost.

These factors make it well suited selfhelp building method for people with limited resources. It offers a low-cost house that meets high standards.

Office:

CAPITAL RADIO INTERRUPTED BY ENVIRONMENTAL ACTIVISTS

(Great Britain)

On 8 December, 1997, Capital Radio, London's largest independent radio station found its programs broadcast-over intermittently between 7:30 a.m. and 9 a.m. with 'The Climate Change Criminals'. Lasting two minutes and in the style of a 1950's horror movie, the recording exposes the attempts by the oil industry to wreck a satisfactory agreement at the Kyoto climate change negotiations. Perhaps millions of Capital Radio listeners heard the broadcast.

'The Climate Change Criminals' can be heard on the Internet:

http://www.envitolink.org/issue/climate/

PRINCESS DI'S FUNERAL INSPIRES CAR-FREE PROPOSAL

(Great Britain)

Free from noise and pollution, speed and danger, attendees of Princess Diana's funeral were inspired by 'London transformed' as thousands of people filled the streets due to road closures. This stirred up interest in a proposal to pedestrianize the street adjacent to Buckingham Palace, a famous street known as 'The Mall'. Terry Farrell, a leading British architect, has been promoting the idea for several years as a member of the Royal Parks Review group. But now a government committee is considering a car-free Mall as a permanent memorial to Diana, ironic considering she never bothered to walk much herself.

And London Cyclist reported: 'The vision of a car-free mall has also caught the imagination of designer and restaurateur Sir Terence Conran, who would like to see cafes dotted amongst the trees' in view of Changing of the Guard.

CAR-FREE IN VIENNA

(Austria)

The Green Party of Vienna has long worked to realize a local carfree neighborhood. And an exemption from the law requiring one parking space for every apartment was finally obtained. Parking spaces are being provided for car sharing, with some electric vehicles planned for this fleet. If, however, inhabitantsstart to get cars despite their promise to live car-free, a garage will have to be built.

Construction of approximately 250 apartments began in October,1997. Occupancy of the self-governing community is expected during 1998 and 1999.

The future tenants participated in the design process for the community facilities, which include play areas, natural areas including a pond, vegetable gardens, cooperative food purchasing facilities, meeting rooms, and laundromat. The money saved by not building parking facilities is being invested in such things as solar power, solar-powered cooling, gray-water recycling, roof-gardens, sauna, Internet cafe, several areas for children, a party roof, and a bicycle garage.

MORE MOTORWAYS IN KYOTO
DESPITE GLOBAL WARMING

(Japan)

Kyoto, the most famous tourist city in Japan with 1,200 years of history and culture, is about to build the Kyoto Inter-City Expressway. The decisions to build five routes (19.8 km) of expressway were made between 1987 and 1993; now this year one of them is under construction.

These plans were made without the consent of the local residents, some of whom aren't aware of the plan. Propositions have been made to the local government to stop the plan, but they have been refused.

Arai Masaharu

Kyoto Network for Better Transport

E-mail: eas1717@ip.kuec.kyoto-u.ac.jp

VANCOUVER BICYCLISTS FIGHT FOR CAR-FREE STREET

(Canada)

The campaign to reclaim Burrard Street, vancouver, as an alternativetransportation route began 1 December, 1997 at 8 a.m. 'Car-free streets are the way to stop global warming in Vancouver', says Guy Wera of Bicycle People. Burrard Street was chosen because it is the shortest route to the downtown from the most densely populated area in the city. With six lanes and 80,000 cars per day, it also has the first bridge in the city built for cars and trams. The street would be devoted to pedestrian sidewalks and bicycle lanes, which would be shares with other human-powered vehicles and public transport.

Contact:

BRITISH AIR-POLLUTION DEATHS: 24,000 EVERY YEAR

Up to 24,000 people die prematurely each year in the U.K., and a similar number are admitted to hospital following short-term air pollution episodes, a government committee recently said. This is the first official quantitative estimate of the health effects of air pollution in the U.K. and one of the first of Europe. It suggests that the impact is far larger than previously thought. Environmentalists had expected the figure to be around 11,000.

The committee's chairman, Jon Ayres, said yesterday that it was 'inevitable that this report will have underestimated the true health effects of air pollution'. For example, the study does not address the contributions of nitrogen dioxide and carbon monoxide.

Contact:

    U.K. Department of Health
    Tel.: +44.171.2103 000
    Internet: http://www.open.gov.uk/doh/dhhome.htm

    Reference:

    'Quantification of the Effects of Air Pollution on Health in the UK', by the Committee on the Medical Effects of Air Pollution

    WORLD WIND-POWER MARKET GROWTH CONTINUES

    Steady Increase

    Global megawatt (MW) installed capacity increased by 25% to a total of 7,636 MW by the end of 1997. In 1997, a total of 1,566 Mw of new capacity was sold, an increase of 21% over 1996. It is expected that the boost will continue in the years to come. The five-year forecast predicts some 12,600 MW of new installations in the period from 1998 through 2002. This forecast represents a cumulative sales value - 5 years ahead - of 12 billion USD (1997 price level).

    Top Ten

    Ten manufactures supplied 90% of the new wind capacity installed in 1997. The 'Top Ten' is led by Danish companies NEG-Micon, Vestas, Bonus, and the German Enercon. This year, three Spanish companies (Made, Desarollos, Gamesa) and a US company (Zond/Enron) advanced to the list.

    For more information:

    MINISTERS & NGOs TO DISCUSS SUSTAINABLE ENERGY IN JUNE '98

    For the first time, sustainable energy will be on the agenda of the Pan-European Environmental Ministers' Meeting, when they meet in Arhus on June 23-25. Among their topics, they will discuss a European Energy Conservation Initiative, and maybe adopt a guideline for improved energy conservation. They might also discuss nuclear power. The present list of official and NGO events is:

    • Saturday, June 20: Opening of NGO exhibition on environment, sustainable energy, etc.
    • Sunday, June 21: ECO-Forum Meeting, open meeting of the environmental NGOs to set a final strategy for the minister's meeting.
    • Monday, June 22: Open expert meeting on future energy conservation activities in Europe, organised by the Danish Energy Agency.
    • Tuesday, June 23: Ministerial Conference. Parallel INFORSE workshop of NGO activities for energy conservation and success stories of sustainable energy in Central and Eastern Europe.
    • Wednesday, June 24: Ministerial Conference with NGO dialogue session on public participation in environmental decision-making.
    • Thursday, June 25: Ministerial Conference. Parallel INFORSE workshop on renewable-energy education package for email/internet use.
    • Friday, June 26: INFORSE-Europe Meeting.

    Contact:

      Laboratoire des Sciences de l'Habitat
      CNRS D 1652, Ecole
      FRANCE
      Nationale des Travaux Publics de l'Etat
      Tel.: +33.4.7204 7027
      Fax: +33.4.7204 7041
      E-mail: secretariat.lash@entpe.fr

    *******************************************************

    CENTRAL AND EAST EUROPEAN

    ENVIRONMENTAL NGOs NETWORK

    GREENWAY

    NEWSLETTER

    No. 39-40

    1998

    *******************************************************

    The GREENWAY NEWSLETTER, No. 39-40, 1998

    Publisher: GREENWAY

    P.O.Box 163

    814 99 Bratislava

    Slovakia

    tel./fax: +421.7.5414674

    E-mail: greenway@isternet.sk

    Internet: http://www.fns.uniba.sk/zp/greenway/

    Edited by: Elena Vartikova

    Printed in: CANON COPY SHOP, Seberiniho 1, Bratislava, Slovakia

    Printed on 100% recycled paper

S o u r c e :
Title of newsletter : Greenway Newsletter
Published by : Greenway Year : 1998, Number : 39 - 40

ZIVOTNE PROSTREDIE:
Organizacie / Granty / Casopisy / Publikacie / Kalendar / Legislativa
English version