Hello All 

We are the Honey Club part of Wolff Olins (www.wolffolins.com) and a year and half ago we founded a bee-focused social enterprise called The Honey Club (www.honeyclub.org) with a local youth charity, Global Generation (http://www.globalgeneration.org.uk/). 

We focus on saving bees and learning about sustainable…

As the 2012 London Olympics loom, this is a good time to remember John Carlos and Tommie Smith’s Black Power salute on the 1968 Olympic podium.  It sparked great controversy.

Their show of defiance remains one of the most iconic images of Olympic history. “A lot of the athletes thought that winning medals would supersede or protect them from racism. But even if you won the medal it ain’t going to save your momma. It ain’t going to save your sister or children,” says Carlos.

The…

If you're not happy with the big banks check out Move your money.  Barclays, RBS and HSBC have all been in the media in recent days -  here are some alternatives.

De Beauvoir Gardeners' group (which is open to all Hackney residents) started this project as part of Chelsea Fringe, which began in 2012 - but we didn't intend it to begin and end with the three weeks for which the Fringe officially ran this year.

Our idea was to use the Fringe project to kick-start a street and estate planting initiative across as…

After the 4-week closure of parts of Hackney Marshes for the Hackney Weekend, we'd like to get the experiences & views of anyone who uses the Marshes.

Hackney Council envisages up to three events attracting 100,000 people on the marsh every year, under its new events policy (April 2012). When the next event is proposed we would like to be ready with the evidence from this one.

Did the closures and the Weekend affect you? Please let us know, with a comment here or at…

This fascinating series on BBC has traced the social and planning history of London's streets from Charles Booth's poverty maps to the present day.  Next Wednesday 11th July at 9pm on BBC2 the programme features Arnold Circus, just outside Hackney, but well known in the area.

"The episode features Arnold Circus, in the east end and the story of a Victorian social experiment that changed Britain. Arnold Circus is home to the first council estate which opened in 1896. The planning…

London 2012 Festival. Top tips & recommendations for arts events over Summer 2012 across the U.K. Stockhausen Opera performed in Helicopters, Light messages installation along Hadrian's Wall. The best of Shakespeare festival. Music from Gorillaz, Labrinth, John Cooper Clarke, Fatboy Slim and Nicky Taylor. Features interview & Music from Singer and Songwriter Adam Donen. Presenting & interviewer: Charley…

The Cockney sparrow was once a regular fixture in our London gardens, parks and squares. However, the city lost 68% of them between 1994 and 2000. The RSPB are asking Londoners to spend an hour, sometime between 18 June and 12 July, looking for house sparrows in their gardens and/or local green spaces and parks. It will help identify where populations are doing well, just…

The North London Waste Authority which includes Hackney has been developing the North London Waste Plan which will drive investment in waste management infrastructure for the next 20 years.  The NLWP will have significant implications for what happens to  Hackney's waste in future.

It was partly the need to come up with a "preferred option" for managing Hackney's waste as part of the NLWP which was behind the recent decision to…

http://www.apictureofsustainability.com

Hackney residents are encouraged to submit photos of local projects in a competition to find London’s Picture of Sustainability. It’s your chance to champion the things that you are proud of in your area!  You could win a ‘year of holidays’ from Canopy & Stars.

Individuals and communities across each of the London boroughs are challenged to…

Hackney's cabinet has approved two new planning documents which will have a major influence on the future development in the borough.

• Development Management DPD development policies for the borough
• Site Allocations DPD specific sites for future development

The consultation period runs from…

Hackney Council is replacing the previous neighbourhood forums with 19 ward forums.  Some forums have already started and others are having their first meetings in the next few weeks.

This could be an opportunity to get involved and get green issues onto the agenda for your area.

For details of the forum meetings for your ward see Hackney Ward Forums

Ward…

The Hackney Council Voluntary & Community Sector Grants Programme supports the voluntary and community sector (VCS) to deliver services to local people, in line with the Mayor’s Priorities for the borough and to support the delivery of Hackney’s Sustainable Community Strategy which aims to reduce inequality and poverty in Hackney.

The Council will be launching its 2013/14 Grants Programme on Thursday 5 July at the Picturehouse on Mare Street.

The event will present…

Do you have green fingers? Are you interested where your food comes from and the rise of urban agriculture? Up to much this summer?

Come join one of London's most exciting sustainable food enterprises for a three month volunteer internship this July, August and September.

In 2010 we transformed a derelict shop in Dalston into an urban food 'Hub', cafe and arts venue - the FARM:shop - complete with mini aquaponic fish farm, rooftop chicken coop and polytunnel.

Called “a…

Friends of the Earth are running an exciting new campaign (alongside the Bees!) about energy - Clean British Energy. (www.cleanbritishenergy.com). It's about Government action to support more UK renewable energy, and also encouraging people to switch their own suppliers.

We're also looking at renewables in Hackney, and at the recent Greener Hackney event (12 May) I agree to try and draw together people who were interested in…

Hello, 

I am in desperate need of 50L of active organic soil. 

I live near Victoria Park and my only transportation is a bike

Any suggestions? Advice? Comments? Jokes

Many thanks, 

Alec

Following feedback from residents at the Greener Hackney event, we have pulled together planning guidance on a range of energy efficiency and renewable energy measures into a single page.

http://www.hackney.gov.uk/greenerliving-green-homes.htm

We hope that this will provide useful information to homeowners on whether a measure is likely to be suitable, and whether it is likely to need…

A bus company in Coventry is the first in the UK to use a fast-charge all-electric bus;

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-18409830

I appreciate that London generally needs large buses - as opposed to this smaller one - but surely there's a role for smaller ones which operate as school, shuttle buses, dial-a-ride, etc?

It seems odd that if it is economically viable for a "small family business" in Coventry to run…

I have a feeling some of you could make wonderful use of this opportunity (regardless of your feelings about the Olympics!)

From the London Legacy Development Corporation:

The LLDC wishes to invite submissions for proposals for ‘meanwhile uses’ to be delivered on a vacant site at 67 Rothbury Road, next to Hackney Wick station for 4 months during summer and autumn of 2012.

Please see the project brief at the link below for full details. The deadline for proposals is noon…

There is just over a week to get your entry in to Hackney in Bloom

For details see: http://www.hackney.gov.uk/hackney-in-bloom.htm

The online application is very simple and takes a couple of minutes