[speaker001:] That will be Val.
[speaker002:] Er I think they have changed contractors.
[speaker003:] Again?
[speaker002:] Again. But anyway whether that's true or not the... this was a s s seems to be as a result of criticism about them not turning up and this sort of thing. Erm
[speaker001:] Hi.
[speaker004:] Sorry I'm late
[speaker002:] So I had a long chat with the, with the cleansing officer and the main point
[speaker004:] I know, I know.
[speaker001:] Liz, do you want a chair?
[speaker002:] ... the main point that I made to him was that after such a superb beginning where, where they actually state how much rubbish we produce, there's absolutely no mention... even though there's space at the bottom... there's no mention of recycling at all. And he said well it's a different, you know different department.
[speaker003:] Mm. I know yes
[speaker002:] And this was, this, that, that wouldn't have entered into... that brief but my argument was that, you know everybody would be much happier if there was less rubbish to put in the landfill sites... in the first place. Now that was about two weeks ago and I've been sitting on it meaning to, to write to the press and say how disgusting it was. Which I have just done today. Aft, no Yes, half way through I spoke to to the environ environment officer
[speaker004:] Mm
[speaker002:] who was much more... switched on. He's a new environment officer, he's only been there for a month or something. And he says that... erm. He sort of agreed with me that it was a waste of an opportunity. Erm but he did say that he's actually writing a leaflet which they can run to seven or eight pages. A detailed one about recycling.
[speaker003:] anybody will read so eight pages.
[speaker002:] Well I don't know. I just don't know. But I mean he was very interested and when I said that we'd actually done a recycling directory and that I was thinking redoing it. Erm. He was very interested and he would like to meet us and I said that if he's actually doing a directory
[speaker004:] all this all this about. I thought Rob is doing a sort of recycling what do you call it composium
[speaker002:] Rob has just done a green audit for the district council. Yes.
[speaker001:] Yes. But we haven't had the opportunity to read it.
[speaker004:] I mean he knows that we have a recycling d. I was in touch with them. I sent them the recycling. Why do they pretend not to know?... I mean they should be fully a aware of of of our
[speaker002:] Val well this is a new guy.
[speaker001:] is that Mr?
[speaker002:] Mr?
[speaker001:] . The recycling officer. Is that, is the one, I wrote to
[speaker002:] Hold on.
[speaker001:] There.
[speaker002:] ?
[speaker001:] Yeah. Is that the one you spoke to?
[speaker002:] Tom.
[speaker001:] Yeah. That's him. Only he said that they were gonna get an initiative through the schools on er
[speaker003:] Is is
[speaker004:] he's the one
[speaker002:] Anyway that's that's my letter. Draft letter which I have not got, it's very very rough, for the press. Sorry I've only got four.
[speaker003:] That's alright.
[speaker001:] Actually some friends of mine were quite confused about what, why they shouldn't be able to throw their cooking oil away in their bin. Because they said they'd always done it and they had nowhere else to put it. Somebody else said oh you should throw it down the sink but I didn't think you were supposed to do that either.
[speaker003:] What?
[speaker001:] Cooking oil.
[speaker004:] Cooking oil?
[speaker001:] Yeah. If you have got one of those deep... fat fryers you, you have quite a bit to throw away.
[speaker003:] Well don't put it in water.
[speaker001:] No, I don't. I don't.
[speaker003:] You put it in the bin.
[speaker001:] No, they, they've said in there you mustn't.
[speaker004:] Where?... No not cooking oil. Er pet, car oil.
[speaker002:] Car oil.
[speaker004:] That's a totally different story.... I'm sure
[speaker002:] But I mean... the bottom bit obviously we've got to talk about whether we actually do want
[speaker004:] bifocals today new.
[speaker005:] [LAUGHTER].
[speaker002:] But this guy seems to be well worth nurturing.
[speaker001:] Yes.... Here you are. It says here oh that's waste oil cooking fat and other liquids.... I know it says fat collection but I
[speaker004:] Well that only should only be because erm [phone rings] the bin's going to be soiled. In in in... in the end terribly smelly that's the reason. I mean why there shouldn't be cooking oil in in in landfill. I mean
[speaker005:] Dad Dad's not in
[speaker002:] Mm
[speaker004:] I can only think that... I mean it sticks to the sides of the bin at the bottom
[speaker002:] Well if it's if it was very hot could it could it melt the plastic?
[speaker004:] It could even melt the plastic yes.
[speaker002:] Or could it ignite? Yeah.
[speaker004:] No I I definitely foodstuffs out of the water. I mean... into the bin first and then wash the dishes. To keep the water clean.
[speaker002:] Mm.
[speaker003:] stuff you put in water.
[speaker002:] Yeah.... Sorry?
[speaker001:] Was it printed on new paper? It doesn't say does it?
[speaker002:] Well it doesn't say, no
[speaker001:] I think, I think they put recycled if it was don't you?
[speaker002:] Well exactly that's
[speaker004:] You seen that story, what is it, one paper er if you get the... letter of the week you can take part in the draw and get a flight to... from Stanstead to Dusseldorf. [LAUGHTER]
[speaker002:] Wh what paper's this then?
[speaker004:] I I got it last night.
[speaker003:] There was the most horrible letter in England or Britain joining the Common Market.
[speaker001:] I'll get you one of those bags.
[speaker003:] No oh you did tell me about it
[speaker001:] Yeah I did tell you.
[speaker004:] Do you, well do you then know why... doesn't, isn't Rob in touch with them any more?
[speaker002:] Oh yeah, very much so. I spoke to Trish, Rob's away at the moment
[speaker003:] Yeah.
[speaker002:] but I spoke to Trish... tonight. And erm...
[speaker004:] But... I mean he's also in the sub committee isn't he?... There was this working committee wasn't it and then the sub committee to the working committee on environmental matters.
[speaker002:] No, yeah but I mean that leaflet very likely wouldn't have... you know I mean I think this this leaflet
[speaker004:] No no but but that this Mr
[speaker002:] Mr, yeah but I mean
[speaker004:] didn't know
[speaker002:] Okay he should, he should have tapped us as a resource certainly.
[speaker003:] Yeah.
[speaker002:] But I mean... you know I I'm certainly gonna follow this up.
[speaker003:] Mm.
[speaker002:] And I think we ought to get him over to one of our meetings. And... and he said he would.
[speaker004:] And I think if we could make it get one of the Uttlesford... chaps to the same meeting
[speaker003:] marvellous thing they did.
[speaker002:] Yeah. Well what he did say was don't... you know... don't go over the top in criticizing that because
[speaker001:] Yeah.
[speaker002:] you know he he says that there's a lot of things which are happening. He's got all sorts of schemes... a lot of schemes in the pipeline.
[speaker001:] I suppose he doesn't want to be seen to be just reacting to your letter he's obviously started doing these things off his own bat anyway hasn't he?
[speaker002:] Oh yes.
[speaker001:] Yeah.
[speaker002:] I mean and and he he feels that er... pressure groups like ourselves are very positive because it gives him a bit of... weight... when he's arguing for things.
[speaker001:] Yeah
[speaker004:] Well they can't push it from the top
[speaker002:] But I mean... on a sort of wider thing... erm...
[speaker001:] Yeah.
[speaker002:] You know one of the things that we could do... is to do another directory.
[speaker001:] Yeah.
[speaker004:] I think because I think I think
[speaker002:] But
[speaker004:] it's a real shame... we're so out of date.
[speaker002:] Mhm... but I I you know we we're... can we actually do it? I mean we would need... fifty people
[speaker004:] No I would not distribute it
[speaker002:] to deliver
[speaker004:] er from door to door. I would erm put it out in the library, put it out in in surgeries. Put it out in public places and that's it because... I mean... the number of people erm they went to these directories like hot cross buns. I mean every week I supplied them with a new stack of... everybody wanted them.
[speaker002:] What, the recycling directory?
[speaker004:] Yeah
[speaker001:] They come through the doorstep, through the doors though.
[speaker002:] Through the door they they just throw them away. They didn't read them. I said well don't you live in Stortford, didn't you have it delivered? No. And I'm sure they'll pick them up if they see them in the
[speaker001:] If they printed
[speaker004:] print them up and they do it on their own... will.
[speaker001:] Couldn't we do it with him?
[speaker002:] With him? Well yeah pro
[speaker001:] I mean they could couldn't they sponsor us to do it or something?
[speaker002:] Well yeah I I've I've whether he... well I mean if, if he's gonna do this seven page thing then... I you know I... you can look at it two ways. Either we can influence and help that to be... to be good or or... you know if that's a failure then... see whether they can help us to produce one for the town.
[speaker003:] Mm.
[speaker002:] I mean I'd much rather they do it... if we can influence him enough.
[speaker003:] They've got the right information.
[speaker004:] Well the thing if we did it with our as they keep saying there's some, there's so much in the pipeline. I mean it might take us another... two week two months before we get it out. Three months.
[speaker001:] Well
[speaker002:] I would say six months.
[speaker001:] Yeah
[speaker004:] No I would just think of something really straightforward.
[speaker001:] They do want stuff on local levels I mean if he's East Herts he's got a huge area, hasn't he?
[speaker004:] Yeah.
[speaker001:] It it might be a help to him to have little local groups that... helped him out with these things.
[speaker004:] But I mean if we print something and then suddenly they instal all these new bottle banks which we didn't know about. Then they are not mentioned
[speaker001:] Well
[speaker004:] in our recycling directory and we can do the next one
[speaker001:] He should know about them shouldn't he?
[speaker004:] Well we must... that's why, certainly have to, before
[speaker003:] Could you drag him along... to a meeting?
[speaker001:] Yeah well that's what... they said we could do that. I'll write that down.... Erm, is that okay for that I just have something that I read in New Scientist does everybody take it?...
[speaker005:] No
[speaker001:] Oh well I'll give you one to look at... it's just a little article about
[speaker003:] Thank you.
[speaker001:] recycling in in Egypt. And I just liked reading it so much that I thought you'd like to read it too. Don't have to read it now cos it's quite long. It's it's... it's really hot.... Cos they they reuse absolutely everything. And they make they're living out of it.
[speaker004:] In East German they are now drowning in rubbish because... they used to have a perfect recycling scheme everything was collected and recycled cos they just didn't have the materials. Now they are flooded with the West European goods... their recycling isn't worth any more. On the other hand they haven't got the landfills and the whole scheme that the west has developed and they... I mean it's a health... hazard meanwhile. One of the major problems they have to face.
[speaker003:] Far East lots of guys sort of collecting cardboard boxes and that's all they did they flatten down cardboard boxes and then another one did newspapers and whole newspapers and
[speaker001:] The whole town is composed of a
[speaker004:] Yeah.
[speaker001:] it's like a big. I just thought it was... interesting. Erm... I did write er as was suggested asking about... erm facilities for cyclists in the potential shopping centre development in Bishop's Stortford. And they are, they are interested in cyclists but from what I could make out reading this... they're not really going to help us a great deal. If you want to pass it round and read it. It's it's they're gonna use the green wedges that are already there and the existing footpaths which are already cycled along. What, what good is that to me?... It's just... in Stortford it's not that easy for a cyclist is it?
[speaker005:] No
[speaker001:] And they've got all the places say don't lean your bicycle here and you're not allowed to take it into Jackson...
[speaker003:] One girl nearly got knocked off going up Newtown Road.
[speaker001:] [LAUGHTER]
[speaker003:] It's really quite narrow as you're going up there.
[speaker001:] What about the all the cars all parked round corners everywhere like up at Havers.
[speaker005:] Mm.
[speaker001:] They could do something about that. Have you every cycled up there?... Not round Havers,wh they park where those, those sort of shops are... they they park all around the corners so that you have to go out round them. And of course you meet something coming the other way wrong side of the road.
[speaker002:] Oh yeah. What annoys me is that everybody parks on the pavement as well.
[speaker005:] Mm....
[speaker001:] Seem to disobey all laws there are about parking.... It does, it doesn't really help us does it?... Do you wanna pass... these around as well if anyone wants to look. All the replies... got eleven or so replies that I've had for that questionnaire.... There are a few people... willing to help aren't.
[speaker005:] [LAUGHTER]
[speaker001:] But I haven't gone really as I hoped cos I'd envisaged having the membership list with sort of names of who'll make cakes, who'll help on the stall and then know who to phone
[speaker005:] Yeah.
[speaker001:] when I wanted some help or... who to invite to meetings but... because I haven't got a reply from everyone... or most people, it can't work does it?
[speaker003:] Is that all the replies you got?
[speaker001:] sent more than fifty out. I did sixty and Caroline copied even more.... She's a good girl. [LAUGHTER]
[speaker006:] Did Georgina reply?
[speaker001:] Erm did actually, yes.
[speaker006:] Yeah, cos when I phoned she said she's still quite interested.
[speaker001:] Mm. Yeah I thought she was
[speaker006:] but she said if the baby.
[speaker001:] And... I've got a local group summer questionnaire which I couldn't really fill in. [LAUGHTER]. Isn't it awful! I thought I'm just as bad as you know everybody else really. Cos I wasn't sure of some of the answers.... And that it it's saying which of the following days of action has the group participated in. I mean cos we haven't really sort of really done a proper day of action have we? We've done little bits and pieces. I know we did the returnable bottles. . I mean cos and we did that stall on peat but we didn't really take part in the peat day of action did we?.... What do you think?...
[speaker006:] Fiona and I did the electricity
[speaker003:] What at the supermarket.
[speaker001:] Is that the global warming and electricity privatization?... That one? Was it?
[speaker006:] It was erm efficiency... of
[speaker001:] Oh fuel and efficiency. Right that one then. Oh we didn't, we didn't do the ozone layer one did we?
[speaker004:] Did you do a stall... on that ozone layer? We did do something. With the
[speaker006:] Oh we did, yes.
[speaker004:] with the, with er snow remember? That was Christmas last year wasn't it?
[speaker001:] Oh yes that was
[speaker004:] That was ozone. Yes it was we did
[speaker001:] Oh so I'll put down for that then. Oh it looks quite good [LAUGHTER]. Right. Have you written to your MP about fuel efficiency?
[speaker006:] Yes I did.
[speaker001:] We did. I know erm... I thought I wrote to the electricity board in, I wrote to somebody... about erm how er things should be labelled about how efficient they are when using electricity.
[speaker004:] You took part in the er electricity efficiency didn't you?
[speaker006:] Yes.
[speaker001:] Yeah but didn't, we didn't write to our MPs though. I thought we were supposed to write to somewhere else... was it... the department of the environment or... now what would it be, energy?... We wrote, wrote to them cos I've got a reply to that letter somewhere with a great wad of information about various fridges and
[speaker006:] Yeah, yeah
[speaker001:] and things.
[speaker006:] Yeah
[speaker001:] So I can't really say we've written to the MP can we? We haven't found out about company car fleets have we?
[speaker006:] We tried. Well I tried and then I was let down by the group.
[speaker001:] I don't remember anything about that one
[speaker004:] We arranged it... two days or three days and each was cancelled
[speaker001:] March ninety one?. In March this year?
[speaker004:] It was this year. Last year.
[speaker001:] Last year. I didn't think we'd done anything about that this year.
[speaker004:] But that was last year.
[speaker001:] Yeah. But we haven't done a march... ninety one then.... Scanned the local press for power station applications or authorizations H M I P.... Written to Michael Heseltine about acid rain? May ninety one.... Written to your MP to ask him her to press for strict E C standards for C O two emissions from vehicles May ninety one.
[speaker003:] when was that?
[speaker004:] Wasn't that on the talk? Do you remember this talk we had that was last year. Er
[speaker003:] writing a letter to Chris Patten about the protocol.
[speaker004:] Yeah.
[speaker003:] So that was, that was early this year.
[speaker001:] Yeah written something.
[speaker006:] That to do with the ozone layer.
[speaker001:] I don't know. It it's mostly sort of things about energy. Isn't it? Questionnaire.
[speaker003:] That's definitely to do with the C F C's
[speaker001:] Yeah well this is C O two in in cars, private cars.
[speaker003:] Yeah things to do with er emissions and...
[speaker001:] written that? In May ninety one?
[speaker003:] Yeah sounds about right.
[speaker001:] Ask local car dealer to write to car manufacturers to press for the introduction of more fuel efficient cars? May ninety one.
[speaker006:] No.
[speaker001:] Lobbied your local authority on peat use?... Not really did we?... Erm... joined the newsprint campaign?... no. Written up details of recycling campaigning experience for and sent it to. No. [LAUGHTER] Why me? []. Complained to your MP about the national road traffic forecast. No.... Looked out for threats to S S I's. Have we got them? S S I's. Sites of special scientific interest.
[speaker002:] Have we got any in...?
[speaker001:] Mm.
[speaker002:] No.
[speaker001:] No I didn't think we had.
[speaker002:] No, I don't think so. Sorry?
[speaker004:] Do you own your
[speaker002:] No!
[speaker005:] [LAUGHTER]
[speaker004:] Do you?
[speaker002:] We we have acquired a large chunk of the the yes.
[speaker004:] So you should, you should nominate that as a site of the interest shouldn't you?
[speaker002:] Erm... it's valuable but not that valuable. [LAUGHTER]
[speaker001:] But it says here, written written to Linda Chalker about the I T P O. Now I, I rang, I sent a postcard... which was ready written. Do you think that counts?... Promoted the. Well we did try.
[speaker003:] Yeah, put that we did do that.
[speaker001:] Didn't get very far though did we? Actually that seems to have fizzled out. Haven't heard anything about that for a while. Erm... written to the government in U K bank about the bank propose new foreign policy.
[speaker006:] I think we might have done that.
[speaker001:] I think we might have done that. I know that I've written to British gas.... And I think I wrote world bank. That was, thing is that was quite a long time ago. I'm sure it wasn't this year. This is February ninety one.... [phone rings]... it's alright but you get to the bottom of those stairs and sometimes. Er... check locally for claims of environmentally or sustainable tropical hardwood it's not really, I mean I do look when I go... to all these D I Y places to see what they've got. Haven't really
[speaker004:] local wood guides?
[speaker001:] Well Rob's got two
[speaker004:] cos I'm just deciding on a new window frame. And all the firms are claiming that they only get their hardwood from government... erm replanting programmes.... And one got a... stamp and a seal on that. But whether that is acknowledged by our Friends of the Earth I don't know because I mean they have so many stamps and seals on
[speaker006:] They won't give you names now will they? The Friends of the Earth. They won't give you names of companies any more.
[speaker004:] No but if this stamp, this acknowledgement.
[speaker001:] Oh it's like a little is it?
[speaker004:] good government scheme or not. Whether that is known... by Friends of the Earth as a good scheme or not.
[speaker001:] I think... there's a day of action coming up on this sort of D I Y stuff. so maybe we'll get some more information about that. I'm gonna try and get the... book back from Rob.
[speaker003:] Martin's an architect and... and it actually probably would be... you know it might be a good thing to actually sort of provoke a question with architects because they do specify these things and they're the ones who actually say... you know right we'll specify hardwood. It's one of the decisions that are actually made by them in terms of what they use so... erm that could be something that is
[speaker001:] Yeah
[speaker003:] round to architects just sort of provoking the question cos they, a lot of them have never thought about it
[speaker004:] Mm.
[speaker003:] and er... you know if they did erm I mean Martin asked about the, he asked about the good wood guide you know and I told them where they can get it but that they can have it in their office and put it in their library. You know so that, that's quite a good idea.
[speaker001:] Yeah
[speaker004:] But that's so quickly out of date again you see the good wood... cos I mean they they have new government schemes, schemes every year don't they?
[speaker003:] Mm.
[speaker004:] And new other schemes. And
[speaker001:] What, at least it will enable you to know what the tropical species are because some of them have got quite weird and wonderful names and most people don't know what some of them are.
[speaker005:] Mm.
[speaker001:] I know mahogany is citello. I noticed they had some Philippine mahogany doors in... Do It All
[speaker003:] Mm.
[speaker001:] on Saturday and yet, that you have to be careful because... they they have that I've forgotten what her name was on on Wogan saying next time you go into a D I Y store and you see a mahogany toilet seat... you know don't boy buy it think of the forest. Well if you go into a D I Y store you'll find it's a mahogany stain... I don't know if they really make mahogany. It would be very expensive
[speaker006:] Yes you'd probably gauge by the price I would think.
[speaker001:] Yeah.
[speaker005:] [LAUGHTER]
[speaker001:] Plastic
[speaker003:] plastic.
[speaker001:] plastic one. Erm... oh
[speaker003:] Yes actually this cycle thing. Cycle parking is actually... I wish they'd actually pay a bit more places to actually put your bike and you didn't have to sort of tie it up to some lamppost or something
[speaker001:] Yeah, yeah.
[speaker003:] There's hardly anything
[speaker001:] I mean they could give you a decent stand to put it in cos I hate those ones at Sainsbury's. Cos if you've got anything heavy in the bag, the bike falls over.
[speaker003:] The ones at the library as well.
[speaker001:] Er and they ought to have a little shelter over it to stop your saddle getting wet... if it rains [LAUGHTER]. I've got, I mean I've got my spots where I park it, I, it at Woolworth's and outside the post office because it keeps it dry. And out of the way.
[speaker006:] All the roads into town are just awful. I mean the Dunmow Road, Hockerill
[speaker001:] Oh yeah.
[speaker006:] You know really scary. You know you get asphyxiated with petrol fumes and then you get the danger of being... thrown off your bike.
[speaker003:] cycling
[speaker001:] Yeah they squeeze you off the road if you go up that hill to Hockerill lights. I
[speaker004:] You must to cat. Just walk... slowly in the middle of the road. So that there's no way they can take overtake on the right or on the left. That's the only way. Our cat, and I've really watched her... makes a point of going and walking slowly in the road. And I think that is exactly what we have to do as cyclists. Not squeeze to the side because they might not see you there. right
[speaker001:] Well you sh you're supposed to ride a fair way out from the gutter, never in the gutter so they can see you round the bends.
[speaker003:] Yeah but
[speaker001:] And they often hoot you if you're doing it but that's the place
[speaker004:] That is their fault if they hoot.
[speaker001:] Erm especially going up that hill at Hockerill lights. They overtake you... and then they slow right down so that you have to go oohooh and stop. You can't cycle that slowly up a hill can you?
[speaker006:] They come in too quickly on, once they've passed you
[speaker001:] They don't they're in like that aren't they straight in front of you.
[speaker006:] frightens me. cycle underneath a car today.
[speaker001:] Oh dear. Michael 's got helmet.
[speaker003:] That's a good idea.
[speaker001:] Yes idiot wearing it though.... If everybody looks like him!
[speaker006:] Oh well.
[speaker001:] I mean it looks alright if you've got all the gear on... you know cycling shorts and top and everything
[speaker005:] [LAUGHTER]
[speaker006:] make them like swimming hats with lots of little flowers all over them
[speaker001:] Yeah. But if you do get one you have to be careful you get one that's done to the proper standard because some don't work apparently....
[speaker003:] absolutely nothing.
[speaker001:] Well that's what I thought it just seemed to say they were gonna have sort of cycle ways going through the green wedges along where I cycle already.
[speaker006:] Mm.
[speaker001:] And that's no help at all is it.... we can't complain.
[speaker003:] That should do quite well in trying to get the traffic away from the centre in Stortford anyway.
[speaker001:] Mm.
[speaker003:] They were talking pedestrianizing
[speaker001:] I think that's been on, on the cards for a long time hasn't it?
[speaker003:] Yeah.
[speaker001:] Pedestrianizing and they've never done it.... Sorry! [LAUGHTER]... Erm... Wh have we done anything about the environmental charter? Because I started doing it a long time ago
[speaker004:] Yeah, yeah Bob did that didn't he?
[speaker006:] It vaguely Yeah and we presented it and then it fizzled. The group fizzled out because we presented the charter. And that was the aim of
[speaker001:] It asks here have they adopted it?
[speaker006:] Erm
[speaker001:] wouldn't or we aim to still try.
[speaker006:] Well.... I I think, I've a funny feeling that did adopt it but quite how much that means I don't understand....
[speaker001:] Well it's awful, having to do this... questionnaire we, we've done. All these workshops that have been going on that we haven't been to....
[speaker003:] Well they just kind of recognized the principles don't they but they don't ensure that they'll actually put them into practise. That's what adopting means it's not actually committing....
[speaker006:] Yes I thought they had, yes.
[speaker001:] How about these questions. Does the group have a constitution?...
[speaker005:] No.
[speaker001:] Does the group have an office?
[speaker005:] No.
[speaker001:] We've got our plastic box!
[speaker002:] Plastic?
[speaker001:] I know I know everybody will be disappointed but I couldn't get... cardboard ones, stick it all in.... We bought the storage boxes anyway to keep all the.... No but you can't really I mean that's what supposed to have it like an actual proper office. You can't have all in cardboard boxes. It's erm... not easy to organize.... You can't and keep them open at the same time.... What is the most common problem you've experienced in your dealings with Street? It's phoning them up and the person I want to talk to isn't there! I think. Have you had any, anybody else... phone them up or written to them?... No?
[speaker003:] No.
[speaker006:] I think they're quite abrupt and rude whenever I've phoned them up.
[speaker001:] Are they?
[speaker006:] They're not terribly friendly.
[speaker001:] Oh they're usually okay I, I mean what they don't know [LAUGHTER]. I mean I just find it annoying cos you get through... to somebody who then passes you on to somebody else and then they'll talk to you and say well the person you want to talk to isn't here at the moment so you've had all this phone call and then you've got to ring again.... And you have to do it in office hours as well.... What has been your proudest moment this year?
[speaker004:] Oh that was Rob. When he was able er to enter the sub committee.
[speaker001:] Oh yes.
[speaker004:] He was really proud of that and he, he made a point of that being
[speaker001:] I'll write that down.
[speaker004:] for him... years of struggle... to get any influence to finally find himself...
[speaker001:] Oh good one.
[speaker002:] What sort of committee is it then?
[speaker004:] Hearing aid! Well I think one does speak a bit louder in public meetings, it's just. And I I can only do this work I'm sorry. Sorry I didn't hear
[speaker002:] Oh... I I didn't hear either. Turn that thing off.
[speaker005:] [LAUGHTER]
[speaker002:] I was asking what sub committee it was.
[speaker004:] Er the environmental. They had a working committee didn't they and a sub
[speaker001:] It's East Herts isn't it? I think.... Was it East Herts?
[speaker004:] East Herts, yeah.
[speaker001:] Yeah East Herts.
[speaker002:] Environmental sub committee?
[speaker001:] Yeah.... He sits on it.
[speaker004:] Well he had this environment mental officer, they they in inaugurated him... then at this meeting meeting when... erm the thing you handed over
[speaker001:] Charter.
[speaker006:] The environment charter. Why's it a sub committee? What happened to the proper committee as well.
[speaker004:] Yeah.
[speaker005:] [LAUGHTER]
[speaker001:] reports then back to the proper actual coun the er
[speaker006:] The work's... committee
[speaker001:] district council meeting.
[speaker006:] Well I know at district... council there was two environmental groups, was it the officers group and the... members group.
[speaker001:] Oh. I wonder which group
[speaker006:] Herts county council.... Cos when I was on the Hertfordshire Environmental of the group which has folded
[speaker005:] [LAUGHTER]
[speaker006:] I've got all this money in the Abbey National and there's no, no group any more, I think I'll have to keep
[speaker001:] Keep quiet.
[speaker006:] I'll have to send it off to. But anyway it transpired that there were two groups sort of working towards the same end and nobody could work out what sort of erm role each played and it was terrible. Because you knew that they both had to agree before anything was done.
[speaker001:] Oh.
[speaker006:] I suppose that was one way of nothing being done. [LAUGHTER]
[speaker001:] Yes, they didn't communicate.
[speaker006:] The officers group and the members group that was right.
[speaker001:] Right. Anyway. Onwards. Erm... there's going to be a sort of event at the Rhodes Centre. Erm for one world week... on the twenty fourth of October and we've been asked to do a stall there. Which I said yes to without asking anybody so I hope that's alright.
[speaker006:] What date is it?
[speaker001:] October the twenty fourth. That's a Thursday.
[speaker002:] We're doing a Traidcraft stall?
[speaker001:] Oh yes
[speaker002:] You what?
[speaker001:] Well... he wanted to know who the Traidcraft person...
[speaker002:] Oh really.
[speaker001:] And he said, he said he tried to phone you up and I said oh don't worry.... Cos any you always get the answerphone.
[speaker005:] [LAUGHTER]
[speaker002:] could leave a message.
[speaker003:] is it?
[speaker001:] It's at the Rhodes Centre Thursday October the twenty fourth.
[speaker004:] Well if we do a stall I would... really like to have at least a leaflet on new recycling.
[speaker001:] Yeah okay.
[speaker004:] ... So that we have, I mean nothing of design or anything just... short information because I think it's so
[speaker001:] Right.
[speaker004:] out of date.
[speaker001:] Yeah.... I know, and he said you could sell things as well now.... I don't know what you think, I just wondered did we ought to order anything from... Friends of the Earth catalogue like those sort of things... to sell. Cos that, I mean they're always going to be useful I use them myself and I expect you all
[speaker002:] Mm.
[speaker001:] The question is the quantity
[speaker002:] Er... yeah
[speaker001:] I've no idea.
[speaker002:] Well I mean I I know what Barbara feels about this. She feels that... erm... at the, the level that we are working at it is really coun be counter productive to hold stock. Because however hard you try stock deteriorates.
[speaker001:] Yeah.
[speaker002:] Erm but I you know I feel that that very often we don't sell stock
[speaker001:] Well couldn't we just have a few things
[speaker002:] and I feel that if we did have stock then... then we would erm... sell it. So I mean that that's two ways of looking at it. Certainly if... we've got some stuff in a box
[speaker001:] Well I mean we needn't buy the expensive things like sweatshirts
[speaker004:] Shall I try at erm Cambridge? I mean it's October.
[speaker001:] Yeah but they, will they, they won't sell you on at a discount will they?... Cos if we all
[speaker004:] But I mean I I just know that that Harlow tried stock keeping and selling, they gave up. I know that er in Hertford they were quite desperate. All came up with the same idea and they wanted to do it. And in the end they came to Barbara's conclusions so that its a an expensive thing.
[speaker001:] But I mean if we only had like the... writing paper and the envelopes and re-use labels, small items of stationery
[speaker006:] the stickers and I mean
[speaker002:] they still do... yeah.
[speaker001:] But I mean I I expect, I mean even we had some left over e eventually you could sell them to our own members because they'd all want to use it
[speaker002:] Mm.
[speaker001:] and it's cheaper than ordering it off the catalogue.
[speaker006:] That's a good idea about Cambridge isn't it? You could borrow there stock, is that what you're thinking and then take back what we didn't sell.
[speaker003:] That's what
[speaker004:] I mean I've never talked to them so I I don't know yet
[speaker001:] Well if they would let us borrow it, that's a different matter to buying it from then because we then wouldn't make any money on it.
[speaker004:] Well I don't, I have never heard of a local group that makes money out of this... selling.
[speaker001:] Well you you buy it all at thirty three or twenty five percent discount so you can then sell it at a bit more.
[speaker004:] But then you have then you have the stuff that doesn't sell and deteriorates and you still have to have paid for it so
[speaker002:] I think it's possible to make a bit of money but at at at the rate... you know I feel we're all the time putting the cart before the horse. Erm... you know if if we are going to try to keep going as a viable group then yes one of the things we should consider I mean I I don't I've come here sort of thinking... oh is this it, is this the crisis meeting or
[speaker005:] [LAUGHTER]
[speaker002:] is it... you know erm... I mean I feel so so passionately that that we should keep going but
[speaker006:] Mm.
[speaker002:] I also feel just that I am... able to contribute next to nothing in terms of time so and I think w we're almost all in that situation. Erm... you know we sort of seem to limp from one meeting to another without... really committing ourselves to anything much.... And you know if we were able to commit ourselves to two public, two meetings, three meetings of some sort in a year... where we're actually gonna do something and present some sort of front... Par part of presenting some sort of front is to try to sell a few bits of pieces if we're prepared to accept that we're going to lose money.
[speaker001:] Yeah. I mean if we, we're preaching you should use recycled products we, if we had a few to sell at least
[speaker002:] Mm. Yeah.
[speaker001:] I mean you you're be selling your Traidcraft stuff I mean
[speaker002:] Which
[speaker001:] why why does Barbara believe it's okay to sell that but not
[speaker002:] No, well we're, we're in exactly the same problem with Traidcraft. You know... we we used to sell thousand of pounds worth a year and now we're down to... couple of thousand a year and we're s, we are losing money on that.
[speaker001:] Mhm.
[speaker002:] No we're not actually losing money but I mean... with Traidcraft we are getting to the low point where we put borrowed stock
[speaker001:] Well that's the recession isn't it?
[speaker002:] Or...
[speaker001:] Well, what I thought was with this one world week thing at least people that, who go might be more receptive... to what we have to say to show and sell.
[speaker002:] Yes we've done really well with with Traidcraft
[speaker001:] because that is, that's the whole reason for the the the concert and they're gonna have this concert in there as well and people will be buying tickets to go to.
[speaker002:] Yeah.
[speaker001:] And I don't know an awful lot about it and there's going to be all these stalls. Where they're coming obviously because they believe in that sort of thing so
[speaker002:] Two or three years ago one world week was a full week of all sorts of different activities which were all very well attended. It's sort of dwindled very rapidly
[speaker001:] Has it.
[speaker002:] down to, I d I don't even know what happened last year.
[speaker003:] Mm
[speaker004:] We just had a stall didn't we?
[speaker002:] But it
[speaker004:] Or was that last year what seven or eight of us wasn't it?
[speaker002:] At St Michael's?
[speaker004:] The church.
[speaker002:] Yeah.
[speaker004:] That was last year or was that two years ago?
[speaker002:] Er...
[speaker006:] There was something at St Michael's but I didn't know it was the one world week.
[speaker002:] Yeah I have never been involved in a... one world week event at St Michael's.
[speaker004:] I thought there was one there. You certainly were there. In the church
[speaker003:] No I don't I don't think...
[speaker002:] Yeah. Anyway I mean hopefully this this will be sort of you know if it's well publicized it it will be well attended because of the past.
[speaker001:] I think we might as well get in a few things and anyway I want some envelope re-use labels. I've run out completely. There you are so many packets already.
[speaker002:] Well if you don't want Traidcraft's re-use labels I don't care!
[speaker001:] Oh! [LAUGHTER] I didn't know you did them! [] Well erm
[speaker002:] Doesn't matter does it
[speaker001:] well apart from this leaflet on recycling facilities, what else shall we have?... On the stall.
[speaker002:] Well who's gonna do the leaflet?
[speaker001:] I will.
[speaker003:] I think we ought to sort that out
[speaker004:] Well that will be, I personally think that's the only thing we can do. And we should just sort of say what is necessary to find out and everybody gets a few telephone numbers or telephone calls... check out addresses... find out about new ones, get in contact with the district council erm what is in the pipeline. Find out about Uttlesford possibly why there's is running and whether that is going to br breakdown. Erm and if we then find money for printing it I would approach Barclays Bank, banks, local banks... and would it do it very modestly the same local the same style er and only hand it out to... places where people are likely to pick it up. And not bother about. I mean charity shops erm... library, hairdressers, surgeries... Boardman as I know
[speaker002:] I think that's a very sensible idea actually rather than er trying to do the whole town.
[speaker004:] Because that was er you know... I mean it got the group together
[speaker002:] Yeah
[speaker004:] I thought because everybody had the same experience. I liked the experience because I had never done it.
[speaker001:] Mm.
[speaker004:] [whispering] what a waste of time. [] The number of people I've talked to that... I definitely knew had got and never knew they had got it.
[speaker005:] Mm.
[speaker003:] Yeah I mean but on the other hand the there's probably quite a few that... did read it. I mean I know when we moved house... I had folder and one of each had got in it the recycling directory
[speaker001:] Mm
[speaker003:] which is... quite a nice surprise!... I mean had they had they sold to someone outside Bishop's Stortford
[speaker001:] Yeah.
[speaker003:] then they could
[speaker001:] Yeah.
[speaker003:] [tape change]
[speaker001:] Erm
[speaker004:] I think we have to have something if we have a stall....
[speaker002:] We lost all the erm... cartoons... original cartoons. Yeah.
[speaker004:] Oh that's a shame.... Well I could photocopy that couldn't you.
[speaker002:] Yeah. The detail
[speaker001:] difficult to see what it is. But erm
[speaker004:] Oh that's a real shame. Otherwise I will just do it in a different colour, a different
[speaker002:] I mean then
[speaker004:] then then reshape the inside....
[speaker001:] Yeah....
[speaker004:] Er something before I I always forget everything.... The German Friends of the Earth's people told me never to do the washing on Monday mornings.
[speaker001:] [LAUGHTER]
[speaker004:] I mean that's something to put there as well I think. Because... it's a peak time for electricity and the Electricity Board... er produces according to peak demands.
[speaker002:] That's got nothing to do with recycling has it?
[speaker004:] No. I know but
[speaker001:] No. But you do you think honestly though that that really does still hold true because if everyone ha mostly having automatics now you just wash as you go you don't have a washing day or is it specially Monday they
[speaker004:] Like I've got just automatically I wanted to do washing this morning.
[speaker001:] [LAUGHTER] Really? I don't. I just put it, when it gets too bad you know if haven't got any clothes to
[speaker006:] It's an interesting though. I didn't know that they produced according to peak
[speaker004:] Yeah, I think it's important to know
[speaker006:] It's very important to know, yes.
[speaker004:] erm whatever. Don't do it Monday mornings.
[speaker006:] I usually do mine at midnight when I get home!
[speaker002:] Yes.
[speaker005:] [LAUGHTER]
[speaker001:] A lot of people do it overnight
[speaker006:] Yeah.
[speaker001:] but it's not really a good idea because if something goes wrong with your machine... you're not there to deal with it. I mean I've had mine flood and I've had its thermostat go and it boiled everything. I mean that would have been a disaster I mean it's only because I was upstairs and I thought oh I can smell boiling. You know it was like when you boil up hankies I thought what a! [LAUGHTER]. There was dye came out of everything it was awful. And another time it was all pouring all over the floor
[speaker004:] The other thing I mean to be healthy... it's more important... to dry things and keep them dry for a while than to boil them. Bacteria survive heat for a short time.
[speaker001:] Yeah.
[speaker004:] But they don't a for the percentage of bacteria that survives drought... is is minimal. So you don't need to boil... logically. Er if you just keep your hankies... iron them, keep them dry. Then they are, then they are sterile.
[speaker003:] be bothered.
[speaker002:] Anyway, back to the point. He said pointedly.
[speaker004:] Well leaflet.
[speaker001:] stall. We've got to get back to the stall.
[speaker002:] Yeah er the recycling leaflet. Who's gonna do it? It's not gonna be done if we don't get somebody to actually front you know
[speaker006:] well
[speaker002:] take it on
[speaker003:] The thing is that I... I can do... revamp it on computer. Because it w... you can scan
[speaker002:] What ma manually?
[speaker003:] No you just stick it on a photocopier
[speaker002:] I see I wa before you do that I'll get in touch with the guy who drew it and if he... if he has got... an original copy he might be able to erm to er...
[speaker003:] What, what you can do is you can then get basically you get the computer to type that out... type that out.
[speaker002:] Ah.
[speaker003:] And then you just do a run, you don't have to go on to print it at all you just print it off. That's one option Then photocopy the rest of it.... I've got a laser printer yeah so I mean that's what I use for my business. I've got a Mackintosh and a laser printer. So I mean
[speaker001:] I've got some recycled paper but but
[speaker002:] Well Traidcraft's got loads to sell.
[speaker001:] [LAUGHTER] Not doing very well are you
[speaker002:] No!
[speaker006:] because I have this... erm dilemma. Whether to just photocopy off a very good... original
[speaker003:] Yeah
[speaker006:] or do we print the whole lot. And we came to the conclusion it was cheaper to print
[speaker003:] Oh
[speaker006:] than photocopy.
[speaker001:] What it's a bit slow isn't it?
[speaker003:] Yeah it depends, well you can get get it to run through copies but... the problem is that the cartridges for these printers they, they cost about fifty pounds.
[speaker001:] Mm
[speaker003:] They're not cheap. So if I can do one run and then photocopy it.
[speaker001:] Mm.
[speaker003:] It a is actually a lot better because you can get them usually get them down to about... five p a copy.
[speaker001:] Well won't you lose, lose definition on the drawing though with a laser printer?
[speaker003:] No.
[speaker001:] No?
[speaker003:] No it's even better
[speaker001:] Oh that's alright. Okay, no it's, I'm just going by the one at school and it, because it's all made up of little dots you
[speaker003:] No, this is a laser printer. This does it absolutely... it's not a dot printer it's it is a laser printer.
[speaker001:] Oh, well he keeps calling it his laser printer! seen it in action we don't see that well.
[speaker002:] So you, you said you could do it for five p a copy?
[speaker003:] Well I r, I r, I reckon I reckon you can down to that, yeah.
[speaker002:] That's printing both sides.
[speaker003:] Yeah. double sided printer and I I'll try and get that verified but
[speaker004:] I think we could sell it I think we could sell it for
[speaker003:] Yeah.
[speaker004:] ten p or twenty p.
[speaker002:] Oh that that would be a different ball game, selling it in places wouldn't it?
[speaker001:] Oh yeah. Ho how many
[speaker002:] That's our, I mean, you know you can go round in newsagents or doctor's surgery and dump them. But to actually say right can you s can you collect the money for us!
[speaker004:] Well one could put a... box next to it.
[speaker002:] Well in some places, yeah. Yeah but I mean, mm. a copy's a lot.
[speaker001:] It is, yeah. Well although
[speaker002:] I mean it I'm not suggesting that isn't cheap but erm... to produce at five p a copy
[speaker003:] Oh yeah.
[speaker002:] thousand it's gonna cost what's it gonna cost?
[speaker003:] Er.
[speaker002:] What's five thousands? Five thousands. Fifty pounds.
[speaker003:] Mm. Mm. I mean I'm, I'm, I'm only going on the fact that I I tend to do everything on the cheap so I tend to get... if I can find somebody who does photocopying I can do it then we'll do it. For me to produce that'll cost me... basically my time and my... my you know I, say my laser copies' paid for by my business erm
[speaker004:] copies.
[speaker003:] So I mean if I, if I produced for instance si five or six masters... and then people can go and do copies here and there that's actually not a bad way of doing it.
[speaker001:] And that'll be, I've got about a ream of, well it's only about a ream paper.
[speaker004:] Just pr producing new copies as you need them rather than produce five thousand and I think we we have sort of hundreds to throw away in the end. But I it to to er... recycling. Yeah.
[speaker002:] Well I'll get in touch with this... East Herts guy to get all his information.
[speaker006:] Good.
[speaker003:] Mm.
[speaker002:] But erm...
[speaker006:] You know, we need to find out where to take
[speaker002:] somebody needs to... collect somebody needs to be a contact for getting all the information to... by a certain date.
[speaker001:] Well you can... get it through me, yeah.
[speaker002:] Okay.
[speaker004:] Tesco do they actually do... now?
[speaker001:] No.
[speaker004:] Has anybody been there?
[speaker005:] No.
[speaker001:] Well they collect aluminium cans.
[speaker006:] Oh do they?
[speaker004:] Yeah, that's what I was told.
[speaker001:] I acted on what everyone had told me I then asked my friend who had a contact in Tesco's about it she said well there is one. It's just inside the doors, where you don't see it. walk in like that and you're looking at all the things in the shop not where It's not in the recycling centre.
[speaker006:] Why don't they put it in the recycling centre?
[speaker001:] I think it's cos, it looks like it's made out of cardboard.
[speaker004:] It's, it's probably run by the scouts. They're in charge of it like
[speaker006:] Yeah, cos there's one at the swimming pool isn't there?
[speaker002:] Yeah.
[speaker004:] Yeah.
[speaker005:] Mm.
[speaker007:] Does anybody know anything about, there's this little note in about erm recycling paper, all sorts of paper magazines, cardboard er on the first Monday of the month. Does anybody know anything about that?
[speaker002:] Is this for Boots?
[speaker004:] every first Monday of the mo month is the Birchanger scout
[speaker001:] scout
[speaker004:] and he gave me that information repeatedly and he's terribly involved. It, it's fantastic.
[speaker001:] Right, yeah.
[speaker004:] I'm always worried that his enthusiasm is stretched to the limit
[speaker005:] [LAUGHTER]
[speaker004:] No, no I mean the number of pe. I've just passed my A levels I've got loads of papers going what can I do. Well I said, ring Birchanger scouts!
[speaker001:] [LAUGHTER]
[speaker004:] And as far as I know he always.... I mean the address is on there anyway.
[speaker001:] Yeah, oh right. Is it? Oh.... er
[speaker002:] quite... pertinent actually if we are actually going to do one.
[speaker006:] What?
[speaker002:] To ask people... sorry in my, in the letter
[speaker006:] Yeah.
[speaker002:] to the press, ask... people to er... submit any information.
[speaker005:] Yeah.
[speaker001:] Oh what you mean you're gonna put at the bottom... of the of, the same letter or
[speaker002:] Well, yes. Yeah.
[speaker004:] just write down all the information we've got now so there is... can recycling at the swimming pool and at Tesco privately run.... Swimming pool
[speaker001:] Erm... swimming pool
[speaker004:] who's going to get the information who runs that? Who?
[speaker001:] Mm?
[speaker004:] Well I can do that I suppose.
[speaker001:] Well who runs what?
[speaker006:] The swimming pool
[speaker004:] Because I know the scouts do the Tesco one and whenever they are put in these cardboard boxes they have to be sorted so somebody must sort them.
[speaker001:] Oh they're not, they're not asking sorting, oh I see.
[speaker004:] Erm... so there must be somebody responsible and I think if, if we write swimming pool and people take their cans there
[speaker006:] Yes we'd have to check.
[speaker004:] erm I should first check.
[speaker002:] Check with them, yeah quite.
[speaker004:] So I I do, you do Tesco. I'll do the swimming pool.
[speaker001:] I, I, I... would check who actually... is responsible for that
[speaker004:] . But of course all paper now is
[speaker006:] All paper?
[speaker004:] All paper.
[speaker006:] What about this... chap then? It's in the library th with his number.
[speaker004:] Well, you ring him but if he, if he gets upset or, or
[speaker001:] Oh I see.
[speaker004:] it's it's strange you can give that as an address. Any Uttlesford... town of some size has got a comprehensive recycling centre now that takes any paper
[speaker002:] Do you have to sort it? Do you have to take it sorted?
[speaker004:] No. No.
[speaker006:] It's just a big skip? And it says
[speaker003:] at Stanstead
[speaker002:] Do they then sort it?
[speaker003:] the car park
[speaker004:] No, they it's... the council collects it and [cough] in Uttlesford, that's why I said we should get at the same time... an Uttlesford councillor because I would
[speaker002:] Yes, yeah
[speaker004:] like to know a, whether their new scheme is only temporary, is about to break down.
[speaker005:] Mm.
[speaker004:] Or whether they actually get the disposals cost incorporated into this skip collecting cost. Because the... money they can get for this... mixed paper must be a pittance.
[speaker001:] Mm. Almost hardly worth their while but
[speaker004:] If you look at the tonnage kept out of the landfill...
[speaker005:] Yeah.
[speaker004:] it might work.
[speaker002:] Yeah, but I mean it it
[speaker006:] So where's this place in Stanstead then, do you know?
[speaker004:] Erm if you go... in, along Cambridge Road there's the turning to the right isn't there the first when you come up the hill.
[speaker002:] At the monument,th th whatsit hill.
[speaker006:] Chapel Hill.
[speaker002:] Chapel Hill.
[speaker001:] Chapel Hill.
[speaker006:] You go down there do you?
[speaker002:] And it's by the library isn't it?
[speaker001:] Mm.
[speaker007:] go down it's it's first left once you've turned right at
[speaker002:] You know where the library is?
[speaker001:] Opposite, opposite there isn't it?
[speaker006:] Opposite the fire station?
[speaker001:] Near the white house... round the back of the white house.
[speaker007:] Where the health centre is. Yes, round the back of those few little shops in London Road.
[speaker004:] And you can take anything. You can take erm any drink can unsorted. You can take glass and you can take pa papers.... And in... Saffron Waldren
[speaker001:] suddenly thought you still got to have a little holdall membership forms in it, haven't you? With all that peat and stuff.
[speaker004:] they even take er pills.
[speaker002:] With all that
[speaker006:] Do they? Oh that's interesting to know
[speaker001:] Remember w we did that peat they had a box that had a national membership forms in. We could have that on the stall couldn't we?
[speaker002:] Oh yes,w I mean we have got various leaflets produce... still which is in reasonable condition.
[speaker001:] I've got... Yeah. Yeah we could take that... you know membership and our own membership forms as well.
[speaker006:] What pub is that then? Did you say a pub?
[speaker004:] A pub, yeah, in front of the pub er... in. Just before the
[speaker006:] Oh the one in.
[speaker004:] Yeah. Before you go to St Michael's school, the pub. What is it called?
[speaker006:] Oh yeah, it's The Oak isn't it?
[speaker001:] The Royal Oak? Yeah cos that's next door but one to me so, yeah.
[speaker004:] Oh that's where you are.
[speaker001:] Yeah.
[speaker005:] [LAUGHTER]
[speaker004:] Well anyway that is a new item on the recycling directory
[speaker002:] Right
[speaker001:] Oh they've got one near those shops in... Humana?
[speaker004:] Could you... find out what happens to the?
[speaker001:] Yeah I know they come er there's a big lorry comes and collects them.
[speaker004:] Yeah. But whether they are sent to the third world or... torn into rags or
[speaker002:] Yeah
[speaker001:] Well you've got the, I mean... industry uses rags.... wiping up oil and things like that.
[speaker003:] I might c call. If I see them collecting I'll ask.
[speaker002:] And then if you're collating
[speaker004:] you have to ring.
[speaker001:] Yeah.
[speaker002:] Erm find out from
[speaker001:] Oh well I'll get the the charity shops... what they want
[speaker004:] Havers shops
[speaker001:] Yeah.
[speaker004:] address
[speaker001:] Oh right.
[speaker002:] Charity shops.
[speaker004:] Ah... er the other item that we must mention is any extra plastic bags
[speaker006:] Yeah, I'll ask about plastic bags.
[speaker004:] are extremely welcome in any charity shop.
[speaker001:] Now, what about engine oil? Because oh actually we've got some in our garage now sitting there and waiting to go somewhere.
[speaker002:] The council takes it.
[speaker001:] The council takes it?
[speaker002:] Yes I'm almost certain. I mean a visit to the council to find out exactly what they do take would be
[speaker005:] Mm.
[speaker001:] But can you take it back to garages as well?
[speaker002:] No. No.
[speaker005:] No.
[speaker002:] Halfords... Halfords in Harlow is one that that that we found out took it.... But I... ce ce I'm almost certain the council takes it.
[speaker001:] Yeah I remember big bins wasn't sort of sure what else
[speaker004:] They also take batteries. I know that. Car batteries.
[speaker002:] Do they?
[speaker004:] Car batteries. The car batteries
[speaker001:] That's the council?
[speaker004:] to get money at at
[speaker002:] Right. But what about erm little batteries?
[speaker004:] I I'm collecting those.
[speaker002:] Yeah. You are collecting them?
[speaker001:] What happens to radio batteries?
[speaker002:] Are still doing it?
[speaker004:] Yeah.... And they bring them up to me
[speaker002:] Ah
[speaker004:] I'm just waiting for a day of action on. What do English... er what do the English do with batteries and then dump them!
[speaker002:] In those letters Ursula th there's
[speaker004:] Yeah?
[speaker002:] a letter which says they they have stopped doing it.
[speaker003:] Oh yeah.
[speaker002:] That Photostad have stopped doing it.
[speaker004:] Oh.
[speaker003:] About the second, quite early on isn't it?
[speaker001:] Oh yeah I was
[speaker002:] I was gonna say it's about the last one!
[speaker005:] [LAUGHTER]
[speaker002:] Think you were reading them upside down!
[speaker004:] Well they only, they only er... took the batteries over to me... before we left on holiday.... So they must still be doing them and that was two... huge boxes.
[speaker002:] Oh.
[speaker001:] Er
[speaker004:] I know they are not very happy
[speaker002:] Well that needs a check that needs needs another check I I would guess.
[speaker004:] Yeah. And I quite honestly I don't...
[speaker001:] I I'm going to say about back to this erm sump oil. My brother-in-law said he read in the paper that erm... over a year sort of... the amount of oil tipped on our land and down drains which shouldn't be there is almost like equivalent to the disaster at Exxon Valdez.
[speaker002:] I heard that.
[speaker001:] Th erm... the amount of oil that people just tip on the ground, or down the drains or whatever
[speaker004:] Mm.
[speaker001:] over a year is equivalent to the disaster of the Exxon Valdez.... So really people ought to be trained to take their engine oil out
[speaker003:] There's this, there's this er out of sight out of mind principal
[speaker004:] You are fined you are heavily fined in Germany and for... decades already.... You were not allowed to wash your car on a normal street... because oil would automatically be flushed into into the guttering, into the
[speaker001:] They must be going absolutely mad about East Germany mustn't they? [LAUGHTER]
[speaker004:] Well it's just so incredible that this oil has never been... I mean nobody focused on it did they?
[speaker001:] No. People just don't think. They just tip it oh tip it down the drain.
[speaker006:] Same with petrol stations I mean... the way they... spill the petrol.
[speaker007:] I know! There used to be safety catch mechanism
[speaker006:] Yeah.
[speaker007:] but there isn't now is there it just comes splashing out.
[speaker004:] Well really I mean with quite a few you really have to watch out which is
[speaker001:] they had a row at erm petrol station when that happened to her. And they said it was our car. and, and it went, cos it was quite a bit more worth petrol that went all over the place. And she refused to pay. And they me up about it.
[speaker005:] [LAUGHTER]
[speaker001:] I, I sort of denied all knowledge. I didn't know it had happened! I think they were being most unreasonable. We at the time the attendant said it was alright. She didn't have to pay for it.
[speaker004:] it could easily I mean will be shorter I think.
[speaker002:] Sorry?
[speaker004:] fewer localities now. This will be shorter. I think we can easily put erm pits for daily life or how to be environmental. And then
[speaker001:] Oh a few tips. Oh
[speaker002:] With respect I really think it ought to be recycling and nothing else.
[speaker005:] Mm.
[speaker006:] Well I just find these, I mean we had quite a few now
[speaker001:] Cos recycling sort of comes into the tips for daily life as well though doesn't it. It's part of it. Like protecting... people don't just save bottles they save their glass jars
[speaker006:] seem to be patronizing people when really you just want to give information.
[speaker001:] as well. People don't always think of.
[speaker002:] Yeah.
[speaker001:] Re-using things, re-using things is almost the same... as recycling isn't it?
[speaker002:] Re-use? Yes. Yeah! I suppose it's I mean
[speaker001:] Well it is really isn't it?
[speaker002:] re-using is better than recycling....
[speaker004:] Yeah....
[speaker001:] Erm.
[speaker004:] So. Erm I take
[speaker001:] So it
[speaker002:] Reduce or re-use, recycling?
[speaker004:] Has anybody got a con
[speaker006:] punchlines are much better than sort of er.... Because people'll read those.
[speaker001:] Well you can write save money across the top then
[speaker005:] [LAUGHTER]
[speaker001:] Well I, I wrote actually that article for the the Herald and Post that has appeared in Harlow but not here. A... whole load of tips... like that.
[speaker002:] Oh.
[speaker001:] Now every week I open Herald and Post and think oh it's gonna be in there, it's gonna be in there but it never is. It's only appeared in Harlow and she told me it would get in the Bishop's Stortford one but it hasn't so far. It's a bit annoying really.
[speaker004:] Who does all the schools?... As to recycling. They must be checked.
[speaker006:] What about asking Caroline?
[speaker001:] School.
[speaker004:] Well I mean somebody who knows the teachers or
[speaker001:] Yes. That's gonna be a difficult one cos they don't always want
[speaker002:] I will... I'll do the schools. Yeah.
[speaker001:] erm the general public walking into their
[speaker002:] Yeah.
[speaker001:] .
[speaker007:] We ought to split the schools because there's quite a lot of them.
[speaker002:] I'll do the primary you do the secondary.
[speaker007:] I'll do the secondary.
[speaker002:] What about that?
[speaker007:] Okay....
[speaker001:] Primary.
[speaker007:] Well I think Boy's High... were active in between weren't they? Whether they er... still are.
[speaker004:] How about St Mary? I I found that erm erm littered all over the place!
[speaker001:] St Mary is wall! The P E
[speaker004:] Do they still do it?
[speaker001:] the P E teacher is supposedly collecting aluminium cans and... we've been through various daft schemes of stopping the children from throwing the cans everywhere because we've got this coke machine.... And we even had one where they paid a ten p deposit... on a can so they paid forty p instead of thirty or whatever. And I got hardly any cans back. Or they did was b buy them from the school canteen where they were still thirty!
[speaker005:] [LAUGHTER]
[speaker001:] And the coke machine wasn't used.
[speaker004:] Well why not er encourage the canteen to charge forty
[speaker001:] They didn't... but then they had
[speaker004:] as well?
[speaker001:] Well, they won't because they they they have to make money in order to survive. The more money they make the better for them. They have to run it as a business now. For profit I'm afraid. Er oh I did have one Polish lad who's now left who used to go round looking for all the cans and he'd... then collect the ten p's!
[speaker005:] [LAUGHTER]
[speaker001:] scheme folded. Through lack of support....
[speaker007:] So what else is mentioned here?...
[speaker004:] I think that still holds. And I can check, I will go and. And car batteries is the same. Other batteries I'll check. Pills er... you check
[speaker003:] Yeah.
[speaker004:] . Furniture erm... yeah I think that's. Is there a second hand furniture shop now in Bishop's Stortford?... There is one isn't there?
[speaker003:] Is there one down by the Causeway?
[speaker001:] Yes there is.
[speaker004:] Who is going to check that?
[speaker003:] Well I can check it. Yeah.
[speaker004:] Yeah? Whether they take
[speaker003:] Yes. Yes.
[speaker004:] I mean whether they want any.
[speaker003:] Right. Okay. Could I just borrow your pen and I'll write that down. Thanks.
[speaker006:] Are Red Cross still taking furniture in Stortford?
[speaker004:] Now where is Red Cross?
[speaker006:] Erm... Well I think the furniture you have to take down to Ware... when I last phoned. There's a number in the er... when I was... Church Street so that's a few years now so it needs to be checked.
[speaker004:] Would you do that?
[speaker003:] So it's whether they take furniture?... Okay.
[speaker004:] Newspapers I think that is normally isn't it?
[speaker003:] Do you think people... are
[speaker006:] folded What's that shop in the Causeway near the sunbed erm it it's a second hand furniture in there isn't it?
[speaker003:] Is it?
[speaker007:] But h I mean... are people in the habit of wanting to get rid of furniture? I mean... I mean if it, if it's really grotty I mean
[speaker006:] Well you can get I mean, according to the leaflet you can just phone up and get the council to collect.
[speaker003:] No.
[speaker004:] Glass, we haven't got any bottle banks. And that's where we need to... contact... what is in the pipeline
[speaker002:] Yeah.
[speaker004:] bottle bank somewhere.
[speaker002:] Yeah there's, there's one at Sainsbury's now isn't there which is... new since that.
[speaker006:] Yeah there is Thorley Sainsbury's.
[speaker002:] Thorley Sainsbury's.
[speaker003:] They have one now?
[speaker002:] They do. Yes.
[speaker003:] Oh! They suddenly found the room.
[speaker006:] Yes actually.
[speaker002:] Well... in a parking block.
[speaker001:] Er... would anyone like coffee?
[speaker002:] No... thank you.
[speaker001:] one, two.... Now what was it, I mean... or would you prefer anything else?
[speaker005:] some tea?
[speaker001:] Tea? I'll I'll go and check.
[speaker007:] One thing I... struck me this week there's a new regulation as regard punctures on tyres because I had this completely flat tyre and a whole new set of tyres and I said to him well can't you mend it, can't you put an inner tube in like I I've done before cos there was a nail in it you see.
[speaker006:] Yeah.
[speaker007:] And I said just get the nail out and re repair the inner tube he said no it's the there's a new regulation this year that if the outer case of the you know the tyre has
[speaker001:] tea.
[speaker007:] they're not allowed to repair it because safety regulations because... the whole expanse and then supposedly the actual puncture comes off. And I said well what happens to these extra tyres?
[speaker006:] Right.
[speaker007:] So he sa, I mean does anybody know anything about anything like that?
[speaker005:] No, no.
[speaker007:] Presum I mean I just lost four
[speaker004:] I know this... I just know about about a sort of friend of ours [LAUGHTER] is making money meanwhile in Germany []. He found... well... of course erm connections so he got the permission through the embassy. He's now running lorry loads of worn tyres to Russia, to the Soviet Union and makes money... loads of money because the tyres, they couldn't ha get any tyres so... the tyres he saw there were totally without profile. You know.
[speaker007:] Yeah.
[speaker004:] So the old tyres... he could erm find in Germany were a lot better. He carted them over. [LAUGHTER]. Making thousands out of it.
[speaker006:] Yeah.
[speaker007:] Well people do that here though don't they? Se sell them to Africa and places yeah.
[speaker003:] alright if it doesn't rain actually so it wouldn't matter if they didn't have treads on er... treads on the tyres if it's dry it doesn't really matter you just go round slicks and
[speaker001:] I think could chop them up and use them to make road surfaces with.
[speaker004:] Yeah but percentages is
[speaker006:] Mm.
[speaker001:] At least you know they can do it!
[speaker006:] Mm that's right.
[speaker004:] Oh they can do quite a lot of it. I mean even the, the su surface out of the play... in playgrounds.
[speaker001:] Mm.
[speaker006:] I can never quite work out why that.
[speaker001:] most roads So, so far I've got two coffees here and one tea. Anybody else for anything?
[speaker003:] I'll have a coffee please.
[speaker001:] Coffee?
[speaker003:] Black please.
[speaker001:] Black coffee.
[speaker005:] White.
[speaker001:] White.
[speaker005:] White.
[speaker002:] So we've got about six weeks in which to do this.... So how many weeks
[speaker004:] I mean there's no... excuse I [cough] all the jobs are quite quickly done aren't they?
[speaker002:] Yeah. So what... we ought to have a deadline for collect collecting the information. And then get together
[speaker005:] Yeah.
[speaker002:] to put it together. And then decide on
[speaker004:] And how to
[speaker002:] And how to get, how to get it... to put it together.
[speaker006:] Shall we say three weeks?
[speaker002:] Three weeks... Yeah.
[speaker005:] ...
[speaker004:] probably for everybody just to do it and
[speaker002:] Yeah.
[speaker004:] and I don't think anybody has more... time in in four weeks time So if you say six weeks by then you...
[speaker002:] Yeah yeah.
[speaker003:] It's too near.
[speaker006:] So the thirtieth of September we'll meet here again.
[speaker002:] meeting?
[speaker004:] Can, can we meet at house?
[speaker005:] Yes.
[speaker004:] It's more sensible for
[speaker002:] Meet where?
[speaker003:] What's your address? Forty two?
[speaker004:] Thirty two.
[speaker003:] .
[speaker005:] [LAUGHTER]
[speaker004:] Is that alright? Or what?
[speaker002:] Mondays is actually not very good for me but hopefully by then
[speaker007:] I don't think I can make that either but er
[speaker003:] Val, can I have your phone number please? Right.
[speaker004:] erm... what did you say? Thirtieth?
[speaker007:] Well that's. go through.
[speaker004:] So plastics erm... ya I think that's re-using is better than... recycling.... And erm... then mention the charity shops. I mean we don't need to... imply anything there. There's no new recycling centre nearby... for plastics is there?
[speaker003:] So who mentioned this
[speaker002:] The what?
[speaker003:] talk about recycling mention that. I just remember it from the.
[speaker007:] Now Bejam have become Iceland they haven't done the... plastic bags collection have they like the, a lot of the. They haven't got a provision for plastic bags
[speaker006:] Is that worth checking out?
[speaker007:] I know a lot of the Iceland do have a... recycling
[speaker006:] I I'll do that, if I'm doing plastic bags at charity shops I'll check
[speaker005:] plastic bag recycling
[speaker007:] What's happened to Sainsbury's one p back cos they don't actually
[speaker003:] Yes I was yes
[speaker007:] they don't actually give you one p any more.
[speaker003:] No!
[speaker007:] I think supposed to, they are supposed to.
[speaker004:] I I always make them give me three p This... in the Friend of the Earth, Germany... she stayed with us, I really would have liked you to meet her. She was fanatic! You have cat f food in tins! How dare you! [LAUGHTER] you know [].
[speaker007:] What do they
[speaker004:] from the butcher and
[speaker007:] Oh, really.
[speaker004:] Locally, no transport. Cut out transport. Only local foods and...
[speaker007:] If it's available.
[speaker003:] Yes well mm.
[speaker007:] So who, who. Are you doing the bottle bank?
[speaker002:] You doing the bottle banks?
[speaker007:] who's doing the bottle banks?
[speaker002:] Yeah.
[speaker003:] Thanks ever so much.
[speaker004:] Because er... Caroline... once wanted one in a school and we weren't allowed to have it.
[speaker002:] No I won't thank you.
[speaker007:] Well there's one at erm.... The erm wine merchant. You know erm the one down the bottom of Thorley Hill. Well they were, they were sort of... advertising er... giving you money back.. I don't know if Down in the er
[speaker003:] Yeah.
[speaker004:] Can you find out more?... And also we do quite a few we can write at the bottom... er for more inf if you have any more information or something in small print
[speaker001:] Mm.
[speaker004:] please contact and then... we can do the next few hundred
[speaker003:] The thing is you can, you can change them very easily.
[speaker004:] Ya.
[speaker007:] That means you can er pay for it easier.
[speaker004:] I wouldn't print more than three hundred for a start. So if we get further information we can always... if not we can just get printed.
[speaker003:] That's very impressive isn't it?
[speaker005:] [LAUGHTER]
[speaker001:] That's that... council of environment. No sorry. Council's environment advisory committee.
[speaker004:] Oh that must be that must be the one... er
[speaker003:] Rob's on.
[speaker001:] Thought this was good about the, buying the R S P C A that boat oil spill....
[speaker003:] Doesn't look very steady though does it!
[speaker005:] [LAUGHTER]
[speaker001:] Yeah they look like! It's ever so tiny isn't it! Yeah.
[speaker003:] coracle [LAUGHTER].
[speaker001:] Well they've got to keep their green image, green image going haven't they?
[speaker002:] So Kath while you were coffee making we decided on er... three weeks for collecting information.
[speaker001:] Oh right.
[speaker002:] And another three weeks for production. Which will make the thirtieth of September a meeting at Portland Road. That's a Monday. Although for two of us Monday's aren't good. So I don't know whether...
[speaker004:] I would prefer another day. Three. That makes three.
[speaker003:] Monday or Tuesday is no good.
[speaker002:] You can't do Tuesday? Wednesday?
[speaker007:] Wednesday now Wednesday would be the...
[speaker002:] Second of October.
[speaker001:] Second of October. It's at your house?...
[speaker007:] Is that all, that's changed then has it Wednesday the second of October?
[speaker006:] Have we decided on Wednesday?
[speaker001:] No I think we should
[speaker007:] thing is I don't think I can but er I mean I might be able to pop in for about half an hour. Because I mean I can find out what goes on
[speaker004:] Yeah and leave, leave the stuff
[speaker002:] Yeah
[speaker003:] beforehand.
[speaker007:] I'll probably phone it in actually.
[speaker006:] Yeah.
[speaker007:] If that's okay.
[speaker001:] Er... second at what ti. Wednesday second of October. What time?
[speaker003:] Eight thirty.
[speaker005:] Eight thirty.
[speaker001:] And this is, this is about the leaflet is it?
[speaker002:] Yeah. Yes.
[speaker004:] Get all the information.... Decide on how we do the thing. And erm do take it
[speaker002:] To go into details of that it's probably much more sensible to do it with just two or three people. But er... at least if we can... pull the information together that evening that'd be a start.
[speaker003:] Form a sub committee!
[speaker005:] Ooh! [LAUGHTER]
[speaker001:] sub committee with everybody present!
[speaker005:] [LAUGHTER]
[speaker001:] Well you can always divide up.
[speaker005:] Thanks ever so much folks and I'll see you
[speaker001:] Oh you've got to go.
[speaker005:] soon. See you. Bye Katherine. See you then. Thanks Katherine.
[speaker001:] Your welcome.
[speaker005:] I'll be in touch. Bye.
[speaker002:] So what's gonna be on this stall then? Apart from the new leaflets and a few
[speaker005:] Some re re-use labels.
[speaker001:] [LAUGHTER]
[speaker002:] Yeah. You're gonna buy, you're gonna buy some?
[speaker001:] I'll send off for some stuff. I'll just do it.
[speaker002:] Okay.
[speaker005:] Those Traidcraft ones.
[speaker001:] We've got some money. Money sitting round accounts doing nothing.
[speaker002:] How much money have we got?
[speaker001:] Oh.
[speaker007:] Probably loads.
[speaker001:] Can't remember....
[speaker002:] I'd better let you know what we have got in stock just in case there's anything there that you're
[speaker001:] Yeah. You haven't have you?
[speaker002:] No. I I don't think so. Are you gonna get leaflets and you know... Friends of the Earth leaflets?
[speaker001:] I've got l, well they've got loads, I've got a big... wallet folder full of all the various leaflets.
[speaker002:] You have. Right.
[speaker001:] Erm...
[speaker002:] Car stickers and
[speaker003:] cakes or anything like produce or
[speaker001:] I don't know. I mean it, it's up to you. I don't know if it's that sort of a... do really.
[speaker005:] Mm.
[speaker001:] Hundred and sixty eight pounds thirty nine pence.
[speaker002:] Oh gosh!
[speaker003:] Is that their new catalogue or is that the one, the summer one?
[speaker002:] This is spring summer.
[speaker001:] It's it's the latest one isn't it? I haven't had another one.
[speaker002:] I mean... they may be just just just about bringing one out so
[speaker007:] They're just about to bring one out aren't they? The Christmas lot will be out
[speaker003:] that one.
[speaker002:] Sorry?
[speaker003:] August that one.
[speaker007:] the R S P B
[speaker001:] Well I I've been sent a... local
[speaker002:] Oh that was is that true?
[speaker001:] No I've got a
[speaker003:] No, it said it in there
[speaker001:] I've got a local group six pound order form autumn and winter ninety one.
[speaker003:] But I don't think they change that much. I think they just sort of it's the same thing in a different order.
[speaker001:] And it's it's got a lot of sort of stuff that's left over from
[speaker003:] Christmassy things
[speaker002:] That'll do. Yeah.
[speaker001:] Erm.
[speaker002:] But I mean do we want to have any... produce or anything else? I'm just looking at this stall thinking there's gonna be next to nothing on it.
[speaker004:] Mm. Yeah. I think if some cakes we need definitely.
[speaker001:] Oh. So we have to do
[speaker004:] To make it look right so
[speaker001:] Good advertising!
[speaker002:] What is the, what is the concert in fact?
[speaker001:] Well I, I honestly don't know an awful lot about it. I don't think he knows that much [plane overhead]
[speaker004:] It was low cost through the
[speaker001:] No cos it's concert. There's going
[speaker004:] Oh concert.
[speaker001:] to be a concert there.
[speaker007:] All Saints, they were going to have a concert weren't they.
[speaker001:] No. This is at the Rhodes Centre.
[speaker002:] The Rhodes Centre. The concert... at which we've got this stall.
[speaker001:] Yeah.
[speaker002:] The Traidcraft's stall.
[speaker001:] . I mean he kept... he didn't know. He said to me on the phone he didn't know a great deal cos he was just getting it all together. And he said, today he phoned me just as I was going out and I didn't really sort of stop and talk to him very long. He just asked me what we needed and I said well a table. We don't really need anything else do we? Like power supply or [LAUGHTER]
[speaker002:] Oh no... quite
[speaker001:] something with flashing lights on it!
[speaker004:] So what time of the day is that?
[speaker001:] It's evening. [loud crash]... seven or eight o'clock. He told me....
[speaker003:] How long does it go on for?
[speaker001:] No idea.... He said he'd phone me again you see.
[speaker002:] I think if there's a concert there'll be a rush at the beginning and there'll be a rush at the end. Possibly a rush at the, at an interval I suppose.
[speaker003:] What concert is it then? I mean
[speaker001:] Well I don't know!
[speaker003:] Sounds a funny, funny evening to me! bit of a mish-mash isn't it. I mean
[speaker001:] But he's he just
[speaker002:] The oth. The other thing we could do. Sorry.... Liz. Is... is to see whether green consumer Rob and Trish want to, to to have something.
[speaker003:] I guess that would be a.......
[speaker007:] I mean I wonder who exactly you're attracting if you've got people coming to listen to music and then
[speaker001:] Well I think something to do with the church isn't it. I think he mentioned... the church
[speaker007:] go through the church?
[speaker002:] I don't know what the one,the the there's usually a theme for every one world... week each year and I don't know what the theme is for this year.
[speaker001:] [loud noises]. Act together for tomorrow's world....
[speaker002:] Yeah!
[speaker007:] Fine!
[speaker002:] Well. Yeah. There you go!
[speaker001:] And he said we come under that heading so.
[speaker002:] Good.
[speaker001:] Right. But all he
[speaker007:] There's nothing else going on apart from this concert
[speaker001:] I don't know.... I'll ask him. I'll ask him. Erm we'd better get on to a few other things. I've got erm... Greenpeace written to me. They're having a family fun day on... what day is it. Saturday the twenty eighth of September.... That's at Much Hadham... hall, village hall. Two o'clock to five o'clock.... They want to know if we want to have a stall there?
[speaker002:] Family fun day... Much Hadham village hall?
[speaker001:] Yeah.
[speaker007:] Do you know where that is in Much Hadham?
[speaker001:] Opposite the Bull pub isn't it?
[speaker007:] Right.
[speaker001:] Er... he wants to know... do we want to have a stall there and that's gonna cost us five pounds. If we have that.... Erm
[speaker002:] Well you could get produce... for that. And then if you... ordered now....
[speaker001:] I bet they probably be really competing with them in a way won't we cos they've got all the same sort of stuff. Won't they?
[speaker005:] Yeah.
[speaker001:] Greenpeace... sell them... mugs and... re-use labels and... sort of things like that. I don't know what you think. Erm... and there's er...
[speaker002:] I would suggest
[speaker007:] If it's a fun day why don't we do a game or something. Why do, you know.
[speaker001:] Well it's. They're celebrating their twentieth birthday celebrations. Erm... and then th in the evening there's an event.
[speaker005:] [LAUGHTER]
[speaker001:] Which starts at eight o'clock with two live bands, cabaret, disco and bar. Tickets three pound fifty.... Does anybody want to go?...
[speaker002:] That's a good idea but it's... offer to do a game.
[speaker001:] Well they've got... what they've got on here is they've got... whale watch talk and slides.. Punch and Judy show. Magic and juggling with ka plate spinning.... Er Playbus painting competition. Raffle, refreshments, tombola... and various merchandise stalls so I suppose... that's us.
[speaker006:] Quite
[speaker005:] Mm.
[speaker003:] Do they do fire eating act or
[speaker005:] [LAUGHTER]
[speaker003:] We can contortionism or [LAUGHTER]... my legs up behind my neck....
[speaker002:] An alternative might be to just to ask whether some of our membership forms could be... put out so that
[speaker001:] Well I think they're more interested in the five pounds!
[speaker002:] Yeah alright well. Yeah. I mean to make a contribution.
[speaker001:] No to be honest because that that's what Greenpeace do isn't it? Don't you belong?
[speaker003:] Yeah start the Harlow one up
[speaker001:] Yeah. the whole of their effort really is devoted to
[speaker003:] Yeah they don't do it. They're actually, they just do fund raising to their local groups and everything else is obviously sort of controlled by central office or
[speaker002:] That's right everything is central. Ac action is central or something.
[speaker001:] Yeah but I mean
[speaker003:] So they're probably just gonna have their... you know merchandise and a few people sort of
[speaker006:] It's difficult really because I mean we're sort of striving for the same sort of things
[speaker001:] I know. Yeah.
[speaker006:] aren't we. It's er... you don't want to be seen to be erm
[speaker003:] Who's it actually run by?
[speaker006:] competing with each other in any way.
[speaker001:] Well. I think his name's actually written out. I'm not sure
[speaker003:] It's like trying to unite the churches.
[speaker006:] Yeah.
[speaker001:] It looks like somebody Plus Plusky... Oh yeah. No. Oh well. It's signed by s. Oh no sorry. [LAUGHTER].
[speaker005:] [LAUGHTER]
[speaker001:] That can't possibly say. Well it says Leslie at the top. But there's something else underneath.
[speaker003:] I mean is that but is that a Greenpeace central office thing or is it erm
[speaker002:] A local group.
[speaker003:] a local group?
[speaker001:] East Herts. But does it, Pat does it... doesn't he?
[speaker004:] for Herts yeah.
[speaker001:] He still does it now.
[speaker004:] How do you know?
[speaker001:] that have got so involved in that.
[speaker004:] Yeah. And and Bob did it... here in Bishop's Stortford but I don't know whether he's still... I think he still does it because he was very committed.
[speaker001:] But I I just Pat was doing it for Bishop's Stortford on or thereabouts because he sent me all the details about the whale walk. Cos I I gave his name to this guy organizing the one world week. And he hadn't had any joy out of Greenpeace.
[speaker002:] Can I borrow that a minute?
[speaker001:] What this?
[speaker002:] Yeah
[speaker003:] The problem we've got with Greenpeace they might not have so much in the way of merchandise and they just have the stickers and...
[speaker001:] There's the... leaflets.
[speaker003:] things and leaflets. Yeah I think it just depends whether the local group want to take up the option or not....
[speaker001:] I don't think there's anything I've got to tell you.... Er except there's a day of action but it's right... that's right into November now so you can hear about that.
[speaker003:] So we this next meeting at
[speaker004:] Yeah. I I think we can sort out more about the st stall... I mean if we can... sell things
[speaker001:] Well... this this this er Greenpeace letter predates the September.
[speaker004:] Oh that is a pity.
[speaker003:] I think that's actually a bit too soon to get ourselves organized
[speaker001:] Shall I shall I just write off and send them... like pound or donation and a few leaflets could
[speaker003:] Yeah. Say we're quite prepared to make a contribution, mm.
[speaker001:] you put them out or... circulate them. Yeah?
[speaker003:] Yeah I mean don't think Rob would be interested....
[speaker002:] Yeah. He he ought to know about it though
[speaker006:] I'll ask him about it. Cos he lives up the road from there doesn't he?
[speaker003:] Oh... yeah.
[speaker001:] Erm
[speaker003:] And he could collect some money for the
[speaker001:] [LAUGHTER]. Alright I'll tell
[speaker002:] Yeah. I expect he, you know they're fairly busy but... you know they may well
[speaker001:] And I'll tell
[speaker002:] not want to go.
[speaker003:] Yeah.
[speaker006:] Anyway I'll see you all on Wednesday
[speaker001:] Thanks for coming.... Erm...
[speaker002:] Bye Liz.
[speaker004:] I'll going in the afternoon
[speaker001:] There's a few other things that I've got to get through here.
[speaker004:] I mean
[speaker001:] Erm... I've got here. I've been sent some stuff by Chris who used to run Harlow group.
[speaker004:] Oh yeah.
[speaker003:] Chris who was that?
[speaker001:] ?
[speaker005:] .
[speaker002:] Not Christine!
[speaker001:] Yeah that's right they cos [LAUGHTER]... Erm so I've got a whole long list of all these people who used to belong to Harlow which is absolutely enormous.
[speaker003:] Is that Friends of the Earth?
[speaker001:] Yeah. Masses of names
[speaker003:] loads of money and
[speaker004:] Well no, I
[speaker001:] No they've folded now
[speaker004:] They have folded. Well... I think that list is the list that... what was his name, Chris?...
[speaker003:] quite a few as well.
[speaker004:] But if you look properly it's a, that is not only Harlow. Remember he wanted to merge the groups? Don't you remember?
[speaker001:] Oh yeah.
[speaker002:] Oh yes. Of course.
[speaker004:] And he had all the numbers. Because he also works
[speaker001:] Yes. Some of ou. Yeah.
[speaker004:] in a erm London.
[speaker006:] Isn't it the national?
[speaker004:] No it's it's all the
[speaker001:] No.
[speaker004:] He wanted to call it Stort group or something.
[speaker006:] Oh yeah
[speaker002:] Stort Valley or something wasn't it?
[speaker004:] Stort Valley group.
[speaker001:] Well there's a lo quite a lot. It's mostly Harlow actually when you look through it. But there are Bishop's Stortford ones too.
[speaker004:] Yeah that's all the
[speaker001:] And the vast majority's Harlow.
[speaker004:] That was his plan of having
[speaker003:] What, what do they do they want. What do they want to do? Do they want join our group or
[speaker001:] Nothing. He said he he's apparently just moved and he's got involved with this other charity... erm to do with the United Nations Friends of the Earth and just passed it on to me. Cos the there... there must be useful contacts you see. People who sympathize. we've got the names.
[speaker005:] Mm.
[speaker003:] They were fairly enthusiastic when they started off.
[speaker001:] Mm.
[speaker003:] So I
[speaker001:] But I I mean... we... I don't know whether you think it's worth contacting or not.
[speaker003:] It might be.
[speaker002:] Yes. W either when we've got a reason to contact them
[speaker001:] Yeah.
[speaker002:] or with a specific letter... for them saying you know welcome if you... if you feel like it.
[speaker003:] Actually just just quickly er I just noticed on that list of your... questionnaires that we got back a couple that they didn't actually know what was going on. And that you know perhaps this is er erm publicity wise I wonder whether we're falling a bit short on our... publicity.
[speaker001:] Well. they didn't know... I mean like first newsletter we've had in ages.... And it's something else that we need to get
[speaker004:] we can't just sort of
[speaker002:] No exactly
[speaker001:] We've got to get, we should get more publicity. But it's ever so easy for somebody to sit at home and say well you should be doing this and you should be doing that
[speaker002:] Oh yeah yeah.
[speaker001:] and not doing
[speaker003:] No I'm I'm not sa, I'm not saying. I'm not saying you should be... doing anything I'm just er
[speaker001:] No I didn't mean you, I meant them! [LAUGHTER]
[speaker003:] No well.... I well really I don't think you should say... you're not doing enough!
[speaker001:] No [LAUGHTER]
[speaker004:] I think last year more or less shows that we really have to concentrate on one thing. Do it and then plan
[speaker002:] Yeah.
[speaker004:] plan the next. Because otherwise we just
[speaker003:] And then write about it if we want to.
[speaker001:] Yeah. So what what we'll do quickly to write and inform them all that we're doing this stall and... won't we?
[speaker006:] Yes. We could even send them... a recycling sheet.
[speaker001:] Yeah.
[speaker002:] And the most recent newsletter.
[speaker001:] Yeah. Yeah.
[speaker002:] And a, and a short letter I do don't know whether you said that.
[speaker001:] Are you talking about this lot or
[speaker002:] Yeah.
[speaker001:] or that lot?
[speaker002:] Sorry?
[speaker001:] Yeah sorry I was also tal we were talking about our own membership
[speaker006:] talking about Stortford
[speaker002:] Oh right!
[speaker001:] and we passed on.
[speaker004:] No I think they... I mean
[speaker006:] They complain they don't get any information.
[speaker004:] My first contacts with Friends of the Earth... in this region sort of what six years ago was Harlow.
[speaker001:] Mm.
[speaker004:] And they were all enthusiastic and... confident and...
[speaker001:] Well what happened to them?
[speaker004:] And... when... there was another friend who was still over here at that time. And we went three times and they always planned and planned and planned and had ideas what they could do. And they never pulled round to actually doing it
[speaker003:] No.
[speaker004:] properly.
[speaker002:] Right.
[speaker004:] And I think the same happened as with us. They wrote letters and they did didn't have the energy
[speaker005:] Mm.
[speaker004:] to... write again and again you know... And you never get a positive answer, clear answer first, first time round do you?
[speaker001:] Mm.
[speaker004:] You have to write and and write more details or put more pressure on and have more people write. But if you just write a single letter
[speaker001:] Yeah but you should. I know you two have been...
[speaker006:] Yeah.
[speaker002:] Mm.
[speaker004:] I'm used to it. I mean... it evaporates.
[speaker003:] . Didn't we have er a membership thing which said about... erm membership form which actually explained what... what we did in... if you want to join return this sort of thing.
[speaker001:] Yeah. I've got loads of those.
[speaker003:] Have you still got those?
[speaker001:] Yes. I've got all those.
[speaker003:] We've still got those somewhere then.
[speaker001:] Yeah. Well I've go have got the. I don't think I don't know if I've got a master. But I know I've got lots that could be copied so we could send them out.
[speaker003:] Well I've got the master still somewhere.
[speaker001:] Well anyway it's something to bear in mind the fact that we've got that list anyway.... Erm...
[speaker006:] Yeah how many. Sort of what's the approximate number of people on it?
[speaker001:] I don't know. I'm not very good at estimating numbers. One two three four
[speaker004:] Oh and then there was... there's it's it's it's not all Harlow it's all... just
[speaker006:] Yeah it's Stort Valley.
[speaker004:] Ya. This Chris... what was his name?
[speaker002:] I don't remember. I don't, didn't even know his name was Chris.
[speaker004:] Don't you remember he he then suggested th that walk along the Stort?
[speaker002:] I do yeah. I mean I'd forgotten all about him but I can remember
[speaker004:] Do you remember that. That was a really silly thing wasn't it?
[speaker003:] Can I just have a look Kath?
[speaker002:] Yeah.
[speaker004:] He organized it all and then I think was it a week before he suddenly said... well we can't possibly have two hundred people walking along... a nature trail... that we want to protect.
[speaker005:] [LAUGHTER]
[speaker004:] And he was really of the illusion that there might be... I think two hundred no six hundred people
[speaker006:] Two hundred people might turn up.
[speaker004:] turning up. In the end I think three people turned up.
[speaker001:] Oh.
[speaker004:] It was, it was... no it was
[speaker002:] This looks really interesting.
[speaker001:] get it. I had to write off
[speaker002:] Yeah.
[speaker001:] Er it was a nice... er display... thing to show to show the kids when you do talks in schools.
[speaker002:] Yeah yeah. Well I mean I'd certainly use it.
[speaker004:] Is is that Greenpeace?
[speaker001:] Yeah that's what I think is it's no
[speaker002:] It's a resources pack
[speaker004:] Mm.
[speaker002:] It's his own is it?
[speaker001:] Well he's obvious they've obviously the group has bought it and he's got it and he's gonna say do you want to buy
[speaker002:] Oh yeah. Oh yeah.
[speaker001:] for ten instead of twenty.
[speaker002:] Originally cost twenty pounds and we could get it for ten it's er
[speaker001:] It's Chris
[speaker002:] it's erm... living forests... resources pack.
[speaker001:] Looks good doesn't it? that I thought.
[speaker002:] Erm... with all sorts of po posters and teacher's notes and things.
[speaker004:] Well I firmly believe in building up a library.
[speaker001:] So do I. Good I'm glad
[speaker004:] I I mean there's
[speaker001:] you said that because I w I want to buy a book!
[speaker004:] no library because I think... er if you are contacted for information and you are able to say... okay we have a book... or we have books.
[speaker001:] Yeah. That's that's one of the things I I I ke, I've kept all my New Scientists. I keep these.
[speaker004:] Yeah.
[speaker001:] I go through them gonna collate that cos there's loads of stuff in there good.
[speaker004:] Yeah.
[speaker001:] But I do get quite a few people phone me as you know asking for information. I just photocopy relevant bits
[speaker004:] None of none of them has got in contact with me.
[speaker001:] Really!
[speaker004:] No.
[speaker001:] Aren't they funny. I get the feeling
[speaker004:] Well I should give you er
[speaker001:] that they either phone in. Phone me and then get it all given to them... just like that.
[speaker004:] That yeah.
[speaker001:] And no further effort involved cos
[speaker004:] Well I should, I could. No it isn't.
[speaker001:] This woman who, who keeps phoning me up about all this oil pollution on her land. She she. I sent, I wrote off to Friends of the Earth, I got a load of information all about the law... and she still phones me up and say oh you know what the District Council's they won't do anything and the N R A wasn't doing anything. And I said well when did you last contact them? February!... Apparently she's got a problem that... the oil pollution is coming off this site where they're refurbishing the boilers. It's gotten on to her land... and off her land and into the ditch, which is... you know the N R A
[speaker004:] Where is that?
[speaker001:] Er... Roydon some way? You know where all those nurseries are?... And because the oil is coming... to the ditch via her land they can't have a go at the primary source.... This is what she said and I, to me it doesn't sound right. She said nobody'll... Nob they all say they haven't got the power to prosecute and I said well the N R A has. They've got more clout than anybody else.
[speaker004:] Mm.
[speaker001:] More clout than the District Council. And then she keeps saying but you know what these councils are like. And I said I'm not talking about the council, I'm talking about the N R A!... And now she wants me to find out how can er found out about a solicitor or somebody who specialises in this sort of thing. To take the District Council to court.... So that she's more expensive to them... than this other lot will be. Apparently they're causing quite te dreadful pollution. It's all this oil... from the boilers leaking on to her... into her soil and out into the ditch.
[speaker004:] Well
[speaker002:] Certainly is.
[speaker001:] But erm... in the back of my mind there comes that she's saying to me... don't get involved, don't get involved. You know who owns all that land, it's the mafia. And this could be why she's getting nowhere.
[speaker004:] You could give her er erm er wr, give her the address of Friends of the Earth, London.
[speaker001:] Oh she's already. That's how she got in contact with me! You see they refer everybody on and then I
[speaker004:] Well but they should give her a soli, the name of a solicitor. There must be green solicitors about.
[speaker001:] I have to write to them and ask them and about a month later they reply to me and I pass it on to her.... Because I don't know off hand. I've asked Jeffrey to ask a friend about it who's a... solicitor if he knows anybody but I c, I can't... I haven't got the in information. I don't
[speaker004:] Does anybody of you remember where Friends of the Earth England erm... analyze their expenditures. Their income and... their finance for the last year? I I... saw it somewhere and I got... lost track of it. And I was appalled... as to how much they spend on publicity. But I can't do anything with it because I lost the numbers.
[speaker001:] Mm. I don't know I'll have, have a look. I don't remember seeing
[speaker004:] The thing is this.... Does anybody of you seen that or... remember?
[speaker002:] No.
[speaker001:] No.
[speaker004:] No.
[speaker001:] So... are we saying yes to that?
[speaker003:] Yeah.
[speaker005:] Yeah.
[speaker001:] Erm... can I just ask you. Does anybody wanna go on the energy campaign weekend?
[speaker002:] No thank you.
[speaker001:] [LAUGHTER] And there's this book. Which I think we might like to... don't worry. Erm... energy without aids. Which I think would be... a good idea if we got it because I don't know about you but I'm always having arguments with people who say oh we can't have the whole country covered in windmills and
[speaker003:] Mm.
[speaker001:] things like that. They all think nuclear powers okay. So we really need to know our
[speaker003:] What's the energy thing weekend just out of curiosity?
[speaker001:] And
[speaker002:] Good. Right. Go on
[speaker003:] I don't. I don't know these things.
[speaker001:] No. Well you don't get them.
[speaker003:] [LAUGHTER]
[speaker001:] I do and I feel obliged to pass it all on. I can't just sort of
[speaker003:] No.
[speaker001:] But it, I, it's only six ninety five and I thought if we had... you know a few facts at our fingertips to say well that's all rubbish you know.
[speaker003:] So what is that? Is that er... booklet or something?
[speaker001:] It's a book.
[speaker002:] Book.
[speaker001:] Just... talking about al you know alternative
[speaker006:] On erm... renewable yeah
[speaker001:] energy really I think.
[speaker003:] Yeah.
[speaker001:] Because... they keep saying oh what's gonna happen when the whole population of China wants a fridge and...
[speaker003:] Mm god!
[speaker001:] I haven't got an answer for things like that.
[speaker003:] Mm.
[speaker004:] There is no answer really.
[speaker001:] Because want to catch up with us and we're already using too much energy. change your lifestyle.... I just thought... the more facts you've got at your fingertips the more easy it is to persuade people.
[speaker002:] Yeah if we've got some money we might as well spend it.
[speaker001:] Yeah.
[speaker003:] Yeah. Okay.
[speaker002:] Educate ourselves.
[speaker001:] An and the next day of action... as I said before is on tropical rainforests erm. Connection with er tropical woods
[speaker003:] Oh we did actually do
[speaker001:] November the ninth.
[speaker003:] for the architects. Like Hertfordshire architects
[speaker001:] Yeah.
[speaker003:] for example. Do something basically have a
[speaker001:] Yes
[speaker003:] mailshot or ring them up or. They're a pretty depressed lot at the moment
[speaker001:] Yeah I bet they are. They have nothing to do
[speaker003:] Not much to look forward to so they'll probably like a bit of excitement.
[speaker001:] Nothing to do. No I... I don't know what it's going to be about they haven't sent any information. It's just that er I've got the date.
[speaker005:] Right.
[speaker003:] When when they say. Is it an action day?
[speaker001:] It's an action day. It's the next day of action and
[speaker002:] What date?
[speaker001:] That's a Saturday.
[speaker002:] What date?
[speaker001:] November the ninth.
[speaker002:] It's only just after the one world week thing.
[speaker001:] Well it's October.
[speaker004:] Well if I if I get
[speaker002:] Well it's only two week's after.
[speaker001:] Yeah.... and I don't know what it's going to be
[speaker003:] You know know which would recommend
[speaker001:] Yeah.
[speaker004:] This. I mean I have been into this... window frame business.
[speaker001:] Mm
[speaker004:] Because we have to have sash and... sash soft wood. So anyway... various companies wrote. Well they do use tropical rainforest wood but
[speaker001:] Yeah.
[speaker004:] it's government... er schemes.
[speaker003:] Yeah it's like some sort of erm okay.
[speaker004:] Yeah. And I mean I have, I I remember that on some T V programmes they they said it's all... bogus
[speaker003:] Mm.
[speaker004:] I mean that it is not really government run er. They reforest it but what they reforest is eucalyptus or...
[speaker003:] Yeah palm erm they oil palm plantations
[speaker004:] Mm. Mm.
[speaker003:] They just er. Actually I've got a, I've got a brilliant picture that I took outside the train. Erm we were travelling through Malaysia and erm... it's just one canopy tree standing on its own... in the middle of nowhere. And there's all this sort of undergrowth. And it's obviously that one wasn't, just didn't want it or it was dead or something and they just left it.
[speaker001:] Mhm.
[speaker003:] And it's just the one. And then I've got all the pictures of all the logs on the... train wagons and er that was really... it was a, it was a good picture actually cos I thought oh look at that poor old tree there it's
[speaker001:] Yeah.
[speaker003:] all its friends and then it was just standing there on the ground. But really it's completely... it's completely wiped out Malaysia the whole of central Malaysia is just... just gone. And all the soil's eroding cos it's sort of sand and it's red. And it goes into dust. So it goes everywhere so I mean there's gonna be trouble with that in the future.
[speaker001:] It's where they get all the flooding isn't it?
[speaker003:] Oh yes. Right.
[speaker005:] Oh. okay.
[speaker002:] Thanks.
[speaker005:] Thank you very much.