More people should support Oxfam!

First of all I would like to thank you for taking an interest in our blog. You may or may not know about what Oxfam does but we hope to be able to make more people aware and possibly support the organization. We also hope that if you didn’t already agree with what Oxfam does we hope to have changed that.
After reading our blog we hope that you have come around to our way of thinking and support in what they do. An example of something they do would be…

As you probably know, a little while ago there was a horrific earthquake devastating millions of lives in Haiti. Oxfam had helped to save over 420,000 earthquake survivors in Haiti. They provided them with clean water and sanitation, education, shelter and support. Several months on and there are continuing to help provide these people with an income and continuing the services they provided while working to rebuild their communities. We think that Oxfam is an inspirational organization that helps many people who are in difficult situations. A few examples of these are:

• Climate change
• Conflict and Natural disaster victims
• Health.
• Education.
• Debt and Aid.
• Gender equality.
• Rights.
• Trade.
• Global economical crisis.

Despite the broad amount of help Oxfam covers, we are focusing on child poverty. We feel very strongly about this issue and would like to do everything we can to help them. We think that everyone deserves an amazing childhood and when you live in poverty, this just doesn’t happen. Children have to slave away doing chores and trying to earn money so that they might be able to eat that day. Oxfam strive to help them but they can’t do it without our help. Again we would like to thank you for reading and taking an interest in our blog, It would also be very much appreciated if you could please take some time to post answers to a few questions for us.

1 Had you heard of Oxfam before reading this blog?
2 Do you now feel more informed about these issues?
3 Would you be prepared to make a donation to Oxfam?
4 Would you tell your friends and family about Oxfam and encourage them to donate?

Thank you!

If you would like some more information on Oxfam please visit http://www.oxfam.org.uk/

Please Read Our Recycle Recital!

Hello, thank you for taking the time to read our blog. Our aim is to raise awareness of this environmental issue and encourage you to embrace the changes to our rubbish collection services by Torbay Council who aim to be recycling 50% of our rubbish by 2012 ~ 5 years ahead of schedule.

At the moment, recycling is a big local issue with the launch of the new recycling scheme. All households have been provided with 3 new boxes for different kinds of recyclable materials and this will reduce the amount of rubbish ending up in landfill sites ~ which has to be a good thing!!!

Reduce, Re-use, Recycle!

Reduce the amount of landfill!

Re-use as many everyday items as possible. For example, carrier bags, printer cartridges (by re-filling them), plastic water bottles etc.

Recycle-make use or your new recycling boxes!

Did you know .............

• 9 out of 10 people would recycle more if it were made easier!
• 70% less energy is required to recycle paper compared with making it from raw materials.
• The largest lake in Britain could be filled with rubbish from the UK in 8 months!!!
• Plastic can take up to 500 years to decompose!!!!
• Glass is 100% recyclable and can be used again and again.

Both shocking and interesting! ... and only a few reasons to kick start your recycling habits! Sorting your rubbish may seem inconvenient but it has just been made a whole lot easier ~ just sort it, leave your boxes outside and someone comes to collect it ~ what could be easier?? So, start making a difference, spread the word and do your bit in getting everyone involved in helping our world survive. If we don’t act now, the world will slowly fade away, and eventually die.

Thank you for reading our blog. I would be extremely grateful if you would leave your comments below. Please would you take your time on answering these questions:

• Has your opinion changed on recycling as a result of this Blog? If not why?
• Have you recycled before? If not why?
• Would you now be more prepared to spread the message of recycling to others to help?

“Don’t complain, in vain, about the aim, of the game....... which is to ........
....... SAVE OUR PLANET!!!”

Thank you

We should burn less coal!

Thank you very much for showing an interest in my blog. Burning coal may be quite easy, but it is very bad for the environment. I feel very passionately about helping the planet, and I would like to think that I can try to change the opinions of other people. When you have read this blog, I hope that you will be more aware of the problems that burning coal has on the earth, and how we can change what we to do help it.

Burning coal is bad for the following reasons:

1. To get the coal, people have to mine it. Coal mining causes a number of harmful effects. These include the release of many harmful gases, which can kill plants and animals.
2. Coal mining is the cause of many miners’ deaths.
3. Coal mining is very dangerous, for instance, the Chilean miners that were trapped 600m underground were mining for coal. These people could so easily have died.
4. When burning coal, many poisonous gases are given off. Coal waste products, include fly ash, bottom ash, and boiler slag, contain many heavy metals. These heavy metals include lead, mercury, copper, zinc, radium, and more, which are dangerous if released into the environment. Coal also contains low levels of uranium, thorium, and other naturally occurring radioactive isotopes whose release into the environment may lead to radioactive contamination.
5. Coal will run out one day.

Thank you so much again for taking time to read this blog. I would be very grateful if you would post me a response with your thoughts. Please could you answer these questions in a comment below.

* Have you already heard about the bad side of burning coal?
* Are you more aware about it now that you have read my blog?
* Do you now feel more informed about this problem?
* Do you have a log burner, open fire, garden chiminea or solid fuel heating system?
* If yes, would you now be prepared to use less – or even no – coal to fuel your fires?
* How much on average do you spend on coal/logs in a winter?
* Would you be interested in buying something more eco-friendly?
* Will you be willing to tell your friends and family about this, and try and persuade them to read this blog?

Thanks again!

People Should Be More Aware Of Access Issues to The River Dart

Thank you very much for wanting to read my blog! Gaining full access to the river Dart, (a river local to Torbay and Dartmoor,) is something I feel very strongly about! Very few people seem to be aware of access problems to the rivers of England and Wales, let alone their local rivers. At the moment over 98% of these rivers do not have any access rights for the public. After you have read my blog, I hope you will have learnt a bit more about why we should have all year access to the Dart, and even want to find out more about access to the Dart, or rivers local to you.

Here are some of the main reasons why I believe we should have all year access to the River Dart:
• As Scotland has ‘Permission to Paddle,’ which means that they have access to all rivers in the country, all year round, it would not be hard to extend this towards the whole of Great Britain.
• Having these access opportunities would benefit not only canoeists, but fishermen, swimmers and other waterway users.
• Being able to make use of the river Dart in the summer would also be likely to boost family outings to the said Dart, as both the water and air is warmer in those months which we currently have no access to the river.
• Having access to all rivers would create a fitter, healthier nation, as all water sports require a certain amount of physical participation.
• Having access to a river is like having access to a natural classroom, as you can learn so much from the surrounding habitat and local habitat.

At the moment there is an agreement between canoeists and the land owners of the river Dart, which says that they can paddle the dart during the winter months, when the angling associations aren’t using it, and when the fish aren’t spawning. The Rivers Access Campaign would like, if not all year access, then at least a flood agreement. A flood agreement means that you can only have access to the river at a certain time, when it is in-between two different heights. This means that you don’t damage the spawning grounds, or paddle at dangerous times, like when the river is in flood.

Thank you very much for reading my blog, please do post a comment with your thoughts. It would be great if you could answer a few of the questions below, and it would help a lot.

1) Have you heard of access problems to rivers before?
2) Do you feel more informed on this topic after reading my blog?
3) Would you now be prepared to take further direct action to help gain access to the river Dart? E.g. sign a petition.
4) Are you likely to research more information about access to the river Dart, or another local river?

We should consider banning greyhound racing

Firstly, thank you for taking interest in my blog. I hope that after you have read it, you will be more aware of the subject or your views may have changed. For my citizenship GCSE, I am trying to advocate an issue that I am really interested in - the area of greyhound racing. I would like to raise awareness about why many of these greyhounds are allegedly being cruelly beaten or killed for maybe a reason that isn’t always obvious. If possible, my aims are to change your opinions about the way they are treated and to raise awareness to the people who have little experience in this area.

In major businesses where greyhound races produces a large profit, dogs are not necessarily cared for as a pet – some are treated harshly. Approximately in all of the greyhound racing businesses, they have around 13,500 dogs. Sadly, a huge 4000 of many greyhounds go missing every year, many responsible owners have them put to sleep by vets when they are past their working life, but some have been found in flooded quarries that have been killed abruptly by a sudden shot to the head or a large brick. According to some Animal Pressure Groups, when the dogs are registering for the races, only 20% can sometimes qualify as racers. The other 80% ‘disappear’.

I think we should do as much as we can to stop this for the following reasons:
* Who would agree with the cruelty that is inflicted on these unfortunate breed of dog, such as in the image above?
* These dogs are fast, but just because they loose a couple of races, it should not mean that they should be killed in case they lose again.

Thank you very much for reading my blog. I hope that this had made you more interested in this particular area of cruelty to animals. I would really appreciate it if you left your response below telling me your thoughts and opinions about cruelty to some greyhounds. If you would like to know more about this subject, go to www.league.org.uk. Please help to support the greyhounds so that they can live there lives again.

Here’s some questions for you to think about. Please comment on these as a posted response:
1. Had you heard about how many greyhounds go missing every year and did you know about the type of cruelty that some receive?
2. Do you now feel more aware about the issue of greyhound racing?
3. Has your opinion changed from what you already knew about the issue?

If you feel quite strongly about the issue of the greyhounds now, would you be prepared to:

1. Support the campaign with the league against cruel sports and help to stop greyhound racing?
2. Make a donation to the league against cruel sports by clicking on the “Donate” tab once you are on the website and support them?
3. Inform your family and friends about the issue of the greyhounds being killed and try to persuade people to join the cause?

Thanks again!

We must save our Countryside!

Hello my name is Amelia and thank you ever so much for choosing my blog to read. In this blog I will be talking about Torbay Coast and Countryside Trust. I’m sure the majority of you live reading this live in or around Torbay, so the problems they are helping to prevent will most likely affect you directly!

Torbay Coast and Countryside Trust are a local independent group which is helping to look after our countryside and local heritage sites. One the projects they are working on are to help look after Berry Head. Berry Head is Torbay’s most important Heritage site due to its rare wildlife and archaeological remains, but, it is under risk, because gradually the archaeological remains are being worn away and maybe rare plants and animals are dying out due to the constant amount of visitors. To stop this, Torbay Coast and Countryside Trust have set up a 3 year project worth £1.6 million. They have currently raised £1.5 million. This is just one issue they are dealing with.

The issue they are dealing with that will most affect you is the maintenance and protection of the coastal paths. If you’ve ever been on a walk around Torbay countryside, you will probably have taken one of these footpaths and routes. Torbay coast and countryside trust manages 22 miles of coastal path from Maidencombe to Sharkham.

Torbay Coast and Countryside Trust raise money through donations and through events that they organise around Torbay. A lot of these events are around Cockington and Occombe, their events are for everyone and raise a lot of money for their projects, and they do clubs and events aimed for young children as well and events for adults such as the Occombe beer festival.

I would appreciate it if you would please take the time to now answer these quick questions.

1. Have you heard of Torbay Coast and Countryside Trust before reading this blog?
2. Are you affected by any of these issues/any issues they’re working on? Please explain briefly?
3. Do you now feel more informed about these issues?
4. Have I changed your views in anyway? Please explain briefly.
5. Are you now willing to go to some of Torbay Coast and Countryside Trust’s events or make donations?

Thank you!

We should do more to stop the spread of TB in Cattle on Dartmoor

Thank you for showing interest in my blog. I am trying to raise awareness of badgers spreading TB (Bovine Tuberculosis) to cattle on Dartmoor and why this issue is significantly important to cattle farmers in Devon. This is something that I feel strongly about as we do not realise the devastating effect it has on the farmers when they lose cattle to TB. When you have read my Blog I hope that you will know a bit more about the effects of badgers spreading TB to cattle and also the effects on the farmers.

This is the fate of many bulls, cows and calves that fall victims to TB after the disease spreads from badgers to cattle. Cattle can become infected by the badgers with TB in several ways. One way is that Badgers often eat and drink out of the cattle’s feed and water troughs during the night. The badgers leave the harmful bacteria behind in their saliva and in the morning when the cattle use the same feed and water troughs the cattle become infected with TB.

Even though not all badgers are infected with TB it can be very hard for farmers to keep them away from their land as cattle farmers tend to have a large amount of grazing for their cattle, badgers can get in through gates and lift up the bottom of fences with their snout. Once one cow in your herd is infected with TB it is not easy to tell until the next test for the disease-and by that time your whole herd will be infected. Every 60 days the vet injects your whole herd twice with a chemical that reacts to an infected animal, 2 days after the vet injected them the vet comes again and every cow has two lumps on its neck the vet measures the lumps on the cow’s neck and if the top lump is larger than the bottom lump then that cow has TB if your whole herd is not infected with TB then you have to have your herd tested in another 60 days and if they are all clear after that test then it will be 120 days till your next test this will carry on every 120 days until after 6 more tests (providing your herd is clear) you will not have to have another test for 1 year. HOWEVER if one of your herds becomes infected with TB then you go back to square one. Cattle can become infected with TB via:

• Cattle, which come into nose-to-nose contact with an infected animal, may breathe in the bacteria which cause the disease.
• Cattle which are kept in winter housing with an infected animal, may become infected because the bacteria which cause the disease can be carried in moisture droplets and therefore breathed in by other cattle or spread via feed and water troughs.

Thank you so much for reading my Blog! Please would you post just a few words to give me feedback-it will only take minute.

1. Have I made you aware of the issue?

2. Have I told you:
a) What TB is?
b) How TB is spread
c) How it effect's the cattle farmers?

3. Do you now feel that badgers should be culled (selectively killed) to help stop the futher spread of TB?

Thank you again for looking at my blog and taking the time to answer the questions. Further details of the TB in cattle can be found at: http://www.defra.gov.uk/foodfarm/farmanimal/diseases/atoz/tb/

Thank you very much

COAST AND COUNTRYSIDE CATASTROPHE?

Hello and thank you for taking interest in my blog. I am trying to raise awareness of issues surrounding Torbay Coast and Countryside Trust, this organisation helps restore Torquay’s coast and countryside. Why is this important you may ask? But it is, much of Torquay’s lush countryside is being affected by building and tourist attractions, Cockington Country Park is also part of TCCT and is very important to me personally because I live there. The Beaches in Torbay are greatly affected also by litter and pollution and it can make Torbay look shabby and unclean which could affect the economy long term, so let’s not let our countryside go to waste, and even if you don’t live here this problem could build up and eventually reach you so any contribution would be a great help!

What Torbay could look like without our help, littering beaches is bad as it makes beaches look horrible and it also makes it unsafe for anyone to go on the beaches and also bad for wildlife that come across the litter, Torbay Coast and Countryside Trust do litter picking projects on Torbay’s beaches to contribute, many people get involved.

This is what is happening to a lot of country side in the Torbay area, people are building upon the land which destroys it and makes it very unattractive; it even kills animals and gives them nowhere to live. Many people visit Torbay for its countryside and if we destroy the countryside then not many people would want to visit, which means eventually affecting the economy.

Torbay Coast and Country Side is a great organisation and you can become a member and contribute to the organisation or you can support, they have many projects such as cake sales and festivals up at Occombe farm and different holiday events, they raise as much money and awareness as they can to help the coasts and countryside of Torbay, I want to support this cause as I feel it is very important to look after our surroundings.

Thank You for reading through my blog and I greatly recommend you to go and inquire about Torbay Coast and Countryside as it’s a great cause. Could you now please post some responses to these short questions:

1. Have you heard about the work of Torbay Coast and Countryside Trust before reading my blog?

2. Do you now feel more informed about the Torbay Coast and Countryside Trust?

3. Would you be prepared to support the work of the Torbay Coast and Countryside Trust by supporting their fund raising events?

For more information go to: http://www.countryside-trust.org.uk/ or ring 01803 606035.