Surrey’s Greener Future (5)

Episode 5 – Surrey’s Greener Future (5)

Welcome to the Surrey’s Greener Future (5) podcast made as part of the Surrey’s Greener Future initiative.

We start with the great news that the ‘Green Lungs of Stoughton’ project has received a grant of over £12,500 from the Pocket Parks funding programme.  This will enable them to start planting trees. You can find out more about the the Pocket Parks programme by clicking this link.

Mandy Johnson tells us about the ‘Solution for Air pollution’ project which is looking at ways of getting people to make fewer car journeys. Mandy is offering to carry out an audit process for companies interested in taking part.

I then talk about a visit to the ‘Growing Underground’ urban farm which is under the Northern line in Clapham. This farm produces herbs and salad plants 33 metres below ground level. They use a state of the art hydroponic system. This system means they reduce water consumption by 70% compared to growing in a field. You can find out more, or book to visit here.

The photographs in the gallery are from that visit. Click on one to enlarge them:

 

Nigel Collin then brings us up to date with progress with the ‘Wild-flowering’ project. The idea is to plant flower seeds on verges and roundabouts. This makes them nicer to look at and has benefits for bees and other insects that collect pollen. Nigel tells me that trials are to start on a stretch of Surrey road.

To find out more about the Royal Yachting Association (RYA)  and Natural England, mentioned as participants in the project to preserve seagrass meadows please follow the links below:

Click here for the RYA.

Click here to find out more about Natural England.

Find out more about Surrey’s Greener Future:

To find out more about the ‘design challenge’ please follow this link.

About the ‘Surrey’s Greener Future’ podcasts:

The next episode will be in a few weeks.

Please use any of the material to support your own initiatives to Combat Climate Change – each of us really can make a difference!

You can listen to this podcast on Apple Podcasts / iTunes, Deezer, Podchaser, Spotify and Stitcher.

AKM Music has licensed ‘Perfect Circle’ for use as the theme

Joseph McDade has licensed ‘Ironic Smooth Jazz – Sundown incidental’ for use as incidental music in this episode.

You may use the photographs that accompany this podcast subject to compliance with the Creative Commons licence.

© The MrT Podcast Studio 2020

The Southwest Chief part 3

The Southwest Chief part 3 – US Rail Journeys Series 2 Episode 4

From Albuquerque to Las Vegas, New Mexico

The Southwest Chief part 3 starts as we leave Albuquerque. We stopped in Albuquerque for enough time for everyone to have a decent ‘air’ break. It is a beautiful day as we return to the desert. The total journey is advertised as taking 40+ hours – click  here for more details.  There are frequent delays to long distance passenger trains as freight takes priority so they are often late.

We pass through the suburbs of Albuquerque as we leave the city. We pass scrapyards, industrial sites and housing. A few of the houses have solar panels. I would have expected everyone to have solar panels because there is so much sun.

We pass through unforgiving desert. There are many amazing rock formations. In the distance there are snow capped mountains. In some places there is a fence beside the line to keep the cattle from straying.

The train has a short stop at Lamy. The town has a population of 218 (2010 census) by serves as the station for Santa Fe, 18 miles up the road.

We pass a river and go through an area with trees breaking into leaf. We then go back to the desert. The train climbs steadily as we travel onward. We then stop for over an hour as we wait for the westbound Southwest Chief to pass.

Our journey takes us past Starvation Peak. We then descend, through long S bends, towards Las Vegas. The New Mexico Las Vegas!

If you’ve enjoyed this podcast please join me in two weeks for the next episode where I continue my journey to Chicago.

Please click on a thumbnail to open the gallery:

 

To visit the Amtrak website please follow this link.

You can also listen to this podcast on iTunes/Apple Podcasts, Deezer, Podchaser, Spotify and Stitcher.

Music:

AKM Music has licensed the theme, Steam Railway, for use in this podcast.

© The MrT Podcast Studio 2019 – 2020

The Scramble for Africa

Season 2019 / 2020 – Talk 02 – The Scramble for Africa and the Winds of Change

Richard Thomas tells us about the Scramble for Africa which took place over a short period at the end of the nineteenth century. He then goes on to tell us about the Winds of Change leading to African states gaining independence in the twentieth century.

In 1880 the European powers controlled around 10% of the continent. The scramble gained momentum following the Berlin Conference from 1884 to 1885. The colonisation had been completed only 30 years later when the European powers controlled 90% of the continent. Only Abyssinia (Ethiopia), Liberia and the Dervish state (a part of Somalia) retained their independence.

After telling us about the colonisation of Africa Richard continues his talk by telling us the story of how the countries re-gained their independence. Ghana (previously known as the Gold Coast) was the first country in sub-Saharan Africa to gain independence. This happened on 6th March 1957.

About this podcast:

There are no photographs nor is there a presentation available to accompany this podcast.

The Farnham U3A site is found at Farnham U3A Home Page.

This podcast is also available through the Apple Podcasts, Deezer, Podchaser, Spotify and Stitcher ‘apps’.

AKM Music has licensed Media Magazine for use as the title music.

© The MrT Podcast Studio and Farnham U3A World History Group 2020

The Southwest Chief part 2

The Southwest Chief part 2 – US Rail Journeys Series 2 Episode 3

From San Bernardino to Albuquerque

The Southwest Chief part 2 starts as we leave San Bernardino. Night has fallen and I retire to my Roomette to sleep. The total journey is advertised as taking 40+ hours – click  here for more details.  There are frequent delays to long distance passenger trains as freight takes priority so they are often late.

I awoke a couple of times during the night but soon got back to sleep. Whilst I slept we passed through a number of stations where the only train that stops is in the middle of the night!

I awoke to a beautiful morning with the High Desert bathed in amazing colours as the sun rose. We soon saw that the desert was very unforgiving. The desert is hot and arid with many amazing rock formations. In the distance there were snow capped mountains.

The episode ends with our stop, on a beautiful morning,  in Albuquerque in New Mexico. This is the first opportunity in many hours for an ‘air’ break for many of the passengers.

If you’ve enjoyed this podcast please join me in two weeks for the next episode where I continue my journey to Chicago.

Please click on a thumbnail to open the gallery:

 

To visit the Amtrak website please follow this link.

You can also listen to this podcast on iTunes/Apple Podcasts, Deezer, Spotify and Stitcher.

Music:

AKM Music has licensed the theme, Steam Railway, for use in this podcast.

© The MrT Podcast Studio 2019 – 2020