By Kalina Palka

I wasn't expecting it to be so much fun.

I mean, this is serious. If we can't persuade governments to act decisively to reduce carbon emissions, global warming is going to fry us to a crisp.

That's why I joined the Time to Act on Climate Change march on the 7th of March. 'I'm marching because our precious beautiful planet is all we've got - and it would be such a tragic waste if we trashed it,' I glumly declared on the train up to town.

But already, catching up with my Transition Town pals, the animated chat, the sense of common purpose were starting to cheer me up. One of them had told her mum she was going on the climate change march. "That's nice, dear. Are you for or against it?" her mother had replied. I was starting to feel slightly hilarious.

By Lou Yates
Many people wonder what happens to the food bank items collected every Saturday at Crystal Palace Food Market. So, on a cold snowy Tuesday morning I went on a ride along with the indomitable pair of women, Karen and Laura who set up and run the market, to see what happens to it all. We headed to St Luke's Church in West Norwood with the goodies donated from last Saturday's market. Contributions are usually much bigger Karen assured me (awful weather tends to dent the footfall at the market) and she also took care to show me the not- so- good items that sometimes end up in the donations bucket stationed at the Haynes Lane end of the market. A sad uncooked chicken lurked dangerously at the bottom of a carrier bag.