Birmingham Friends of The Earth newsletter - Oct-Nov 2009

Why you should join 10:10 THE 10:10 CAMPAIGN AND WHY YOU NEED TO BE PART OF IT! The trouble with climate change is just how big it is. It’s huge, it’s massive, it’s scary, it’s nothing to do with me and it’s everything to do with me!

One thing that should be obvious about climate change (to even the delusional band of professional deniers) is that, even if all the 99.9% of scientists were wrong, all the proposed changes to our way of life are good anyway! So why not improve the quality of your life, save money and as an aside help to save the planet…

Continued on Page 12

3 - Campaigns Digest 4

- Warehouse News

7

- Saving the planet does not mean you have to give up meat

8

- Guest Article - Crafting and the Art of Recycling

9

- Appeal for Volunteers

10 - Local Transport Plan 12

- Why you should join the 10:10

16

- Schools’ Green New Years Resolution!

19 - Coalition’s committed to change 20 - Volunteer in the Spotlight 21

- Diary

22

- Membership Form

23 - Contacts

2

Campaigns Digest Transport 20’s Plenty for Birmingham – Northfield Eco Centre is now supporting our campaign and helping us to push for all residential roads to have 20mph speed limits.

We also have a very committed volunteer who’s been contacting other community groups to ask for their support. We hope to organise a special meeting of all these groups in December or early in the New Year, so that 2010 will be the year when Birmingham’s streets became safer for everyone.

Local Transport Plan – After an article in the press, there has been much interest in our response to the West Midlands Rail Development Plan. Now we are working to incorporate elements of that into the Local Transport Plan, for which the consultation is ongoing at the moment – read details in this edition.

Better Buses for Birmingham – We are drawing up our manifesto of what we demand in terms of service in light of the difficulties at TWM (Travel West Midlands). Letters are still available in the Warehouse for people to sign to support the campaign. You can also sign an epetition and join a facebook group for this campaign.

Local Shops & Food September saw the Food Chain fortnight of action, when we invited MP Lynne Jones along to the Warehouse Cafe to break open a giant egg to illustrate the

problems with the food chain and the greenhouse emissions that come from feeding factory farmed animals. There was also a parade through the centre of Birmingham to the Jewellery Quarter Farmers’ Market to raise awareness of the issues. Now we are focussing on trying to persuade all the main political parties to commit to measures on planet-friendly farming in their manifestos. Check if your MP has asked their party to sign up to supporting the sustainable livestock bill and contact them today is they haven’t.

Meat Free Mondays has been proving popular in the cafe with more people coming in to have a veggie meal with the understanding that this will also cut their carbon footprint. Next year we are hoping for some more ambitious local food projects to kick off surrounding growing food in Birmingham.

Get Serious about CO2 The group have been looking at the 10:10 campaign and asking local businesses and public sector organisations to sign up to reducing their carbon emissions by 10% over 2010. They are also awaiting news of what the Council’s action plan for reducing carbon emissions by 60% by 2026 will look like in order to respond to this and ensure that the measures included are indeed serious steps to achieving this target.

3

Campaigns Digest Stop Climate Chaos Copenhagen We managed to fill a coach with people going to the historic march on December 5th – The Wave will hopefully send a strong message to our leaders that the talks in Copenhagen must deliver a strong deal to save us from catastrophic temperature rises of over 2 degrees. We have had good press coverage and put on speaker meetings as well as publicity stunts to promote this message.

Faith and Climate Change The judges’ visit for the Big Green

continued

Challenge, hosted by Northfield Eco Centre, went very well and was well attended by those involved with the project. Fingers crossed now for a favourable outcome and lots of extra funding to continue and expand this excellent work.

As part of inter-faith week, the Faith and Climate Change Group hosted a sustainablility forum with the Council which gave people an opportunity to hear about the fantastic energy efficiency projects going on in faith communities over Birmingham.

Green Xmas Fair

4

For the second year in a row, we’ll be taking our Green Xmas Fair to Moseley.

cup of tea, cake or soup to recharge those batteries and warm you up, too.

This year it’ll be in Moseley CDT and there will be some great stalls there for you to buy some green goodies the weekend before the big day.

If you’re getting something from Moseley farmers market and feel a bit of a chill you can pop in for a

So come along on Saturday 19th December between 10am and 4pm to say hello and take advantage of this great opportunity to support BfoE and buy some great gifts.

I am happy to say that in November two new employees started working at Birmingham Friends of the Earth’s building ‘The Warehouse’.

The first is Mohammed Amin, who started as a maintenance volunteeer and is now our Maintenance Volunteer Support Worker. His wealth of experience in painting and decorating as well as his knowledge of volunteering make him ideal for the position. Amin will be working with our great cohort of maintenance volunteers, who are giving our old building the love and attention it needs. His main role will be to write references for volunteers who want to re-enter employment, train volunteers who want to

increase their skillset and to plan and react to our many maintenance needs.

The second is John Nsiah, who started as a reception volunteer and is now our Admin Volunteer Support Worker. He has previously worked for CSV Environment and knows what it is like to be a volunteer. He is keen to improve the volunteer and visitor experience through more training and better organisation.

If you have any suggestions on how we can improve the building aesthetically or the things we do in it, then please get in contact.

Phil Burrows

5

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

6

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

Saving the planet does not mean you have to give up meat Our current diet of meat and two veg has come under a lot of fire recently with Lord Stern’s report, Sir Paul McCartney Meat Free Monday and the UN all suggesting we stop eating meat to prevent catastrophic climate change. However, a new report, ‘Eating the Planet?’ by Friends of the Earth and Compassion in World Farming shows that we can feed a growing global population by using planet friendly farming methods and eating less, but better, meat.

Intensive farming currently used to mass produce meat for people in rich countries - who eat around six times as much meat as those in the poorest countries - is destroying forests and wildlife as land is cleared to grow animal feed and graze cattle. Furthermore, continuing to eat more meat and dairy globally - the production of which already generates more climate-changing emissions than all of the world’s transport - will push the world’s climate and resources over the edge.

The research detailed in the report models future food production against different diets, farming methods and land use, and concludes that enough food can be produced to feed the growing world population with fairer and healthier diets whilst avoiding deforestation and animal cruelty.

The researchers found that a diet equivalent to eating meat three

times a week would allow forests to remain untouched, animals to be farmed in free-range conditions and greener farming methods to be used. The report also points out that, with as many people obese in the West as malnourished in poor countries - roughly a billion of each - distributing protein more fairly is also an opportunity to tackle global

health problems.

Individuals can make a real difference by choosing less intensively reared meat and dairy production and eating less. This would still mean the average European could have a balanced diet of one small beef steak, one portion of fish, one portion of chicken, two pork sausages and two eggs over the course of a week, as well as a small amount of dairy products every day. It’s better for you and it’s better for the planet.

Go to foe.co.uk for a full copy of “Eating the Planet?”.

Mary Horesh

7

By Creative Open Workshops, Crafting and the Art of Recycling Making has long been an effective way of using odds and ends to create useful and attractive items. At the Creative Open Workshops (C.O.W) we take this very seriously and nothing goes to waste in our colourful workshop area. Many of our workshops rely on the scraps and remnants from previous workshops to enhance and embellish other sessions. We use fabric scraps for appliquĂŠ and for covering buttons; paper cuttings form the basis of collages; shredded paper forms a pulp base for making handmade paper; and unwanted clothing is cut up and used as fabric or even yarn for knitting and crochet.

Many of the artists who lead workshops at C.O.W, and showcase their work at Handmade – The Birmingham Arts & Crafts Market, use recycled and reclaimed materials in their work. Denise

8 16

Quinn from Peeko Crochet can be regularly spotted spinning plarn (plastic bag yarn) on her spinning wheel or cassette tape on her drop spindle. She uses these spun materials in her crochet work to create anything from re-usable and durable market bags and purses, to attractive brooches. It is quite amazing to see how appealing these plastic and tape reincarnations are. Judith Williamson from Once Upon a Tin uses tinplate taken from unwanted sweet, biscuit and storage tins, which is then cut and manipulated to form unique artworks ranging from wall panels and decorative canvases to smaller and highly unusual pieces of jewellery. Francine Schokker has been making curtains, wallpaper panels and dresses for performances made from discarded tea bag filter paper. These are incredibly delicate looking artworks and a fantastic example of upcycling. Under her Said Label brand, she transforms charity shop

finds into vibrant pincushions, shoulder bags and men’s ties.

These are just a few examples of everyday items that have outlived their use but have then been rejuvenated. Recycling is the best way to craft!

On 28th November, C.O.W will be running a workshop entitled ‘Customise your Wardrobe’. The aim of this session is to embellish and alter your wardrobe, giving you more choices from your existing clothes, rather than buying or

binning. If you have something that you don’t wear anymore and would like to give it a fresh look or upcycle it into something that you will wear and use, come along and customise with C.O.W. To find out more about workshops, Handmade market dates and how to get involved, visit: www.

CreativeOpenWorkshops.com

Appeal for Volunteers Do you have contacts in your local area who you could interest in our 20’s Plenty Campaign? This is a campaign pushing for all residential roads in Birmingham to have 20mph speed limits.

We are trying to arrange a meeting with community representatives from all different parts of Birmingham who are interested in making their roads safer - as has been done successfully in Portsmouth, Oxford and Bristol.

Please speak to anyone you know who you think may like to get involved and ask them to contact Anne Dasgupta, who is the volunteer coordinating this

campaign: anne@birminghamfoe. org.uk or 0121 6326909.

9

Local Transport Plan The struggle with transport is always the end-to-end journey and it is always too easy for the car to win out when this is not considered properly.

The DfT website mentions the latest campaign on reducing car use to cut CO2. Gnawing at motoring consciences, DfT state that 40% of emissions are from what individuals do, and of this 40%, 26% is from personal car use. This is interesting because the implication is that DfT will not spend money to encourage car use, as the policy is to reduce it. And here there is more encouragement, a document on the DfT website ‘Delivering Sustainable, low carbon travel: An essential guide for local authorities’.

What a stroke of luck, the DfT document includes handy definitions: Sustainable travel is about understanding your local area and providing for its transport needs through a package of measures which promote attractive sustainable transport alternatives such as walking, cycling, public transport and sustainable car use, held together by a clear brand. The sustainable travel approach rests on three pillars: • • •

10

creating positive choices for travellers; a holistic package of measures, which ‘lock-in’ the benefits; and local application tailored to local circumstances.

Not all this sustainable travel stuff could have just arrived, so I looked for local examples. The examples that spring to mind are Selly Oak New Road, a huge car park at Longbridge (the new big roads come from other budgets), and a better travel experience above New street station. Outside the conurbation, a brand new station will enable you to travel to a big car park outside stuffy old Stratford.

Isn’t it amazing that the station for the town of Polesworth is down to one platform and one train a day, but a tarmacked field can have a new station.

However, Advantage West Midlands AWM had spotted something a while back, noting that bus services were in decline in outer urban areas and rural areas making car travel yet more attractive. Money, they pointed out, cannot be found to fund such bus services. Sources in the field, reporting no services to places such as Maxstoke, and nonexistent or incomplete timetables at Inkford, Alvechurch, and elsewhere, sense a lack of motivation to act

by AWM and others. Decline is not inevitable; rail travel is up.

But LTP3 is supposed to be the answer. It will be considered with all the other plans (the LTP is the only one NOT shown in the diagram), but must first build a “Vision” of what is needed. A vision has been drafted, but it may not relate to the real experience of travel in the conurbation. What is

also needed is an idea of what is good and what is bad in transport and that is where the public can help out.

But what is the reality of transport.

Post Office closures in recent years have arguably required more travel than before. Travel without cars has worsened through the elimination of night buses, and though rail travel is easier to some distant destinations, within the conurbation it has mostly worsened. Cycling has not greatly expanded though the range of off road routes has grown, and for pedestrians the kerb edge fencing have downgraded their priority and reinforced the perception that walking is not transport.

Outside the conurbation, a brand new station will enable you to travel to a big car park outside stuffy old Stratford.

Contributions to the LTP are welcomed, this part, the ‘vision’ needing responses before December 17th 2009. The website is at www. westmidlandsltp.gov.uk or you could phone CENTRO for a leaflet to be posted to you.

You may wish the Vision to reflect some Birmingham FOE ideas such as: • Local facilities included and maintained in all areas • Better conditions for walking, roads better suited to cycling • Easier storage for cycles, places to sit to break up longer walks • Some use of canals for freight • Protection of railway freight sites such as Longbridge and Duddesdon • More local stations as set out in the BFOE response to Regional Rail Strategy • Better conditions for bus users and bus drivers • Better residential streetscape with lower speeds and greenery • Taxibus and Postbus in rural areas connecting to bus and rail hubs • Retention of Ring and Ride to safeguard travel for the infirm • Go on, make the effort John Hall

11

Why you should join 10:10 Seems like a no brainer, doesn’t it?

But then you say I’ve got a perfectly good brain thank you, you’ll have to do better than that!

Well, try this: most people will be aware of the central tenet of health and safety in the workplace: risk assessment. Two wonderful little words that all employers are legally obliged to undertake - somebody points out a risk and they must assess the likelihood and severity of that risk and act upon it.

So let’s try this with climate change: SEVERITY: devastation of the planet, millions dying, 90% of species die out etc.

LIKELYHOOD: 99.9% of bonafide experts say its very likely.

RISK ASSESSMENT: on balance, weighing up all the pros and cons….yeh maybe would should do something.

SHORT TERM ACTION (NOW): everyone does every reasonable thing to minimise their contribution to the problem.

MEDIUM TERM ACTION (VERY SOON): Governments and companies get their act together.

LONG TERM ACTION: (PRETTY SOON a) Buy Svalbaard and erect a 30 metre high, gun turreted wall around it or b) tell your grandchildren that story again of how you helped to save the world.

12

Continued from front page

Because there is this, really quite good, idea of doing something NOW. And it’s called the 10:10 campaign. It’s not a tiptoe, it’s actually a step - big enough to be worthwhile but small enough to achieve - for anyone of us.

The two 10s stand for 2010 (the year) and 10% for the emissions cut you and I commit to making in 2010. It’s not just talking, its DOING and it feels so much better!

Go to the 1010 website to see the growing list of who’s signed up and, much more importantly, to sign yourself up!

The campaign is the brain child of the director of the brilliant film ‘The Age of Stupid’, Franny Armstrong.

Within weeks of launching the campaign it was gaining support from all quarters – from individuals to local authorities; corner shops to power companies; economists to celebrities; churches to mosques; schools to hospitals; even Tottenham Hotspur (where are you,

Villa, Blues and Albion?); everyone immediately said this was the idea that Britain has been waiting for.

Go to the 1010 website to see the growing list of who’s signed up and, much more importantly, to sign yourself up!

I have adapted their 10 key suggestions to help you get started: 1. Swap plane for train, or ‘Staycate’.

Now this is by far the easiest way to reach your target – holidaying in Britain or travelling by coach or train if going abroad. If you normally fly once a year on holiday, then simply not flying will for many represent a 10% reduction in your emissions at a stroke. Granted, this may not be an actual money-saver - pretty much all the other actions are!

2. Save 10% on heating Turn down your thermostat, turn off radiators in hallways and wear more jumpers - it’s actually not so hard when you try it. Then, apply for a grant to insulate your loft & walls.

3. Save 10% on electricity Replacing old fridges & freezers and always turning things off and unplug - even for short periods.

Remember it‘s a myth that turning things on and off (unless it‘s literally every few seconds) will use more electricity. The 10:10 organisers are planning to provide the first 500,000 to sign up with free realtime energy monitors to help get a handle on electricity savings.

4. Drive less Come on - you know you can!

Nearly everyone will have another option of getting to work - even if it’s driving to the nearest station or a colleague’s house. Try leaving your car at home one day a week as many did in our very successful ‘In Town Without My Car day’.

Remember it‘s a myth that turning things on and off (unless it‘s literally every few seconds) will use more electricity.

5. Eat better and eat less meat Local, in-season fruit and veg is best for just about every reason not just by producing the least emissions. The more food has been processed and added to, the greater the emissions. Why not start with one meat (and cheese) free day per week and why not take advantage of the Warehouse Café’s buy one get one free deal on most Mondays - I have and very

13

Why you should join 10:10 good it was too! But if, like me, you like your meat why not just have less in total but more in quality by going for free-range, organic and local.

6. Buy less stuff and/or when you buy, buy good stuff Less stuff made = less emissions = less climate damage. So buy high-quality things that last, repair broken stuff or buy & sell secondhand. Use the excellent www. uk.freecycle.org to see whether the thing you need is being given.

Take a look at the stuff you already have - how much do you ever use?

Think twice before upgrading unless it’s going to make a real difference - such as a high efficiency washing machine of fridge/freezer. And don’t buy disposables because they’re not - they’re just someone else’s problem.

7. Dump and Waste less Avoid excess packaging and buying pointless stuff that goes straight in the bin, recycle everything possible

14

Continued from page 13

and compost your food waste.

Recycling everything you can helps avoid new items being produced which takes far more energy. Even greener than recycling, of course,

The average British family throws away £50 worth of food every month. So don’t buy or cook more than you need and eat up those tasty leftovers. is creating less rubbish in the first place. The smart thing to do with furniture, appliances or any other item that still works but is no longer wanted is to join the growing freecycling movement (see above).

Food scraps that get sent to landfill can turn into methane – a powerful greenhouse gas. So make sure your scraps end up on in the compost bin. To learn more about the art of wasting nothing and using up everything go to the excellent: http://www.dothegreenthing.com/ content?a=all_consuming website.

8. Especially don’t waste food!

The average British family throws away £50 worth of food every

month. So don’t buy or cook more than you need and eat up those tasty leftovers. Stop over-buying food - so easily done especially with a large family, I know, and those horribly tempting two-for-one and three-for-two offers end up being no saving at all. Don’t be misled

by Best Before, Sell By and Use By dates. Retailers are inevitably over cautious on these, as well as knowing that more waste means more sales and more profits for them! Trust your own judgement: sniff or lick it before you bin it!

rather than baths and only run full dishwashers & washing machines.

All water is worth saving but it’s the hot water that matters the most.

And toilets use up electricity (at the pumping station) as well as water that is usually drinkable - (don‘t try it just in case) Remember the motto: if it’s brown flush it down, if it’s yellow let it mellow!

10. Feel happier Nigel Baker

9. Wasting water wastes energy too!

Your tap water uses lots of energy – and then heating it in your home uses loads more – so take showers

15

Schools’ Green New Years Resolution!

The DCSF (Department for Children, Schools and Families) has reported that schools produce 15% of Britain’s total carbon emissions. They also educate future business people, politicians, homeowners and activists. It is of the utmost importance that they play a large role in the climate revolution.

The DCSF Sustainable Schools Act 2008 asks for all schools to be able to define themselves as sustainable by 2020, setting out 8 doorways through which schools can improve.

OFSTED also look favourably upon on this. Sustainability should therefore be included in school action plans. These can link with other targets relating to, for example, community links, economic wellbeing and Every Child Matters. Activities on a green theme offer pupils chances to improve oral and discussion skills, and are unique fun ways of learning.

For any school new to eco initiatives, it’s a great idea to start with a pupil-led activity that involves the whole school and leads to an impressive visual display. One of the best ways of doing this is to ask all pupils to pledge to do one thing to combat climate change.

Form time provides an excellent opportunity for such activities. At Yardleys School, pupils’ pledges were written on ‘leaves’ and displayed on a giant ‘tree’.

Yardleys’ Pledge Tree

16

Food Why not combine the Healthy Schools initiative with Eco Schools? A school allotment or roof garden can provide food to the school canteen with waste being composted and used.

The Yardley Wood School Pledge Tree

Projects showing where food comes from or looking at the environmental costs of production are excellent tools and can be suitable and engaging for all ages Waste Recycling should be made a priority in any school where it’s lacking.

Contact your local council for information. If a cost is involved then why not hold a fund raising activity?

Projects tracking where waste ends

up can also be engaging for pupils who have probably not considered what happens beyond the bin.

There is an excellent Story of Stuff video available on You Tube.

Environment Pupils will be more likely to care for the global environment once they have learned to take care of their local environment. Offer them chances to take part in litter picking, graffiti cleaning or gardening projects. Seek funding from local businesses to create a wildlife-learning environment and involve pupils, parents and staff in design, building and maintenance.

If pupils are themselves involved, graffiti and damage will be reduced.

Contact with schools in other countries can be run on a green theme - how is climate change affecting them? You could ask about materials, recycling and energy.

tutor groups with high numbers of walkers, cyclists and bus users and those taking part in Eco-activities and pledges.

All of these activities can provide excellent curriculum-linked learning opportunities. CABE provides a booklet of activity ideas for all subjects to support Green Week every year in June ending on Green Day. During this week pupils receive lessons across the school on a green theme.

You can get ideas and support from local organisations such as the Forest Schools Programme, Centre of the Earth and TIDE. Charities like Friends of the Earth, the Vegan Society and Oxfam offer excellent resources with local speakers.

Energy Schools should seek to source renewable energy or use a provider with a green tariff. There are organisations that will fund schools to build solar or wind turbines. Work out the financial benefits and show them to the budget manager. The Carbon Trust offers free carbon footprint surveys.

At the end of the school year, Yardleys holds an Eco-fair to raise money for Eco-projects. All materials for stalls are made out of reclaimed or recycled materials.

Stalls include wind farm (treasure) hunt, roll a penny, video diaries, guess the endangered species (teddy’s) name, plant sale, and jewellery making. We found that in order to engage all pupils, some stalls needed to be free and a quiz with answers on each stall worked well.

Transport Primary schools are leading the way on transport by holding walk-toschool days or weeks and walking busses. A green merit system will be introduced at Yardleys to reward

Obviously, schools can’t take on all of this at once and there are so many organisations now bombarding schools with green activities and ideas. So it’s important to prioritise the most

17

achievable and measurable activities and pace yourself!

websites for ideas and resources 5.

Organise fun, engaging, sustainable fund raising activities

6.

Engage pupils by holding Green Days/Weeks and competitions

7.

Try to work out the carbon footprint of your school

Ten Top Tips

8.

Rally support (cakes work well!)

1.

Set up an Eco–council in school

9.

Invite outside speakers

2.

Sign up to the Eco–schools programme and work towards the awards

10. Don’t take on too much at once!

3.

Contact the sustainability officer of your local council for assistance

4.

Search NGO and charity

Many schools are now demonstrating excellent sustainability models that would rival most businesses. Ask if you can visit them. If you’re not a teacher or pupil, don’t be afraid to contact your local school to enquire about activities and offer assistance.

Lou Twist

It’s a Wrap According to Waste Online, as much as 83 square km of wrapping paper will end up in UK rubbish bins and the total waste wrapping paper the UK produces over Christmas could stretch to the moon if each sheet was laid end to end.

Part of the problem is that the most popular wrapping paper is made of materials which cannot be recycled and therefore ends up in landfill. Paper is either dumped in the bin or, worse, put in the recycling bin, which means the whole lot is contaminated and has to go to landfill.

So what’s this got to do with Birmingham Friends of the Earth?

We want to promote alternative

18

wrapping and on the 9th of November we had our first group of crafters making creative wrappings.

This got people to think differently about wrapping paper and also make items that will be available for sale at our Christmas fair on the 19th December and raise some money to allow great campaigning around the city.

So this year, change the way you give your gifts to lower the environmental impact of Christmas, but still make them look beautiful.

Mary Horesh Further Information/References Waste Online: http://www. wasteonline.org.uk/index.aspx

In the Media This is part of an article by Patrice John that was published in the Go Green section of the Birmingham Mail about the lead up to the talks in Copenhagen and the Wave demonstration in London. http://www.birminghammail.net/ news/birmingham-campaigns/gogreen/go-green-news/2009/11/03/ coalition-s-committed-to-change97319-25078840 What do Christian Aid, Oxfam, Birmingham Friends of the Earth and RSPB have in common?

Well, until recently, some would argue, very little.

But, matters of international impact tend to create the strangest of allies.

And, this time it is the impending United Nations Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen that has caused them to join forces.

Reduce rather than off-set Birmingham Friends Of The Earth - Joe Peacock JOE says: “The talks in Copenhagen are possibly the most important summit we have had on this issue, on a global stage.

“We need everyone in the West Midlands to know about that and to be aware of what is going on.

direction.”

Joe believes carbon off-setting should not form part of the deal in Copenhagen as the world desperately needs to reduce its emissions, not off-set them.

“Off-setting is definitely not the way forward,” he says.

“We actually want them to make real cuts and if this is going to be a fair deal for everyone, it can’t involve richer nations off-setting their emissions and leaving poorer nations to suffer the impact.

“A fair deal in Copenhagen would be one that is free from ‘green washing’ and it would be good to come up with a model that allows developing countries to progress without harming the environment like richer countries have.

“We are a local group that campaigns on local issues but climate change is going to impact everyone especially in terms of the changing weather patterns.

“We saw the tornado that ripped through Balsall Heath a few years ago and, if freak events like that keep happening in other countries, we could see millions of climate change refugees pouring into this country because their homelands have become uninhabitable.”

“As different organisations, we decided to combine our efforts with other groups that feel the same way and we believe it’s beneficial to be a part of one movement going in one

19

Volunteer Spotlight Joe Peacock interviews Joanna Skouta

do something about one and not another, because they’re all interlinked. I’m confused myself about whether food, air pollution or whatever is more important and I know I’m not perfect in what I do, but we all just need to recognise the problems and try to do something to make it better.

Recycling is also very important with everything that we use, not just paper and glass, so it’s important to think about what you throw away every time.

How long have you been involved with BFoE? I’ve been coming in on Friday afternoons for about 2 months now.

What’s your best green tip/ advice?

Mostly, just stay fit with a healthy brain, then you can do more and think about everything. If you’re having something built, use as many recycled materials as possible to make your building greener. It really helps and means we take less from natural sources.

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

I saw an advert asking for volunteers on the internet and I thought it looked like a nice organisation to get involved with.

I have always been interested in helping and thought this would be a good way.

What do you do at BFoE? I was taken on as a receptionist first of all, but I’ve also been helping with a project to refurbish the bike shop, which uses my background in architectural technology. I do anything that’s needed while I’m here, really.

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

They’re all important. You can’t

20

21

Campaign Meetings

Monday Night Meetings – 7:30pm at the Birmingham FoE Warehouse, Allison St 7 December – General Meeting 10 December – Strategy Meeting 14 December – Transport Action Group and preparation for Xmas Fair 21 December – Xmas Party 28 December – No Meeting 4 January - General Meeting 11 January - Local Shops & Food and Transport Action Groups 18 January – Get Serious About CO2 Action Group 25 January – Speaker meeting

Other Events

5 December – The Wave march in London 19 December – Green Xmas Fair, Moseley Exchange 22 December – Islam and the Environment talk, Al Mahdi Institute 23-4 January – Environment event, Thinktank

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: 5th December 9am-3pm

21

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: 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 - Education - Empowering others to take action - Participation and representation through public fora

Chair: Benjamin Mabbett Campaigns Co-ordinators: Mary Horesh & Richard Sagar Campaigns Support Worker: Joe Peacock Admin Support Worker John Nsiah Maintenance Support Worker Mohammed Amin General Manager: Phil Burrows Treasurer: Margaret Lynch Climate Change & Energy: Andy Pryke Multi-faith and Climate Change Project: Rianne ten Veen & Maud Grainger Waste and Resources: Joe Peacock Local Shops & Food: Mary Horesh & Nigel Baker Planning: John Hall Transport: Martin Stride Newsletter Editors: Katy Barry Zoe Wright Antonio Roberts Website Editor: Rosie Cervelli Talks: Joe Peacock and others All enquiries and callers welcome.

Find us on page 74 of the B’ham A-Z, grid ref: 4A

23

Printed on 100% Recycled Paper Using Vegetable Based Inks

Birmingham Friends of the Earth