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The Comfort Home

House

So the saga begins at last and it has been a long time coming. It has been an ambition of ours to create a modern, energy efficient comfortable home and for many good reasons. We bought the house about 12 years ago and to be honest didn’t think we would stay in it for too long but circumstances changed with the arrival of our son. We soon realised that its unique position and proximity to schools, work and amenities was ideal. This was coupled with the fact that we had been talking of finding a slightly run down house in about half an acre of land which we could do up and then realising that we had been living in it all along.

The motivation was driven by a desire to restore a property under our own criteria and to include practical energy and water saving measures. I have always been an environmentalist long before the current threat of global warming. My interest stems from a simple principle, look after the planet and the planet will look after you. My main concerns have been over things like pollution, intensive farming, GM etc. And then came the threat of global warming. whether or not you believe that global warming is happening mankind aided or not, changes are happening. And in addition to this the cost of fuel is going up and the availability of drinking water is decreasing. So our motivation became threefold.

1. To live in a technologically modern house
2. To generate as much of our energy as possible for environmental reasons
3. To generate as much of our energy as possible for financial reasons

27% is the amount housing contributes to our CO2 emissions. That’s twice as much as air travel

For some ten years now I have been a judge for the Green Apple Awards an independent, non-political, non-activist, non-profit environment group dedicated to recognising, rewarding and promoting environmental best practice around the world. It is as a judge that I met Jerry Harrall of SEArch Architects and having been very impressed with his work asked him if he would put some ideas together for us.

Check out the blog here: The Comfort Home

17 December 2009 Posted by Richard
Posted in Blog, Milestone

The 16th International Green Apple Awards

It was many years ago now that Milestone got involved in the Green Apple Awards. It all started with the conception and production of an interactive CD ROM on noise pollution. It was commissioned by South Bucks District Council and intended for under 11 year old’s. SBDC entered it into the Green Apple Awards and it won an award. I was invited along to the awards where I met the organiser Roger Wolens. I was very impressed and felt compelled to offer our help, that was over 10 years ago now.

The Green Apple Awards are part of the Green Organisation an independent, non-political, non-activist, non-profit environment group dedicated to recognising, rewarding and promoting environmental best practice around the world.

Set up 1994 experience has shown that many have followed the examples of environmental best practice demonstrated by the Green Apple Award winners.

The Green Organisation is funded by membership and sponsorship, with valuable support from the Environment Agency, the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health, the Chartered Institution of Wastes Management, the Municipal Journal and several other professional bodies.

Since then I have had the privilege of judging for both the Green Apple Awards and the Built Environment Awards.

This year saw the 16th International Green Apple Awards for Environmental Best Practice. The Awards were presented by star of screen and stage, former Bond-girl and keen environmentalist; Alexandra Bastedo, at an exclusive event at the House of Commons on November 17th, attended by more than 400 guests and VIPs.

Green Apple Awards

Winners included: FIAT GROUP AUTOMOBILES UK LTD, BELFAST CITY COUNCIL, SHENZHEN MISTAR ELECTRONIC CO, CHINA, NGOMONGO VILLAGES / GLOBOVILLE COLLEGE, KENYA, INCHCAPE FLEET SOLUTIONS, NISSAN MOTOR GB LTD, to name but a few.

9 December 2009 Posted by Richard
Posted in Blog, Events, Milestone

Debating Matters

Milestone has had a long relationship with the Institute of Ideas who have been  pioneering a fresh and engaging format for debate that is injecting new life into schools debating. Working in collaboration with teachers and schools, the Institute of Ideas and Pfizer Debating Matters Competition challenges and encourages young people to actively engage with contemporary debates, to research issues thoroughly, to learn to communicate effectively and to argue for what they think.

Earlier this  year I was asked to sit on the judging panel for the regional finals at Bristol University. It was an amazing experience and encouraging to see such well argued debates on varying hot topics by the next generation of free thinkers. In November the qualifying rounds began and I was asked to judge at the Berkshire qualifying rounds at The Piggott School in Wargrave. St Bartolomews School, The Piggott School, The Holt School and Windsor Girls School fought it out over three grueling rounds. The topics included ‘Pop artists should be judged on their work, not their life style, Closed circuit TV is a threat to our freedom and It is irresponsible foe women over 5o to have babies’.

The role of the judging panel is to sit and listen to the debates before cross examining the teams. It is important the teams have researched their topics and are able to support their arguments. In the end it was The Piggott School who went through, but it was a close thing.

9 December 2009 Posted by Richard
Posted in Blog, Events