PEAT on the Street

Posted on 25/09/2008 by joimson

Purbeck environmental action team fun day in Wareham, Dorset 20th September 2008

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PEAT was an excellent example of what a team of well organised talented volunteers can achieve with loads of energy and enthusiasm. This was a last minute gig for me as I had only contacted them 2 days before the event to see if they had places. Fortunately the maypole dancers couldn’t make it and I had a slot 1-2pm in Priory meadow on the banks of the river Frome.

As soon as I arrived I was greeted by Collette of Back 2 Earth who was selling fair trade and local products from her yurt stall. Next to Back 2 Earth was a demonstration by the Cranborne Ancient Technology Centre. They were making rafters for a Viking longhouse and recruiting volunteers to help with construction. The longhouse is due to open in July 2009 and will sit alongside the already successful Earthouse (a 200-seat reconstructed Iron-Age Roundhouse).

After Priory meadow I moved to one of the side streets which had been closed for the day and performed alongside the RSPB Arne bird sanctuary. From them I learned how the RSPB have bought logging rights to a piece of rainforest in Indonesia in order to preserve and restore it. Their particular piece of land is arguably more diverse than Amazon rainforest and home to the worlds largest flower as well as tigers and presumably loads of birds. This was of particular interest to me as I went to the Indonesian island of Sumatra in 1997 and witnessed first hand the destruction and diversity there. The land is called Harapan Rainforest and they’d really appreciate your support.

PEAT was born out of the Dorset Agenda 21 group who aim to encourage sustainable living in Dorset. All governments (local and national) will have heard about agenda 21 because it is a United Nations action plan. Whoever coined the term ‘think global act local’ would be very pleased with PEAT the Purbeck Environmental Action Team.