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Bristol: Pesticide-Free City? BRISTOL FOOD NETWORK Bristol’s local food update2015 community project news · courses · publications · events november–december Autumn already! Time to plant trees and make long-term plans. And time to reflect on where our Green Capital goes from here. Will we become a Flexitarian city? A city which guards its best soils against development? A pesticide-free city? A Sustainable Food City? Please email any suggestions for content of the January–February newsletter by 11 December to [email protected]. Bristol: pesticide-free city? Local food networks, environmental mums to promote a healthier environment The Pesticide Safe Bristol Alliance groups and parents have joined forces in for all who work, live and play in the city. calls on Bristol City Council to: the Pesticide Safe Bristol Alliance, which Harriet Williams of PlaySafe says: n Reduce urban pesticide use, and to is calling on Mayor George Ferguson to “Bristolians have a right to know where eliminate some of the most harmful put Bristol on course to becoming the and when chemicals with known health chemicals altogether (starting with UK’s first pesticide-free city. impacts are being sprayed in our city. glyphosate) City parks, play areas and pavements are Ultimately we want Bristol to become a n Publish full annual data on pesticide routinely sprayed with potent weed-killers, pesticide-free city. It is entirely possible to use by the Council and its contractors, some of which are associated with serious wean ourselves off chemical weed control including dates, locations and health risks. Glyphosate, the best-selling in public spaces. Cities like Paris, Chicago substance applied herbicide for urban use, was this year and Vancouver are already doing it, and as n Adopt sustainable methods of pest branded a probable carcinogen by the European Green Capital 2015 it would be control, using recognised organic World Health Organisation. France has brilliant if Bristol followed suit.” techniques as standard banned the sale of glyphosate at garden Sara Venn, of Incredible Edible Bristol, n Provide clear notices about spraying. centres and California plans to label it says: “Every year, thousands of litres Where pesticide use is the ONLY as ‘known to cause cancer’ – yet it is still of toxic pesticides are applied to public option (for example in the control being sprayed on the streets of Britain. spaces up and down the country. of aggressive, invasive non-native This issue is important for those growing When local authorities are challenged species), BCC will display clear public edibles in public spaces and parks, as about pesticide use, their typical response information signs during spraying, and they may not know if and when herbicide is that alternatives cost too much, or are will apply warning notices to any areas has been sprayed around their veg beds. not practical. The fact that cities in other once spraying is completed It is also of concern to foragers, who need countries manage perfectly well without n Ensure proper safety and care for to know that what they are harvesting is pesticides shows this to be an out-dated contractors using dangerous chemicals safe to eat. There may also be a problem position. We hope that Bristol will embrace for those growing in schools, if veg beds this opportunity to provide clear leadership The campaign is supported by PlaySafe are sited next to playgrounds. on reducing urban pesticide use.” Bristol, Incredible Edible Bristol, Bristol Friends of the Earth, Bristol Food Network, Green Party Councillor Gus Hoyt Julian Jones of Bristol Friends of the Earth Bee the Change and Sustainable Food questioned the Mayor on the use of says “We welcome this initiative to reduce Trust. If you represent an organisation glyphosate by the Council and its harmful pesticides in the environment which agrees to the 5-point request above, contractors in September. However, the and only use chemical pesticides as a last and would like to join the Alliance, please Council is yet to disclose full details of resort rather than a routine choice. email Harriet: [email protected] what is applied where. The Council failed As a Green Capital we should clearly be to respond to similar questions filed following best practice in this area and PlaySafe Bristol is surveying public as a Freedom of Information request by joining other leading cities in making the opinion regards urban pesticide use: PlaySafe Bristol, a group set up by local place safer for people and wildlife.” http://tinyurl.com/pcy48r4 Good Food Tour Autumn update Just to recap what the Bristol Good Food jerk stew with dumplings. As we were most positive reactions we had was at Tour is about and what it wishes to outside, the smell of his stew attracted Windmill Hill City Farm where a group of achieve. Its roots began at a Bristol Food a lot of attention and people seemed to children came back afterwards to say that Network workshop which has blossomed come from far and wide! We had a lot instead of preparing cup cakes for their into a project offering outreach pop-up of people asking about the project and school Harvest this year (original plan) cookery events around the city. many attended Glyn’s cookery demos. they were now going to prepare falafel This event was held in partnership with using our recipe.” Our events demonstrate how easy it is to Hartcliffe Health and Environment Action make simple, affordable low carbon meals If you want to create the dishes that Group (HHEAG), using produce grown using basic equipment and seasonal Glyn made please visit: www. by the team at Greens, their community ingredients. Taking the tour around Bristol kidsandfood.co.uk/recipes.html market garden and we are grateful for this has been at times a challenge but to date opportunity. We are now into the last six weeks of we have worked with some great people the project and our next event is on the and projects. Our next event was on 12 September 7 November at The Greenway Centre, at Knowle West Fest 2015 at Filwood During European Green Capital year we Doncaster Rd, Southmead. This is an Broadway. This event saw the Broadway aim to undertake the following: event that is in partnership with Reach and closed and set up with stalls etc from n volunteers from churches in North Bristol Pop-up events in every neighbourhood 12–6pm. We partnered with Knowle West with Glyn Owen undertaking the cookery of the city, prioritising areas where Health Association (KWHA) to deliver the demo. We have other events that we are fresh, healthy food is not always cookery demo with Glyn being the chef currently planning so I hope to be telling available, use of healthy ingredients for our slot. This time he made a simple you about these in the next update. If is sometimes rare, and cookery is not dish of flatbreads stuffed with falafel. always practised regularly, leading to you would like to be involved in The Good We were in good company with cookery Food Tour or know of a event we should be poor diet and nutrition and falling short demos from Barny Haughton from Square of the recommended ‘five a day’ intake. attending please get in touch. Food Foundation and Alex from HHEAG to n Ticketed cookery masterclasses in name a few. Lucy Holborn from KWHA said selected locations in the city, where “Huge thanks for joining us at Knowle West exciting and more ambitious recipes Fest on Saturday; delivering engaging will be demonstrated to audiences by demonstrations and generally going with leading chefs from the area and beyond. the flow! I’m sure you’ll agree there was n Appearances at major city events a great atmosphere and some fantastic through 2015, to promote good food. conversations about food/cooking with the local community”. Darran McLane So in September we attended three The Bristol Good Food Tour Project Lead events. We kicked off with two Our most recent outing was at Windmill [email protected] · 07944844838 demonstrations firstly at Hartcliffe’s Make Hill City Farm’s ‘Eat Local’ event on 27 Sunday Special on Sunday 6 September. September. This event was in association www.bristolfoe.org.uk/bgft/ Glyn Owen from Kids and Food delivered with the farm and Fresh Range. Again Glyn Facebook: facebook.com/BGFTour two cookery demos during the day. Glyn took to the stage in the farm’s outdoor Twitter: @BGFTour showed how easy it is to make simple, kitchen area. We had a guest appearance YouTube: https://youtu.be/lwylesgtkCQ affordable dishes in 30 minutes. At the from Jo Ingelby who helped Glyn with his first demo Glyn made flatbreads with cooking. The event went well with a good hummus, and at the second demo, a tasty crowd watching. Glyn said “One of the 2 bristol’S local FOOD update · NOVEMBER–december 2015 More online Brighton & Hove Food Partnership: The film digest: Brighton & Hove Food Partnership is all about growing, cooking, eating (& wasting less) food. Find out about the projects that run in Brighton & Hove and why other cities are looking to replicate this approach. www.sustainablefoodcities.org/ newsevents/news/articleid/426/ brighton-hove-food-partnerships- large-scale-impact-watch-the-film Beyond organic: A look at the biodynamic way digest: People often avoid a complicated explanation by referring to biodynamic agriculture as ‘organic plus’ or ‘über-organic’. Biodynamics offers a holistic approach to nurturing A fresh-range welcome soils, biodiversity, resilience and tuning into seasonal cycles, with the aim of long-term ecological to winter sustainability. Jenna Freeman http://sustainablefoodtrust.org/ articles/beyond-organic-a-look-at- As the nights continue to draw in and the n From Wednesday 4 November you biodynamic-gardening/ days get colder, there’s no doubting that will be able to browse and shop our winter is on its way.
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