South Hams Friends of the Earth

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A huge thank you to everyone who has supported us on our Big Ask campaign. Together we have finally got a strong Climate Change Law.

Parliament voted on 28 October for the world-beating legislation after a 3 and a half year campaign by Friends of the Earth. The first of its kind in the world, the Law is a huge step in the fight against climate change.

The Law commits the Government to 80 per cent cuts in the UK's emissions of greenhouse gases by 2050, including emissions from aviation and shipping, and with annual targets along the way to keep us on track.

South Hams FoE is organising a week long action against packaging and other waste.

Waste Not Want Not Week runs from 4th to 12th October and there are events being organised locally by SHFoE, Transition Town Totnes, The Green Party, SHDC and others.

Tuesday 7th October 8pm at the Ariel Centre at King Edward VI Community College in Totnes there will be a Panel Discussion on Reducing Packaging Waste. Entry is by donation and the panel will be:

Richard Gomme, Devon Community Recycling Network;
Klaudia VanGool, Groundworks UK;
Ruth Edwards, South Hams District Council;

Is it possible to live in the modern world without generating any landfill waste? On Tuesday April 22nd at 8pm in the Methodist Church, Totnes an open meeting of South Hams Friends of the Earth will be addressed by a Totnes man who has come close to achieving this aim.

Since the 1960s, Michael Rose, who is now 65, has been working to reduce the environmental impact of his lifestyle. One aspect of this has been to reduce the amount of waste he puts in puts in the standard waste bin (intended for land-fill) to one milk carton every few months.

The AGM this year will be on Tuesday February 12th, 8.00pm upstairs (there is a lift) at St John's church, Bridgetown, Totnes. Jim Carfrae will be talking about building his straw bale house in Totnes. If you would like to become more involved in the local group, now is a good opportunity to do so. Hope to see you there

With the backing of the Mayor of Totnes, South Hams Friends of the Earth is today launching its Green Christmas Campaign.

South Hams FoE Submission re soundness test 7

The Totnes and Dartington Development Plan Document fails Soundness Test 7: The strategies/policies/allocations fail to represent the most appropriate in all the circumstances, having considered the relevant alternatives, and they are not founded on a robust and credible evidence base.

South Hams FoE Final Response

The DPD fails the test of Soundness 8 – there are no clear mechanisms for implementing and monitoring.

The DPD uses Strategic Objectives and policies to identify aims and indications as a means of monitoring. However, the lack of clearly defined specific, measurable targets for many policies means that there can be no mechanisms that can be applied consistently which is essential for implementation and monitoring.

Project Lodestar
A South West Regional Initiative
(Lodestar: a guiding star)

Friends of the Earth is looking for talented and inspiring local group members in the SW who would like to share their skills with fellow activists throughout the region. Our vision for the SW is of an area that's maximising its potential for a sustainable future through a buzzing and vibrant hive of people learning, meeting and sharing their skills and experiences.

Do you, or anyone you know, have skills and experience in the following:

7.30 pm, Tuesday November 6th, Church Rooms, Wellington Square, South Brent.

How have some countries and cities succeeded in restraining, or even reversing the growth in car use?
Why are rates of cycling increasing in Dutch and German cities, and still (with some local exceptions) falling in the UK?
How has the city of Groningen increased cycling to 60% of all journeys?
Hasn't it always been like that? Isn't it just because the Netherlands is flat?

Are there any lessons we can learn, in Britain, and particularly here in Devon?