Environmental Education

It’s often being said that we need to take better care of our environment and ensure that the next generation grow up knowing about and caring for nature, and most would agree this is the case. But how do we provide this information in a practical way? Environmental education is a key factor in preserving and cultivating the nature around us, and Milton Keynes is on the way to creating something which will hopefully enable this in a big way.

A £500,000 environmental education and visitor centre is currently being built in Howe Park Wood, Milton Keynes, and is set to open in October. The centre will contain classrooms, meeting rooms, an outside decked area and new pond dipping platforms. Set in a beautiful ancient woodland setting, the centre will provide some key steps towards conservation and will help to teach children and adults alike about nearby wildlife and nature and how to help preserve it. Bird and bat boxes will be situated throughout the woodland and boxes for plants and insect homes will also be built. The centre will incorporate low carbon technologies in order to make it even more environmentally friendly, including an air source heat pump and solar panels. This is set to be a great resource for the community, and will hopefully play a big part in helping educate many about nature and how to take care of it.

Oh I do like to be beside the seaside...

Milton Keynes and the surrounding area isn't particularly famous for seaside fun... more famous for being about as far from each coast as possible! But don't panic, the beach is being brought to those of us who are stuck in the middle of the country away for the seaside, not just once, but twice!

1. Frosts Garden Centre. All summer there's a beach to be found at Frosts garden centre, and more than that, beach themed activities for the kids! Now this isn't going to be quite the same as the seafront but we'll have to make do, there's even a carousel! There are outside games, sand and refreshments- including homemade fish and chips, so you can really feel like you're (almost) at the beach, and it's all undercover so you can enjoy the beach even on a rainy day. There are also pre-bookable kids sessions, which include storytelling and arts and crafts activities, and it's open all day every day throughout the summer holidays.

2. Secondly, there'll be a beach to be found in the Centre:mk at Middleton Hall from the start of August, and will again provide a covered beach/sand area for the kids (and adults!) to enjoy whatever the weather.

So you don't have to drive for miles to build a sandcastle this summer, make a trip or two to Frosts and the Centre:mk for some beach fun!

Is MK getting greener?

In the April issue of the Phonebox magazine, we told you about a company introducing electric charging points at their offices in a bid to try and be more 'green' and environmentally friendly. The issue of protecting the environment has always been a huge one, and today it seems there are more options and ways than ever before, for individuals to be able to make a small difference. Electric cars are a fairly new thing but seem to be becoming more and more popular, with the hybrid option also particularly popular. Cities especially seem to be stepping up their green transportation ideas...

Milton Keynes is one of the leaders in this, with a fleet of electric buses zipping around the city. Milton Keynes is the first place in the UK to be proudly running the first all-electric bus route, still in it's early days, the buses are set to be reviewed to see how their usage and efficiency compare to the previous diesel vehicles, our guess is that they can surely only be better than before, but we shall see! The electric transport is definitely quieter, which on the whole is a positive, but as with everything, there have been complaints. A fair point is that they may be slightly more dangerous for pedestrians, who may not be able to hear the vehicle coming. Maybe there needs to be more emphasis on making people aware that new cars and buses might be quieter, and reminding them that they need to look as well as listen when crossing roads etc. While these types of transport are still in the minority, and are a relatively new concept, the fact remains the same that every little does help and so they are just steps in the right direction. Obviously the best for the environment would be if everyone walked or cycled, but that's not going to be viable for the majority we don't think!

What do you think about the new electric transportation?

What's on today?

Today sees the last day of the Milton Keynes Wedding Show, at Middleton Hall the centre:mk, so if you're getting married soon then pop down to see what there is, admission is free. Then in the evening there's: 'That time of the month' Comedy club over in Newport Pagnell, with Daniel Simonsen and Matt Rees at the Cannon. The Snozone Snobar has another open mic night this evening as well, so if you fancy belting out a few tunes… maybe a bit more professional than karaoke though; you may need to be actually able to sing! Make the most of Sunday and get out and see something that's going on, if you're completely stuck for ideas, there's always plenty of shops…