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NI schools support Baglady

Baglady on radio with John Toal yesterday, before start of her journey to Australia.
Looking forward to keeping Saturday magasine updated during her As Sustainable As Possible journey.
Listen again to Baglady on John Toal show Radio Ulster http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/console/b016k116
On after 11.30 let us know what YOU think: email [email protected] or to Baglady on Facebook, Twitter with any comments.

Northern Ireland schools support Baglady

Northern Ireland schools support Baglady


Ready to follow Baglady Down under? Thanks to all the MLA’s and MP’s support
Join NI schools like Harryville PS, St Colm’s Draperstown High School, Ballymacrickett PS, St Pauls Junior Boys High, St Catherines and, Saints and Scholars Integrated PS Armagh, Dungannon Integrated HS, Carniny PS, Ballymena PS, Broughshane PS, Buick Memorial Cullybacky PS, and Larne High School following.
LET’S ENJOY and LET’S see what more we can DO living As Sustainably As Possible. BEST BEAMS!

Baglady’s Big ASAP Journey

Bairbre de Brun MEP + Shirley the Baglady

Bairbre de Brun MEP + Shirley the Baglady

What’s happening today? Getting ready to edit my own film again, at last, for the Baglady’s Big ASAP Journey… writing this, also generating thumbnails, uploading clips, and recording Voice Candys, exhausting….

No Baglady. It’s ALL in your mind, that exhaustion… you are not hungry, you are not thirsty, you have shelter, clothes, and something to look forward to. UR truly lucky Baglady. So cut the crap and just DO it!

2 wks to go in NI….! 2 wks in GB. Maybe a quick train-hop over to Bruxelles mes chers, been invited by Bairbre de Brun! who stole Baglady’s bell, one Christmas long ago outside the great door of St Anne’s Cathedral, Belfast/Beal Feirste.

Baglady’s bell is a recycled stunner made by Bo Vance from some, would’ve been wasted, metal from somewhere and!! have a listen! I shall play Baglady’s and Bairbre’s bell for you at the coming wake [Ballyeamon Barn 30th October] of my departure, and tell you the FoE story, behind it… and the laugh we all had together, in front of the cameras….

Bo Vance and other ASAP supporters

Bo Vance and other ASAP supporters


and while I’m at it this is a MASSIVE thank-you to all the journalists, photographers, filmmakers and newspersons

Yup I could be a delegate at – A social green revolution; towards and after COP 17 in Bruxelles hosted by Bairbre de Brun MEP but I don’t know how to find the time
But Baglady, it’s only 2 hrs 19mins de Londres a Paris, so it can’t be much more to Bruxelles, let’s zoom on it [please BBC??]

Well Baglady’s going to Sheffield and WHO has she in her sights in Sheffield?…..

then there’s York. And a friend of Karen’s and Betty’s. ‘Betty’s’! the most delicious pies and pastries and was it jam? marmalade in the whole world…

Hope you have all pledged ASAP! if not start NOW!

wake up world!

come on everybody, time to get moving talking doing, Northern Ireland [hey] has to lead the world

I’m very busy with ASAP, SASAP, MASAP, TASAP and all the other SAPs and we need your help

soon you’ll be hearing the voices of the amazing excellent boys of Lurgan St Paul’s Junior High School. They’re among thousands of schoolpersons speaking out loud and clear now, on environment and sustainability issues. Well done those boys!!

We already have the answers! we just don’t quite realise it. Watch these spaces and feel free to join in wherever you see a space for YOU. Our MLAs are doing it, our MPs, our Mayors, our councils, Limavady, Ballymoney the latest; + our businesses…. and our wonderful local papers – keep reading them, they keep our communities alive.

But you know, we’re all a bit rusty sometimes on what to do, and how, so we’ve all got to help each other.

Shop ASAP with Baglady around Northern Ireland [hey] starting at the Salad Bowl in Omagh. This is a project with EWWR – European Week of Waste Reduction [November 19-27] – get YOUR favourite shop in the picture. ASAP.

Travel ASAP i.e. virtually online with Baglady, sailing from Rome on November 15th. Listen to her/me on John Toal’s Saturday Magazine show, BBC Radio Ulster 10am October 29th. Get inspired. Quick!!

check our ASAP intro film here, NOW and let’s rock Mother earth back onto her axis

donaldson 1st MP in ASAP round 3

MP Jeffrey Donaldson DUP

MP Jeffrey Donaldson DUP

Great news. Only hours after we started Pledge ASAP round 3, by contacting all our unpledged NI MPs, Jeffrey Donaldson, DUP MP for Lagan Valley came through with his pledge: turning off lights and doing more walking and cycling. Jeffrey’s the 8th local MP; with 2 more promised.

We’ve also got former UK Environment Minister Michael Meacher who wants us to get 50 MPs on board ASAP. And I want to get this sorted before I set sail for Australia. So scratch your heads MPs: who among your new friends at Westminster will take this daring pledge. On yer bikes fellas!

And please, anyone who reads this: Pledge ASAP, pass it on and send us news of anyone you know who should be joining us. Famous or unknown. THINK about our children’s future NOW.

Off to Coleraine Council today to meet the Mayor and Director of Environmental Services. More later….

best beams,

Baglady

Education Minister Ruane takes Pledge ASAP

Education Minister Caitriona Ruane and Baglady help Tiernagh Harper and Dominic Burden from St Colman’s PS Kilkeel with the school’s vegetable plot.

Rising from my sickbed to report the latest NI Assembly Minister to Pledge ASAP.

Caitriona Ruane is the 4th or 5th? Northern Ireland Assembly Minister to pledge. [can’t think, let alone, count today but I know we’ve had Poots, Wilson and Foster already, and that’s some line-up init]

Last week Caitriona visited St Colman’s Primary School, Kilkeel where the children spoke out loud and clear about their pledges.

So well done Caitriona, for showing leadership!

I want to write more about this excellent initiatve, when I’m better. Soon. Take 2 minutes to make your own pledge, and watch this space.

Best beams, Baglady

Caitriona Ruane to pledge ASAP

can’t wait to meet Caitriona Ruane, Tuesday Feb 8th at St Colman’s Primary School, Kilkeel. What will her pledges be?? and will the whole school REALLY pledge? watch this space.

Dawn Purvis [independent, East Belfast] pledged last week – this is starting to really happen, glowed Baglady…

Arlene Foster joins ASAP pledgers

Arlene Foster

Arlene Foster‘s the 22nd MLA and the 192nd ALLS [Adult Learning to Live Sustainably] to Pledge ASAP.

I am so pleased that I have written a wee blog about Arlene.

When Arlene was picked as the NI Assembly’s first Environment Minister, she would have known that I was invited by the Press Association to critique all the main parties’ election manifestos [manifesti?] and that column was in a lot of different NI newspapers.

I can’t remember now who was the best in 2005 – Alliance? SDLP? but I KNOW Sinn Fein and the DUP were the worst. [How have things changed this election year?]

By coincidence, we at Baglady had picked Enniskillen to film the first of our 16 pieces on plastic bags, environment etc, round Northern Ireland.* When Arlene got the top job, we invited her to support us any way she could; and her very positive media release reached us in time for day 2′s filming at Trillick, where Barry McElduff leapt in to endorse Arlene’s message. To great joy outside McCarney’s shop. The whole village joined in and plastic bag use plummeted.

After that, every time I met Arlene, in bags or out, she was always really friendly, practical and, I felt, straight. She launched the NEEDabag 2 film premiere at the QFT and starred with Baglady in the Intro film.
What Arlene said that day was really good. Check NEEDabag 2007 films on our website or Yoohootube. Or I’ll quote it again in a future blog. It’s very good and it’s about all of US in NI.

Sadly, Arlene wasn’t Environment Minister for long. In about a year she got moved on, handing over to the soon-to-be-world-famous Sammy Wilson, who quickly made way for the 3rd, Edwin Poots. A lot of people are saying Poots is getting the message: Envirogreen is not a choice, it’s vital; AND it can save money and create jobs. A message a lot of us have been bangin on about for some time.

Now Arlene’s joined us, 3 out of 3 Northern Ireland Environment Ministers have pledged our simple pledge, to give up one thing, and take up one thing, to live ASAP [and you ALL know what that means don’t you? !!]

At last we can show our brilliance to the world.

Arlene’s pledge: I’m giving up: Leaving the television and computer on standby.
I’m taking up: Walking more.

* Lottery funded via Northern Ireland Screen, 2007
come on Andrew, Elsie, Betty, where’s your pledges?

21st MLA Pledges ASAP – who is it? + 719th KIDS Pledge

Hurray hurray hurray

the 21st MLA

has pledged ASAP

who is it? DUP

‘s Paul Frew from Ballymenahey

Our 4th North Antrim pledger – YAY!

But NI KIDS are far ahead

their 719th I’ve just read

It’s Caitlin Lyons from Antrim Grammar….

Paul Frew’s pledged I’m giving up:
accepting plastic bags, leaving lights on when I leave the room,
I’m taking up:buying my fruit and veg not prepacked, remembering to take a reuseable bag to the shop

Caitlin Lyons’s pledged
I’m giving up:
buying drinks in bottles
I’m taking up:
switching off the TV and computer when I leave the room

who’ll be the 22nd MLA? who’ll be the 192nd adult and the 720th KID???

ASAP the pledge creeps up

Come on everybody, pledge and pass it on. I.7million pledgers by June 21, we need to get moving, nags Baglady

Northern Ireland: Round 2 Pledge ASAP Launched

ASAP Round2 Press Release

Northern Ireland must lead the world in sustainability, says Baglady

Environmental campaigner Shirley Lewis, aka Baglady, is challenging Northern Irish people, here and worldwide, today (11 January), to lead the world by taking Pledge ASAP [As Sustainably as Possible] for a better, cleaner and more sustainable future.   Launching Round 2 of Pledge ASAP in Belfast, she said that 19 MLAs including Environment Minister Edwin Poots and Finance Minister Sammy Wilson, pledged in Round 1 ASAP, along with former UK Environment Minister Michael Meacher, and East Belfast MP Naomi Long. Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny is the first TD. “Gerry Adams is the most famous pledger so far and MEP Bairbre de Brun is ready to pledge!” says Baglady.  “This is great; and we need more. Pledges are coming in from around the world since ASAP started in 2009. Kids Pledge ASAP, which we launched last year, inspired whole school pledges and 700 individual online pledges from children from around NI. But it was when six schools took their pledges to Stormont, that we got this amazing cross-party array of MLA pledges.  “Between now and Midsummer’s Day, we’re asking all MLAs, local MPs, MEPs, council Mayors, Chairs and staff, plus all candidates for the forthcoming elections and everyone who has a heart for the place they live in, to log on to  www.bagladyproductions.org/asap-world/pledge and pledge,” Baglady said.

“The recent water crisis here in NI has truly alarmed many thousands of people. WWF figures tell us that we use four to five times our share of global resources in Northern Ireland and we’re still getting worse; this is grossly irresponsible.

“As I said on BBC Radio 4 on New Years Day, ‘We can’t just wait for the government, or the council or somebody else to do this stuff for us;  we all have to start taking responsibility for our environment….not next year, next week: today.’  “Living ASAP is what I’ve been doing for nine years, it’s brilliant, it saves loads of money and I love it,” Baglady said.  To encourage people to take the pledge Baglady has published the Top 12 pledges so far:

Giving up using plastic bags Giving up leaving lights on Giving up using chemicals in water Giving up wasting food Giving up leaving chargers and appliances on all night Giving up wasting heat Taking up short showers instead of baths Taking up drying clothes in fresh air Taking up free range eggs Taking up buying locally produced vegetables Taking up eating less meat Taking up walking more.

Recent government statistics show each Northern Ireland household produces on average 1.2 tonnes of waste a year. Just over a third is recycled and composted. “This is nowhere near enough, we need to do much more,” Baglady said.  Baglady will be at the Creative Arts Forum on Writers’ Square (15 Church Street Belfast) between 11 am and 3 pm today to receive your pledge. Or, please go online…

Ends.

 

For more information, contact: Mark Smith at Chambré Public Affairs on 07710 450 462 or 028 9067 2243. Please note Baglady has no mobile phone; her landline is 028 2563 9609.

Notes to Editors

Baglady: Ballymena-born Baglady, alias writer, broadcaster and filmmaker Shirley Lewis, is a passionate life-long advocate and campaigner for the environment, who aims to rid the world of litter, rubbish and waste.  For her, living ASAP involves living without a car and travelling mainly by bike, on foot and by public transport, living without an oil tank, printer and mobile phone, and wherever humanly possible, all forms of packaging. When visiting schools, Baglady wears a fantastic array of plastic bags.

After living in Australia for 30 years, in 2001 Baglady returned to Northern Ireland – having launched Australia’s first nation-wide campaign against the excessive use of plastic bags – and was shocked at how dirty and severely degraded the countryside and coastline had become. For every linear mile in Northern Ireland she calculated that there was approximately 30,000 pieces of non-biodegradable rubbish. To date she has worked with 23 local councils on environmental projects and speaks widely across the UK and Ireland.

Since 2002, Baglady has worked with local councils, central government and other agencies to help to promote sustainable living and environmental awareness.  In 2005 and again in 2006/7 the Environment and Heritage Service (EHS) [renamed Northern Ireland Environment Agency] funded Baglady’s NEEDabag? Campaign, which helped to reduce plastic bag use. She worked with the Northern Ireland Independent Retail Trades Association, on NEEDabag 2 and with many other businesses including the Co-op and the Northern Bank.  The NEEDabag? idea was piloted in 40 Ballymena shops in 2004 and saw a 25% reduction in plastic bag use. The campaign was extended to 10 more councils in 2005.  Statistics: Household waste statistics are taken from the Northern Ireland Municipal Waste Management Statistics for 2009/2010 published in December 2010 by the Northern Ireland Environment Agency.

Political Pledges: On ASAP Pledge Day 21 June 2010 children came to Stormont tell their MLAs what they had pledged and to encourage their elected representatives to do the same.  Finance Minister, Sammy Wilson MLA, pledged to give up leaving the lights on and take up more cycling. Environment Minister Edwin Poots MLA pledged to give up burning the midnight oil so not to use up so much electricity and take up more cycling. The Fine Gael leader, Enda Kenny TD, who was at Stormont holding talks with the First and Deputy First Ministers pledged to give up plastic-wrapped sweets and take up using reusable bags.

Naomi Long MP pledged to recycle food waste and give up using her car for one day a week. Last October, on a visit to Belfast, former Environment Minister Michael Meacher MP pledge was ‘something I’ve been meaning to do for a long time: turn off all my domestic gear [and there’s a lot of it] at night.’