Our members support local, national and international "Green" projects…
Rotary International seventh area of focus is "Protecting the Environment". Truro Evolution members are making a difference and are involved in many projects. Locally, you will find the "Evolution Elves" clearing up litter and debris left around our local beauty spots and amenities, including the area at Coosebean where we support the Friends of Coosebean.
Water Testing
We continue with our monthly water testing of the River Kenwyn, and in July we met Green Rangers Ben Slattery and Anna Cormier, together with a year 11 work experience student from Penair School, who recorded the data with recommendations from us. The aim was to compare how our respective river watch teams carry out observations.
We collected data form the general ecosystem and conducted our water quality observations with particular regard to any evidence of pollution. We will continue to keep in contact and keep an eye on each of our team's monthly observations.
We collected data form the general ecosystem and conducted our water quality observations with particular regard to any evidence of pollution. We will continue to keep in contact and keep an eye on each of our team's monthly observations.
We spent a sunny day testing the River Kenwyn recently. We are proud to be Citizen Scientific Investigators working with the Westcountry Rivers Trust to survey and monitor the river. The aims of the project include producing data to identify degrading water bodies and to spot pollution events so that they can be identified as soon as possible. For more information see wrt.org.uk
The Evolution Elves...Keeping Truro Clean
The Evolution Elves pop up in all sorts of places, taking away the rubbish that you may have forgotten?
Occasionally, you will find our little stones, hand-painted just to remind you that we've been. Here we are at Coosebean in Truro.
Thanks to a grant from Cornwall Council, local community chest, we were able to source loads of litter-picking equipment that help us to do this safely.
Occasionally, you will find our little stones, hand-painted just to remind you that we've been. Here we are at Coosebean in Truro.
Thanks to a grant from Cornwall Council, local community chest, we were able to source loads of litter-picking equipment that help us to do this safely.
Let us know if you have ideas? We have the litter pickers and several pairs of hands.
Riverside Clean Truro - Boscawen ParkMembers and friends from Truro Evolution and Redruth Rotarians joined Emily from Beach Guardian for the riverside beach clean at Boscawen Park. We picked up 176 kilos of rubbish from the side of the riverbank in two hours!
What is the Beach Guardian initiative? |
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Save the Bees
Truro Rotarians enjoyed a fascinating talk from Martin Wayman, on the amazing life of the bee, how he helps to keep this vital insect a vibrant and healthy part of the world around us and why our lives and planet rely on bees and their fellow wasps, insects and even flies. We learnt to ditch the "swatter" and to enjoy and appreciate the buzz around us. We learnt to appreciate every drop of honey and that a happy bee is a buzzy bee who can keep the sting in its tail.
Seedbombs
Here's a link to how you can create your own seedbombs to beautify your surroundings and feed the bees! Did you know that bees loves blues and lilacs, hence the lavender attracts loads of interest.
how-to-make_seedbombs_-_land_trust.pdf
Here's a link to how you can create your own seedbombs to beautify your surroundings and feed the bees! Did you know that bees loves blues and lilacs, hence the lavender attracts loads of interest.
how-to-make_seedbombs_-_land_trust.pdf
Tree planting, Coosebean Truro
Some members of the Green Team joined the Truro Park Rangers and Friends of Coosebean in tree planting of several varieties including wild cherry. We then constructed a small natural fence from hazel to protect the path.
We are delighted that we were successful in our application to the Woodland Trust for some saplings. Thanks to the support of Head Ranger, Chris Waddle these were planted in some of the Truro Green Community areas. This was our contribution to the Big Green Canopy as part of the Queens Platinum Jubilee celebration.
Beavers are back in Cornwall!
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A group of Rotarians went to visit this wonderful location and were delighted to see the beavers in this amazing habitat. It really is worth the visit!
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A 5 acre/2 hectare area of plantation woodland along Nankilly water, a stream at Woodland Valley Farm near Ladock, has been fenced to create a beaver enclosure. Two adult beavers, one male, one female, were released into a pond on-site and have been left to re-engineer the area through dam and canal building. The beavers were released in June 2017 and began dam building after just 2 nights. Dams are continually being extended by the beavers and new ones constructed; every week there is a noticeable change.
A Trip to the Suez!
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An organised trip to the “Suez Materials Recycling Facility”, at Bodmin, provided us with an opportunity to gain a better understanding of recyclable materials and how we can improve our approach towards domestic waste recycling.
Our visit started with a session, where we enjoyed a talk from our guide, then donned hi-vis vests and headphones for a tour of the recycling waste - receiving, sorting, and bailing plant, viewing this from a raised platform. Thereafter, we returned to the classroom to reflect on what we had just seen, followed by a quiz. |
Our guide covered several topics concerning ways of recycling all types of material that one finds at their local household waste recycling centre. She also informed us about Resource (Reuse and Recycle) shops, the swap bookshelf at the local library, unaccepted plants to be placed in green waste, as well as other recycling topics.A highlight of her talk was bringing together the 4R’s:
Refuse don’t buy if not really needed Reduce limit the amount of waste we create, Reuse take your own mug when visiting a cafe Recycle save creating new products. Report on the Suez visit |
Plastic Pollution
Read this distressing report from our SW Rotary Plastics Workshop.
Did you know?
Did you know?
Put in context…if you were a Roman soldier and you chucked away your water bottle on Hadrian’s Wall….
the archaeologist finding it in 2022 might still be able to use it.
the archaeologist finding it in 2022 might still be able to use it.
Our club's "Green Pledges"
Riverside, countryside, beaches, the city centre and open spaces, all deserve to be treated well and appreciated!
Interesting environmental projects
These projects were all presented at the 2021 District conference.
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National Lobster Hatchery
The National Lobster Hatchery is a marine conservation, research and education charity based in Padstow, Cornwall, UK. What makes us unique is that our work is specifically related to a commercial species – The European Lobster and in the last few years we have successfully established ourselves as a centre of expertise on a global scale. Surfers Against Sewage Surfers Against Sewage is a national marine conservation and campaigning charity that inspires, unites and empowers communities to take action to protect oceans, beaches, waves and wildlife. "Live lightly on this world as we only have the one. Stop over producing and stop making people live such hard lives, just to earn a crust. We are aiming for right livelihoods and creative solutions. Keep it local and simple: appropriate and as gentle as can be"
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Solar Bricks
Researchers from England’s University of Exeter have created a new technology they say "could revolutionise the construction industry".Academics from the Engineering, Mathematics and Physical Science department have developed a solar power technology that fits into glass blocks. |
Ganges SUP
A mission to raise awareness for the challenges facing the river, which supports over 450million people who live within the basin. A huge amount of human waste is pumped into river by over-stretched sewage systems and tonnes of single-use plastic end up being carried downstream to the ocean each month. These plastics find their way into our food chain. Addressing this issue on the Ganges, the most polluted big river in the world, is highly important, as it is to address it on hundreds of other watercourses globally.
A mission to raise awareness for the challenges facing the river, which supports over 450million people who live within the basin. A huge amount of human waste is pumped into river by over-stretched sewage systems and tonnes of single-use plastic end up being carried downstream to the ocean each month. These plastics find their way into our food chain. Addressing this issue on the Ganges, the most polluted big river in the world, is highly important, as it is to address it on hundreds of other watercourses globally.