AS SEEN ON TV

Tony Rollinson looks at the expanding coverage permaculture is receiving within the visual and written media.

Article first published in 'Permaculture Magazine' No. 45

Over the past seven or eight months, the British national television news and national newspapers have consistently reported on environmental issues. We have gone from having the occasional ‘token green story’ to being presented with an almost daily analysis of environmental concerns.
Stories ranging from worldwide weather cycles, pollution, gardening and farming practices, new-build debates and even local recycling initiatives are now being treated as acceptable everyday news, news which is of interest and to the benefit of everyone.

Asking the media themselves what they thought had changed, We at PM also looked at our own dealings with the national media this year in terms of specific permaculture coverage.

A Sea Of Change
“Something seems to have shifted since the start of the year, with the combination of the Tsunami and Kyoto ratification,” says Steve Charter, author of Eat More Raw. The impact of these major events seems to have contributed significantly to environmental reporting. But we thought we’d look at who is doing what around specific issues now.

Most of the national press have had an environment editor for some years. Journalists like John Vidal of The Guardian and Geoffrey Lean of The Independent, alongside magazines like The Ecologist, have been among the leaders championing environmental concerns. But even the writers who cover these issues recognise that they are now treated more seriously.

In recent months our own publication The Earth Care Manual by Patrick Whitefield has been recommended not just within the specialist press but also within the pages of The Daily Mail and The New Statesman. Ben Law’s The Woodland House received full-page treatment within The Times.
Lucy Siegle of The Observer says the national press are certainly covering more sustainable and environmental issues. Lucy was short-listed for this year’s British Press Awards and is a favourite writer amongst some of our readers who circulate her articles on the web. She writes about many community projects and feels a combination of grass roots activity and scientists forming a consensus around the severity of problems such as climate change have led to greater awareness of what is happening to our planet.

“My own green epiphany began around seven or eight years ago, my conscience forming as I wrote my first book, Green Living In The Urban Jungle. In the last couple of years I’ve been able to convince editors that these are issues their readers want to know about.”

The theme of what we can do ourselves to make a difference is powerful and one of the chief ways we all respond to this is in our immediate living environment – our own homes and gardens. The Independent includes ‘Diary Of An Eco-Builder’ in its property section. The Times property editor, Catherine Riley says, “the ‘average’ house dweller is keen to find ways of becoming more green – even if it is just through something as simple as installing a rainwater butt or a compost bin”.

She stresses, “there are now more companies who are clued up and provide us with information. It’s no longer seen as a ‘fringe’ or ‘hippy’ issue, but one that many people, from self-builders to national developers are interested in”.

And if the BBC’s coverage of the Glastonbury Festival includes a trip to a permaculture garden and Bob The Builder, of children’s TV fame, is seen building a straw bale house then surely a sea of change is taking place – something that is connecting with younger people.

Building A Future
One central figure who links the worlds of the print media and television is Kevin McCloud of Channel 4’s Grand Designs TV programme and magazine. He says, “sustainability concerns are now standard not optional”. Data from the recent Grand Designs Live exhibition in London says that 98% of people planning a build are planning it using sustainable materials and techniques. Aidan Walker of the Grand Designs Magazine says, “This kind of change is not just grass roots but due to a general wave of knowledge, opinion, media coverage, awareness raising, etc.”
The power of television is indeed remarkable. Grand Designs Live attracted over 40,000 people. When Ben Law’s woodland house was originally featured on the TV show, it was viewed by over 5 million people, the most watched programme of the series. So popular was Ben’s self-designed and built zero carbon house that it was repeated in 2004. “I thought filming it would mean a lot of time away from the land,” says Ben, “and it did, but I judged it was worth getting the message across.”

Ben has been involved in TV shows like TV Cook on the Wild Side, Green Team and 3 Minutes, but he found the Grand Designs crew particularly sympathetic to things he wanted to include. “I think Grand Designs put across many sustainable issues and permaculture principles in a way that awoke the latent instincts in people without ramming the message down their throats.”

This certainly seems to be true, and Kevin McCloud deserves a great deal of credit for his presentation, support and involvement in the connecting of sustainability with the media. “I feel the media is slowly waking up to the fact that sustainable issues are important,” says Ben, “these issues can be portrayed in a more ‘sexy’ manner than the green stereotype of the past.”

Ben has just finished shooting a Grand Designs Revisited show with Kevin and Channel 4, to be broadcast in October 2005. Perhaps what is most inspiring about Ben’s story is the effect he has had on lots of ‘ordinary’ people. Ben’s lifestyle may be an ideal for many, but the beauty of his home, the fact that it is so low impact, and that he did it so affordably with the help of friends and volunteers has shown people that they too can do much for themselves.

Real Permaculture On TV
Over the past six or seven months, PM has been contacted by all the major terrestrial and satellite television companies. They have wanted us to suggest people for shows dealing with sustainable issues, ranging from environmental design and urban gardening, to those concerning global capitalism and the desire to live in a non-consumerist way. We have always asked friends and contacts if they would like to be put forward for such shows.

We were able to recommend Erica and Paul French at the Brithdir Mawr ecovillage community for a BBC 2 programme to be broadcast later this year called No Waste Like Home. The programme shows how the community’s renewable energy systems work and how they live their highly ecological lives.

Brithdir Mawr is used to dealing with the media, receiving a couple of enquiries a week for their involvement in potential shows. “We are very discerning about what we commit to,” says Erica. Another recent programme, filmed by BBC Digital for its schools programme has Mika and Naomi, both aged 10, showing viewers around the ecovillage.

Meanwhile, BBC Bristol are currently filming Its Not Easy Being Green, a prime time show which involves author and teacher, Patrick Whitefield. Richard and Brigit Strawbridge want to live as ecological a lifestyle as possible. Richard, who is one the BBC’s main science presenters, had the idea to film the move to and renovation of New House Farm, a run down Cornish farmhouse with 2.5 acres of land. They invited Patrick to look at the land for them with the instruction that they wanted to develop it along permaculture principles.

“I was very sceptical about appearing on TV because I just thought they would cut out all the things I think are important about sustainability,” says Patrick. But, as filming of the eight shows began, Patrick completely revised his view. “Travelling down with the film makers I realised they were really committed. They were involved in the process and it was changing their lives too.”

The series goes out in 2006, with one complete programme specifically about permaculture. “I am basically optimistic about this programme though I will be a bit sceptical until I see the result on the screen.” We will provide updates and further details about the shows ahead of their broadcast.

The Media’s Ecosystem
Many of us may still be sceptical or nervous about what our traditionally conservative national media can do for permaculturists. Steve Charter says “David Edward’s book Free To Be Human still provides the backdrop to understanding the nature of the media system. The system is not yet changing on a fundamental level, but it is evolving on a superficial level. Our job is to work with the nature of the media ecosystem, to keep feeding it ‘good stories’ – because that is what it wants – and to develop friendly contacts, as I understand that’s at least partly how it works”.

Specific publications, like The Ecologist, Funky Raw, Organic Gardening and Permaculture Magazine, or specific media, like Undercurrents or Resonance FM, will always offer the most understanding coverage. But it is also important to branch out and involve more and more people, especially the younger ones. The media will have a significant responsibility and role to play in this.

So if you spot any national media coverage do let us know. If you would like to be considered for any media projects contact Tony at the office. Tel: 01730 823 311 or [email protected] Any enquiries from the media should also contact Tony

We are always looking for practical, innovative articles that encourage others to start – anything from renewable energy and eco-building to community projects and small-scale urban gardening – we want to hear from you! Email: [email protected] for guidelines.

The fully illustrated version of this article appears in PM45 and can be purchased as a back issue.