The Big Green Bus in Bournemouth and Poole

Almost a year ago, Brigit was contacted by Jane Bannister of Dorset Humanists, who was interested in arranging for the Big Green Bus to visit Bournemouth. Brigit explained that the costs (financial and environmental) of taking the bus to Bournemouth would be too high for a one-off event. Jane, however, was not to be put off and approached Lee Green from Bournemouth Borough Council to see if he would be interested in planning a larger event. Lee spoke to nearby Poole Council, and the idea of the Big Green Fortnight grew from that.

There are many green events taking place in Poole and Bournemouth over the fortnight (see here for the full programme), but of course most people who attend films, talks, compost giveaways and so on are those who already have an awareness of and interest in green issues. The first weekend of Poole and Bournemouth's Big Green Fortnight, with an appearance in Falklands Square in Poole on Saturday and Bournemouth Square on Sunday, provided a wonderful opportunity for the Big Green Bus to spread the message to people who hadn't really thought about the environment before but were curious about why a beautifully painted green bus had appeared in their local shopping centre!

What struck me was that visitors to the bus seemed to fall into two main groups: those who were already interested in environmental issues and had already made changes to their lifestyles, and those for whom many of the ideas presented on the bus were completely new. I'm not sure if it was more gratifying to find out how many people in my local community are already ‘doing their bit', or to see a teenager's face light up when they discovered that they could wash their clothes with a natural waste product, soapnuts, rather than using detergents laden with harmful chemicals.

What impresses me most, I think, is the natural ability of all the volunteers on the bus to enthuse and inform anyone and everyone. Young and old alike cannot help but become interested in finding out more about green skincare or how the sun can power a buzzing loop-and-wire game, or want to make their own banana smoothie on the pedal-powered smoothie maker! No one feels that they are being preached to, or being told how they should be living. The Big Green Idea is maybe unique among environmental charities in that we focus very much on solutions, rather than the problems we face, and concentrate on how positive and empowering making simple changes in our lives can be.

As a complement to all the displays on and around the bus, a number of talks were given on the upper deck, ranging from Being Green around the Home, given by Theresa McManus of Poole Agenda 21, to The Wonder of Creation through the Study of Climate Change and Biodiversity, by Colin Dewsnap of Transition Christchurch. All talks were followed by question-and-answer sessions, where the audience (some of whom I suspect were simply sheltering from the changeable weather) could explore some of the topics in more depth.

If each person who visited the bus took just one new idea away with them, then The Big Green Idea really will have made a difference!

This week the bus has been touring local schools, to coincide with their ‘Walk to School' week and I know just how much Brigit and her team will be able to enthuse these children who will then take home what they have learnt to their parents. The bus makes its final appearance on Saturday 23rd May at Bournemouth Pavilion, on the seafront at the Big Green Open Day where people can find out about climate change, saving energy, healthy lifestyles, sustainable travel, waste, recycling, wildlife and gardens. This will be a fantastic grand finale to the bus's biggest event so far!

Judy

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