Tim's Talk and Biome Night Preview

Tim Smit's vision for a prosperous Cornwall

Date the 29th November 2000  A dazzling glimpse inside the biomes after a impressive talk to a spellbound audience of around 260 myself included.  Tim arrived in the gallery of the visitor centre and walked to the small stage, sipping a glass of wine.  There was an spontaneous round of applause, the atmosphere was electric with anticipation.  His talk was inspiring, encouraging and positive, on how to transform the industrial wasteland left by generations of clay mining around St. Austell in to something worth while, and provide jobs with objective one  money.

How to attract new industries to provide more and better employment.  How he and his team, created 90,000 tonnes of soil for Eden by processing clay waste with organic manure and compost and how he could create a millions of more tonnes and export this to the rest of the Country by rail or from Par dock.

He explained how Cornish agriculture could rise from the doldrums and could in 12 months create the biggest concentration of organic growing in the world.

"We set out to build a scientific institution at Eden, which would become an international icon for the environment.  Our job remains to make it, and Cornwall, a success.

 I turned down million of pounds of sponsorship which was offered, for example, by the world's largest ice-cream make. For goodness sake we are in Cornwall and we have the best ice cream right here! I want to keep Eden pure."  he explained.

Tim has recently returned from Germany where a law has been passed, that almost everything must be 100% recyclable by year 2010.  This is where Cornwall can lead the rest of the world with the technology that is now available. 

He concluded: " We must harness the brains of people like you to fully realise the full potential.

The audience were divided in to two groups. The first went off and adorned hard hats and glowing jackets and boarded the land train, that would take them to look inside the biome. The other half of the group went into the café and enjoyed mulled wine, hot pasty's made from mincemeat or raspberry jam, very nice too. 

The train decorated with coloured lights took us the short ride to the biome.  A  tunnel into the side of the biome had been specially made for these evening visits. Going through the tunnel  was like traveling in space and time. Emerging the other side of the tunnel, in a what felt like a different Country. It was warm and moist, my camera immediately fogged up, but I was told by one of the Eden Team take it will acclimatise after a short time.   Still trying to rapidly wipe the lens to get a picture, I looked up at the vastness and beauty of the structure.  It was like fairy land with the hundreds of lights illuminating the thousands of plants. It just felt so good in there.

The WOW effect, as Tim would put it, was there in a big way.

There was a chance to ask questions and take in the atmosphere after about half an hour it was time to got through the tunnel and back to a cold but dry Cornish night,  ride in the train back to the Visitor centre.  There was a  good feeling on the train riding back, with lots of chatter and laughter from the Eden Team, who caught the last train home.

Thank you to Tim and the Eden Team who made this a night to remember.

Keith Martin.

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