Tuesday 24 April from 6pm, The Lounge, Merrion Street, Leeds LS2 8JE
Our event on “Politics and the Environment” was well attended, and very well received by all concerned.
For our May event, we welcome Green Drinks Leeds regular Robin Dearden from Arla Foods.
Robin is Group Environmental, Health and Safety Manager for Arla, who are a large dairy conglomerate best known for brands such as Lurpak, Anchor and Cravendale.
Arla’s UK headquarters are in Leeds, together with a massive dairy operation, and have a considerable environmental impact, which they are doing their best to reduce. Robin will be talking about Arla’s environmental journey over the last few years, and what their plans are for the future.
Arla Environmental Targets:
- To be ‘Closer to Nature’, and move to be the No1 UK dairy company
- By 2020 to reduce CO2 by 34% and use 30% renewable energy
- By 2015 to reduce water usage by 20%
- To send zero waste to landfill
Arla Fast Facts
- Co-operative owned by Danish, Swedish & German farmers
- Employs 2,800 people in UK (over 1,000 in Leeds)
- Process approximately two billion litres of milk a year
- 2,500 daily deliveries made directly to stores
- Arla’s UK carbon footprint was 273,000 tonnes of CO2;
- In 2011 Arla used over 2 billion litres of water
Robin Dearden has lived in Leeds for the last 4 years, worked for Arla for 3 years, and previously spent 12 years with a major European logistics company. His passion for the environment extends to his personal life, and he also enjoys trekking round the Dales at weekends. Robin will be well known to many regular Green Drinkers.
Don’t forget to sign up!
Please click here to sign up via Eventbrite
As per usual, we’re open for mingling and drinks from 6pm, with the speaker starting around 7.15pm, followed by our famous “go around” and open networking until about 10. Drop in or out at any time as you feel able, it’d be great to see you even if you’re just passing through!
Green Drinks Leeds April 2012 – Politics and the Environment
April 11, 2012
Tuesday 24 April from 6pm, The Lounge, Merrion Street, Leeds LS2 8JE
Can politicians help deliver the change we need to reduce our impact on the environment
How do we get the leadership and commitment we need for make positive changes to the UK’s second largest local authority?
These are just two of the questions we’ll be considering as part of a “Question Time” style panel on the 24th of April. With the Local Elections and a Referendum on whether Leeds should have an Elected Mayor on the 3rd May, it’s a timely issue.
On the panel will be:
- Conservative: Barry Anderson, Councillor for Adel & Wharfedale Ward
- Green: Chris Foren, Green Party Candidate for Headingley Ward
- Labour: Neil Walshaw, Councillor for Headingley Ward
- Liberal Democrats: James Monaghan, former Executive Board Member with Responsibility for the Environment
- Elected Mayor: Samuel Fisher, Leader of the Campaign for a “Yes” vote for an Elected Mayor in Leeds – http://leedsmayor.org
With representatives from across the political spectrum, there promises to be an interesting and lively debate.
As ever, it’s free and open – all we ask is that you sign up via Eventbrite
Tuesday 27 March from 6pm, The Lounge, Merrion Street, Leeds LS2 8JE
Global Carbon Emissions, 1800-
Climate Scientists tell us we have to radically reduce our carbon emissions if we are to avoid the worst possible consequences to climate change. In the UK, the Climate Change Act 2008 made a legally binding commitment to reduce our CO2 emissions by 80% by 2050. In order to achieve this, we need to decarbonise electricity production by 2030.
We welcome Green Drinks Leeds regular Dr. Tim Foxon, Reader in Sustainability and Innovation at the Sustainability Research Institute, The University of Leeds, to discuss:
- Recent policy measures that aim to facilitate decarbonising electricity
- Research examining different pathways to a low carbon electricity system
- Tough choices we need to make in the near future
Tim is a Research Councils UK Academic Fellow (2007-12), and a member of the ESRC Centre for Climate Change Economics and Policy and the new Centre for Integrated Energy Research at Leeds. His research focuses on innovation systems and processes for a transition to a low carbon economy. He has written and been involved with a considerable amount of important research.
As ever, it’s free and open – all we ask is that you sign up via Eventbrite
After the success of our joint “Green Laughs Yorkshire” event in January, Bradford Green Drinks and Green Drinks Leeds are jointly hosting a quiz as part of Climate Week 2012.
The event will be hosted by Bradford Green Drinks at their usual venue, The New Beehive Inn, 169-171 Westgate BD1 3AA. The event starts from 6pm, with the quiz getting under way at 7, so there should be enough time to head over from Leeds!
Green Drinks Leeds will be back in Leeds, at The Lounge for their next event “How do we get to a low carbon electricity system?” on 27 March. With around 55 people at February’s Green Drinks, there’s plenty of opportunity for Good Green Banter™, to meet interesting people, and perhaps a new business associate, colleague, client or friend.
Green Drinks Leeds February 2012 – Green Nudge: Behavioural Economics and the Psychology of Eco-change
February 2, 2012
* If you’re missing Great Green Banter™ anhd a chance to change the world, there’s no need to wait for the next Green Drinks Leeds… just scroll down to find out about Schumacher North on the 11th and 12th of February…
Our Alternative Economics workshop in January got around 60 Green Drinkers talking, and we’re continuing on an Econommic theme this month with “Green Nudge“
The concept of Nudge has been gaining attention as a way of creating behavioural change in organisations, as well as in society at large. It recognises that we are not all rational, and often make decisions emotionally which sometimes run counter to the rational choice. Nudge uses psychology to help us become “Choice Architects” and effect positive changes in behaviour.
The workshop will be led by Green Drinks Leeds co-organiser Adam Woodhall, of PeopleProfitPlanet. Adam has worked with over 40 organisations, from large multinationals to small businesses and charities, to promote behavioural change.
Adam will share 10 tips for nudging, with some interesting behavioural change case studies, such as why Google’s Powermeter didn’t work, and how to get a great recycling campaign in your workplace; as well as talking about the psychology of denial and how behavioural and cultural change differ.
This will be a fully interactive session with opportunities to contribute, and followed, as per usual, with Great Green Banter™.
The event will be at the Lounge Bar, as per usual. Following negotiations, we will be staying there for the moment. Doors will open at 6pm, as usual, with the main event starting around 7.15
Please sign up on Eventbrite so we have an idea of numbers.
Green Drinks Organisers at Schumacher North
February 2, 2012
The Schumacher North conference returns to Leeds on the weekend of 11/12 February, with the theme “As If People Mattered“, echoing the subtitle of E. F. Schumacher‘s famous book “Small is Beautiful“.
The conference provides a forum for discussion and networking with others interested in sustainability and equitable solutions to the problems of the modern world. This year, the focus is on working towards practical solutions.
Both of Green Drinks Leeds’ organisers will be presenting workshops, with Adam presenting on “Ethical/green capitalism – solution or contradiction in terms?” on the Saturday, and Anzir on “A Carfree Leeds” on the Sunday.
For full programme information, see the website
To book, email schumachernorth-info@riseup.net
Green Drinks Leeds January 2012 – Alternative Economics
January 10, 2012
With Economic Crisis hardly out of the news, and an increasing number of people drawing parallels between social, environmental and economic destruction; arguably the time has come to start thinking about how we view money, finance, economics and their role in wider society.
The Occupy Movement, active in over 2,000 cities worldwide, has been perhaps the most visible sign of a changing tide in how we view the interrelationships of money, power and society; but it’s not the only one.
For this month’s Green Drinks Leeds, we consider the question “How can the energy created by the Occupy Movement and Alternative Economics deliver environmentally sustainable change in our society?”
Joining us to help are:
- Dan O’Neill, Director of European Operations at the Center for the Advancement of a Steady State Economy
- Dorron Otter, Subject Group Leader – Economics & International Business, Leeds Business School, Leeds Metropolitan University
- Sheryl Odlum, Occupy Leeds
This will be a Panel Discussion with a twist, the twist being that there will be a lot more interaction than in a normal debate, which we hope will help you really get your teeth into the issues.
As usual, the event is free and open, and we would encourage you to sign up here.
It’s on Tuesday 24th January, at The Lounge Bar & Grill, Merrion Street, Leeds LS2 8JE. Arrive & mingle from 6pm, with discussion starting around 7.15, and conversation continuing late into the evening. Drop in or out as you feel.
Green Laughs Yorkshire
December 14, 2011
Think you’ll be feeling blue after the festive excess? What better way to start 2012 than to have some green laughs (and eco-networking/banter) courtesy of Green Drinks!
Green Drinks Leeds, in collaboration with Bradford Green Drinks and York Green Drinks presents Green Laughs Yorkshire…
Our special guest will be Tony Vino, who over his 7 year professional career has established a reputation as a socially aware comedian, touring nationally and internationally. In 2006, he was a finalist in the Funny Bones competition, and he is also the former compère of Just Fair Laughs Leeds, a comedy night promoting fair trade. Tony is best known for the way he seamlessly mixes well thought out observational humour with audience interaction & quick witted responses. His life and interests are wide ranging, and so is his material, all performed in a warm, friendly & non-offensive style.
Our second guest is Professor Fiddlesticks. The creation of York Green Drinks co-organiser John Cossham, he is possibly Yorkshire’sgreenest entertainer, and in addition to a balloon modelling workshop, he will be dropping in some extra eco-hints & tips, including how to recycle balloons!
Booking
We will be hiring a professional comedian (see above). Green Drinks Leeds is run on a zero budget, so we will be charging for the event to cover his fee (and Professor Fiddlesticks’ expenses as well!). Any surplus will be donated to The Bloomtrigger Project, and go towards protecting rainforests.
The first 30 tickets are £5 (+ booking fee), £6.50 (+ booking fee) thereafter, and £8 on the door.
Please book through http://greenlaughsyorkshire12.eventbrite.co.uk
Apologies for the delay in getting information out, but this month is an exciting one with not one, but two Green Drinks Panel Discussions
Improving Transport Sustainability in Leeds
On Tuesday 22 November, we will be dicussing Transport Sustainability in Leeds.
As a city of 750,000 people, and a regional capital, the demand for travel to & within the city is massive. With transport responsible for 27% of CO<sub>2</sub> emissions nationally (and a similar percentage within Leeds), mostly by car, how do we reduce transport’s impact, not only on CO<sub>2</sub> levels, but also on other aspects of Leeds social, economic & environmental sustainability?
Joining us to discuss the issues will be:
Lisa Brannan, Project Manager for UTravel Active, an innovative, cross-University project to promote sustainable travel among students, staff and members of the local communities around The University of Leeds and Leeds Metropolitan University. UTravelActive runs the successful VeloCampus cycle hire scheme & produces travel guides and walking route maps.
Matt Barker, Corporate Manager at City Car Club. Based in Leeds, they are a nationwide pay by the hour car hire company. They are committed to sustainable travel, but recognise that at certain times it is useful to have access to a car so offer access to low-emissions cars. Independent research by Carplus shows an average of 25 private cars are taken off the road for every car club car. This is because new members often sell their own car or defer buying one. That means over 12,500 cars have been taken off the road by the City Car Club fleet.
The third panellist will be a transport representative from a local public sector body to be confirmed.
The session will be chaired by Green Drinks Leeds joint coordinator Anzir Boodoo who is undertaking research at the Institute for Transport Studies, The University of Leeds, and has worked with a number of Sustainable Transport campaigns at all scales from neighbourhood to global, and from grassroots action to Parliamentary Committee.
Sign up free at http://greendrinksleedsnov11.eventbrite.co.uk
5 Speakers, 5 Sectors, 1 Aim: Positive Action
We’ll also have a special session at the Leeds Summat, which is a gathering of local social and environmental campaign groups and others to discuss the big issues facing our city and our planet. This is on Saturday 26 November, and is not to be missed, as the Summat is a great place to meet and connect with people from across Leeds to create positive actions for the city and its environs.
Alexis is Yorkshire Ambulance Service’s Environmental & Sustainability Manager. She is responsible for reducing their carbon footprint, a difficult task when you have to get to injured patients and transport them as fast as possible in a 1,400 strong vehicle fleet. Even in an environment of cuts to the NHS, she has already managed to cut emissions by 8% from 2010. She isn’t resting on her laurels as she aims to reduce their carbon footprint by 32% by 2015.
Alexis’ team are reducing carbon emissions through culture change, eco-driver training, reducing veicle weight and also through a number of new technologies in the ambulances themselves.
Her awards
- BusinessGreen Leaders – Sustainability Team of the Year 2011
- Energy Saving Trust Fleet Hero Awards – Best Public Sector Fleet 2011
Come along!
The event is on Tuesday 25 October. Open networking from 6pm, speaker and Q&A from about 7.15pm, followed by introductions and conversation for as long as you want to hang around.
Pop down for a quick drink after work, or stay for the evening, Green Drinks Leeds is free, open and flexible
Sign up on Eventbrite at http://greendrinksleedsoct11.eventbrite.com/
