The first A Greener Hawick Day on 16-17 May put climate change and the energy crisis firmly on the local agenda, with a weekend of talks, workshops and discussions organised by the Greener Hawick group. The members first got together at a talk by climate change expert Dr Michael Shallis last year, and has grown rapidly since then. The town's new Heart of Hawick venue drew a good crowd, and several working groups have now been set up to look into issues including local food, renewables, green spaces and energy reduction. Kevin Ferguson from the organising team said he'd been pleasantly surprised at the strong interest, particularly in allotments and home improvements. The group are also hoping to work with the local building trade to raise awareness about what individuals can do to improve their homes' energy efficiency. Anyone interested in getting involved should contact the chair, Dr Michael Shallis, via ShallisMandR@aol.com.
