Birmingham Friends of the Earth Campaigning at local, regional and national level to protect the environment
Big Questions for Birmingham For this newsletter we’ve decided to do something a bit different. Rather than tell you what we’re doing and what we want you to do to help in that, we’d like you to tell us what you think we should do.
What would safer streets Birmingham look lik
20’s Plenty, Shared Space
As we are sure you are all aware, there has and how weamount get there. just been an election and a fair of change on the Imagine Council, a socity now would be could walk o where you a good time tocycle maketoclear to the councillors work, shops, or school, wi new and old what measures weabout wouldspeeding traffic having to worry like them to focus on implementing. whizzing by. A city where you felt confi After the elections, there are now letting children play55 together outside Labour councillors, 39 Conservative, 24 knew traffic w your house because you Liberal Democrats and 2 Respect. The not speeding around. For one city it is Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition becoming a reality. Could Birmingham remains in charge despite Labour being this new app the next city to embrace the largest single party,and but speed, next year’s to travel and what might it like? Continued on Continued Page 14 on Page 12
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- Warehouse News
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- Volunteer Spotlight
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- Development of the M42 Corridor
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- Diary
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- Membership Form
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- Big Questions for Birmingham (cont.)
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- Cycling - Would you chance it?
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- Sunflower Sunday
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In The Media - Nuclear Power
21 - Climate Change Opera 22 - Guest Article - FoodCycle 23 - Contacts
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Campaigns Digest We are building up to some more big campaigns for the summer, as we look to take forward the ideas we have developed through our dedicated research for the consultations we have taken part in over the past few months. Energy and Climate Change The group has been out in Kings Heath talking to retailers about their “close the door� campaign to reduce their energy usage by not leaving doors open during the winter as was mentioned in the previous newsletter. We hope that by the time the cold weather is back, far fewer shops will be wasting energy in this way.
Work with the Digbeth Residents Association to find a suitable site to grow vegetables in the area is still continuing
Meetings have been held with four MPs to lobby them about the energy bill and a public meeting has been arranged for 2 June in Selly Oak with Steve McCabe along with other members of the Stop Climate Chaos Coalition. The pressure has
been paying off as Chris Huhne (Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change) has said that from 2018, the rental of the very worst performing properties - those rated F and G - will be banned through a minimum energy efficiency standard.
Local Shops, Food and Waste Work with the Digbeth Residents Association to find a suitable site to grow vegetables in the area is still continuing, but proving harder than anticipated, so if anyone can help with this, please let us know. The temporary use of disused space while it is waiting to be developed has been shown to be successful in other areas, so we want to encourage more to happen. There is now a petition up on the Council website for our campaign
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Campaigns Digest to halve the amount of rubbish in black bags in Birmingham through better recycling and food waste collections: http://epetition. birmingham.public-i.tv/epetition_ core/view/Halverubbish. This has proved popular, with 100 people already signed up to it after only five days and we hope to get a thousand people signed up by the end of the summer. We are looking for new volunteers to take forward our campaigns to stop unsustainable supermarket developments, so please get in touch if this interests you. Transport The public debate on High Speed Rail at the end of March, which we organised in partnership with Sustainability West Midlands, was a big success. A large audience was there to listen to the debate, which was expertly chaired by Adrian Goldberg, with panellists Christian Wolmar, Jim Steer, Mike Geddes and Martin Dyer all adding their expert opinions. Midlands Today was there to cover it and we hope that this has helped to ensure the debate in Birmingham is around how best to create a sustainable transport system for the future. We have also done some highprofile media work on the public money being put into moving the A45 to allow the runway extension to be built and opening up the M42 corridor as an “Enterprise Belt�. See our website and blog for further details on this and also walking
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and cycling events which we have attended over the past few months
We are looking for new volunteers to take forward our campaigns to stop unsustainable supermarket developments, so please get in touch if this interests you.
Swap Shop and Crafting The much-copied Swap Shop in Moseley has remained one of our most popular events and was combined with a Green Spring Fair with ethical producers and other organisations coming along to join us at the end of May. If you want to run a similar event, just get in touch for tips on how to do it and also send in your suggestions of what you’d like to learn to do in the crafting group. Joe Peacock
Warehouse News West Midlands Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament have refocussed their priorities and have moved to a smaller office in the Warehouse, leaving their large office to 2 new tenants; Birmingham Council of Faiths and the West Midlands Faiths Forum. Originally founded in 1974, Birmingham Council of Faiths’ objective is to promote knowledge and mutual understanding of the beliefs and practices of the city’s many religious faiths, sects and denominations. Its belief is that through greater understanding of each other, a more harmonious and cohesive society can be created. In furtherance of the above BCF’s aims as stated in its constitution are to: a) promote awareness of all faiths so that the followers of one faith may have a better understanding of the others; b) maintain harmonious relations and promote dialogue between the followers of the different faiths within the city;
interfaith hub, networking between the diverse umbrella, inter- and multi-faith organisations in the city and to serve as a focal point for information about their activities (www.bhamfaiths.org.uk ). The West Midlands Faiths Forum (WMFF) offers a unique opportunity for faith communities to share and learn from one another, whilst making a major contribution to regional policy-making. WMFF participates in a wide range of regional decision-making bodies and regularly consults with 1000+ members to ensure faith perspectives are reflected in responses to regional and national policy initiatives. WMFF encourages faith-based organisations and individuals with an interest in inter faith perspectives to become members and participate in the future development of the Forum (www.wmfaithsforum.org.uk ). There is a lot of cross over between our new and old tenants and we look forward to working with and around them in the coming years.
c) be alert to issues of peace, justice, equality and diversity and act as a public voice on matters of mutual concern to the followers of Birmingham’s different faiths; d) interface with interested bodies in fulfilling these objectives. BCF’s additional strategy, adopted early in 2007, is to act as an
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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
Volunteer Spotlight Deborah Cox interviews Mary Watson, who’s one of our longest serving volunteers, but has recently had to end her time on reception.
of Friends of the Earth. I was also involved in the Worcestershire Wildlife Trust and supported both when I was teaching. There have been many varied and interesting campaigns over the years such as biodiversity, transport, recycling and the Tyseley incinerator campaign.’
The main things that stand out are the friendships I have made and meeting lots of new volunteers over the years. When did you start working at Birmingham FoE? ‘I started in 1990 doing mainly reception but also did general administration and worked on memberships and subscriptions. I also got involved in some of the campaign meetings on Monday nights, particularly the ones on Biodiversity, which is my special interest.’ What was it that made you decide to join Birmingham FoE as a volunteer? ‘I have always had an interest in environmental issues and the work
How has it changed here over the years, since you started? ‘I think it has grown bigger, there are more employed people here as well as more volunteers and members now. There have been lots of improvements, particularly in reception with the refurbishment works. When I started everything was done manually, and the computer system took a while to get used to, but now it is all computers. The newsletter is much better now, I remember that it used to
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be in broadsheet format and came in three piles which I had to help collate together. It is now much more up to date and easier to read as it is all in one!’ What are your most memorable moments from your time here? ‘I don’t have a single memorable moment as there has been so much going on! The main things that stand out are the friendships I have made and meeting lots of new volunteers over the years. I got on particular well with Dave Clare and Val Stevens and have had the chance to learn lots of new things during my time here.’
What would you say to anyone thinking about volunteering, who is not sure? ‘I would say definitely give it a go, it is very rewarding and you feel you’re contributing in a very practical way. I have done so many interesting things since I started. Lots of members don’t take an active role and yet it really keeps you in touch and makes you feel you are doing something worthwhile. Although I’m no longer working there, I will remain as a member and keep in touch with the campaigns.’
Appeal for Volunteers We are looking for people to help build support for our campaign to get food waste collections and better recycling in Birmingham. If you are fed up with black bags being ripped open by rats, cats and urban foxes, making a mess all over the road, help us with this campaign. You don’t need to be an expert on waste issues, just keen to help make a difference. If you feel you can contribute, please contact campaigns@birminghamfoe.org.uk for more details.
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Development of the M42 Corridor We have been campaigning for years to stop the ÂŁ65 million project to extend the runway at Birmingham International Airport. It now looks as though the funding for moving the A45 is going to be provided through state aid from the Regional Growth Fund and the Integrated Transport Authority, so major construction could begin in 2012 and be completed by 2014. This raises a number of environmental concerns, largely around the extra emissions caused by the aircraft movements and people travelling to and from the airport, but also because the Chamber of Commerce have been talking up the M42 corridor as a growth area, with plans for labelling parts of it as an "Enterprise Zone" or "Belt". Recently, Birmingham City Centre was announced as the LEP's preferred option for an Enterprise Zone, which came as a pleasant surprise to those proposing that it should be somewhere accessible by public transport and utilising brownfield sites, rather than putting it in the greenbelt. Now though, with the government's increasingly lax attitude to planning and sustainable development, we are seeing more and more plans for other bits of greenbelt and particularly out-of-town land around airports being targeted. Friends of the Earth fear that the
A45 and airport scheme is the start of “open season� on greenfield land adjacent to the motorway network. There are many organisations who are concerned about the over-development of this rural landscape, and a green lung called the Meriden Gap - a green belt area separating Solihull and Coventry in the West Midlands conurbation. For the Airport expansion to take place, there will need to be construction on the green belt area. This may encourage further development, such as new business parks and housing in the area, adding to the unsustainable growth of the region. If the M42 corridor becomes an Enterprise Belt, this could have further detrimental impacts on the environment. It could cause people to become more car dependant, generating greater congestion on the motorway and generally generating high carbon developments. This problem is further exacerbated by the recent fuel cost rises. It would be more sustainable to have city centre developments, which are more accessible by public transport, rather than ones which require travelling longer distances by unsustainable modes of transport, i.e. cars. Research on previous Enterprise Zones shows they also have a number of weaknesses and are ineffective in stimulating sustainable economic growth. It has been said that Enterprise Zones
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do very little to promote lasting economic prosperity, creating an initial boom by displacing jobs from other areas, and then leading back to a long-term depressed economy.
Parts of the Meriden Gap will be compromised for development, people will become further cardependent, and greater amounts of congestion, and air and noise pollution will be created. Too much attention has been focused on the economic benefits, and the issues of climate change and pollution have been ignored. Significant investment needs to be targeted towards walking, cycling and public transport networks in the city centre, making a better and more sustainable use of money. Further Information can be found here: http://birminghamfoe.org. uk/bfoe-on-flying/why-oppose-therunway-extension
We believe that the self-proclaimed greenest government ever is encouraging the wrong type of development in the wrong locations. Environmental regulations are under threat at the same time as the government is redefining the planning system and scrapping the regional spatial strategies. The regeneration of our towns and cities are under threat from trafficgenerating developments around the airport. In summary, pumping money into expanding the airport, realigning the A45, and creating an Enterprise Belt along the M42 corridor are all highly unsustainable.
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How to contact the LEP: http:// www.birminghamchambergroup. com/Business-Support/LocalEnterprise-Partnership/Contact-Us. aspx Danielle Bahra References: http://www.fhrnet.co.uk/travel_news/497/ birmingham_airport_runway_ expansion_backed/ (photo)
Birmingham’s non-nuclear half marathon! You’ve probably noticed that Birmingham City Council for the last 3 years (after a gap of some years) has again been holding a half marathon road race each Autumn. There are lots of good things about this - it’s quite an occasion, and the turnout and support from Brummies (especially near Broad Street) is great. Given that they (with the sponsors EDF energy) tell people that by entering the race, you’ll be joining the ‘Green Team’ in a ‘race against climate change’, you’d think it was the ideal event. BUT… while they have won praise for their recycling, there is a lot of ‘greenwash’ going on which is revealed by a closer look at EDF (‘Electricitè De France’), who are huge producers of… nuclear energy! (That isn’t in the publicitè).
enthusiasts…. and not a nuke in sight!
So, it’s good to be able to point out that an alternative exists : the Birmingham and Black Country HalfMarathon (BBCHM) on Saturday 2nd July. I love this race. It goes for 13.1 miles from near Wolverhampton Rail Station, past some great local heritage, finishing in Brindleyplace. I find it enjoyable running along the canal (though don’t be fooled: the surface is a bit uneven underfoot, and the humpback bridges don’t make it particularly fast). Best of all, it’s a low key but well regarded event, with around 1000 entrants (you set off in groups of 10, so there’s no mass falling into the canal!), organised by local
* The organisers say you’re welcome to walk the 13.1 miles – just let them know in advance, so they can arrange for you to set off early.
So, BFOE is using the BBCHM as an opportunity for some much-needed fundraising – and we’d like you to please give us your support in one of the following ways : 1) Run (or walk*) it yourself! – and get sponsored for BFOE (ask me about the ‘support package’ we’ll provide). 2) Sponsor me! Preferably, use the ‘One Off Donation’ page of www. birminghamfoe.org.uk, but let me know whatever method you choose to pay. 3) Come and cheer us – along the route, at the finish, or else for a post-run pint in The Wellington :o) 4) Follow us on our Facebook event: ‘Canal Half-Marathon’.
Details of the BBCHM can be seen at www.bbchm.co.uk Email me with any queries / sponsorship at aldomussi@hotmail. com Aldo Mussi
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Campaign Meetings Monday Night Meetings – 7:30pm at the Birmingham FoE Warehouse, Allison St 6th June: General Meeting 13th June: Birmingham Friends of the Earth Annual General Meeting 20th June: Transport Action Group and Happily Ever Crafter 27th June: Energy & Climate Change and Local Shops, Food & Waste Action Groups 4th July: General Meeting 11th July: Speaker meeting on safer streets (details TBC) 18th July: Energy & Climate Change Action Group and Happily Ever Crafter 25th July: Local Shops, Food & Waste and Transport Action Groups
Other Events 2nd June: Big Climate Reconnection public meeting, Guild of Students, University of Birmingham 4th June: Save The Diva – street opera performances 4-5th June: Spring Fair Canon Hill Park 18th June: Selly Oak Festival 19th June: Woodbrooke Open Day 2nd July: Birmingham and Black Country Half Marathon 9th July: Moseley Street Fair 23rd July: Moseley Swap Shop
Farmers’ Markets 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 Stirchley Community Market: 1st Tuesday of the month 4pm - 8pm
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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: .........
Big Questions for Birmingham
elections will be crucial, so we need to put together a strategy of what we’re asking for most strongly. There are many improvements that need to be made to make Birmingham a more sustainable place, so we need to make sure we prioritise these according to our supporters’ wishes. In order to do this we have developed a questionnaire which we would like you to fill in and send back to us. Over the past year we have spent a lot of time responding to consultations and feeding in our ideas on what should be done for the city centre (the Big City Plan), for transport (Local Transport Plan 3) and for planning guidance overall (The Birmingham Core Strategy). Now it is time for us to start pressing more directly for our ideas to be implemented, or doing more campaigning as it’s commonly known. Currently, we have three active groups running campaigns: Transport, Energy & Climate Change and Local Shops, Food & Waste. We are always looking for people to take on more active roles within these groups in order for us to be able to campaign more effectively and if we are to campaign on other issues, again we need people to take a leading role. For this survey we have only included issues that fall within these action groups, but you are free to add your own ideas in the spaces
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Cycling – would you chance it? Birmingham has a new cycling strategy – not in print yet, but it can be downloaded from the website www.birmingham.gov. uk/cycling. Frankly, it starts from a low base, just 1.5% of residents cycle to work, one of the lowest figures in the country. Birmingham has had a cycling strategy since 1985, but progress seems very modest. Some say that such an unpopular mode of transport isn’t worth spending much on; the city has been designed around the car because that’s how people want to travel. A vicious circle of low expectation around cycling. The cycling strategy states its aim: to get more people to cycle, more often. It Iists the benefits: exercise, convenience, low cost, anti-congestion. Apparently we lack “a cycling culture”, but that seems like a consequence. Birmingham isn’t particularly rainy, or hilly, and there are five universities and lots of young people, so where are all the cyclists? Focus groups were convened, and reported “concerns about road safety were a major issue for potential cyclists” - “large volumes of fast-moving traffic were intimidating” therefore “ most people would only consider cycling away from busy roads”. I understand that the actual language used was more forthright...we refuse to cycle in Birmingham because it’s too dangerous; unless
drastic changes are made we won’t cycle. These were challenging findings. They were pondered for three years within the Council. The strategy tries to say it is a problem of perception, the image of cycling needs improving. It’s people who need to change, so the strategy offers training, bike checks and cycle helmets. This will convert people into cyclists. Yet, the figures prove people’s perceptions are quite right – it is risky to cycle among those volumes of fast-moving traffic. In 2009-10 (not sure correct date), the strategy reports, 216 cyclists were in reported collisions on Birmingham’s roads (how many unreported ones?) and 35 were ‘serious’ for the cyclist. The figures are getting worse rather than better. For such a minority activity, this is a very serious health and safety issue. Overwhelmingly, adult cyclists are generally not at fault, according to the Transport Research Laboratory. A recent study of hospital admissions found cyclists to be 20 times more likely to be killed or injured on England’s roads than motorists, so “when people feel it is unsafe to cycle, they may be right’. Most people react by cycling off the road, on the footway, where they get into conflict with pedestrians, but the strategy doesn’t mention that. Cyclists are often seen as the problem, rather than threatening
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and dangerous traffic conditions.
The Cyclists Touring Club (CTC) is the main representative body, but instead of drawing the obvious conclusion that cycling conditions need to be made much safer before people will cycle, the CTC has concluded that if cycling is “encouraged” enough, cyclists will take over the roads and there will be “safety in numbers”. In fact, towns which have high numbers of cyclists have either resisted the motorisation of the streets or have invested heavily to protect cyclists from traffic. Whole countries like Denmark or the Netherlands have designed environments that give protection to cyclists. Design for pedestrians, you get pedestrians, for cyclists you get cyclists, for masses of fast moving traffic, you get that. This brings us back to the focus groups in Birmingham. How can people be given the chance to ride ‘away from busy roads’? There are some off-road cycle routes and people use them. There is a walking
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and cycling map showing quieter back streets. Some could be turned into no through routes for traffic. 20mph could be the speed limit on residential roads, as Friends of the Earth and the 20’s Plenty campaign propose. Where does the strategy propose new cycling facilities? On ‘key corridors’ and ‘major routes’ - such as the Warwick Road and Pershore Road. Where all the buses, heavy lorries and commuter traffic are. Is this where highway engineers want to spend money, not cyclists? Are other cities adopting this approach? The strategy doesn’t mention any other cities that we might learn from in adapting to the bike, like Bristol, which won the Government’s Cycling City challenge. The budget promised in Birmingham’s cycling strategy is £1million over 4 years. For each of 1 million residents, this is 25p a year. Cycling conditions can be improved, without major expenditure it says. As the strategy contains no target to increase cycling we won’t ever know if it has been successful. Take Action If you think the Second City is really going to need to do much more to become cycle friendly, we would like to hear from you. Please email Campaigns@BirminghamFoE. org.uk or telephone 0121 632 6909 John Newson
Sunflower Sunday Sunday 1 May was International Sunflower Guerrilla Gardening Day, which is promoted by www. guerillagardening.org, so a small group of people headed out from The Warehouse to plant sunflower seeds around the Digbeth area. As many people who frequent Digbeth know, it is in places rather neglected and there are a lot of empty barren pieces of land. Whilst some of this is part of its gritty urban charm, we thought that a few jolly sunflowers scattered over those forgotten and unloved patches of ground would add a bit of colour to the landscape. After all, who doesn’t feel a little happier seeing a few sunflowers brighten their day? As an added bonus they’re also a doddle
to grow and provide tasty food for birds. So, armed with a big bag of sunflower seeds, some dibbers to make holes in the ground, and bottles of water, we set out on a lovely sunny day with the aim of brightening up Digbeth come the summer. We managed to cover a fair chunk of the area, scattering in all manner of spots, although some rather optimistically! So keep a look out in the coming months for sunflowers springing up in unexpected places, and if you fancy planting a few yourself, then drop into The Warehouse to pick up some seeds of your own – we’ve got plenty of them! Ben Mabbett
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In The Media – Nuclear Power Nuclear power is an issue that provokes fierce debate and strong emotions amongst environmentalists and this has been apparent in some of the coverage over the issue recently. With the pressure on fossil fuels becoming difficult to ignore and the ongoing issues in Japan, nuclear power has risen up the agenda once again. Friends of the Earth inflated a giant white elephant outside parliament to protest against public funds and resources going into nuclear energy. In Birmingham over a hundred people held a vigil in Victoria Square to mark the 25th anniversary of the Chernobyl disaster. This highlighted fears that the plant at Fukushima may prove to be more destructive than it has so far appeared. Coupled with this, Friends of the Earth International is challenging the Japanese government’s decision to increase the permitted levels of radiation children can be exposed to. The Economist ran a debate discussing the motion ‘This house believes that the world would be better off without nuclear power’. Tom Burke of E3G argued that the fact that private investors have never been willing to take the economic risk of nuclear power is a clear warning to treat all assertions about its costs with some suspicion, chiming with FOE’s giant white elephant. Ian Hore-Lacy from the World Nuclear Association, in opposition, claimed that sources
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of power capable of providing continuous, reliable supply on a large scale while avoiding carbon dioxide emissions have never been more needed – sidestepping the issue of efficiency altogether and assuming that the planet will be able to support our current consumption rates. In the Guardian, Helen Caldicott and George Monbiot have been engaged in a furious argument on the claims and counterclaims about the health impacts of the nuclear industry. FOE’s Mike Childs has summed up the key points of the recent debate and what this means for the future of energy policy, pointing out that when it comes to nuclear versus renewable energy, the key issue is not safety or cost, but speed. We urgently need to cut our emissions to avoid dangerous climate change, and renewables need some financial support in order to drive this further. Whatever your view on nuclear power, the fact that there is now a debate raging about our energy future may mean that people are waking up to the fact that energy usage and supply both need to change, and it provides an excellent opportunity to press for energy policies that are genuinely sustainable. Roxanne Green
Climate Change Opera We can see the devastation that climate change causes all over the world. Even with these hugely upsetting news stories and images being broadcast 24 hours a day, getting people to change small things in their lives is extremely difficult. Campaign organisations just like Friends of the Earth work hard to help make a change in our environment through various events; and, now, by working with The Opera Group, art and activism have come together.
Seven Angels is a climate change opera inspired by Paradise Lost, by poet John Milton. Birmingham Friends of the Earth have never shied away from new ideas, and when the opportunity to be part of the Save the Diva event came about, Birmingham FoE were more than happy to help. Save the Diva is a mini street opera that will be performed across various cities in the UK, including Birmingham on the 4th June. The Opera Group and Birmingham FoE will head out into the City Centre, where with buskers
and singers they will express their views that irresponsible energy combustion is not a problem and it will end with an exciting clash. Birmingham FoE volunteers will then have the opportunity to give the public information on energy and climate change. Using this method we hope to gain the attention of passing trade helping to make more of the public aware of the facts on climate change. Seven Angels is a full opera that The Opera Group will be performing on the 17th and 18th of June at the CBSO in Birmingham and also other cities in the UK. As well as a way to spread the word of Birmingham FoE work, Save the Diva is also publicity for Seven Angels. Seven Angels is a climate change opera inspired by Paradise Lost, by poet John Milton. “Seven angels have fallen through space and time for so long, they have forgotten why. Coming to rest on a desert landscape, they imagine the creation of a legendary garden that once flourished there and its destruction from greed and neglect.� This is a new and exciting opportunity to connect with people who otherwise may not know about who Birmingham Friends of the Earth are and the work that we do. For further information on on either performances please e-mail me at rosie@birminghamfoe.org.uk. To buy tickets for Seven Angels please visit www.theoperagroup.co.uk
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FoodCycle
FoodCycle, a London-based registered charity, addresses three main problem areas: Wasted Food: Approximately 400,000 tonnes of surplus food can be reclaimed each year from the food retailer industry Food Poverty: In the UK, 4 million people are affected by food poverty. Malnutrition costs the NHS approximately £13 billion every year. Volunteering: Over 2.4m people in the UK are currently searching for work. These people need opportunities to develop skills and affect their community positively. There are currently multiple FoodCycle kitchens around the UK, but until now there has not been one in Birmingham… We are a team of volunteers currently in the process of setting up an exciting new FoodCycle kitchen in Birmingham! Once established, we will collect
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surplus produce locally (from supermarkets and other food shops where it would otherwise be thrown out) and use it to prepare nutritious meals in a professional kitchen. We will then serve these delicious meals to those in need in the community. We are currently fundraising for this project, as well as looking for volunteers to help with the cooking once the kitchen has been set up. If you would like to donate, or fancy the challenge of cooking with reclaimed ingredients, or are simply interested in finding out more about what we are doing, please email us at BirminghamFoodCycle@gmail. com. More information is also available on the FoodCycle website: www. FoodCycle.org.uk Your help will be much appreciated – we look forward to hearing from you! The Birmingham FoodCycle Team
Contact us:
- Education
Chair: Benjamin Mabbett Campaigns Co-ordinators: Roxanne Green & Richard Sagar Campaigns Support Worker: Joe Peacock Electronic Design & Communication Officer: Antonio Roberts General Manager: Phil Burrows Treasurer: Margaret Lynch Aviation: Joe Peacock Climate Change & Energy: Melanie Brookes Multi-faith and Climate Change Project: Rianne ten Veen & Maud Grainger Craft, Recycling and Swap Shop: Beth Fisher Local Shops & Food: Nigel Baker Planning: John Hall Transport: Martin Stride Newsletter Editors: Katy Barry Zoe Wright Website Editor: Phil Burrows Talks: Joe Peacock and others
- Empowering others to take action
All enquiries and callers welcome.
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
- Participation and representation through public fora
Find us on page 74 of the B’ham A-Z, grid ref: 4A
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Printed on 100% Recycled Paper Using Vegetable Based Inks
Birmingham Friends of the Earth