Gloucester Services

I had an amazing weekend in Bristol celebrating my best friend turning old, and since her birthday has passed, I can officially begin the countdown to mine (6 weeks 6 days).

On the journey back up to Leicester we stopped off at Gloucester Services on the M5. And what a treat it was. It got me excited, as it shows that although we have to have services stations, they don't have to be eyesores full of fast food! They can have green roofs, vegetable patches and ponds, and be full of local produce. I do have a bit of a love for green and brown roofs, they require a little bit more work in the beginning, but they are an amazing way to capture carbon, create habitats, improve air quality, absorb water and they are great insulators.  After a quick Google I found that the staff are even bussed in, a great way to keep emissions down.

Obviously, I don't have the expertise to know whether it's all just green bells and eco whistles, but I think it is definitely a step in the right direction. I don't think it is going to increase traffic, people drive cars, a lot, and having less service stations isn't going to change that. But if we can improve those service stations, to move them forward in this kind of direction, then wouldn't that be brill?