Photographic Competiton

The entries this year give some idea of how far Hulme globe trotters are prepared to travel. Although exotic is not one of the judging criteria, by chance, all the commended photographs have more than just an element of the extra ordinary. This picture by Ruth Vassallo was taken in the high arctic and captures the magical colour contrast of blue and white, sea, ice and sky. A very worthy winner.








Congratulations must also be extended to Frances Brookfield and to Patrick Fanagan for the photographs of Zambia and a tropical beach paradise respectively.

The UK Coalition's Energy Future

This map shows the coalition's plans for nuclear power. Three potential sites have been ruled out on environmental grounds. However, Chris Huhne (the Energy Secretary) has stated that 50% of all new energy production should come from renewables.
Read more at the BBC.

Nothing like stating the obvious

A UN convention on biodiversity has declared that the ongoing loss of nature is hurting human society as well as the natural world.

Read more at the BBC.

You can also follow what is happening at the convention over the next two weeks by going to its website.

Year 8 Cowm

Use this photograph to complete the field sketch - remember to add colour and labels. To make the photograph bigger click on it.

Don't forget in your introduction include:

• Description of location of Cowm
• Maps showing location of Cowm
• A description of Whitworth
• The field sketch

A mounting problem

Can we clear the amount of plastic that is accumulating in our oceans.?
Plastic accumulates in natural vortex know as gyre; the largest of which is in the Pacific Ocean and is an area twice the size of France .
Scientist at the University of Sheffield believe they may have a solution.
Read more at the BBC or go to the report at the University of Sheffield

The Geography of Food Competition

Thank you for coming to our open morning, we hope you enjoyed it.
The answer to the Geography of Food Competition is:
Scottish Beef -400km
Sweet Potatoes from the US - 8400km
Lancashire Carrots - 22km
Zambian Sugar Snap Peas - 8000km
Cheshire Leek - 25km
Garden Peas from Suffolk - 250km
Yorkshire Pudding Mix - 85km
Bisto Gravy Granules from Lincolnshire - 130km

Which means that the Traditional Sunday Roast has travelled an amazing:
17 312km

So how close did you get?

Open Morning Competition

Welcome to the Geography Department

This photograph shows the ingredients for a traditional Sunday lunch, but can you guess how far the food has travelled? The ingredients are:

Scottish Beef, Sweet Potatoes from the US, Lancashire Carrots, Sugar Snap Peas from Zambia, a Leek from Cheshire, Garden Peas from Suffolk, a Yorkshire Pudding Mix and Bisto Granules from Linconshire.

Fill in your sheet in the department and look at the answer which will appear on this blog at 4pm today.

Hungarian Toxic Sludge

A major spill of toxic red sludge from an industrial plant in western Hungary has spilled in to the Danube. The sludge has so far killed 7 people.

Read more at the BBC.

Or take a look at Sky News

Poo Power

200 homes in Didcot, Oxfordshire are being supplied with biomethane produced from sewage and there are plans to bring the process to other parts of the UK.

Read more by clicking this link.

Sun theory may not be accurate

The sun's influence on modern day climate change may have been overestimated.

Scientists have found unexpected patterns in solar output in the years 2004-2007 which challenge existing theory.

For more details read this BBC link.