Birmingham Friends of The Earth newsletter - Oct-Nov 2009

Solar is Hotting Up Birmingham doesn’t have many sources of renewable energy; no tides, no major river, and winds too light and turbulent for use in urban areas. That leaves the sun. Fortunately, everyone who owns the roof already owns a solar collector. More energy falls on it in a year than you could use, so it’s just a matter of bringing some of that power into our buildings, in a form we can use.

My roof faces due south and is unshaded.

After insulating the loft and the walls, to keep in what heat comes through the windows, I considered solar water panels.

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3 - Campaigns Digest 5

- Moseley Big Plan

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- Happily Ever Crafter

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- Bringing Together Community Value

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- Appeal for Volunteers

10 - Rapid Transit! By Bus? 12

- Solar Is Hotting Up

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- Local Carbon Budgets

17 - Food inc, lifting the lid on the food chain 18 -

Warehouse News

19 - Environmental Outreach 20 - Volunteer in the Spotlight 21

- Diary

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- Membership Form

23 - Contacts

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Campaigns Digest Transport There have been a few big transport events over the last two months, with a conference about High Speed Rail (HS2) and the Birmingham Transport Summit, both of which I attended. Whilst we are not particularly supportive of HS2, it is clear that public transport and reducing carbon from transport is very much on the agenda nowadays, whether we agree with the methods or not.

Our focus is on low carbon transport for people in local areas to make for a more pleasant environment and stronger communities. We continue with work on our 20’s Plenty Campaign to get lower speed limits on residential roads, following the lead of other cities and making it safer for cyclists and pedestrians.

With members of community groups across Birmingham now getting involved, we are hopeful of making more progress this year, but we need as much help as possible with this.

Another strand we are pursuing at the moment is to promote the use of Bus Rapid Transit (see article), as an alternative to the expensive (and long-delayed) metro proposals. This has a certain amount of support from business people and transport companies, so we need to work on a way to ensure it is in the Council’s planning in the best possible form.

We continue pushing the agenda for local rail over more longer, faster journeys and are monitoring

progress on the development of the Camp Hill line stations (both to the South through Moseley, Kings Heath etc. and to the North).

Local Shops and Food Food films have been much in evidence over the last year, with Food Inc. the latest. Members of our group attended the showing at Star City and more screenings are planned in Birmingham (keep an eye on the web for details). All this attention is helpful to our Fix the Food Chain Campaign, for which we have collected more cards than any other FoE group over the last year.

We continue working on this and are also looking at the Food for Life Campaign to encourage more local and organic food in schools.

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Campaigns Digest Energy and Climate Change By the time this newsletter is published, Birmingham City Council is due to have put its Climate Change Action Plan before cabinet, which will be an important step to addressing the problem locally.

We will be looking at this plan very carefully to identify key areas that can be improved and are assured that it will be reviewed after a year, meaning plenty of opportunities for campaigns to improve it.

Birmingham City Council has now signed up to the 10:10 Campaign to cut emissions by 10% this year, which is great news, but we also want more businesses and educational establishments in Birmingham to do the same thing.

Local Carbon Budgets are also a key ingredient to fighting climate change all over the country, so we are also asking people to put pressure on MPs to get these put in place (see article).

Crafting/Recycling Now a regular part of the calendar, we have an active and popular Crafting Group on the third Monday of each month (see article). This means that things which would otherwise be thrown away can be re-used in a creative and interesting way and it attracts more people into the group. Also, we are now holding a Swap Shop in Moseley which coincides with the Farmers’ Market each month. That was also very successful the first time we held it and again is encouraging less waste

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and better use of the resources we already have on our planet. Get in touch if you’d like to help out.

Faith and Climate Change Our award-winning Faith and Climate Change Project supports and encourages faith communities in Birmingham to look and respond to environmental challenges. We held our first workshop of 2010 in March on the international context of climate change. There are also many others every other month for the rest of the year, which will help congregations take steps to green their places of worship. Work on planning a Peace Garden is progressing well and we hope to release a book of recipes later in the year. If you are interested, then find out all about it and more on our website, www. faithandclimatechange.org

Birmingham City Council has now signed up to the 10:10 Campaign to cut emissions by 10% this year

Moseley Big Plan Moseley’s Big Plan is the start of a new local planning document for the wider Moseley area, which will eventually be adopted

by Birmingham City Council as planning policy.

Usually planning policy is formulated behind closed doors, with a just a few opportunities for the public to have their say via statutory consultations once the document has been largely written. Moseley’s Big Plan differs from this in that it is to be written from the ground up with community involvement - a first for Birmingham.

The plan aims to provide planning guidance so that the following outcomes are achieved: Moseley is a better place to live and work.

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Local residents’ vision for Moseley is realised.

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The neighbourhood character is preserved and enhanced.

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Developers, investors, businesses and others understand local priorities.

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Moseley helps tackle climate change.

As such Moseley Community Development Trust would like to hear the views of Moseley’s community, and have come up with seven big questions: •

How can we make the village centre better?

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How could we attract more local jobs?

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How could we make it easier to get to work, school and the shops?

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What should we do to protect or improve our historic buildings and parks?

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How can we provide more things to do for young and older people?

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In the future, what types of homes will be needed?

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How can we make Moseley a greener place to live?

In the future, what types of homes will be needed?

You have until Monday 19th April 2010 to respond, and you can do so via the Moseley Community Development Trust at: www. moseleycdt.com/bigplan Hopefully, this will prove successful and garner lots of positive feedback from the community and therefore become a model for community involvement in the rest of the city’s planning policy.

Ben Mabbett

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The shops and companies here have all come together because they are dedicated to working towards a healthier, more organic city.

So if you want to help make Birmingham a cleaner, greener place to live, or you just want to eat some good vegetarian food, then come to The Warehouse and see what’s going on.

SPROCKET Cycles

Sales, service, repairs, accessories. Bikes also built to your own specifications.

Established over 15 years ago in the Friends of the Earth Building in Birmingham The Warehouse Café has a reputation as a quality provider of vegetarian and vegan food in Birmingham.

“Real people serving real food with local, organic and fair trade leading the way” Guardian Unlimited.

To see the delicious menu go to www.thewarehousecafe.com For bookings and enquires Telephone 0121 633 0261 Email info@thewarehousecafe.com

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Open Wednesday to Saturday, 10am-4pm 0121 633 0730

• 100% vegetarian and vegan • A Large selection of organic and fairtrade products, most supplied and delivered by a workers co-operative • Vegan owners - no meat or dairy products sold Open Monday to Saturday, 10am-5pm

Happily Ever Crafter!

The newest crafty activity at BFOE! On the 3rd Monday of the month at 6.30pm come down to the Alison St. warehouse where you can have tea, biscuits and Craft! Beth, Mary and Becks will be giving informal tuition and over the weeks we will cover loads of different ways of making things out of old rubbish.

Learn new and different ways to Recycle Creatively together! The craft starts around 6.30 and runs till 9 whilst our regular campaign groups all start at 7.30 so if you want to do both you can always start making something and then slip off to the meeting alternately you can just do craft all evening!

sell at the BFOE Christmas fair. So please come along to Happily Ever Crafter for tea and craft and do get in touch if you have any crafty talents that maybe you’d like to share by helping to run a workshop.

Equally if you have a request for a workshop you’d like us to run, or if you have any questions then find our facebook group Happily Ever Crafter, or get in touch via email, fisher_woman@live.co.uk

Beth Fisher

The first Happily Ever Crafter was great, loads of people turned up guys and gals, regulars and new faces alike. Juice cartons were the featured material with demonstrations on how to make Tetra pack wallets (see photo).

People started to elaborate using decorative techniques: buttons, sewing, tape, etc.. this moved on to Tetra pack weaving, and even a discussion of making a oven using the sun and Tetra packs!

Tea and biscuits were distributed and everyone seemed to enjoy themselves.

We decided to start this regular group after the success of the Christmas craft group It’s A Wrap, where we made bags that were an alternative to wrapping paper to

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Bringing Together Community Values At the heart of the second city are acres of green space that have a history as deep and rich as any museum in the world. The site in Sparkhill that housed the world famous BSA motorcycle factory and exported goods across the globe is now returning to nature to give us all an oasis of calm in the ever expanding metropolis.

The ‘Friends of Ackers’ have asked the BTCV to take the lead role in restoring large parts of the woodland so that the community can have an area to relax in and learn about nature in all its glory.

The project has many diverse areas from wetlands to shaded tree-lined walks and offers the chance to see many of wildlife’s wonders, such as the majestic heron and the intense beauty of the kingfisher.

The programme the BTCV are running on the site relies solely on volunteers and input from the community and local groups who visit the site and help with the work needed to create this valuable resource. With many different conservation techniques needed to complete work, and hands to carry them out, we are always ready and waiting with a set of tools and a hot cup of tea for everybody who wants to get involved.

The ‘Green Gym’, which is also run by the BTCV alongside general volunteering, gives people the chance to get more hands-on

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experience in conservation and learn new skills. The scheme, which runs over a period of ten weeks, is set up to help individuals who may need extra help with learning or who are looking for a career change due to unemployment.

Conservation and a greener lifestyle are welcome additions to any community and with the raw materials on the doorstep you don’t have far to go to make your mark for generations to come.

Further Information See http://www2.btcv.org.uk/ Take Action If you wish to volunteer with the BTCV, please contact Stef Lewandowski by email s.lewandowski@btcv.org.uk or telephone 07917053710.

Stef Lewandowski

Appeal for Volunteers Do you have ideas for a radio show about environmental matters in Birmingham? Could you work with a team of other volunteers to produce fun and interesting content for a pre-recorded show?

Would you like to learn new skills or develop existing ones?

We have been approached by Rhubarb Radio to do shows for this locally-based internet radio station. You don’t need previous experience, as we can find training for those who are interested and prepared to commit to doing it over a sustained period of time.

Contact campaigns@ birminghamfoe.org.uk for more details.

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Rapid Transit! By bus?

Everyone is aware of the benefits of using public transport over the car: less pollution in crowded city streets, less congestion on busy urban roads and fewer per capita CO2 emissions to name but three.

What is often less obvious is which form of public transport is the best to advocate in an urban area such as the West Midlands. Buses are often slow and get caught in the same congestion as private cars, as well as having an image problem (some people not wanting to catch the smelly old bus). Suburban train services are generally quicker and more popular but have the disadvantage of often using the same lines as longer-distance services, especially in the West Midlands conurbation, and there are often issues of cost and space for new lines. Rapid Transit seems like the best middle-ground option, but in these challenging economic times this is often very costly to set-up, so what is a transport campaigner to do?

Well, one answer is an idea known as Bus as Rapid Transit (BRT).

The idea, like metro-tram lines, is to have dedicated road space for the route with stops further apart than traditional bus stops (every kilometre as opposed to every few hundred metres) and longer vehicles than normal buses. The crucial difference between bus and light rail rapid transit is that,

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although the vehicles may look like modern day trams, they are in fact buses running with tyres and powered by an internal engine as opposed to overhead wires. Like all forms of rapid transit, stops should be local transport hubs, with other local bus feeder services connecting with the route, and there should be plenty of space for bikes, so that people are not disadvantaged by having further to go in order to reach their nearest stop.

...quicker journey times, more comfortable vehicles, more reliable service, therefore encouraging more people to use public transport The advantages of the scheme are obvious. It has all the benefits of a light rail system: quicker journey times, more comfortable vehicles, more reliable service, therefore encouraging more people to use public transport on arterial routes, but without the larger infrastructure cost of rails and wires. This is especially important

in the current economic climate, where local authorities and national government are less likely to give funding to expensive capital expenditure projects. Once the bus line has been built, it can always be converted to light rail operation at a later date, often more easily because the stops and dedicated road space will already be in place, and the case for the line’s value has been made.

There are already working examples of this type of system in several cities around the world.

One example is in Curitiba in Brazil, home of the world’s first BRT system, which has a network of lines radiating out from the city centre along main arterial routes.

South of Paris in the suburbs of Valde-Marne, there is a bus route with many of the characteristics of the Bus as Rapid Transit system albeit with more traditional bendy-bus vehicles. There are examples of this in Britain with a guided bus route in Crawley, but the closest example to this form of BRT is the Swansea metro currently nearing completion, which will cut journey times on its new cross city route from 75 to 55 minutes. Centro are thought to be considering the idea for the West Midlands conurbation as part of its Rapid Transit strategy.

Business leaders are also getting on board with this idea, as was in evidence at the Birmingham Transport Summit at the beginning of March, when influential developer

Gary Taylor of the Argent Group was proposing this as the key to problems of connectivity in the city centre. He is suggesting three circular routes in the city centre linking Eastside, Westside and the Jewellery Quarter, which would be a good start if something can be done to free up the road space to allow them to run freely, without being stuck in traffic. Many other business people also spoke of the need to have effective public transport and taking cars off the road as a way of creating prosperity through regeneration in Birmingham.

The benefits of Bus Rapid Transit routes in Birmingham and the West Midlands are obvious especially in areas where there are currently no rapid transit routes, either heavy or light rail, notably the Hagley Road or the main route between Birmingham and Chelmsley Wood.

So next time you think you could do with a new transport system, but don’t think it could ever happen in the current economic climate, think again, the “smelly old bus” in new form might just be the answer!

Further Information http://www.swansea.gov.uk/index. cfm?articleid=27423 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bus_ rapid_transit http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ List_of_guided_busways_and_BRT_ systems_in_the_United_Kingdom Julien Pritchard

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Solar is Hotting Up However, looking at my summer gas bills, I could see that my use of hot water was low. Replacing a bath with a shower took it down still lower. Solar panels would generate a surplus of hot water that I could not use or export anywhere.

It would be different for a family of four.

OK - that means the roof is free to become a power station! I got a quote from a recommended installer.With that I applied online for a grant, which was approved in 30 minutes. However, this grant scheme has now ended.

However, following one of Friends of the Earth’s campaigns, Britain has a German-style guaranteed price for micro-generation. From April 1st, we will be paid 41.3 p for every kilo watt hour generated, plus an additional 5p per kilowatt hour for the surplus that is exported to the grid, plus the value of the electricity that the house would have used.

A modest user of electricity like myself will, over the year, be a generator more than a consumer of electricity. The rate of return on the capital cost is about 9%. And the value of the ‘power station’ goes onto the price of the house, I believe.

Solar PV is expensive at present, so needs a heavy subsidy, but if this can expand the demand rapidly, then the costs will be spread over many installations, so the price can fall and demand can expand further. This process of public funds

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kick-starting a new technology industry has usually been the result of military or space programmes – now we are doing it to get clean energy down to a cost to, one day, compete with centralised coal or nuclear generation. Please remember that the first cars or computers were not cheap or efficient... Solar is starting its journey and needs some help.

Many people cannot afford the upfront cost of solar panels. This year, the Birmingham Green New Deal will start to address this.

Cheap loans will cover the start up cost, which will be reduced through bulk buying. Unfortunately, the pilot areas are quite small and the

rest of Birmingham will have to wait a while to benefit. In Moseley, British Gas are already putting in solar systems, whose savings and earnings will go into a community energy fund, to allow more people to benefit. Details at SusMo website www.moseleyforum.org. uk/?q=susmo

Community and faith organisations who struggle to maintain large 19th Century buildings may not be able to benefit from solar technology if this involves changes to the external appearance.

The largest project in Moseley was to have been an array of 42 photovoltaic panels, generating 8,000 kWh a year, sited on top of Saint Mary’s parish church. The parish council had a lot of support for this, but the city’s Planning Committee in February rejected the panels (invisible from most angles), by a narrow vote, on the grounds this would ‘damage’ the church and be an ‘intrusion’ in a Conservation Area. This has huge implications.

Community and faith organisations who struggle to maintain large 19th Century buildings may not be able to benefit from solar technology if this involves changes to the external appearance. Churches are generally east-facing and have the largest south-facing roof in their neighbourhood. The new capacity to earn from the ‘clean energy cashback’ means a conflict between economics and keeping buildings unchanged. Householders who have chosen to live in wellpreserved 19th Century houses in a conservation area are prevented from tapping into clean energy.

Pre-1919 buildings have just a single solid brick wall that leaks heat. The best answer is to add an outer insulating layer, but that changes the ‘red brick’ appearance.

What is acceptable change to our thousands of Victorian buildings?

The Victorian Society, which objected to St Mary’s photovoltaic scheme, currently has an exhibition in the Central Library praising the renovation of St Pancras station in London, to house a new high-speed rail terminus.

Birmingham City Council has just signed up to 10:10 - reduction of carbon dioxide emissions for the city by a 10% during 2010 - something Friends of the earth applauds – see website www.1010uk.org. The Council should ensure that reasonable steps to actually cut the carbon of large buildings are not thwarted.

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Solar is Hotting Up It seems that national planning guidelines now protect us from yesterday’s threats and have not prioritised the greater threat of what happens if we do not reduce carbon emissions in the 21st century.

energyacademy.org.uk or http:// balsallheathisourplanet.wordpress. com

The situation is parallel to that with wind turbines ‘damaging’ the countryside, ‘ruining’ the view etc.

The conservation of appearances seems to be in conflict with conservation of the atmosphere.

We can see old buildings, but cannot see greenhouse gases (although they have increased 25% since 1950 - see www.esrl.noaa. gov/gmd/ccgg/trends )

The conservation of appearances seems to be in conflict with conservation of the atmosphere.

Personally, I think we have to help our Victorian ancestors make amends for the coal burning that they instigated and the damage they (unknowingly) inflicted, by greening their buildings. It is impractical to demolish our pre-1919 buildings, so Birmingham should be leading with demonstrations of visually acceptable ways to make them energy efficient.

My own house built in 1884 has reduced its energy use by 60 to 70%. Another house in Balsall Heath, built in 1840, has been made so efficient as to be a Zero Carbon House, heated by the sun and a few logs from the gardens.

Both of us will be open to the public on 28th March as part of the Old Home, SuperHome scheme. Details on website www.sustainable-

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There is an online home energy check at http://www. energysavingtrust.org.uk (paper copy available). For a more detailed and customised Home Energy Masterplan to assess which energy saving measures on your house will save most energy and/or be the best value, see http://www. parityprojects.com/services.htm If you are unable to generate solar power at home, you can switch to a supply from Good Energy - a company that buys only from renewable sources. £50 will be donated to Friends of the Earth when someone switches and quotes reference ‘Friends of the Earth‘. Go to www.goodenergy.co.uk or call on 0845 456 1640.

John Newson

Local Carbon Budgets It is always welcome news when a member of cabinet praises us for one of our campaigns (In this case Get Serious). “I congratulate Friends of the Earth on their campaign which has helped build pressure from the grassroots upwards,” from John Denham (Secretary of State for Local Government).

Birmingham City Council and a number of other councils have signed up to reduce carbon emissions by at least 40% by 2020 (in the case of Birmingham, 60% by 2026)

climate change.

That is why Friends of the Earth is calling for local carbon budgets for every council. That’s a budget limiting how much carbon a local area can emit. Birmingham City Council and a number of other councils have signed up to reduce carbon emissions by at least 40% by 2020 (in the case of Birmingham, 60% by 2026).

However, there are still a number of councils that have yet to sign up to any such targets. Action is needed to guarantee that all councils will limit the amount of CO2 they emit, for individual councils will not be able to opt out of the impacts of runaway climate change.

Furthermore, these budgets must be set in line with the best scientific evidence, not what is politically convenient.

This pat on the back coincides with the announcement by John Denham that local carbon frameworks are to be piloted throughout ten areas.

The areas in question shall receive government help to develop climate change strategies. While this is greatly encouraging, we still believe that this does not go far enough to tackle the problem presented by

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For action by each and every council is vital if the UK’s climate change targets are to be met. In addition, a study by Friends of the Earth has demonstrated that councils as diverse as Hampshire, Tower Hamlets and Middlesbrough could all reduce their emissions by at least 40% by 2020 (see ref1).

There can be no excuses that certain types of council will not be able to cut their emissions by the requisite amount.

carbon budgets, Friends of the Earth is urging everyone to contact their local MP and ask for the introduction of local carbon budgets to make sure every council does its bit in to help mitigate the impacts of climate change. For those of you who do not know how to find your local MP go to www.writetothem. com and simply type in your postcode. What’s more ....

A reduction in CO2 emissions will also positively benefit the local community, through the creation of green jobs

A reduction in CO2 emissions will also positively benefit the local community, through the creation of green jobs, a boost in the local economy and not to mention the resultant reduction in fuel bills (which I suspect all of us shall welcome).

To help implement these local

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If you can personalise this letter it will have an even bigger impact.

For example, you could name your council and mention any good things or bad things it has done to tackle emissions.

1.Burgess et al (2009) Pathways to 40% Carbon Reductions by 2020 Modelling report: Hampshire, Tower Hamlets and Middlesbrough.

Richard Sagar

Food inc, lifting the lid on the food chain ‘Food, Inc’, the Oscar nominated powerful film about the US’s broken food chain, opened in February and is being screened again on the 8th April by the newly formed Birmingham Cooperative “Inspiring Films” at the Birmingham & Midland Institute.

‘Food, Inc’ is a hard hitting documentary film which is a stark and powerful reminder of just how broken the global food chain is. It lifts the lid on the US food industry, exposing how the world’s food supply is controlled by a handful of multinational corporations that often put profit ahead of consumer health and the environment.

And don’t be lured into thinking that because it focuses on the USA it’s not relevant to the UK. Sadly, we are part of the global food market and where the USA leads the rest of the world follows.

In the UK, there is the relentless centralisation and reduction of producers, processors and packers, leading to power being held in the hands of a few. In the same month ‘Food, Inc’ was released, there was an application for the UK’s largest dairy farm, where 8,000 cows are planned to be kept indoors. This is compared to the average UK dairy herd consisting of about 70 cows (1). In stark contrast, 12 UK dairy farmers a week are going out of business (2).

‘Food, Inc’ illustrates how on one side, farming has progressed, resulting in bigger breasted chickens, the perfect pork chop and herbicide-resistant soybean seeds.

However, on the flip side, there are new strains of E. coli, a harmful and deadly bacteria, increasing human obesity, and an epidemic level of adult diabetes. ‘Food, Inc’ shows just why we need to act now to protect our food, our health and the health of the planet.

The film powerfully highlights the unintended consequences of industrial agriculture and the need to put people and the planet first.

Individuals can make a difference, and Birmingham Friends of the Earth are campaigning to fix the food chain to get the Government to fix the UK system. So, come along to Birmingham & Midland Institute on the 8th April to see ‘Food, Inc’ and talk to us.

1: Compassion in World Farming, 18th February 2010 http://www.ciwf.org.uk/news/beef_ and_dairy_farming/dairy_factory_ farm_poses_giant_threat.aspx 2: BBC Shropshire 15th February 2010 http://news.bbc.co.uk/local/ shropshire/hi/people_and_places/ newsid_8513000/8513317.stm

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Warehouse News Some time ago I announced that Amin Din started working for us as the ‘Maintenance Volunteer Support Worker’ under the Future Jobs Fund for six months. We have recently received more funding from the European Social Fund to keep him in post for a further six months.

This means that Birmingham Friends of the Earth can carry on helping people to get good work experience keeping our building well maintained.

serious long term problems in the building.

Phil Burrows

The difference over the last few months has been remarkable, there is new paint almost everywhere and we have begun to tackle some of the

2010

annual general meeting 14th June - 7.30

We are due to hold our annual general meeting, which this year is happening on the 14th of June in the meeting room at Birmingham Friends of the Earth’s building on Allison Street.

Everyone is invited, but only shareholders are allowed to vote. If you are interested in becoming a shareholder, then please contact the general manager using the details at the back of this newsletter.

Shares in our not for profit community co-operative cost £1 and each person is entitled to one vote no matter how many shares they have.

We will be reporting on how we have done financially, environmentally and socially throughout 2009 as well as electing our chairperson, treasurer, secretary and management committee.

It is a pretty packed and exhausting night, so we encourage people to bring food and drinks to share.

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Environmental Outreach In February, the Warehouse appointed two new Environmental Outreach Workers to initiate new projects on environmental issues throughout Birmingham. Karl Whale and Mark Brookes will be starting a number of new projects, including outreach work with schools to encourage children to start up their own eco-projects and get older children to act as eco-mentors for feeder primary schools, improving education links within local communities.

Mark and Karl will be working towards trialling this scheme before rolling it out to schools across the Birmingham area.

Getting children involved in environmental issues and projects will help to achieve a new generation who are more aware of their impact on both the local and global challenges they will face. Starting a good habit is much easier than breaking a bad habit. The children we reach will hopefully continue this interest in later life, and be much more involved in facing the challenges of the future.

They will also be working towards getting Birmingham to participate in the “Switch It Off” campaigns.

These have been so successful over the past four years in Coventry and Warwick. Last year, “The Big Switch Off 2009” managed to produce a 26.9 megawatt drop in peak demand

when compared to the same time the previous week. This year, with Birmingham’s involvement, this success could be even bigger and we will be working hard to get the Council, local businesses and households to say no to the little red stand-by light and switch appliances off properly when not in use.

Starting a good habit is much easier than breaking a bad habit.

Rhubarb Radio, the internet radio station based in Digbeth’s Custard Factory, are looking for programmes on local issues, and the new Outreach workers will be helping to produce a programme highlighting and promoting the hard work of everyone involved with Birmingham Friends of the Earth, as well as raising awareness of both local and global issues. The format for the show is still pretty open so if anyone has any ideas or suggestions, or would like to get on board, we’d love to hear from you. Drop us a line at the Warehouse or email us at mark@birminghamfoe.org.uk or karl@birminghamfoe.org.uk to let us know your ideas.

Mark Brookes

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Volunteer Spotlight Joe Peacock interviews Matt Keys

I paint signs and things for when we’re doing street stalls and they’re needed. I’ve also made a few videos.

What do you think is the most important environmental issue and why?

I’d say the most important thing is how we provide energy for our world as we realise the amount of fossil fuels, especially oil, is reducing and we can’t sustain the levels of carbon emissions we have at the moment.

What’s your best green tip/ advice?

Buy more jumpers for the winter and get outside more in the summer.

How long have you been involved with BFoE? For about 6 months now.

How did you first find out about BFoE and what made you decide to get involved?

I found BFoE online after I’d been reading Heat by George Monbiot and had become eager to do something. I searched for what there was in Birmingham, found the website and thought I’d come along to see what I could do. The rest is history.

What do you do at BFoE? I’ve recently taken over running the 20’s plenty campaign, so I help decide on the strategy for that and prepare things with Anne who’s been working on it during the day.

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I searched for what there was in Birmingham, found the website and thought I’d come along to see what I could do. The rest is history.

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Campaign Meetings Monday Night Meetings – 7:30pm at the Birmingham FoE Warehouse, Allison St 6th April – General Meeting 12th April – Transport and Local Shops & Food Action Groups 19th April – Happily Ever Crafter and Energy & Climate Change Action Group 26th April – Discussion with a panel – How close to zero waste can we get?

29th April – Strategy Meeting (Thursday 6.15pm) 4th May – General Meeting 10th May – Local Shops & Food Action Group 17th May – Happily Ever Crafter and Transport Action Group 24th May – Energy and Climate Change Action Group 31st May – Bank Holiday – no meeting

Other Events 3rd April - Craft Fair, Victoria Pub 8th April – Edgbaston Hustings – Ask the Climate Question, Harborne 16th April – Birmingham Chamber of Commerce Election Hustings 20th - 22nd April - SustainabilityLIVE, NEC 24th April – Moseley Swap Shop, Prince of Wales 24th - 30th April – Walk/Bike to school week 2nd May – Faith and Climate Change Peace Garden Open Day, Canon Hill Park 22nd May – Moseley Swap Shop 27th May – Billesley Conservation Day

Farmers’ Market

Bearwood: 3rd Saturday of the month 9am-4pm Birmingham University: 4th Wednesday of the month 9am-2pm Harborne: 2nd Saturday of the month 9am-2pm Kings Heath: 1st Saturday of the month 9am-3:30pm Kings Norton: 2nd Saturday of the month 9am-2pm Moseley: 4th Saturday of the month 9am-3pm# New Street: 1st and 3rd Wednesday of the month 10am-4pm Solihull: 1st Friday of the month 9am-5pm Sutton Coldfield: 2nd Friday of the month 9am-3pm Jewellery Quarter: 3rd Saturday of the month 10am-3pm

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Become a Supporter...

We are the only organisation in Birmingham that campaigns on Climate Change, Transport, Local Shops, Planning, Waste and Recycling.

You can help us do this in a number of ways; 1.) By taking part in or our campaigns 2.) By joining us 3.) Both Whichever route you decide, you are helping to change your environment for the better. Making sure that those who pollute, monopolise or despoil locally, nationally or internationally are accountable. There are two ways to join us...

Either I wish to become a Golden Supporter with payments by standing order of £2 per month or more.

Or I wish to become an Annual Supporter, paying by standing order / cheque (Please delete as appropriate. Note that standing orders are cheaper for us to process).

Annual supporter fees are a minimum of: • £16 (waged) • £10 (unwaged) • £20 (joint/family)

Please return with standing order or cheque to: Secretary, Friends of the Earth, 54-57 Allison Street, Digbeth, Birmingham B5 5TH.

Contact Details Full name: ..........................................

Address: ............................................ .........................................................

Town:................... Postcode: ...............

Telephone: .........................................

E-mail: ..............................................

Standing Order Form Sort Code (if known): .........................

Your name/ Account name: .................

Your account number: ........................

Bank Name/Address: ......................... .......................................................

Please pay the sum of £ every month/year (delete as appropriate) starting on ____/____/_________ To: Friends of the Earth Birmingham Ltd., Account no: 50 72 58 30 Sort Code: 08-60-01 Unity Trust Bank, 9 Brindley Place, 4 Oozells square, Birmingham B1 2HE This replaces any previous standing order in favour of Friends of the Earth Birmingham.

Signature: ...................... Date: .........

Contact us:

- Education

Chair: Benjamin Mabbett Campaigns Co-ordinators: Mary Horesh & Richard Sagar Campaigns Support Worker: Joe Peacock Environmental Outreach Officers: Karl Whale & Mark Brookes General Manager: Phil Burrows Treasurer: Margaret Lynch Aviation: Joe Peacock Climate Change & Energy: Richard Sagar Multi-faith and Climate Change Project: Rianne ten Veen & Maud Grainger Craft, Recycling and Swap Shop: Beth Fisher Local Shops & Food: Mary Horesh & Nigel Baker Planning: John Hall Transport: Martin Stride Newsletter Editors: Katy Barry Zoe Wright Antonio Roberts Website Editor: Phil Burrows Talks: Joe Peacock and others

- Empowering others to take action

All enquiries and callers welcome.

- Participation and representation through public fora

Find us on page 74 of the B’ham

Friends of the Earth (Birmingham) The Warehouse 54-57 Allison Street Birmingham B5 5TH Tel: (0121) 632 6909 Fax: (0121) 643 3122 E-mail: info@birminghamfoe.org.uk Web: www.birminghamfoe.org.uk

Friends of the Earth is: - The largest international network of environmental groups in the world, represented in 72 countries.

- One of the UK’s leading enviromental pressure groups.

- A unique network of campaigning local groups, working in more than 200 communities in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland.

- Over 90% of its funds come from its supporters.

Birmingham FoE: Campaigns at a local level to effect environmental change (in ways which feed into national and international policy) through: - Direct action - Lobbying

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Birmingham Friends of the Earth