Adventures in Plymouth

I spent last Friday in Plymouth, giving a series of talks around Ecologic. It all seemed rather surreal, as I'd battled through piles of snow to get to the station at my end (the trains were excellent - all on time) yet there wasn't a spot of snow in Plymouth.

A fairly strenuous day, beginning with a meeting with Plymouth Council's sustainability and climate change supremo, then three talks. The first was to Shipping students at Plymouth University -a good response from a positive audience. Second up, after lunch, were students from years 7 to 9 of St Boniface College. The prospect of around 150 11- to 13-year-olds was a little daunting, but in fact they were a great audience, who were very lively in the question time.

The piece de resistance was an evening event at the remarkable looking Roland Levinsky building. I gave a shortish talk, then we had a Q&A panel session, with three MPs (one of each major party) - Colin Breed, Linda Gilroy and Gary Streeter - plus me. It was rather like being on the BBC's Question Time programme, only the MPs were extremely good in refraining from attacking each other's policies, and instead giving straight answers to the audiences' questions.

A great (if long) day. I was very grateful to local organizer Alan Ramage (and his wife) who set it all up, ferried me around and provided refreshments.

So, as the snow melts away, back to sort of normality.

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