Mersey Basin Campaign Blog

An alternative Liverpool skyline

Liverpool's iconic waterfront may be instantly recognisable, a world heritage site, AND the home of the internationally famous Liver Birds, but it seems that's not enough for some people. Regeneration company Liverpool Vision have developed a new, interactive website that lets you play around with one of the Northwest's most dramatic landscapes, and add iconic buildings from all over the world to Liverpool's existing assets. Fancy an Empire State Building on the Albert Dock, or a Statue of Liberty on the Pier Head? It's all up to you at My Liverpool Skyline. Here's our creation - as you'll see, we've gone for an understated approach. Now then, who's going to examine the planning issues for our version?

My Abodo

We thought you'd like to see the fantastic eco-house we've created using My Abodo, an educational website created by our friends at Delib. The site is designed to encourage schoolchildren to design environmentally-friendly homes, and to make them think about the choices we make in our real-life abodes. It's fun for adults too, of course. Here's our greener-than-green attempt:

International Slavery Museum opens in Liverpool

Today marks the opening of National Museums Liverpool's newest venue, the International Slavery Museum, which is based inside the Merseyside Maritime Museum at the Albert Dock. The opening date marks Slavery Remembrance Day - 23rd August - and the year 2007 is also significant, being the bicentenary of the abolition of the slave trade in Britain.

Information about the new museum can be found on its homepage.

Here's an article which has appeared in the New York Times, showing the level of interest in the latest addition to Liverpool's waterfront from the other side of the Atlantic.

MIMP my ride - get voting!

Ten finalists have been chosen in Manchester Is My Planet's bumper sticker slogan competition - and YOU can decide who wins. See the slogans and cast your vote here. Come on, unleash your inner Simon Cowell.....

Mashable's Green Toolbox

Mashable, the social networking blog, has kindly compiled a Green Toolbox - a guide to online tools and sites that will help you be that little bit greener. Enjoy....

MIMP green bumper stickers...

Another competition for the creative types amongst you....

Manchester is my planet are calling for people to come up with an original and catchy slogan for their new bumper stickers, designed to encourage people to drive less and do their bit to cut carbon emissions. A state-of-the-art bike is on offer for the author of the winning slogan, as well as annual bus passes, and VIP tickets to the Warehouse Project's latest bash. Click here for more details, and to enter the competition.

So, get your thinking caps on and start scribbling. And remember, my other car is carbon neutral.......

60 seconds to save the earth: Video competition

Fancy winning an environmental Oscar? Then this might just be the contest for you. Al Gore's Current TV, in tandem with the Alliance for Climate Protection, has launched a competition looking for short films that show how people are acting against climate change, or encourage others to do something. The Ecospot contest is asking for 15, 30 or 60-second movies which either showcase individual actions or seek to motivate change. 20 semi-finalist films will be chosed by judges including Cameron Diaz, Orlando Bloom, George Clooney and Sam Mendes - and the winner will then be chosen by the public on Current TV's website. Good luck, and happy clapperboards......

Britain's biggest sea battle since Trafalgar

The Wildlife Trust for Lancashire, Manchester and North Merseyside calling for help to raise £10,000 to help fight for the wildlife in our seas. With your help, the Trust aim to raise £10,000 to pay for a year of campaigning for better legislation to protect the wildlife in and around our seas.

Gordon Brown’s announcement in early July implied that the Marine Bill would not be given time in the next parliamentary session, despite previous promises. There is still time to change his mind.To succeed, we must commit some of our precious financial resources. Can you help?

To explain the problem in a nutshell - human activities pose an ever-increasing threat to the sensitive marine ecosystem, yet there are no fully protected marine areas around our coastline.

To find out more information and to donate towards the appeal visit www.lancswt.org.uk

Lancashire Partners Day at Brockholes

A couple of us Ribble girls decided to visit Brockholes today to have a look at what we could do for partners day in MWH Mersey Basin Week.

Brockholes is a former quarry, recently acquired by Lancashire Wildlife Trust, who will be working on the wetland reserve, which is being developed as part of the Newlands scheme. Even though it is so close to the M6, it's a quiet site and has so much potential.

The new reserve manager, Sophie was very keen for us to hold a partners day at Brockholes and knew exactly what she wanted doing straight away. We can get rid of the willows was her answer, and there are plenty of them!

Removing willow, will not only open up the view across the lake in the photograph, but will help future work to improve the wetland habitat. After the willow have gone, Sophie intends to create a gentle slope in the shallower water at the edge of the lake so that it is more user friendly for wading birds

Oh, we do like to be beside the seaside

Lancashire Wildlife Trust has today announced the results of a national survey to mark the start of Marine Week.

When asked to choose from a list of six options*, a day at the seaside topped the poll as people’s favourite leisure activity.

Most also saw the sea as an important food source, but more than three-quarters felt that there are fewer fish in the sea than 20 years ago. People were very supportive of marine conservation and thought that sensitive areas of our seas should be protected in Marine Reserves – conservation areas where all damaging activities are banned.

The Wildlife Trusts’ Marine Week runs from 4-19 August. This celebration of the sea features exciting events all around the UK. At many events you will be able to sign a Petition Fish scale and pledge your support for a Marine Bill to protect our seas.

 

Visit the website at www.lancswt.org.uk for details of the Marine Week activities and also how you can help to protect our seas and the wildlife it supports.

*The six options were: a day at the races, a visit to a country house, a day at the seaside, a night on the town, a visit to a theme park, a trip to the cinema.