Birmingham Friends of The Earth newsletter - Dec-Jan 2008

Tips for a Sustainable Christmas Christmas is traditionally a time for giving and receiving, but in the UK we tend to feed our bins a little too well over Christmas.

We create three million tons of additional waste during the festive period - a staggering 50 kg each! In Birmingham this equals 500,000 tonnes of refuse that has to be disposed of by the City Council in the New Year.

So what can the people of Birmingham do to have a greener Christmas?

Continued on Page 12

3 - Warehouse News 5

- Campaigns Digest

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- Guest Article - Simply Christmas

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- Birmingham Half Marathon

11 - Birmingham Core Strategy 12

- Tips for a Sustainable Christmas

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- Kings Heath Station Update

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- Lunar Society Debate

18 - Waste of Resources 20 - Volunteer in the Spotlight 21

- Diary

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- Membership Form

23 - Contacts

Introducing the New Campaigns Support Worker, Ben Martin Hello, my name is Ben Martin and I’m the new Campaigns Support Worker here at Birmingham Friends of the Earth. I’ve been asked to write a bit about myself as an introduction to you all, so here goes…

I first got involved in activism on a student exchange year in Canada in 2003 where I joined the Students for a Free Tibet group. When I returned to university in Bath, I set up a Free Tibet group there and got involved in other groups, including the One World society and Amnesty International. This was in my final year and I decided that activism was more interesting than my chemistry degree. After graduation, I was asked to join the Students for Free Tibet UK National Board and in 2006 I became an intern at People and Planet in Oxford.

The reason Friends of the Earth appeals to me is because of its grassroots focus and because it campaigns on the issues I care about strongly, such as climate change, waste and biodiversity.

These issues are close to my heart because, without a sustainable way of life, the long term survival of our ecosystems is in jeopardy.

Over the coming year, I’m looking forward to meeting and working with everyone at Birmingham Friends of the Earth and working on some fantastic local campaigns.

You can reach me at the Warehouse on 0121 632 6909 or at

campaigns@birminghamfoe.org.uk

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Campaigns Digest 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

Aviation

Energy and Climate Change

The Flyagra campaign against the proposed expansion of Birmingham International Airport continues to be a major focus for work and, with more than 1000 people having signed postcards to Solihull Council, it continues to draw support. Support has come from some interesting places over the past few weeks with three famous faces signing up to the campaign. Comedian Mark Thomas, author Will Self and poet Ian McMillan have all added their voices to those calling for the planned expansion to be rejected. The campaign also saw a new twist in October with the reopening of the public consultation on the planned airport expansion and we used this opportunity to re-emphasise our opposition to the plans. The provisional date for the Council decision on whether the airport expansion can go ahead has been set as 15th December, so get involved before it’s too late.

Visit www.flyagra.co.uk for more information.

Three and a half years ago the Big Ask campaign was launched by Friends of the Earth to push for a binding law to significantly reduce the UK’s greenhouse gas emissions. Since then campaigners across the country have worked furiously to make it a reality, and on 28th October that’s just what happened. A huge thank you and congratulations to everyone who has helped make the Climate Change Law possible!

Birmingham International Airport continues to be a major focus for work

Jenny Thatcher in Birmingham City Centre

With the Big Ask coming to a close, BFoE has launched a new Climate Change and Energy Action Group and a new campaign. On 25th October our campaigners took to the streets of Birmingham asking local residents to join the Energy Revolution. With the government trying to wriggle out of its commitment to generate 15% of the nation’s energy from renewable sources by 2020, our focus is now to make sure it sticks to it. So, we’re looking for businesses and organisations that are willing to tell their local MP that the UK needs a renewable energy revolution.

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Campaigns Digest To get involved in the campaign, contact Ben Martin at campaigns@ birminghamfoe.org.uk or visit www. foe.co.uk/energyrevolution.

Transport The Transport Action Group has had a number of targets over the past few months. The currently disused Longbridge to Frankley railway has been a significant concern as current development plans at Longbridge look set to cut across the old railway and destroy any chance of it being reinstated as a sustainable form of transport for getting to Birmingham city centre. We’re currently discussing the situation with local politicians and looking at different solutions to the challenges of reopening the rail line. The campaign for a rail service to Kings Heath goes on and you can read more about that in the article “Kings Heath Station clashes with Rail Politics”. The Transport Action Group is also focusing on the Local Transport Plan and a 20mph campaign, which will be the topic of discussion at their next meeting on 12th January.

Local Shops and Food The Local Shops and Food Action Group is currently working on the BFoE Christmas Fayre. Details are yet to be confirmed, so keep an eye on our website for more news.

Multi-faith The Multi-Faith Project has been running for the past year and regular readers of ‘Action Briefing’ will have heard snippets of news from the project. We have developed close working relationships with six different faith communities – supporting initiatives in their places of worship, hosting community projects such as our popular annual organic Iftar and working to improve representation of faith communities at all levels. As a finalist in the Big Green Challenge (a national competition – see www. biggreenchallenge.org.uk – for more details) we will be focusing on energy use and will be monitoring carbon reduction projects from the faith communities of Birmingham. For more information or to get involved please contact Maud Grainger at maud@birmignhamfoe.org.uk.

Ben Martin

We’re currently discussing the situation with local politicians

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Simply Christmas - Andy Delmege

continued

In the run up to Christmas, it is good to take time to pause, to wait, and to ponder the meaning that Christmas might have.

For Christians we go to the Gospels to “the Word being made flesh and dwelling among us” and “the light that shines in the darkness which has not been overcome” of John.

We go to the accounts of Jesus’ birth in Luke and Matthew, to the baby born in a stable because there was no room in the inn, to angels proclaiming peace on earth to shepherds, to Wise Men bringing symbolic gifts, to the Holy Family becoming refugees as they flee tyranny.

worship at Lifford Lane Recycling Centre, before travelling to the Cathedral by foot and train where there will be a service of lament, followed by the pilgrims giving unused gifts to shoppers, asking them to use them as Christmas presents.

This helps us to remember that the value of a gift is not measured by money, but by love – something we see in God’s gracious gift of Jesus to us. Throughout Advent and Christmas we will be seeking to find our Christmas joy in the simple pleasures of thanking God, of celebrating together, and in receiving and giving in ways that respect ourselves and God’s good earth.

Paul Ansorge

This helps us to remember that the value of a gift is not measured by money, but by love....

At St Bede’s Church, we will be celebrating these events by seeking a Simple Christmas. We start on November 29th when we join Bishop David Urquhart and pilgrims from across the city for Green Advent. We begin with an act of

The Bishop of Birmingham - Photo taken by the Christian Mission Society

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Birmingham Half Marathon:

Thanks EDF but the real race against climate change is not solved by nuclear!

26th October saw Birmingham’s first half marathon, marketed as the ‘Race Against Climate Change’, a Council initiative sponsored by EDF Energy, the French power company which is pushing to build nuclear power stations in the UK. Gordon Brown is particularly keen on this idea, which may or may not have anything to do with his brother’s role within the company.

We were decked out in various pro-marathon, anti-nuclear messages.

The rapidly formed ‘Birmingham FOE Runners’ consisted of Aldo Mussi, Kate Nancarrow, Chris Crean, Gareth Burt and me. Our only regular runner was Aldo. We were decked out in various pro-marathon, antinuclear messages. Chris and I were additionally dressed in white boiler suits festooned with antinuclear symbols, but having checked the photos I admit we look more like grubby and exhausted white teletubbies than a slick anti-nuclear campaign statement. It was a hillier course than expected (up and down all those picturesque underpasses!)

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and it’s always a little humiliating for a runner to be overtaken by a pantomime horse, but we all completed the race. Some of us also raised several hundred pounds for causes including Birmingham FOE, ‘national’ Friends of the Earth and our sister charity Birmingham Environmental Education Project.

The race’s links to climate change were a little tenuous. Most people run such races either for their own priority cause (such as cancer research) or due to their passion for running, so the message was not particularly visible on race day.

There were energy-saving tips and an option to sign up to some sort of carbon saving programme on the race website – all better than nothing, but not particularly hardhitting.

Furthermore, the climate change consciousness hadn’t permeated every aspect of the race organising.

There was probably more driving to the race start than there could have been. The litter of plastic bottles from runners, many discarded

Start of race (credit to hartlandmartin)

almost full, was huge. I understand that, in the past, paper cups of tap water were the usual race offer; at least some of these could have been available as a choice for the environmentally conscious and not too thirsty! At the finish there was little climate change information or activities available. Birmingham FOE had asked for a stall but we were told we were too late.

On the plus side was the sight of the multi-lane A34 through Birmingham taken over by a mass of human beings rather than cars, stretching out as far as the eye could see with not a car in sight. This was gladdening to the heart and the cleaner air was equally gladdening to the lungs. If only it were like that more often, as Kate remarked.

Maybe the climate change debate hasn’t really permeated EDF’s thinking either.

Maybe the climate change debate hasn’t really permeated EDF’s thinking either. Friends of the Earth do not see nuclear power as a sensible part of the climate-proofed energy mix. Every million pounds sunk into a new nuclear power

programme for the UK is a million diverted firstly from a massive energy efficiency strategy, and secondly from a mix of renewable technologies. Both of these elements of the mix could be achieved and make a significant difference to our emissions long before any new nuclear power stations could be up and running: the chances are that we would have well-exceeded the tipping point for catastrophic climate change before nuclear power stations would be ready.

Crowd at start (credit to hartlandmartin)

The efficiency drive we would support would involve a much greater use of decentralised energy networks, to reduce ineffiencies in long-distance transmission and to enable waste heat from generation to be used. Nuclear is hard to turn down or switch off and suits a heavily national grid which could (only could) discourage the use of decentralised networks.

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Birmingham Half Marathon:

Continued from page 9...

Friends of the Earth’s position is not fundamentalist on nuclear power.

Friends of the Earth’s position is not fundamentalist on nuclear power.

Indeed, it would be worth considering if the above problems were solved or proved immaterial, along with …

the massive expense, the problem of waste, the reluctance of nuclear companies to take full liability for risks, and the international tensions raised by the world-policing attitude that only countries populated mainly by the white and wealthy are in a fit state of politics and competence to use such a dangerous technology.

We’d love another half-marathon next year, and if EDF can put the rest of their commercial resources into tackling the real solutions to climate change then the real world race against climate change might make some headway.

Karen Leach

Help Us to Help the Environment

Core: What a Strategy!

A look at the Birmingham Core Strategy

The Issues and Options consultation stage of the Birmingham Core Strategy, where the key issues and choices for the development of Birmingham over the next twenty years are considered, has come to an end.

The Core Strategy will form the centre-piece of the Statutory Development Plan for Birmingham, alongside the Regional Spatial Strategy (RSS). This covers the whole of Birmingham. More detailed plans are being prepared for the city centre - the Big City plan and others. There are so many layers of plans that seeing where they interrelate is mind boggling!

Putting plans in place is the way forward in national planning, and local government has to follow. Once in the Core Strategy, these plans will affect development over the next 20 years.

Objecting to these set developments in the future will be difficult so it is crucial that we influence these plans now.

Give a Christmas gift that will really make a difference

Gift membership to Birmingham Friends of the Earth has 3 options: 1. Annual Membership + Six Degrees by Mark Lynas - £18 2. Annual Membership + £10 Warehouse Cafe voucher - £25 3. Annual Membership + £10 Warehouse Cafe voucher + Six Degrees

by Mark Lynas - £28 To find out more, visit the reception desk at Birmingham Friends of the Earth, or fill out the form enclosed in this newsletter.

The Core Strategy document and consultation meetings were disappointing.

The Core Strategy document and consultation meetings were disappointing. Rather than focus on the eight Objectives, which shaped the plan, they centred on just one objective, housing, within the context of the three spatial options. The first would maintain the status quo but with limited housing developments, whereas the third proposes housing being built in the green belt.

The three Spatial Strategies are however a distraction. What should really be reviewed by the public are the eight Objectives themselves.

The Spatial Strategies seem to predominantly focus on Objective 4, ie meeting the emerging RSS requirements for new housing as a minimum and to increase the city’s population towards 1.1 million. Other objectives such as Objective 6, ie providing high quality transportation, are not so well developed. When questioned, the Council representatives would only say that this would be included in a further document. Which raises the question, why focus so much on Objective 4, when other issues should have been included in the Spatial Strategies? This would allow those being consulted, the public, to make an informed evaluation of the three Spatial Strategies.

So what is next?

Following this consultation, Preferred Options will be developed which will be open to another consultation, before they form the Core Strategy.

Mary Horesh

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Tips for a Sustainable Christmas: Continued from front page So what can the people of Birmingham do to have a greener Christmas?

Reduce • Don’t buy more that you can get in your reusable bag!

• Shop smarter by having a shopping list and sticking to it.

Avoid buying excessive amounts.

Buy loose vegetable from a local greengrocer or farm shop - not only will be you buy less but you can choose the best ones and you will end up with less packaging.

• Order an organic vegetable box for Christmas. These schemes reduce waste as the farmer puts in the boxes what they have available at the time and you have the freshest seasonable vegetables. Schemes like Boxfresh Organics (www. boxfreshorganics.co.uk) deliver to the Birmingham area.

• If you are buying a present, choose items that have less packaging in the first place.

Reuse • Use magazines and last year’s Christmas paper for wrapping presents. Flatten pieces of wrapping paper and store with Christmas decorations to use next year. My family have a tradition of using the paper again and again- it is like seeing an old family friend every year!

• Use biscuit and sweet tins as

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storage tins.

• Save Christmas cards and make into gift tags for next year.

• Buy second hand books as presents from www. greenmetropolis.com and they will give 5p for every book to the Woodland Trust.

• Buy a Christmas tree with roots and plant it in your garden for use next year.

• Rather than having an indoor Christmas tree, have one outdoors for the birds – adorn with tinsel made out of monkey nuts, baubles of fat balls and apples pierced with sunflower seeds.

• Make paper-chains, using old newspapers and magazines. I use old ski magazines which give Christmas colours.

• Buy rechargeable batteries for all the gadgets and toys received over Christmas.

• Half fill a jar with pine needles, add 2 teaspoon of vodka and top up with corn oil. Shake daily for 1 week, strain and use as bath oil.

• Flavour oil with chillies and garlic and put in a nice reused bottle – voila, a Christmas gift!

• Buy presents from charity shops.

Keep receipts for gifts, pop them in an envelope in the parcel so they can be returned if needs be!

• Wrap matchboxes up as mini presents and hang on the tree.

• Hang dried pine cones or seed head and decorate with glitter.

Recycle • Use all the recycling facilities available to you.

• Green Box: glass bottles and jars, plastic bottles, food and drinks cans. If you are unable to find a worthwhile cause for the biscuit and sweet tins, they also can be put in the green box.

• Blue Box: paper and card, including newspapers, seasonal TV magazines, wrapping paper, cardboard packaging, gift tags.

• Christmas Cards: take these to WH Smith, Tesco, TK Maxx and Marks & Spencer. In twelve years 600 million cards have been recycled and this has saved 12,000 tonnes of paper from landfill and stopped 16,000 tonnes of CO2 from going into the atmosphere.

• Christmas Tree: take this to one of the five household recycling centres around the city, or use the garden waste collection service and tie the branches together with string and leave it next to the sacks.

• Other Items: take other items, such as ordinary batteries, fruit juice and milk cartons to the household recycling centres.

Alternative Christmas Presents • See what alternative presents your favourite charity is offering.

eg vouchers for a massage, cinema, theatre, facial, cookery course, membership to a gallery.

Or make your own presents.

(Although do not make them too real like I did so my friend nearly presented it to the comedy club she thought she had two tickets to!)

• Give people promises such as “I promise to: - Do all the washing up promptly for 1 week - babysit one evening - resolve all your DIY dilemmas (ie fix things!) for one afternoon - sort out the garden - give the bearer one hug - cook dinner, and be fabulous company for the whole evening Other ideas: • Don’t overcook - plan menus and amounts of food and remember the size of the freezer.

• Cook in bulk and freeze in portions for a later “ready meal” • Make soup from left overs.

• Deliver cards by bicycle and get fit.

• Buy cards that are made from recycled card.

• Use jiffy bags when sending presents in the post. They are made from brown paper and padded with shredded newsprint.

• Buy something a bit different,

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Tips for a Sustainable Christmas: Continued from page 13 What about after Christmas?

After Christmas we need to think about what we can do to make the world a better place. So here are a few tips.

Christmas Presents • Pass on or give away unwanted gifts to charity or list on freecycle.

• Pass on, give to charity or freecycle those items that have been replaced by shiny new ones such as mobile phones.

• Pass on books when you’ve read them.

Left-Overs • Compost left overs • Feed the birds with dried out mincepies and other leftovers.

Decorations • Pack small glass baubles in egg cartons. Wrap larger decorations in tissue and foam back between.

in some compost, firm the soil round the tree’s roots and water well.

• With a knife cut small flaps of bark under the branch of a tree and plant mistletoe berries by pressing under each flap and have more mistletoe for next Christmas.

Join Friends of the Earth or give a gift membership to a friend and help support Birmingham Friends of the Earth with their many campaigns.

Greenery • Keep a small piece of holly until next Christmas for good luck.

Resolutions

• Shred all other dead greenery and use as garden mulch.

• Work to diminish the suffering of others rather than add to it!

• If sprays of ivy have grown small roots, plant them outside to climb up a wall.

• Join freecycle and pass stuff on.

• Remove dead greenery from wreaths. If the frame is metal, rub with wire wool and a little oil to prevent rusting and pack away.

• If your Christmas tree has roots, dig a hole in the garden, fork

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• Join Friends of the Earth or give a gift membership to a friend and help support Birmingham Friends of the Earth with their many campaigns.

• Come to a Monday night campaigns meeting and get involved!

Kings Heath Station Clashes With Rail Politics The civil engineers gave it the thumbs up, the people want it, it’s feasible and affordable, but Network Rail won’t play ball. A year ago, more than 1500 local people signed in support of local rail services at Kings Heath and Birmingham City Council and Centro saw this as endorsement of the study they had done.

What should have happened then, according to protocol, is that the scheme, having been identified as a priority for West Midlands transport, should have been included in the Strategic Business Plan. The Department for Transport (DfT) makes the strategic decisions and advises Centro. They then instruct Network Rail (NR), who are not blessed (or cursed) with transport planners, but do know how many trains they can fit on a line. If extra trains won’t fit, Network Rail can then advise the DfT that they have to spend money to increase capacity and can arrange for civil engineers and signal engineers to start the design.

Life in railway politics is not so simple. Some managers in Network Rail believe that, as they collect the money from the people running the trains, they should be making the decisions. Those Network Rail people may even get their way in the future if Government (perhaps not this one) listens to the people clamouring for the dead hand of DfT to be lifted from the railways.

Of late, with some encouragement from Birmingham Friends of the

Earth (BFOE), individuals have been writing to their MP to ask for local rail services. The message that BFOE believes needs to be transmitted is that more local railway stations are vital for jobs and business, for community and health.

...more local railway stations are vital for jobs and business, for community and health...

Of course, Network Rail is doing a lot of things right; too bad they let Birmingham down by not including Kings Heath and its neighbouring station needs in their submission of the draft Strategic Business Plan. The Strategic Business Plan determines what money is spent on railways for years ahead. However, 1500 people and forever rising, is surely a signal. There is hope and that hope is people power: if trains are to stop in King’s Heath, it will only be as a result of individuals asking their MPs to advise the DfT that it is the way forward.

Take Action Write to your MP asking for local rail services in Kings Heath John Hall

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Lunar Society Debate In the middle of October, Birmingham Town Hall hosted a debate organised by the Lunar Society on the topic, “Birmingham’s response to climate change – how radical should it be?”

The Society, whose slogan is “Stimulating ideas, broadening debate, catalysing action”, had invited six panellists comprising three sceptics and three strong proponents of action to combat climate change. There are often claims of unfair media bias by those who deny the realities of climate change who allege that they are denied a platform to express their views. The fact that they are a tiny minority, or lunatic fringe as some might say, could lead people to believe that there is actually a disproportionate amount of coverage of their theories and that was the case here. However, even with numbers equal on each side, there was no competition for who had the stronger arguments.

Many environmentalists resent the presentation of climate change as still being a debate and Birmingham Friends of the Earth prepared a leaflet called “A Guide to the Arguments” to arm the audience with rebuttals of all the main points Nigel Lawson, David Henderson and Julian Morris are well-known for making. These were handed out to all members of the audience as they entered and were well received by all, with some people actually

coming and asking us for more copies of our materials.

The debate itself was very revealing in certain aspects from my point of view. Firstly, much of what was said by the sceptics was met by groans and incredulity in the audience, as even the Birmingham Post reported. The reactions of Dr Kevin Anderson from the Tyndall Centre and Jacqueline McGlade from the European Environment Agency to the points made by Nigel Lawson in particular, but the other two deniers also, were quite something to see.

The misrepresentations of what they had said and selective use of data out of context constantly drove them to put their heads in their hands.

...much of what was said by the sceptics was met by groans and incredulity in the audience...

reason at all to doubt that pumping huge amounts of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere is affecting the climate and damaging the ability of the atmosphere to regulate temperature in the way it has done for thousands of years.

Lawson’s ridiculous claim that there has been no warming since 2000 is refuted by all major scientific centres Lawson’s ridiculous claim that there has been no warming since 2000 is refuted by all major scientific

The most disappointing thing for me about the debate was that there was very little on the actual topic of how radical Birmingham’s response to climate change should be, due to the fact that three of the panellists did not actually believe in the basics of the science. The Council is considering this matter at the moment, but the airport expansion that is planned could wipe out all the emissions cuts being planned in the city.

Take Action If you haven’t done so, please raise your objections to the proposed airport expansion and get in contact with your Councillor to let them know how strong you want measures to create a better, low carbon environment for Birmingham to be.

There was nothing unexpected or new in what anyone at the debate said, but the whole event just reinforced how strong the arguments are for what we campaign on. The three deniers of climate change were able to offer no Photo courtesy of the Lunar Society

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centres, such as the Met Office, who show indisputable figures looking at the trend over 33 years.

He also confidently declared that a little warming would be good for us and that we would be able to adapt comfortably with fewer people dying in winter and better yields.

Although I found Michael Meacher largely the weakest debater of the environmentalists, he did make a good point about melting ice caps and the fact that the last time there was a major melt, sea levels rose by 25 metres. I think adaptation might be tricky in that case, don’t you Nigel?

Joe Peacock

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Waste of Resources Birmingham City Council’s claim to ‘dispose’ of our waste is puzzling because we know that matter cannot be created or destroyed. Let’s see where our waste does go to, in reality: • 18% is composted or recycled.

That is a big improvement on five years ago, but unimpressive compared to Lichfield or Daventry (47%), or a large city like Peterborough (43%). In some European countries over 50% of their waste is composted or recycled, so there is a long way to go for Birmingham.

Most of our waste is burned at the Tyseley incinerator and then goes into the sky.

• Most of our waste is burned at the Tyseley incinerator and then goes into the sky. Material that could be recycled or composted is going ‘up in smoke’. The products of combustion are carbon dioxide and water vapour (greenhouse gases), and also ash (about 40% of what you started with).

Some of the heat is turned into

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electricity, but most goes into the sky.

• Some of our waste goes to landfill, where it releases methane - a powerful greenhouse gas. To avoid paying European Union fines for sending too much to landfill, other West Midlands authorities are aiming to increase the use of incineration and a new, larger generation of incinerators is planned.

Targets on the reduction of ‘greenhouse gases’ mean we have to re-use and recycle waste wherever possible.

Friends of the Earth calls for a ‘zero waste’ approach, ie getting the ‘residual’ fraction smaller and smaller. Many items could be re-used. The rate of recycling of metals, glass and plastic can be raised, as these materials are in demand and worth money.

30-40% of waste is organic material that could be digested, with natural gas as a product to make heat and electricity. The other product is compost, to fix carbon and build up soils. We could stop seeing waste as a problem to be disposed of, and make it the basis for new industries and jobs.

Please help to starve the incinerators

Take Action Please help incinerators:

to

starve

the

• Take useable items to a local charity shop, or see http://www. freecycle.org/

• If you do DIY at home that will create waste, think about who could use it before ringing for a skip.

• Refuse packaging you don’t want (or offer it back!)

• Make sure paper, glass and metals are recycled. Ask the Council for a better collection of recyclable materials. Become a ‘recycling pest’ at your place of work.

John Newson

• Compost at home your garden and kitchen waste http://www. recyclenow.com/compost/

Birmingham Friends of the Earth has a Waste Action Group. We campaign nationally and locally with our friends in adjoining districts against the trend towards dumping our waste in the sky.

Tyseley Incinerator - Photo courtesy of Amortize

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Volunteer Spotlight Ben Martin interviews Nigel Baker

How long have you been involved with BFoE? I have been an active member of BFOE for about 4 years.

How did you first get involved?

I first got involved when the penny dropped about the seriousness of the consequences of climate change. Once I understood the scale and urgency of the problem I could not continue being merely a passive environmentalist.

Soon after this I read the book ‘Seeing Green’ by Jonathon Porritt which is, in my view, the most authoritative and honest manifesto for a just and sustainable planet.

ANY OLD LIGHTBULBS? - WE ARE If you or anybody you know is swapping their lightbulbs with energy saving ones, then please could you get them to give us the old ones.

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Campaign Meetings

What do you do at BFoE? I was, until recently, climate change coordinator for the group, and particularly enjoyed the challenge of lobbying MPs on supporting our calls for a climate change bill as well as getting FOE’s strengthening amendments into the climate change bill. Of course, it’s still not strong enough but it is a start and a triumph for FOE and the Stop Climate Chaos coalition.

8 December – Aviation Action Group Meeting

What do group?

19 January – Speaker Meeting (details tbc)

you

like

about

Monday Meetings - 7:30pm at the Birmingham FoE Warehouse, Allison St 1 December – General Meeting 22 December – General Meeting followed by green drinks 29 December – No Meeting 5 January – General Meeting 12 January – Transport Action Group and Energy Action Group Meetings

the

26 January – Aviation Action Group and Local Shops & Food Action Group Meetings

It’s great being part of BFOE because it is full of passionate, committed, friendly people who appreciate the efforts that each other makes whatever the size of their contribution. I very much enjoy the social side of BFOE’s activities as well.

What environmental concern you most?

Other Events

6 December, 12 noon – National Climate March – Speakers Corner, Hyde Park, London 20 December – Birmingham FoE Christmas Fayre, 10am-1pm at St Columba Chuch Hall, Moseley, B13 8DJ

issues

17 January, 11am – West Midlands FoE Regional Gathering – Carrs Lane Church Centre, Birmingham

So many environmental issues concern me, with climate change being just part of the even bigger issue of the unsustainable misuse of the planet’s limited resources; the devastation of the earth’s dwindling wild places; and the complete disregard of the rights of future generations and all other species.

Farmers’ Market

Bearwood: 3rd Saturday of the month Birmingham University: 4th Wednesday of the month.

Harborne: 2nd Saturday of the month 9-2pm King’s Heath: 1st Saturday of the month King’s Norton: 2nd Saturday of the month Moseley: 4th Saturday of the month New St: 1st and 3rd Wednesday of the month Shirley: 3rd Thursday of the month except Jan and Feb

COLLECTING THEM AT BFoE! They will be turned into chandaliers for the lights in reception and used put forward as a way of recycling and energy saving.

Solihull: 1st Friday of the month Sutton Coldfield: 2nd Friday of the month Visit this site for more info: http://thefoody.com/regions/centralfm. html#westmidlands

Phil Burrows (General Manager)

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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 ____/____/_________

Contact us: 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

Chair: Benjamin Mabbett Campaigns Co-ordinators: Mary Horesh & Joe Peacock Campaigns Support Worker: Chris Williams General Manager: Phil Burrows Treasurer:

Web: www.birminghamfoe.org.uk

Margaret Lynch

Friends of the Earth is:

Aviation:

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

James Botham Climate Change & Energy: Nigel Baker Multi-faith and Climate Change Project:

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

Rianne ten Veen & Maud Grainger Kate Nancarrow & Andy Pryke

Account no: 50 72 58 30 Sort Code: 08-60-01

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

Unity Trust Bank, 9 Brindley Place, 4 Oozells square, Birmingham B1 2HE

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

John Hall

This replaces any previous standing order in favour of Friends of the Earth Birmingham.

Birmingham FoE:

To: Friends of the Earth Birmingham Ltd.,

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

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

Waste and Resources: Local Shops: Mary Horesh Planning: Transport: Martin Stride Newsletter Editors: Katy Barry Phil Burrows Website Editor: Phil Burrows Talks: Paul Webb and others All enquiries and callers welcome.

- Empowering others to take action

Find us on page 74 of the B’ham

- Participation and representation through public fora

A-Z, grid ref: 4A

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Printed on 100% Recycled Paper Using Vegetable Based Inks

Birmingham Friends of the Earth