tagged w/ soil pollution
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Despite fervent promises, the Pocket Park on the Silwood estate failed to open as the summer deadline came and went, remaining unused and inaccessible to children on the estate. This was particularly pertinent as many residents living in Phase 3A had their gardens dug up as a result of soil contamination. At the Residents’ Meeting on 5th May, the issue was discussed and locals were informed that the park was closed due to health and safety concerns, but were assured the problems were being addressed and that the park would be open in time for the summer.
However, at the last quarterly Residents’ Meeting on 4th August, with the Pocket Park still closed, the question of what the health and safety problems were arose. Residents were told that minor repairs still had to be undertaken, in the form of loose screws and so on. When asked by Silwood Video Group if, given the length of the delay in opening the Pocket Park, London & Quadrant were able to put some pressure on the company responsible for maintaining the park, the L & Q representative at the meeting, Melanie Banton, replied that they were unable to get the job done any faster as the company, SafePlay, had a huge backlog of play-site across Lewisham borough.
Residents on the Silwood have long been concerned about the slow erosion of leisure amenities in their community, and it may be the case that they are losing another.
http://www.spectacle.co.uk/spectacleblog/silwood-video-group/the-siege-of-silwood-street/Despite fervent promises, the Pocket Park on the Silwood estate failed to open as the... more
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Prior to having their gardens dug up and the topsoil replaced, residents of Silwood were sent a sheet of “Frequently Asked Questions” as an attachment to a letter from L&Q. The FAQ sheet covers matters such as whether the residents’ houses will be entered during the works, what will happen to sheds and garden furniture, and if any fences will be moved. As various conversations with the residents suggest, (along with common sense, of course), the questions covered are not even close to the ones really requiring answers.
http://www.spectacle.co.uk/spectacleblog/silwood-video-group/silwood-residents-frequently-asked-questions/Prior to having their gardens dug up and the topsoil replaced, residents of Silwood... more
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Yet another twist in the tale of regenerating the Silwood estate as around 50 residents are having their back gardens dug up because of ‘contaminated’ topsoil. [...]
The gardens affected were previously filled with topsoil bought in from elsewhere. And it’s unclear whether the soil has been contaminated right from the start. Some residents suspect as much, saying that plants seeded in the soil haven’t grown easily. One pointed out a rose bush planted five years ago – still barely more than a few shoots.
http://www.spectacle.co.uk/spectacleblog/silwood-video-group/digging-down-deeper-at-silwood/Yet another twist in the tale of regenerating the Silwood estate as around 50... more
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"The global roads network is vast and growing at one of the fastest paces in history. In 97 percent of the continental U.S., you're no more than three miles from a paved road of one kind or another, and the most recent CIA World Fact Book places the number of worldwide paved roads at 15.99 million kilometers. By comparison, the moon is a mere 384,400 kilometers (almost 239,000 miles) away."
"The environmental effects of a road do not stop when construction is complete. The new road affects local plant and animal life as well as the region's water and soils. The road acts as a barrier that cuts through animal ranges and creates a crossing hazard, further diminishing wildlife habitats, especially if trees were cleared to make way for the road.
Increased travel through the area introduces invasive plant species to the existing vegetation. For as many as 1,000 meters [PDF] from the road, water and soils must contend with increased heavy-metal and salt deposits from gasoline and de-icing, as well as changes to run-off patterns and underground flow rates that affect larger bodies of water further downstream. In addition, the heat island effect that is generated does not just threaten creatures such as birds and snakes. Cool rainwater that lands on hot roadbeds is heated and then runs off into nearby aquatic ecosystems, where the rapid temperature changes can put fatal stress on life in the water."
May be we could use Hemp as the new asphalt.
Join Organic:
http://current.com/groups/organicgreen/"The global roads network is vast and growing at one of the fastest paces in... more
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