Birmingham
friends of the earth Newsletter, Spring 2017
Inside This Issue 8
Happy BEE Week
16
Our Fight Against Air Pollution
26
The Ups and Downs of November ‘16
Contents Campaigns Digest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Community Share Issue Update. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Happy BEE Week . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Nature Deficit Disorder. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Digbeth Community Garden Update. . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 HS2 Debate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Our Fight Against Air Pollution . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 What is Going On in the West Midlands . . . . . . . . . . 18 Shrewsbury Friends of the Earth. . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Green Shropshire Exchange. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 Wolverhampton Friends of the Earth . . . . . . . . 19 What is Personal Divestment? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 The Lucas Plan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 The Ups and Downs of November 2016. . . . . . . . . . 26 Standing with Standing Rock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 West Midlands Mayor Runners and Riders . . . . . . . 30 Volunteer in the Spotlight . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 Thank You Party. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 Diary Dates. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 Contact Us . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Cover: Grass designed by Freepik. Medical icons deisgned by Lyolya Profitrolya / Freepik
2
Campaigns Digest By Libby Harris
Hello and welcome to our Spring newsletter. We have had a great time campaigning over the past few months with a couple of events thrown in, such as a ‘Thank You Party’ for our volunteers and supporters which we held on 31 October (have a read of Jodie’s article to find out more). In this issue, apart from catching up with what we have been campaigning on, we will be taking a look at some of the environmental campaigning that has been taking place around the West
Midlands with guest articles from; Wolverhampton FOE, Shrewsbury FOE and the Green Shropshire Exchange. We will also be taking a look at the Metro Mayor with an article by regional FOE campaigner, Chris Crean. Air Pollution We have been doing quite a bit of campaigning around air pollution lately. We responded to the Clean Air Zones consultation in December, and in January, we submitted evidence for an inquiry into the impact of air pollution on health and the environment. Take a
3
look at Jana’s article for a roundup of our air pollution campaigning.
Elin’s article to catch up on our happy BEE week celebrations.
Economics The Birmingham Pound campaign group have been busy behind the scenes and organised a workshop at The Impact Hub. It was great to hear from those around the country who have already set up a local currency.
Despite the cold weather, Digbeth Community Garden volunteers have been busy planting and clearing the garden ready for the spring. Read all about it in Adam’s article.
Energy and Climate Change It’s been a busy time for the Divestment team over the winter. They got in the Halloween spirit with a Trick or Treat stall in the City Centre in October and gave a talk at the Footsteps Faith for a Low Carbon Future event in November. Take a look at Poppy’s article on how you can divest from fossil fuels. Also, Elin in her article entitled ‘The Ups and Downs of November 2016’ takes a look at climate campaigning during a turbulent November! Nature At the beginning of December we celebrated the 3rd anniversary of the UK neonics ban with a weeklong celebration. Have a read of 4
Transport At the end of October we celebrated the installation of the public use bike pump at New Street Station which we fundraised for through a comedy gig. We got up extra early for the photo stunt! There are many different ways you can get involved with our campaigns and we always welcome new people. Whether you have a little time or a lot please get in touch or come along to any of our weekly Monday night meetings (Check out the diary page for contact details). Follow us on Twitter (@Bham_FOE) and Facebook (www.facebook.com/ birminghamfoe) to keep up to date with what we are doing. For more indepth information on our campaigns take a look at our website (www.birminghamfoe.org.uk)
S U P P O R T We are the only organisation in Birmingham that campaigns on Air Quality, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Energy, Transport, Planning, Waste and Recycling.
You can help us to do this in a number of ways: Take part in our campaigns. Join us as a supporter. Make a donation. Or you could receive our email updates and decide what you want to do when you know us a bit better.
Whichever way you get involved, you are helping to make Birmingham green and sustainable!
For donations go to http://localgiving.com/birminghamfoe
5
Community Share Issue Update By Phil Burrows
We announced our intention to release a community share issue for The Warehouse back in the summer 2016 newsletter. Here’s a quick update on what has been happening since then: Thanks to the funding from Big Potential, we have been able to appoint the Plunkett Foundation to carry out work, including: Skills audit & Recruitment support Peter Couchman, chief executive of The Plunkett Foundation will be working out whether we have skills and time necessary to manage Birmingham Friends of the Earth. Financial Modelling and Systems and Business Planning Helen Melia will be bringing her many years of experience working on community share issues to help make sure that our figures add up.
6
Marketing strategy support Gordon Stewart, Policy and Development Officer at The Plunkett Foundation will be helping us to make sure that we reach the right people when we’re trying to find investors. Engagement support Peter Couchman will be working with building users, tenants and potential investors to make sure that everybody is on board with this project. Share offer support Donna Smith will be helping us to gain the coveted Community Shares Standard Mark, which ensure that; • Our offer document and application form are easy to understand;
• The facts are supported by the annual accounts and the business plan; • Nothing in the documents is purposefully incorrect, confusing or misleading. Impact measurement We want to make sure that we’re being as sustainable as we can and Gordon Stewart will be helping us to find ways of measuring the positive environment that we want to create.
We’re on the lookout for potential investors at the moment. If you would like to express an interest, then please email shareissue@ birminghamfoe.org.uk
• You are provided with all the facts you need to make an informed decision; Illustrations designed by Freepik.
7
Happy BEE Week
By Elin Stroem
Even though bees hibernate in winter it doesn’t mean we can’t throw them a party, does it? Well, that’s what we did. The week of 28 November we celebrated the three year ban on neonicotinoids (neonics) in the UK. Neonics, used as a pesticide on for example oilseed rape, is dangerous for bees. The pesticide affects bees’ brains and make it harder for
8
them to pollinate safely and find their way back to their hive. So on the third anniversary of the ban we threw a party to celebrate, leading up to this we did an awareness campaign on social media (if you haven’t followed us on Instagram yet do so @ Birmingham FOE). We presented the top five spotted bees from the Great British Bee Count that BFOE took part in earlier this year.
If you missed it, here are the top five most spotted bees in the UK summer of 2016: 1. White-tailed bumblebee 2. Honey bee 3. Early bumblebee 4. Tree bumblebee 5. Red-tailed bumblebee During the week-long celebration we shared information about these bees as they all have different characteristics. Did you know for example that there is a cuckoo bee just like the cuckoo bird? Or that the Tree bumblebee is the newest addition to the British bee population and was first sighted in the UK in 2001? If you want to know more about the most
spotted bees and what they do in winter, make sure you check out our Nature page on our website birminghamfoe.org.uk. If you want to attract bees to your garden in 2017 make sure you have some of the following flowers: Cotoneaster, Lacy phacelia, Ceanothus, Buddleja and Wisteria. These were the top flowers bees were spotted pollinating. We need our bees and the bees need us to make sure they can stay safe and healthy.
Join the celebration and tell your MP to back the ban of harmful pesticides today! https://act.foe.co.uk/act/ ask-your-mp-back-ban-beeharming-pesticides Illustrations designed by Freepik.
9
Is it Just the Winter Blues or are We a Nation With a Nature Deficit Disorder? By Jodie Hopewell
As the light begins to fade, so do our memories of lush green gardens and the feeling of sun on our skin. Modern life demands hours rooted in front of computer screens, with nothing but the blue light of monitors, a wilting spider plant and an energy saving light bulb for company. On a particularly grey day, winter skies are reflected in the concrete of the city and it becomes impossible to discern any hints of green beyond the piles of decomposing leaves. But fear not, nature hasn’t abandoned us! We just need to look a little harder… Although it is not a recognised medical condition, Nature Deficit Disorder is arguably a symptom of our current lifestyle. Richard Louv first explored the concept in his 2005 release ‘Last Child in the Woods’ and it seems to be 10
resurfacing alongside the fads of Hygge and living more Danishly. Whilst it’s perfectly natural to want to cosy down during the winter months with fluffy socks and an open fire, the real issue here is that our existence is no longer in sync with the natural world. Speaking at the Royal Horticultural Society in October, Dr Ross Cameron of the University of Sheffield argued that, “We’re so clued into modern technology that we’re less observant about the world around us and we’re more likely to learn about wildlife from a David Attenborough programme than maybe from a walk in the woods”. This indoor sedentary lifestyle is thought to have negative consequences for our concentration spans, mental health and wellbeing and sets a poor standard for future generations. It is important that we maintain a connection to the natural world,
just taking the time to watch the seasons change or listening to bird song provides us with the opportunity to slow down and take a breath. Failing to do so will lead to a disconnection and alienation from nature and this in turn will leave us more vulnerable
Illustrations designed by Freepik.
to negative moods. It would seem that fresh air really does do us the world of good! Although society may be drifting away from nature at least we can find some comfort in the fact that Planet Earth II is attracting more 16-34 year old viewers than the X Factor!
11
Digbeth Community Garden Update
Keep up to date with the latest developments:
Twitter @DigbethGarden
Facebook www.facebook.com/ digbethcommunitygarden
Website https://digbethcommunity garden.wordpress.com
Illustrations designed by Freepik.
12
By Adam McCusker
The Garden is currently in hibernation, but we had short gardening sessions throughout winter where we have been scoping out an area for waterharvesting and tidying the place up. The pizza oven is staying dry under its new shelter, despite the rain. The pond could do with some maintenance come the spring but the perennial beds are still healthy and productive. We have with plenty of winter hardy plants, such as perennial kale and pineapple
sage which is in fact in flower during December. We won’t be holding any events in the garden until spring but are planning through the winter which should make the garden an even better events space. So come along the 3rd Saturday of the month for little light gardening and a cup of herbal tea. We still have plenty of plants in good condition if anyone fancies planning them as now is a good time to plant some of the perennial herbs.
13
HS2 Debate Sanjive Muskaan HS2- is there a need for it and can we afford it? There has already been £51 million investment in it and that cost is rising, aren’t we in enough debt already? Apart from that there is the massive environmental impact to consider, areas of the countryside will be lost forever and pollution. All of this to benefit only a minority of travellers. HS2 is being built in the name of progress, but maybe we should question what we want from progress. Do we just want a stronger economy (the economic arguments for this are weak in the first place) or do we want to think about what future generations may want or need? We also need to consider who is profiting from the venture and at what cost. Every council along the route of this so called fast rail link are having their budgets every year tightened or money taken off them altogether for schools, hospitals, 14
education, and mental health care, would you rather have a share of that money or build the HS2, and you have your answer. So again, I ask the question, is HS2 really needed? To save 20 minutes of journey time?
Illustration designed by Freepik.
Elena Campos Ingram HS2, a 250mph high-speed train connecting London to the Midlands and beyond, is an enormous undertaking affecting many people; consequently it has sparked huge controversy. Although my gut reaction is to oppose HS2, it is good to consider the arguments that brought about the conception of such a contested infrastructure project.
The main argument for the construction of HS2 is the economic benefits it will bring. According to some sources such as Campaign for High Speed Rail and some MPs, HS2 will be a catalyst for growth and productivity in the UK. The London-West Midlands section alone is projected to create 40,000 jobs. HS2 has already invested in the construction of the College for High Speed Rail (NCHSR) in Birmingham, with an aim to train world-class rail engineers. In addition, HS2 is envisaged to help rebalance the north/south divide, it will be ‘an engine for growth in the North and West Midlands’, promising that 70% of jobs created will be outside of London. Unfortunately, all these stats come from the KPMG government funded report, and it is yet to be seen whether Birmingham and other cities on the route will in fact benefit, or if they will become new Brightons, with sky-high rent and jobs centred on commuting to London. The second biggest argument for its construction is it will be good for the environment, and on this
topic there are many optimistic forecasts from the line’s backers. HS2 will move 4.5 million journeys from the air and 9 million journeys from the road. It will open up space on existing rail networks for freight, taking 100s of HGVs off the road and will free up capacity on overcrowded commuter routes. Moreover, some studies confirm that high speed rail is among one of the most carbon efficient mass transport modes. Additionally, HS2 will be electric, so moving towards greener energy supplies. Other things to consider are that an Environmental Committee will mitigate the impact to ancient woodland and habitat, 2 million trees will be planted along the route creating new habitats, and steps have been taken to cut CO2 emissions produced by the construction of HS2, for example contracts with conditions requiring the use of low carbon vehicles. Again, it is impossible to predict the real outcome of all of these calculations and the real environmental impact the project will have, and at +56bn, I personally feel, it’s not something worth betting on! 15
Our Fight Against Air Pollution
Ruben de Rijcke / CC-BY-SA-3.0
By Jana Eckel
Paying attention to air pollution is now more important than ever. It contributes to around 40,000 premature deaths in the UK every year and the health implications cost the UK up to ÂŁ17 billion a year, equating to ÂŁ283 million a year for Birmingham. The problem with air pollution is that it is invisible. Therefore, many people are not even aware of the danger surrounding them. The health problems resulting from 16
exposure to air pollution have been linked to cancer, asthma, stroke and heart disease, diabetes, obesity and changes linked to dementia. Air pollution is not only toxic to our bodies but also to our environment. The biggest cause of air pollution is traffic. On average transport is responsible for 80% of exhaust emissions. It can contribute to eutrophication of waterways that damages aquatic life and can lead to ground level ozone that damages crops, through chemical reactions
with volatile organic compounds. This year, The Government decided to implement five Clean Air Zones around the UK by 2020. The aim behind these is to improve air quality in the UK and meet climate change targets. Birmingham is to be one of those five cities. Based on that, national government provided a public consultation which needed to be submitted by 9 December. We examined the details of the given framework and gave an extensive response. Simultaneously, we have set ourselves the target of raising peoples’ awareness and providing
them with insights and potential solutions in regards to our current air quality in Birmingham. By spreading the facts of air pollution via social media we can reach and inform people but it is certain that our work is far from over yet. In order to reduce air pollution in Birmingham we need to have a comprehensible and realistic approach on how public transport in general can be regulated with the outcome of cleaner public transport in order to reduce car dependency. Therefore, we are aiming to take further campaigning steps in 2017 to win the fight against air pollution long term!
Illustration designed by Freepik.
17
What is Going On in the Shrewsbury Friends of the Earth would back us if the issue of deliveries could be sorted out. We then took part in the consultation concerning the future of the town, and were asked, along with others, to produce a transport blueprint.
Photo courtesy of Shrewsbury Frends of the Earth
By Barbara Phillips
As Shrewsbury is an Air Quality Management Area, Shrewsbury FoE have been campaigning to reduce vehicle use in the town centre. Earlier this year, our campaign to have the High Street closed for 5 hours during the day was met with both applause and hostility in the local press. We surveyed the shop owners and managers along the route and found (to our surprise) that a small majority backed our plan. More 18
This has led to the umbrella group ‘Sustainable Transport Shropshire’ being set up. We have also been campaigning on waste, specifically on a stretch of the Rea Brook which has businesses backing onto it. Working alongside a local resident, we negotiated with the businesses and gradually the waste began to be cleared. It is nearly complete and we have commitments made to keeping it clear in the future. We’ll be watching as, we hope, will the otters, kingfishers, damselflies and freshwater fish as they return.
West Midlands Wolverhamption Friends of the Earth By Matt Henderson
Wolverhampton FoE is a long established group although we have reduced in active members. We campaign on many issues and the current focus is to ensure we have an environmentally friendly waste system. Wolverhampton council set up a food waste collection service in 2011 at a cost of ÂŁ600 thousand and was probably one of the first in the country. The council had a 5 year ÂŁ2.3M grant from central government to do this and now
Photo courtesy of Wolverhampton Friends of the Earth
that the grant money has dried up the service is to be terminated! The whole of the waste collection is being reduced due to central government cutbacks. Continued on page 20...
Green Shropshire Exchange By Tony Green
Green Shropshire Exchange (GSX) is an umbrella organisation of environmental groups across Shropshire and Telford which promote sustainable solutions and action on climate change.
Set up in 2012 with Shropshire council support, it achieved charity status in 2015. Groups involved include are Shrewsbury Friends of the Earth, Ludlow 21, Telford Transition Town, Shropshire Wildlife Trust and Fordhall Community Farm. Continued on page 20... 19
Wolverhamption Friends of the Earth Continued from page 19... The council takes no responsibility for informing a very transient and multicultural community as to how to deal with their waste, contaminated recycling bins litter the local area and they are blind to this. Dumped fridge/freezers with
Green Shropshire Exchange Continued from page 19... The GSX conference in 2016 was about Local Energy issues and future challenges, our keynote speaker was Anna Bright of Sustainability West Midlands. We also attended the recent conference in Birmingham making links with the region. We are one of the forums of the Shropshire Voluntary Community Sector Assembly which considers the role of the many groups involved in Health and Wellbeing and the situation of the council budget reductions and the developments of the NHS and social care. 20
their compressors removed are an eyesore as well as contributing to wider environmental problems. The council has a responsibility to sort out this whole mess. The whole waste issue needs a complete overhaul and we are to begin a campaign to highlight all of the issues, this is not only about the now, it is also about the future.
Lottery funding has enabled us to support new small local projects and help to organise talks and workshops. Plans for 2017 include celebrating the good stories of the successful progress since the UN Rio conference in 1992 and developing a vision for a sustainable future in Shropshire.
More details about GSX can be found on our website and Facebook page: http://www.greenshropshir exchange.org.uk/ https://www.facebook.com/ greenshropshirexchange
Divest WMPF The WMPF, which manages the pensions for all the region's council employees, has significant investment in fossil fuels.These investments expose the pensions to risk. The share prices of the top 5 fossil fuel companies have fallen over the last 5 years.
Tell the WMPF to take this opportunity to contribute to a greener future and move away from fossil fuels by: Sign our petition Write to your local councillor Volunteer
www.birminghamfoe.org.uk/divestwmpf DivestWMPF
@DivestWMPF
21
What is Personal Divestment?
By Poppy Buckingham
Birmingham Friends of the Earth are supporting a campaign to get the West Midlands Pension Fund to divest from fossil fuels. This got us thinking about how individuals divest. There are a number of organisations and websites with information about how to divest including: • 350.org • Go Fossil Free.org • Move Your Money.org • Share Action There are also shopping sites which allow you to check the origins of the products you’re buying include the Ethical Superstore and Natural Collection. The first thing I noticed when researching personal divestment, 22
is that each person’s divestment to do list would be different. Different divestment priorities include the environment, workers’ rights, arms manufacturing etc. Whether you want to invest in or divest from certain companies or industries may depend on your stance on nuclear power, animal agriculture, green gas, etc... Options for individuals to divest include: 1. Switching banks 2. Switching pension schemes, if this is an option 3. Switching insurance provider 4. Switching energy provider and/or tariff 5. Installing solar panels or turbines, if this is an option 6. Swapping to greener modes of transport if practicable, or moving away from petrol and diesel powered vehicles
7. Recycling and reusing plastics and other materials to reduce waste and reduce the need for new plastic to be manufactured 8. Eating as seasonably, locally and organically as practicable and opting for Fairtrade products where available 9. When buying non-food items, opting for products that are either Fairtrade, second hand, reusable,
recycled and recyclable, organic, locally made, not fossil-fuel based and not animal-based, when possible 10. Reducing the amount of meat you eat and moving towards a more plantbased diet. Previous well known divestment campaigns targeted the Apartheid in South Africa and the tobacco industry, so it can work!
Arrow llustration designed by Freepik. Photo by Photoangel / Freepik.
23
The Lucas Plan By Poppy Buckingham
Saturday 26th November 2016 saw the Lucas Plan Conference in Birmingham, celebrating 40 years of it. The Lucas Plan was an effort by workers at Lucas Aerospace to save jobs by proposing alternative, socially useful applications of the
24
company’s technology and the workers’ skills. Lucas Aerospace was restructuring, facing increased international competition and technological change. Job cuts and site closures were becoming increasingly likely. Another concern was that around half of Lucas Aerospace output supplied military contracts.
Employees formed the Lucas Aerospace Combine Shop Stewards Committee - a representative body of staff and manual worker unions on all 15 sites across the UK. The committee functioned as a unified and coherent voice of the workforce on a variety of issues facing the workforce. In an effort to be proactive in the face of pending closures and cuts, the committee proposed 150 product alternatives. Lucas Aerospace rejected the proposals, refusing to diversify. However, no forced redundancies were enforced during the life of the committee.
communities whose employment and financial stability rely on North Sea Oil are understandably less keen on the idea. It would be better to redirect the technology, skills base and work force than to close the door and cut the jobs. Questions which came out of the conference: • Why would you want to do this? Is there a climate concern? Is increased automation potentially causing job cuts in a particular industry? Is the company involved in armaments or nuclear power for example?
Representatives from many organisations and sectors took part in sessions and discussions to see if the legacy of The Lucas Plan could be applied to current situations. The wide ranging group took part in sessions and discussions for this end.
• How could you do this? Unions working together, sharing experience, guidance and expertise?
An example of a current situation where the ideas are relevant is North Sea Oil. Closure of and divestment from North Sea Oil is good for the environment. However, the individuals and local
• What is socially useful production?
• What is appropriate or alternative technology? What is ‘good’ and what is ‘bad’?
It will be interesting to see what answers come from the questions raised at the conference.
Illustration designed by Freepik. Logo courtesy of the Lucas Plan.
25
The Ups and Downs of November 2016 By Elin Stroem
It is safe to say that November 2016 left us with many emotions. It might go down in climate change history as the starting point of either disaster or success. It was a month that held climate talks, when The Paris Agreement went into force, UK ratified the agreement and a climate denier was elected President of the United States, the world’s second largest polluter (greenhouse gases). It was also the month where activists opposing the Dakota Access Pipeline clashed with police. As well as reports of air temperatures in the Arctic being 20C warmer than usual and the sea is 4C warmer. Much of the above are bad news for the climate but there was some good news as well. The Paris Agreement officially entered into force on the 4th of November. Only a year after it was adopted and days before the COP22
26
in Marrakech, known beforehand as the “implementation� COP. So what happened in Marrakech? Not much. The same day Trump was elected the next US President, the World Meteorological Organisation delivered a presentation in Marrakech saying the past five years had been the hottest ever recorded. Yet it was President-elect Trump that dominated the news and many fear that he might pull out of the Paris Agreement or ignore the contribution that the US set out to make towards it. However, in Marrakech world leaders, especially from China, pledged to continue their intention to decrease emissions of CO2 should the US pull out of the agreement in the future. This is good news and China is now an unlikely global leader of climate change mitigation.
The Paris Agreement as it currently stands won’t single-handedly save the world and the way forward over the next couple of years is crucial for climate action. Civil Society need to hold government officials accountable to their commitments but also work with them. Together we can reduce the negative impact of climate change.
November 2016 was a month that the climate movement will remember. The good thing that came out of November was the uniting force that brought us closer to each other with a clearer mission: we need to make sure fossil fuels stays where they belong, in the ground. So let’s get to work!
27
Standing with Standing Rock
By Georgie Whitehouse
The suspension of construction of the Dakota Access Pipeline under the Missouri River is an incredible victory, but the fight against “The Black Snake” is far from over. On December 4th, an easement was denied for the extension of a crude oil pipeline under the Missouri River. 28
The pipeline faced strong opposition in Dakota from the indigenous Sioux Tribe at Standing Rock Indian Reservation. In spiritual resistance, a camp was established as a centre for cultural preservation. The threat to drinking water and the likely violation of sacred burial grounds were listed as chief amongst the ‘Water Protectors’ concerns.
The initially small camp swelled over the summer to a gathering of many thousands, consisting of members from over 300 indigenous tribes. Though their actions were always peaceful, Water Protectors faced police brutality so extreme that a public condemnation was issued by Amnesty International. This militant response from authorities meant that when the announcement of the suspension came it was tinged with as much shock and relief as it was celebration. The celebration remains cautious, though, with the Water Protectors vowing not to leave “until the black snake is dead�. Locally this fight remains multifaceted: ensuring that the legal blockade is not breached, supporting those water protectors who face their own legal charges and sustaining their victory into the term of president-elect Trump, an outspoken supporter of pipeline projects. All of this means the struggle for Standing Rock is far from over.
is a single black snake, then it is part of a much wider labyrinth of indigenous exploitation; a system which burdens indigenous communities with the worst of environmental destruction, caused, historically, by colonial powers and their economic institutions. By extension, our solidarity is incomplete unless we also stand against this wider system of colonial exploitation. So, yes, we should stand with standing rock, celebrate their incredible victory, and be in awe of their inspiring strength. We should sustain, too, the pressure on UK institutions to divest from the DAPL project. But we also need to recognize that standing with standing rock does not end in Dakota, it merely begins there.
It is equally important to recognize that standing with standing rock never meant merely resisting the pipeline in Dakota. If the DAPL Photo by John Duffy / CC-BY-SA-3.0. Illustration designed by Freepik.
29
West Midlands Metro Mayor Runners and Riders By Chris Crean
And they are off, not at a gallop mind, BUT we are starting to hear from our Metro Mayor candidates. First out of the trap was Sion Simon for Labour, a current MEP and ex MP for Birmingham Erdington. Followed by Beverly Nielson, local businesswoman for the Lib Dems. The Tories, who think they have a real chance here in the West Midlands, used the Tory Party conference held here in Birmingham to launch their candidate Andy Street ex MD of John Lewis and chair of the Birmingham and Solihull LEP. The Greens have selected James Burn, leader of the opposition on Solihull Council. They creatively staged their launch in the London Assembly to highlight just how tokenistic this form of devolution actually is in comparison
with what is happening elsewhere in England let alone the UK. The Metro Mayor election will take place on May 4th 2017 with voters from the conurbation’s 7 local authorities engaged. While a number of rural districts have joined the combined authority as non-constituent members, none as yet are signed up to raise a precept on local council taxes and therefore elections to this post are not taking places outside the conurbation this time around. The first husting of many took place at the Sustainability West Midlands conference with 3 of the 4 candidates showing up. There was a transport debate on 5th December where the M6 toll became centre stage and a point of major disagreement. These are the early shots in what could be a fascinating contest in which there is a genuine race so expect some high profile visits to the region over the next few months. Illustration designed by Freepik.
30
Volunteer in the Spotlight Elin Strom
How did you first find out about BFOE? When I decided I was moving to Birmingham, I googled environmental organisations in Birmingham and BFOE came up. I had heard of Friends of the Earth before and thought it an interesting organisation that dealt with issues I feel passionate about. I applied on the website and have volunteered weekly since then.
What do you think is the most important environmental issue and why? Climate change. Since I first heard about it in school, it has been a part of my life. I have devoted a great deal of my time to raise awareness about it. I went to COP15 in Copenhagen and joined the demonstrations. The Arctic is unusually warm at this time of year and my town is facing yet another green Christmas. Things are changing and it is important to remember those who are really suffering from the effects of climate change right now. And we really need to work together across all levels in the society to address this issue.
What do you do at BFOE? I have helped out with different things like social media, writing blogs and articles and designing posters. Recently I helped out with the HappyBeeWeek campaign.
What’s your best green tip/advice? Walk/cycle to work/school/your friend’s house. It is better for the environment, it is better for your health and it is better for your economy. It’s a win, win, win.
How long have you been volunteering with BFOE? Since August 2016.
31
Thank You Party
By Jodie Etheridge
On Monday 31st October we proudly hosted a Halloween themed thank you event in the Warehouse. We organised the party to celebrate all that we have achieved this year and to thank our staff, volunteers and supporters who have made it possible. We listened to talks from campaigners about, amongst other things, the arrival of our bees in the community garden, and the installation of a public bike pump in New Street station. Photos relating to these were displayed both as a slide show and on displays around the room. There was homemade vegetable soup provided by the Warehouse cafe and homemade cakes kindly made by volunteers. As it was Halloween we even had a chocolate filled ‘Trick or Treat’ cauldron! 32
This was an ideal opportunity for those involved with the organisation to socialise and talk about our achievements. This was a valuable chance for everyone who might not usually work together regularly to meet up, network and share ideas and successes. Overall, the event was well-attended and a great success! Thank you very much to all those who came and those who brought food and to the cafe for the soup. A big thank you again to all who have made our achievements possible this year (whether you could make it or not to the event). We are a welcoming team and always looking for new supporters and volunteers so if you know anyone who would like to get involved please spread the word! Here’s to another great year for us all! Illustration designed by Freepik.
33
Diary Dates Campaigns meetings Mondays 7:30pm
20 February Action Meeting: Metro Mayor Hustings 27 February Action Meeting: Climate Refugee Conference Feedback 6 March General Meeting 13 March Action Meeting: Crafts Placard making 20 March Action Meeting 27 March Action Meeting 3 April General Meeting 10 April Action Meeting 17 April No Meeting: Bank Holiday 24 April Action Meeting 1 May No Meeting: Bank Holiday 8 May General Meeting These all take place at The Warehouse and are open to everyone whether or not you have been before. We have two types of meetings: 1. General meeting: First Monday of the month and involves an update on each of our campaigns 2. A ction meeting: Skills share or interactive discussion or an activity which supports one of our campaigns.
34
Other events 26 February Birmingham Friends of the Earth Pub Quiz, Anchor Pub, Digbeth 11 March Friends of the Earth Regional Gathering, Birmingham Midlands Institute 2 April Birmingham Friends of the Earth 40th Birthday Party, The Warehouse 2-4 June Friends of the Earth Basecamp, Castleton, Peak District
Farmers’ markets Kings Heath 1st Saturday of the month 9am – 3:30pm Solihull 1st Friday of the month 9am – 5pm New Street 1st & 3rd Wednesday of the month 10am – 4pm Sutton Coldfield 2nd Friday of the month 9am – 3pm Harborne 2nd Saturday of the month 9am – 2pm Jewellery Quarter 3rd Saturday of the month 10am – 3pm Birmingham University 4th Wednesday of the month 9am – 2pm
Contact Us Friends of the Earth (Birmingham) The Warehouse 54-57 Allison Street Birmingham B5 5TH Tele: (0121) 6326909 Email: info@birminghamfoe.org.uk Web: www.birminghamfoe.org.uk Facebook: www.facebook.com/ birminghamfoe Twitter: @Bham_FOE Instagram: birminghamfoe 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 environmental 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: We campaign at a local level to effect environmental change (in ways which feed into national and international policy) through: • Lobbying • Education • Empowering others to take action • Participation and representation through public fora.
Contacts Campaigns Co-ordinators Roxanne Green & Shaz Rahman Campaigns Support Worker Libby Harris General Manager Philip Burrows Treasurer Margaret Lynch Climate Change & Energy Molly Luke & Tim Thorpe Economics Corline Hazenoot Nature Libby Harris Planning Benjamin Mabbett Waste & Recycling John Newson’s Newsletter Editor Catherine Palgrave Newsletter Graphic Designer Shannon Lattin Website Editor Philip Burrows Talks Libby Harris & others All enquires and callers welcome
35
Come and help us celebrate 40 years in The Warehouse
Sunday 2nd April 2017 3pm until 5pm We’re celebrating 40 years of creating positive environmental change. We’ll be reflecting on our best campaigns, inspiring tenants and the contribution that our dedicated staff and volunteers have made over the years. Food and drinks will be provided so we’ll need to have a good idea of numbers. Please RSVP by emailing birthday@thewarehouse.coop
Birmingham
friends of the earth