June 2009
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Take aim at climate change 'Orrible thieving bike thieves
Last month
We challenged you to bin your bin and go rubbish free. And go rubbish-free you did in your droves. We congratulate you on your lack of rubbish and ask to you join us in celebrating the emptiness of your bin. We've compiled some suggestions, stories and sorry bits of rubbish for you to enjoy.
This month
We challenge you to holiday in the UK. The sun's popped out and it's tempting to pack our bags and jump on a packed flight off to a package holiday. But that would be completely forgetting that it's summertime here too, and the Met Office has promised us a scorcher.
We're not often particularly patriotic, but we think Britain is best. The UK is full of beautiful campsites, B&B's, wonderful places to wwoof and probably the homes of various friends and family you know you should visit too. Holidaying in the UK is better for the environment, good for local economies, easy on the wallet and you don't have to speak English loudly and slowly, or be embarrassed by your fellow holiday makers speaking English loudly and slowly. If you're still lacking inspiration, Escape London (not just for Londoners) will help you find paradise on your doorstep.
Head out of your usual abode and across this fair isle of ours. When you get there, send us a postcard and tell us what it's like.
And they're off
The first Otesha UK tour of the summer, the second time we've taken on Wales and the third ever Otesha UK tour, sets off on Friday 6th June for Wild West Wales. Hanna's made a spangly interactive map which shows their route.
The Wild West team will be doing a public performance on Sunday June 14th at the Centre for Alternative Technology in Machynlleth (and running a bike maintenance workshop to celebrate bike week). If you're anywhere nearby, you'd be foolish to miss them.
The Wild West tour will be blogging as they go. If you'd like to hear all about the touring, flat tyres and trailer tribulations, let us know and we'll put you on their tour journal list (email with the subject 'Where's Wild West?').
But that's not all folks
In August and September, we've got two more cycle tours taking their tents and tupperware on the tracks of East Anglia and Scotland. There are a few places left on both these tours.
The East Coast tour will jaunt around East Anglia. It's flat as a pancake and one of the sunniest and driest areas of the UK! The tour will visit organic gardens, wind farms, community events and maybe even stay in a tipi at a world famous roman archaeological site.
The Caledonian Road tour will have a highland fling through Scotland. Tour memebers will take in the arty stuff going on at the Edinburgh Fringe, indulge in a spot of street theatre and then hit the road! The cities of Dundee, St. Andrew's, Stirling and Glasgow are all on our hit list, with the unavoidable and incredible rolling countryside in between.
We'd also love to hear from anyone who'd like to host a team on either of these tours. If you know of a school, festival, town hall or field that could do with performance of the Otesha play or if your lifelong dream is to have a group of cyclists camping in your backgarden- we can make these things happen.
Bling bus stops
Unst is the most northerly populated island in the British Isles. It also boasts is the best bus shelter in Britain, otherwise known as the Bus Shelter. The Bus Shelter is kitted out with a sofa, carpet, heater, table and tv. In wintertime the Bus Shelter is brightened up with fairy lights and keeps a bottle of whiskey to warm weary travellers. It has even hosted a festival and Hans Blicks on his search from WMDs. The only permanent residents of the Bus Shelter are two hamsters. We suggest you read about the hamsters - they have led a spectacular life or two.
Last year the Bus Shelter was painted a cheery turquoise. Apparently there was no particular political motivation behind this move, but it was possibly inspired by a Glasgow kebab shop.
The Bus Shelter has battled for over 10 years against the elements (Unst gets a fair old amount of snow and only 2-3 hours of daylight in the winter) and the powers that be (the council have a various times, moved and even demolished the shelter). And it’s an amazing story of what a small boy (now big), his dad, the community and a small metal structure can achieve.
The Bus Shelter even has its own branded goods- vanilla fudge and cards. Unfortunately you can’t buy Bus Shelter goods on the internet, but we’re sure it’s well worth the trip.
Norfolk's nuggets of green living know-how
Otesha East, our friends in Norfolk, have created a Green Directory of Norwich. It's available hot off the press for free right here. The Otesha Green Directory will tell you what Norwich has to offer in the way of ethical banking, biking and everything in between.
And finally
This month we've been discovering what wild things we can eat (so far, wild garlic pesto, elderflower cordial, mussels and lots of salad bits), starting to build our own bikes, and cancelling our credit cards with banks who don't have an ethical policy for their investments ("yes I'm sure the CSR projects are wonderful, but do you invest in the arms industry").
We've also been registering to vote in the European elections. Don't forget to vote.
Jo, Hanna & Liz
The Otesha Project UK
www.otesha.org.uk
P.s. If you're in Bath next week, stop by this.