Fire in Ruscombe field

A neighbour alerted me to the fire in a Ruscombe field today - within a minute of me making a phone call fire officers were there - now that's a quick response! Then again maybe someone else alerted them.

Three very different exhibitions: road kill, photos and textiles

Tomorrow is the last day of Adam Morrigan's exhibition at the new gallery at Artspace in Stroud - it is entitled 'Road Kill' - see previous BBC reports here and here - Daily Mail report here and gallery report here. The Horsley-based artist kindly lent his kitchen last night to Greens doing their last minute campaigning for the by-election in Horsley - he didn't mention his exhibition but I stumbled across it when I was in Stroud today.

Photo: Part of Mappa Mundi

Adam explores our relationship with the natural world and how we have become alienated from it - using what is seen as valueless his work can show us that it is something priceless - I had seen photos of his work before but was struck by the actual pieces - I found some of the pieces very moving indeed - particularly the Mappa Mundi - two ducklings. I highly recommend a visit or look out for his next exhibition.

The second exhibition is at the Cricket Pavilion St Georges Field in Nailsworth 9th to 16th September 11 to 4 and features Anja Liengaard and some of her textile work and writings. She died in April this year - an extraordinary woman whose life story is well....extraordinary! I think there are probably few in Nailsworth who have not been touched by her and her husband, Kelds' warmth and creativity.

Anja was born in London, married Keld in 1951 and spent the first year of marriage travelling around the Mediterranean with a cart and fiddle. In 1956 they moved to Gloucestershire where all 5 of their children were born - and moved to Horsley in 1974 - they were active Quackers and founded the Blackberry Hill Community - Anja studied and practised complimentary healing techniques and ran many craft workshops - people from all over the country came - she was particularly well known for her spinning and many will remember her at the Farmers Market with her spinning wheel. She wrote and published 'A Child in Search of the Truth' which drew on her own experiences.

Photo: Poster advertising Anja's exhibition

The third exhibition I wanted to mention was by Bread Street resident and photographer James Boosey entitled 'Deconstructing Chameleons' at Prema from 8 Sep to 27 Oct. Here's the blurb about it:

"The chameleon uses his camouflage to protect himself from predators, to hide his own vulnerabilities and frailties. In this exhibition, Stroud-based photographer James Boosey presents a series of portraits that examine the nature of how we, as humans, use camouflage. His distinctive portraits are coupled with wide frames that protrude boldly from the walls. This creates a raw, intrusive experience that demands closer inspection from the spectator. Each portrait offers a glimpse of a personal space and invites the viewer to examine each face in detail. Boosey seeks much more than just a photograph – his aim is to create a particular engagement with the viewer. One in which we look closely at the portrait and try to see beyond the camouflage."

Disappointing by-election result

Chris Harmer missed being elected today in Nailsworth by 47 votes - in May he missed by 12 and prior to that Greens have missed by similar small amounts. We did run an excellent campaign with leaflets (indeed easily the best leaflets by any standards), full canvas and more this time - plus Chris Harmer who has considerable expertise and involvement locally would have made an excellent District councillor - sadly this was not enough to win.

Photo: John Marjoram at the Green party election HQ based at Anthony Hodges studio in Nailsworth

I helped 'telling' this morning and later helped remind Green voters who were perhaps leaving it a little late to go and vote - but with the flu I had earlier this month I haven't been much help with this campaign - indeed the main workers were Chris himself, Rosie Reed, John Marjoram and Phil Blomberg - they have done an excellent job so it makes it all the more disappointing not to see us get a sixth Green councillor.

The Conservatives won the election with Roland Blackwell, a well known local farmer who is now the third of three Conservative District councillors in Nailsworth - Proportional Representation would have seen a very different result with Green votes across the District getting the representation they deserve.

Anyhow when I used to live in Nailsworth I met with Roland at his house many years ago with others to see if a Farmers Market could be started in the town - indeed soon after that a small 'Country Market' was started which has now become a Farmers Market. I wish him all the best in his new role - but now it's long past bedtime!! Mind we will get that Nailsworth seat next time!!

Ruscombe Brook meeting after floods

Last week we had a Ruscombe Brook Action Group meeting and this morning I met with Ismaila, the MSc student looking at water quality and possible solutions - here's a quick catch up to let people know where we are - first last weeks meeting...

The evening started with a film and photos by residents of Puckshole taken during the recent floods - I have a copy of a DVD of the waters at Puckshole (see photo), not at peak flow, but certainly impressive - see also photos on blog entry on 22nd July 2006 and many other entries re flooding - as locals will know Puckshole is still closed due to the landslide.

At the meeting we also discussed the feedback from the consultation at Cashes Green Fun Day on August 12th 2007 - the day went well despite poor weather - many thanks to all those who helped and the Stroud Valleys Project help in providing rain protection, display boards and more. It was also a chance to hand out some of the new leaflets which we designed with Severn Trent Water - more of those in another post.

Various other issues were discussed including the possibly newly forming Slad Valley Action Group and the Painswick flood group which both want a RBAG speaker. Plus further responses to the Memo of Cooperation which we have sent out (see previous RBAG posts for info), correspondence with Defra and the next step as Ismaila nears completion of his MSc project.

Next meeting: Tuesday 18th Sept at 7.30 in Ebley - call me on 755451 for details.

Today I met Ismaila while he was on the last day of his water quality testing of the brook - he called in to my house for a discussion about his project and also interviewed me re some of my thoughts on the brook - he has done the same to others - residents, professionals and RBAG members. He will present findings to RBAG in October - then we can look at how to implement.

Photo: Ismaila testing water quality in brook

Don't miss Ragged Hedge Fair and Hawkwood this weekend

Tricky to know what to do this weekend. Hawkwood Festival of Healing and the Environment (just outside Stroud) is always a good event and the same weekend it is the return of the Ragged Hedge Fair near Cirencester at Abbey Home Farm - last year it was a wonderful event - it was also nice to see they used a quote from this blog to advertise this years event:

"incredibly welcoming and friendly" Green Futures

"completely free of corporate commercialism" Ruscombe Green

"perfect inclusive and colourful gathering" Festival Eye

Photo: Hawkwood College

A46 latest

Here's the latest update from Highways via Julie the Ruscombe and Whiteshill Clerk - Use the search facility on this blogsite for previous more detailed posts on A46.

Photo: view of Whiteshill

1. They are still conducting tests on the A46. Once they have results of tests, they can work out a design, then they will have a better idea of timescales. At the moment, it is looking like 6 months before the road is re-opened!!

2. Highways will be considering a request that staff working on the A46 be paid to work weekends in order to speed up the process.

3. All works previously planned are currently on hold (this includes Lower Street). They have a meeting in a couple weeks time to review the works schedule (I have written to see if Puckshole could be included in updated list as that would ease traffic there).

4. They have 60 additional signs going up yesterday to encourage motorists along the proper diversions.

5. They have asked Police to enforce the weight restriction on the Main Road. Highways would like details of any lorries that are breaching the weight limit (ie company name) and they are contacting the companies to stop them using Whiteshill as a cut-through.

6. The coloured surface outside the Whiteshill school is going ahead in the next few days.

Update 30th August - replies on several issues:

1. Reply re need for Puckshole to open: "Agreed, it would be good to get it open, we've met with the Insurers/Loss Adjusters and design work is in hand, they are as keen to progress as much as we are as further slippage could mean a bigger pay-out. The problem remains that the slipped earth is still supporting the ground above, and until the bank is stabilised it would be inadvisable to move it. Unfortunately to undertake the stabilisation work, the road will need to be closed so the work can be carried out safely. It's a similar scenario to the slip on the A46, there appears little going on site, but in the background there is a lot of work being done on the design."

2. Reply re temporary 20 mph speed limit in Whiteshill: "20mph limits, and their effectiveness are currently under review. Even prior to the review, they were not implemented unless there are physical measures to keep the speeds down anyway. I wouldn't consider it to be a practical option in this instance, and would rather concentrate efforts on other measures."

3. Reply re extra 'policing' to be made available at the start of next week when schools return:
"The Police are aware of the problems of extra traffic at Whiteshill and also Wick Street, and are adding extra patrols to the area as resources permit."

4. Citizen report A46 will cost £1m to repair - see here.

Further info promised as soon as it is available.

Folk Art and Fairy tales in the park

You still have a chance to see the amazing 'Folk Art and Fairy Tales' Exhibition at the Museum in the Park (Stratford Park, Stroud) until 2 September 2007 - it really is worth a visit - especially loved the figures by Lucy Casson - see here - and see here Julie Arkell - plus 8 other artists - I know I can enthuse lots but this really is a don't miss exhibition!!

Photo: Squirrel in the park yesterday

Plus a big thank you to the Museum for organising such great craft days for children through the summer holidays - and congrats on a fourth Green Flag Award for Stratford Park - these Green Flag Awards are the national standard for parks and green spaces.

Complaint about the Suzuki ad

Most car ads are decidedly un-Green but some are worse than others - I have just submitted a complaint to the Advertising Standards Authority about an ad in this week's Radio Times. I don't know where else it appears but it can be viewed here.

Update: reply received from ASA notes they do not agree and will not be taking action.

Heres what I said:

I write re the Suzuki ad showing a very stressful scene in a London underground carriage with the caption "Time for a swift exit? The Suzuki Swift from £7,999."

This is effectively urging people to switch from public transport to private car and is highly irresponsible. Climate change - quite likely the greatest threat to life on Earth - means that it is essential that people are not discouraged from using public transport to reduce carbon emissions.

I consider that the ad breaches principle 2.3 with regard to responsibility, and principle 10.1 regarding unsafe practices. As well as producing excessive CO2 emissions, private motoring has much higher accident rates and is therefore more dangerous in terms of accident and injury.

You can also complain from here if interested:
http://www.asa.org.uk/asa/how_to_complain/

Indeed with public transport fares continuing to rise, car maintenance costs continuing to drop, and fuel costs at the same level as a year ago, it's no surprise that UK car ownership is on the up. The government is pledging to do more for the environment, but the slowing rise in the cost of motoring is at odds with this. Findings from this month's RAC Direct Insurance annual cost of motoring index also showed that the average family car's running costs are falling. Although depreciation and higher motor finance costs mean that the average motorist is losing £45.33 a week on the overall value of their car, it is still becoming cheaper to be on the road. Until more enticing financial incentives are introduced to encourage the uptake of greener transport, motorists will continue to be wedded to their cars.

Accident prone Oldbury restarts

Oldbury nuke has started again - it has only had one reactor operate for eight days since last August. Reactor 2 was shut down for two years due to concerns about its corroded reactor core and we've had the fire and a turbine failure. As I've said before it seems that an industry that hasn't even the cash to dismantle its defunct reactors is trying dangerously hard to still make some money from this 39 year old dinosaur. I again called for Oldbury to close. Read my news release here.

Meanwhile a couple of weeks ago the Professional Engineering magazine contacted me re Oldbury as they were doing a feature re the closures of various nuclear power stations across Europe - I didn't get a quote in the end but they did contact John Large - an independent nuclear scientist - and got loads of technical info re concerns from him. A copy of the magazine arrived a couple of days ago.

It has also been good to see some of the recent articles re nuclear - like The Guardian noting a worldwide expansion of nuclear power has little chance of significantly reducing carbon emissions but will add dangerously to the proliferation of nuclear weapons-grade materials and the potential for nuclear terrorism. The Oxford Research Group paper, funded by the Joseph Rowntree charitable trust, who research this issue says that the worldwide nuclear "renaissance" planned by the industry to provide cheap, clean power is a myth.

Another paper from Corporate Watch showed that throughout its fifty year history, Britain's nuclear industry has consistently failed to deliver on its promises: "Now, less than five years after the financial collapse of British Energy, the UK's commercial nuclear generator, the public, parliament, and the financial markets are being asked once again to believe that a new generation of nuclear power stations can produce electricity safely and without government subsidy. And once again, there is good reason to believe that the industry's predictions are as spurious as in previous decades."

Infact one power station is/was only available 34% of its 'life' and that the new power station in Finland is 18 months late after a build time of 2 and a half years! In fact the Guardian also covered a story re how governments pick up tab on nuclear waste costs - see here. Indeed don't get me going on nuclear waste - Greens in Glos have submitted detailed reports - indeed one re CoRWM was acclaimed as being one of the best on the topic - and what has the Government done...

First they responded that it would go ahead with geological disposal, despite the heavily qualified nature of CoRWM's recommendation, which stressed the vital role of interim storage because of concerns about disposal safety standards. Second, CoRWM'recommended an independent oversight body, similar to the Statutory Nuclear Waste Management Commission recommended by the House of Lords - this was rejected by the government.

Third it seems clear that the government's haste to approve a new generation of reactors before solving the nuclear waste problem undermines its previous willingness to respond so positively to CoRWM's widespread public consultation. The government, in order to sanction new nuclear power, appears to be looking for a geological "quick fix", without addressing the reasons why such a proposal failed a decade ago. But hey enough of this for now I'm for a coffee and croissant in the sun!

Was Oldbury threatened by recent floods?

The Channel 4 News report (still available on-line at 4m15 into the reel) had a remark by Jon Snow: "...and a nuclear installation that I'm not allowed to mention..."

Three years ago Oldbury got cut off in the floods so workers couldn't leave or enter the power station. However it seems more likely the reference by Jon Snow was to Aldermason - clearly with serious safety implications.

Whiteshill and Ruscombe Parish update re street lights

Recent posts have covered latest re A46 traffic - and on 22nd September the Parish are now organising a Coffee Morning in the Village Hall to discuss wider issues about traffic in the Parish.

Photo: Whiteshill Church

However I wanted to note an issue from this months Parish meeting - an issue I've raised several times on this blog: street lighting. Street lighting consumes almost 25% of all the County Councils energy and costs have risen and look set to rise more.

Apparently 30% of the Parish's lighting is likely to be suitable for a midnight to 5.30am switch off. The County plan to leave it on in sites that could cause problems like near speed humps. It would take a days work to alter those lights - each light costs £12 to convert - but savings in CO2 emissions and cash will be significant over years. The Parish are now looking at the plans.

It has been noted that in 5 years it will be cost effective to dim other lights on A roads - what nonsense - get on with it now I say and make the savings in CO2 and cash. Oil prices look set to rise quicker than most forecasts. Why wait? Other Councils like Essex are forging ahead with the great switch off and dim.

Thistledown: something amazing near Stroud

For some time I've been meaning to visit the Thistledown Environmental Centre just outside Nailsworth - it opened on 9th June.

Today I did make the visit - glorious sunshine and a picnic - 70 acres of Cotswold landscape with a beautiful woodland walk with woodland ponds, meadows, sculptures, a stone circle, lots of history and more - plus friendly animals to say hello to - it really is a great and inspiring place.

You'll see from my photos a new visitor centre is being built - this is particularly exciting - an environmentally sustainable carbon gain building whereby no concrete will be used in its foundations and no cement in its construction.

This innovative pole barn building has been designed to carry the weight of a turf and wildflower roof. The walls will be made of hemp, lime, straw and clay (hemp blocks) securely positioned between a wooden frame. Although these materials are not generally used in building, they make a very effective substitute for concrete products in construction, they insulate and soundproof well, and are carbon gaining.

It is believed that this is a pioneering new building system that could support agricultural revenues and environmental issues, which no one is currently promoting in the industry.

The flooring will vary from experimental organic leather hides to rammed earth, stone, oak and coppiced timber bound with modern glues to make laminates as an alternative to softwoods like pine. Underfloor heating will use latent heat from the Lodge Ground clay found on the farm. Two kilometres of pipes will supply 70% of the building's heat through a heat exchanger and the remainder of the heat will be provided by a wood burning stove. All of this will be explained within the exhibition area and large banners hanging on each side of the building will also serve to illustrate the aims of the Centre.

The Centre will house a classroom area for the use of school parties and a Research Library for universities plus cafe.

Thistledown are open throughout the summer from Wednesday to Sunday, 10am to 5.30pm - visit them - there website has lots more info about their various projects:

http://www.thistledown.org.uk/

Best film to understand money: highly recommended

A little while back I got sent in the post an unsolicited DVD - a 47-minute animated presentation of "Money as Debt" by Paul Grignon - it tells in very simple and effective graphic terms what money is and how it is being created. I highly recommend it as a painless but hard-hitting educational tool and encourage the widest distribution - indeed would like to make it essential viewing for all politicians.

I have a copy which I will loan around the DVD version to those interested - email me - alternatively see it here online:
http://www.moneyasdebt.net/ Or here.

The DVD is being promoted by the Money Reform Party - their website also covers many of the issues and why we need reform - Greens have been calling for a economic reform for years - we are lucky to have in Stroud the Green Economics spokesperson Molly Scott Cato who moved here last year - she is doing a talk and leading a discussion in Stroud on 28th Sept on 'Is Capitalism Sustainable?':
http://www.glosgreenparty.org.uk/coffeehouse

Our present money supply is responsible for so many of the world’s economic, social, political, environmental, medical and other problems - without reform we wont be able to tackle those problems. It was some time ago that I first started to understand this issue - and greatly helped along the way by "The Little Book of Money" by David Boyle. Heres some more based on what the Money Reform Party have written:

Prior to that I thought - if I thought at all about it - that money in the British economy was created by the Royal Mint and/or the Bank of England in the form of notes and coins - and backed by the tons of gold lying in the Bank of England. This is far from the truth - less than 3% of the money in the British economy has been created by the government. The remaining 97% has been created by the private banking system.

Harvard economist J K Galbraith wrote: “The process by which the banks create money is so simple, the mind is repelled.” He described the fact that banks just write money into existence when anyone - an individual, a business or a government - borrows money from them, just by tapping a few buttons on a computer keyboard. You might suppose this money that you borrow from a bank is some fellow customer’s hard-earned savings. It is not. Banks do not lend ‘real’ money when they grant you a loan. Instead they grant you credit. This credit can be spent like money and to all intents and purposes it is money.

Money is created out of thin air like this by the private banks not only when then lend to private individuals, but also when then lend to businesses and to the government. The banks have been able to extend their credit creation to its present 97% of the total money supply because in today’s economy, with increasing use of credit cards, debit cards, cheques and BACS transfers, very little of the money that we use, either as individuals or as organisations, exists in the form of cash.

It is extraordinary that the banks happily pass cheques and similar payments between each other which are ‘backed’ by nothing more than a ledger or computer entry in the form of somebody’s debt. In the minds of most people such behaviour would be tantamount to fraud. That it occurs on a massive scale is possible only through the widescale ignorance of the process on the part of not only the British public, but also of most of our politicians and commentators.

Money created as a debt by the banks bears a charge of interest - this increases the amount of money that the economy owes by an amount greater than the amount in existence - ie the economy is a saddled with a debt that can never be paid off, merely passed around like a game of Pass-the-Parcel - but someone somewhere has to lose out.

What options are there if we find ourselves deeply in debt? One course of action is to reduce our spending, to buy less, and the second is to increase our income, to sell more. Yet these courses of action are not possible within an entire economy, because if large numbers of people buy less, then necessarily the amount of sales will go down. One cannot have some people selling without there being other people buying. It is a zero-sum game. The only way that an economy can sell more without buying more is if it sells its products abroad, but every economy in the world is based upon debt-based money. Every country starts from the position of indebtedness. Every country is desperately trying to sell more than it buys to reduce its own debt.

The attempt by countries to ‘export’ their debts to each other is an absurd and quite impossible target because the sum total of the amount of money in circulation around the world is effectively a negative figure. More money is extracted from the real economy each year in the form of interest charges than new money is fed in. This extracted money, the interest payments to banks is largely siphoned off to be used for currency speculation, because that is more profitable and less risky than conventional trade and so plays no role in the trade of goods and services.

This is totally crazy - why is it only Greens and a few others trying to highlight the absurdity of this situation? Cannot Brown, Cameron and Ming see the reality?

Echo editorial on aviation shows serious lack of understanding

I have to say I was shocked by the lack of understanding in the Echos recent editorial - see here - at least Cathy Green was given space to write about the Heathrow camp and they also noted the cause was right - better than The Sun who have apparently only done 6 articles on climate change in the last 7 years!!!! No wonder so many people are so ignorant.

My response is below and below that is a letter by Nailsworth climate change protester, Kevin Lister who challenges a report by the Airport given to the Cheltenham Chamber of Commerce re Stavertons expansion plus a couple of his letters challenging views in the paper that because Staverton was so 'useful' in the floods it should be allowed to expand!!

Photo: Last years demo at Staverton

My letter to Echo today:

I read with concern your editorial about the Gloucestershire protesters who joined the Climate Change camp at Heathrow (Echo18/08/07). Several points need addressing if we are not to perpetuate seriously dangerous misconceptions.

You note that "air travel is one of the miracles of the modern age, not the total scourge which the protesters might have us believe". In fact there is no dispute: aircraft are amongst the most CO2 intensive methods of travel and CO2 emitted at altitude increases global warming by up to a factor of four. If aviation is allowed to grow at current projections it will account for all permitted greenhouse gas emissions - across all sectors - before 2045.

You note Jo Public wants holidays, but the science says we cannot expand aviation. In any case it is largely the wealthy who fly: the average salary of passengers using British airports is £48,000 and the proportion of lower income households who fly has shrunk since 2000 despite falling prices. 10% of people, mostly the better off, have accounted for fully half of all flights and we should not forget aviation is subsidised annually in this country by £10.4 billion (WDM figure for this year).

You note the ozone layer matters but that is a separate issue from climate change. You suggest the answer is "planes which are light on fuel". Even the latest planes consume only 12 percent less fuel. Indeed waiting for an aeroplane that doesn’t cause climate change is like holding out for a cigarette that doesn’t cause cancer. It’s just not scientifically credible.

Our Government is failing us: emissions are rising. We need our local press to tell us the truth: to tell us what the scientists are saying. The real irony, of course, is that a radical transformation that Greens advocate, is a win-win: warmer homes, stronger communities, tastier food, less time in traffic jams – even an end to the "status anxiety" which makes so many of us unhappy or even depressed. If we do not take these actions very soon scientists show we will make this planet uninhabitable. There is no question the Heathrow camp is the most important protest of our time.

Kevin on the Glos Airport report:

I have anonymously been forwarded a document prepared by Gloucestershire Airport which they have titled "Misconceptions." It is clearly intended to rebut the environmental concerns that I have raised about the airport. I feel that it is appropriate that I answer their claims and forward my answers to those who were on the inital circulation list. In summary the airports document presents a damning case for their stewardship of the environment, in the following ways: • They have devoted the opening section of their report to dismissing global warming by peddling unproven science. Far from demonstrating concern about the environment, they are demonstrating absolute contempt towards it. • Their report is frequently contradictory. For example, it claims that noise general aviation will be reduced following the expansion, but goes on to claim that helicopter businesses which are the noisest of all are an important client and implies that they will remain so. • Their report makes false and unsubstantiated claims, such as house prices rising in the neighbourhood of the airport. There is no evidence in the UK to support this at all. In fact in the vicinity of Heathrow, people are unable to sell their houses. • The report claims that there are no plans to expand the airport, but this flatly contradicts their statements in their business plan. I trust that you will give full consideration of the facts associated with the environmental damage that this expansion proposal will cause by not supporting its development nor be taken in by the mistruths and distortions that the airport are presenting. In the spirit of debate that the aviation industry have been calling for, I am copying my reply to the management of the airport. The airport's report and my response to it are attached. (Philip - I have those if anyone is interested).

I also point to these two letters from Kevin Lister in response to letters in the Echo praising their help in the floods:

1. Following Darren Lewington’s letter regarding the airports support during the flooding crisis, I would also like to congratulate his organisation for supporting the crisis. However, such support does not constitute a business case for the airport’s expansion which Darren Lewington's letter goes onto make (Citizen letters 9/08/07).

As I have pointed out in previous letters we face a critical danger from global warming and the recent flooding should be taken as a wake up call. The Nature magazine recently published research concluding that the flooding which has been experienced world wide is unequivocally linked to global warming.

We now face a period where food production across the world is falling due to the combined effects from global warming of droughts and floods and the desire to shift production to bio-fuels. This is coinciding with worldwide falls in oil production causing further prices rises. The total effect of these two major issues is that inflation is rising worldwide, causing corresponding increases in interest rates. All the indications are that the economic long term fundamentals are now in decline, and what we are seeing is not a simple market correction. As a result, this weekend the banks are standing on the precipice of a global liquidity crisis, and interest rates will stay painfully high for the long term.

This has a profound impact on the business case for Staverton Airport. Taking an optimistic estimate that the cost of borrowing will be 7%, and tax will be paid at 20%, then based on the airport’s business plan, it will take over 25 years to pay back the initial investment. If the cost of borrowing rises to only 8%, it will take approximately 45 years to pay back the investment, so bad is the business case. Thus the airport expansion is an extremely bad deal for the council tax payers of Gloucester and Cheltenham.

There can only two outcomes for the council tax payers of Gloucester and Cheltenham. They will either have to bail out the investment if the business fails, or they will suffer far more noise and pollution from the airport than it has claimed as it tries to ramp up the number of aircraft far beyond the current public predictions of service growth to obtain a reasonable return on investment.

As well as upholding the obligation on climate change and protecting the local environment, it is also vital that the elected councillors ensure that their constituents are not faced with unnecessary financial risk and that their taxes are effectively spent. If an important aspect of the business case for the airport's expansion will be the provision of support in the case of future flooding caused by global warming, then the council should first of all ask if the money it plans to spend on the expansion of the airport could not be better spent on investment in the appropriate emergency equipment instead; or on flood protection in the Bath Road area.

2. Gloucestershire Airports own business plan shows that the business case is virtually none existent. At present rates of interest it will take 25 years to break even. If the interest rates increases further, this will extend to 45 years. Expansion of the airport therefore represents an extremely poor investment for the council tax payers of Gloucester and Cheltenham, especially in a time of economic uncertainty. If flood response is the issue, the £2.5 million pounds to be invested in this scheme could be much better spent directly on flood prevention and appropriate emergency equipment. Furthermore, the statement "Of course aircraft pollute, but so do most things in modern-day life," is not an argument to build the airport, in fact it is the strongest argument of all not to build the airport. We now inhabit a planet which is saturated with excess CO2 because so many things are polluting. The position is clear; we can not put any more CO2 into the atmosphere. Peter should also realise that a key business sector for the airport’s expansion is “business jets.” He should also realise that European air traffic data shows recreational destinations such as Nice, Cannes and Mallorca to be among the top 20 destinations for "business aviation.” Thus business jets would be more appropriately named “recreational jets.” Thus, the most elite people of society are sticking two fingers up to climate change which is galling to those of us making sacrifices to cut our emissions. However, it might be that Peter already owns a “business jet.” He may wish to confirm this or if he has any other vested interests in the airport.

1000 slugs per square metre in Gloucestershire

It is reported that Gloucestershire's gardens have been invaded by record numbers of slugs because the wet weather has doubled their population. The combination of a mild, frost-free winter and a damp, warm summer has created ideal conditions for them and the county along with Herefordshire and Worcestershire is one of the worst affected places.

Photos: Potatoes from my garden

Experts have found up to 1,000 slugs per square metre and an average of 61. Dr Richard Meredith who has been monitoring slug numbers for years said: "These figures are unprecedented. We have never seen such high numbers before. Our counts are up by well over 50 per cent a year and, in some cases, we've detected twice as many."

My lack of success with a whole range of fruit and veg crops this year cannot be blamed only on the slugs - my net covering fruit blew off one weekend I was away and I lost all black and redcurrants to the birds, the wet destroyed tomatos and I had the flu which meant neglect of many plants over a crucial period. However the slugs and snails can take considerable blame - only one bean plant remains - although going around an allotment yesterday I was 'pleased' to see many others with canes but no beans at all! I even wanted to relent at one point and start using nasty pellets - I haven't but was sorely tempted.

Seaton: This is not Las Vegas

Last Friday night I went to a quite extraordinary show that restores ones faith in humanity - it was a musical with Elvis, Abba and more set in Seaton and revolved around the towns battle against the quite horrifyingly awful plans to develop that town.

The show opened with Elvis - played by John Swithenbank - husband of Anne Swithenbank (Gardeners Questiontime fame) who was also in the audience supporting. Chaos and mayhem followed - the show title "This is not Las Vegas" came from a headline in the Midweek Herald when the origin of developer's money turned out to be the "winnings" partly from being owners of and selling England's second largest casino in the seaside town of Westcliff-on-Sea.

The show had has its serious side - to remind people that the fight against this development continues and that we must not let down our guard. The current planning application is for a major part of the 'Seaton Regeneration area site' ie 44 acres and is the only large remaining development site in the town.

'Stand Up for Seaton' are the campaign group and their blog site has loads of info about why they exist:
http://standup4seaton.blogspot.com/2007/04/why-this-blog-exists.html

In there blurb they show how towns people developed the Seaton Regeneration Area Development Brief - however, buried on the back page of this development brief there was a killer paragraph which said: "Whilst a broad assessment has been undertaken to determine the overall viability of the development brief, this has not been able to take into account the full range of contributions which would be sought or the precise level of infrastructure costs. There will therefore need to be a more detailed appraisal of costs and values before the level of contributions can be determined. ..... The actual disposition of the uses within the site however is not prescriptive."

It transpired that the Council had known all along that the site would need to be raised and that this would require infill but had not told the town. This made the entire development brief unviable - four wasted years. Now in order to progress the current planning application, it will be necessary to:

1. Bring in 1 million tons of infill to raise the site up up to 2m - 180 lorry movements per day 6 days a week for the next 3 to 4 years through Seaton. 2. To lose the holiday village (a 400 bed village which is occupied 80% of the time, 50 weeks a year) - ie lose 90% of Seaton's overnight tourism capacity (and more than 60% of the tourist capacity in the area from Branscome to Axmouth and north to Colyton). I believe this will also impact on villages like Colyton where my parents live - it has quite a few shops that rely on tourism from the Seaton Tramway stop. 3. To lose all community facilities, none of which will be replaced (actually there has been talk of a small room - 30 sq m which could be a meeting room OR gym OR nursery but it is only talk). There will be no replacement of the overnight tourist accommodation. 4. Flood relief to the site and surrounding properties will be by means of a monsoon drain (50 ft wide, 10 feet deep, 20 feet across the bottom). This will be grassed and paved and called a "walkway and cycleway" even though it leads to a dead end. If it fills with more than 10 inches of water it will sweep a man off his feet. This will be the ONLY public open space on the site with the exception of a small paved square at the entrance to the supermarket. 5. The "iconic" visitor centre will have a footprint of only 500 sq m and will need to be 3 storeys high to accommodate interpretation material. It will be between a main road (the Underfleet) and a 5,000 sq m supermarket which itself will be next to a 2,600 sq m non-food store (our current largest shop - a Co-op supermarket - is 750 sq m). This cannot be iconic or worth a long trip for a visit. 6. The supermarket will be 6 times the size of our largest shop in the town, the non food store nearly 4 times larger. The supermarket will have 555 parking spaces which will need to be shared with tourists who will be allowed to stay for no more than 3 hours - after that they will pay a fine. There will be no links to the small, independent stores in the current high street (Fore Street). You know what I think about supermarkets and how they kill town centres - see report here. 7. On the entire site there will be about 630 houses in total - this will mean about 1,500 extra people in the town, of which some 300 are expected to get jobs with the new store and small shops. (150 will lose their jobs at the holiday village, so the net gain would be about 150 mostly part-time and low-paid jobs - that of course does not include the loss of jobs from the town centre when the superstores open. 8. Affordable housing should total about 180 homes. However, in November 2005 the developer applied to a public inquiry to reduce this to 75 due to the cost of building up the site.

Photo: Napoli info boards are now on the beach at Seaton warning of oil and more - see post on 22nd Feb 2007 when I was last in Seaton

There is more on the blog site - so far the planning application has attracted nearly 900 objections and 8 letters of support. Meetings in the town on this matter have never resulted in an audience of less than 300 and sometimes up to 600. The campaign group put forward 8 people I think in the recent town elections and got all of them elected.

There ARE alternatives - have a look at the one worked up by Seaton Development Trust by clicking here. The town have also looked at Community Land Trusts - see here - as blog readers will know I am a great fan of these. I wish this campaign every success.

Heres my letter to the local press in that area and below a letter to Sustrans and their reply:

Last Friday night I was at the extraordinary show in Seaton Town Hall: "This is not Las Vegas". The show was an inspiring and wonderfully powerful reminder of the need to continue the fight against the deeply damaging proposed developments in the 'Seaton Regeneration area site'.

My parents live in Colyton so I'm a regular visitor to the area and have been shocked to see the appalling disregard of local opinion by the developer.

How can the developer or indeed anyone even begin to entertain such a plan that looks set to destroy Seatons' independent shops and community facilities? Losing 400 tourist beds means tourism will be knocked into touch and surrounding towns like Colyton who rely in part on tourist trade will also face decline. On top of that, this plan for homes on a flood plain with only basic standards which will contribute to climate change, makes a mockery of sustainability.

Seaton has the potential for an exciting future that will make future generations proud, but not with this plan. It is however inspiring to see the strength of public opinion and the energy of those fighting this shameful plan. They will need all the support they can get. Visit their blog: http://standup4seaton.blogspot.com/

Cllr Philip Booth

Letter to Sustrans:

Re: Seaton Regeneration area site I have been a supporter of Sustrans for many years and am excited by the many projects which you have undertaken and are planning. However I am deeply concerned by the 'Seaton Regeneration area site' in Devon. There is massive local opposition to the current proposals by the developer there - and justifiable so - the plans are deeply unsustainable.

Last Thursday night I was at the extraordinary show in Seaton Town Hall - "This is not Las Vegas" - it was the story of the fight against the deeply damaging proposed developments. The serious problem for Sustrans is that your name is being linked to the development proposals. I would welcome a clear statement about your position with regards to this development. Amongst the plans are two massive retail units that are not linked to the town and look set to destroy Seatons' independent shops. The plan also involves removing and not replacing community facilities, plus losing 400 tourist beds ie lose 90% of Seaton's overnight tourism capacity (and more than 60% of the tourist capacity in the area from Branscome to Axmouth and north to Colyton) - this will seriously damage tourism in the area and local surrounding towns like Colyton who also rely in part on tourist trade. On top of that, this plan for homes on a flood plain has only basic standards for the homes and will contribute to climate change.

It seems that the flood relief to the site and surrounding properties will be by means of a monsoon drain (50 ft wide, 10 feet deep, 20 feet across the bottom) - this will be grassed and paved and called a "walkway and cycleway" even though it leads to a dead end. If it fills with more than 10 inches of water it will sweep a person off his feet - it will also be the ONLY public open space on the site with the exception of a small paved square at the entrance to the supermarket. See the campaign groups blog for more info: http://standup4seaton.blogspot.com/

Seaton has the potential for an exciting future that will make future generations proud, but not with this plan. I hope that Sustrans can play a part in supporting the local community and their more sustainable plans. I look forward to hearing your views. Cllr Philip Booth

Reply from Sustrans:

Thank you for your recent email forwarded to me by our info team.

Sustrans was consulted at an early stage on the proposals for this site and gave general guidance on the importance of permeability of the site for pedestrians and cyclists. As far as I know we have not been consulted on the plans currently before the Council, but we would give similar guidance. We publish general guidance on design of urban and rural cycle facilities, available on our web site.

Regretably we do not have the resources to monitor and comment on even every major planning application throughout the UK, though we try to when our interests, for instance when proposals have a direct effect on the National Cycle Network, are directly affected.

It would not normally be appropriate for Sustrans, an independent charity promoting sustainable transport, to ally itself to special interest campaign groups however worthy the cause. We will continue to speak for provision of good quality infrastructure within any development on this site, but it is not part of our remit to judge the merit of any particular scheme.

Rupert Crosbee, Regional Negotiator

Randwick woods: too dangerous in the rain?

On Sunday the rain was coming down in buckets but I was persuaded that a walk would be good for me. I'd not been up to Randwick /Standish woods for a while - usually a regular visitor - It was therefore my first opportunity to read the warning notice put there by the National Trust.

I don't know if the photo on this blog is legible but it states that people are advised "to keep away from trees during bad weather and very high temperatures". Well the high temps are no problem this summer!!

The notice goes onto say we mustn't dwell under large trees and must keep away from dying trees. I am afraid the rain was so hard that I remained under trees the whole walk - I do want to reassure people that it was a wonderful walk - see my attempt at atmospheric photos accompanying this blog entry - and I did arrived back safely with no incidents.

I can't make up my mind on this notice - is this over cautious- ness? A fear of a growing compensation culture? In fact I read recently we are not turning to the law - certainly the papers love to highlight cases but they really are the exception - so what is this about? Clearly there are risks and maybe people are now so disconnected from nature that they are unaware of them? Certainly I've never seen anything like this before!!

Forget Trout and Salmon: organic carp farming is the way to go

On my way down to Devon last week I stopped at a friend's home near Cullumpton - Jimmie Hepburn who used to live near Nailsworth and stood as a Green party candidate there has embarked on what I think is a particularly exciting project: organic fish farming.

Photo: Below Aquavision - Jimmies company and me talking to Jimmie as we walk around the farm

When I arrived Jimmie was on the phone organising a visit the next day by Hugh Fearnley-Whitingstall - Hugh (a Green party supporter) was hoping to do a programme on carp and I did get to see the fish he would be meeting and taking back to River Cottage or wherever.

Anyhow it's been known for many years how unsustainable most fish farming is - salmon particularly has come in for much criticism (see Green party letter here) - indeed the world's fishing industry is wholly unsustainable (read more here) - 75% of commercial fish stocks are over-exploited and close to collapse - 90% of big fish like tuna and marlin are gone - we urgently need action - and today a campaign has been launched - I strongly urge people to visit this website here and sign the petition - but hey thats all for another blog entry I want to share news of this project in Devon.

Jimmie has for years worked and studied as an aquaculturist - did I spell that right? Anyhow he has advised many different organisations and I think it is fair to say been frustrated by the current loose standards around organic fish farming. Although there have also been exciting projects which he has been involved with like at Sheepdrove Organic Farm - read more about that here.

Photos: more shots of the farm including mealworm pilot project and pond plant developments

'Carp' I hear you cry - 'Who eats that?'

It is true that it is not really eaten here in the UK - even some fisher folk I've spoken to have even been surprised by the suggestion of eating it - but it's eaten widely in other countries - a delicacy - and Jimmie's visited farms in Austria to see how they do it there - the fish can be a bit 'muddy' sometimes but a 30 min soak before hand in salt water completely eliminates the problem - there is also a special filleting tool that helps with bones - it is by all accounts great - not least because of it's sustainability (more below on that) - however there will be a challenge to market it - although with the increase in farmers markets and desires for organic local produce I cannot see a problem longer term.

Why carp?

Well basically it is one the most sustainable fish requiring the least energy inputs - salmon for example requires huge inputs in terms of protein - other fish - indeed Aquaculture already uses up over 70% of the world’s supply of fish oil and by 2010 that figure will rise to over 90%.

In contrast carp tend to be omnivorous, feeding on snails, mollusks, worms, algae, aquatic plants, seeds and detritus. Abroad they have been incorporated into rice paddies to feed on the insects and other organisms associated with rice culture. Carp are also able to tolerate less than ideal environmental conditions.

4 acres of water

Anyhow Jimmie owns 4 acres of water - 17 ponds - in 18 months I have been astounded by the amount of work he and his wife Penny have achieved there. Initially they still had goldfish there from the previous farmer and were involved in completing a sale - there are still some varieties left but his aim is to develop carp and they are coming on already.

Much work has been done in restoring the sheds and ponds and working out how to reduce energy costs by looking at water flows, filters, increasing natural light etc - how to make the whole lot more sustainable - using some of the waste from the fish to develop pond plants for sale - maybe sheep to save on grass cutting the pond edges...and how best to stop the otters and kingfishers feeding on the carp - at the moment enormous nets have been put up over several of the key ponds.

Jimmie also has a pilot project to grow mealworms for the fish to increase their protein intake. I'm afraid you'll need to contact Jimmie himself if you have any technical questions - indeed I hope I've given a fair report in this rather hurried scribble....

Already Jimmie has got the local college and schools involved and is keen on the idea of cooperatives and supporting local markets....indeed with peak oil and climate change local fish will become an increasingly important. Most current fish farming is wholly unsustainable on many fronts - here is a way forward that offers many opportunities....exciting stuff....very good luck to him.

Latest on A46 for Whiteshill residents

Glos County Council Highways have confirmed they are not promoting using Whiteshill as an alternative route to the A46. See my blog on Saturday for email I sent to Highways.

Photo: Entrance to Whiteshill

Highways have been asked to stop parking in Whiteshill, to ease traffic flows, but as this will only encourage more traffic, they have refused this request. I agree. The good news is that they've arranged for a new 7.5 tonne weight limit, with an exception for busses, to at least keep the larger vehicles away.

The VAS (flashing speed sign) at Edge has not yet been connected so this is now on a priority list. And I understand from Julie Shirley, the Whiteshill and Ruscombe Clerk that they have had confirmation that Whiteshill does not qualify for a VAS. In order to qualify for VAS it must meet three out of the four criteria: vehicle speeds, accident history, traffic flow and environmental factors (See below how Whiteshill scored).

Highways say they are also looking at any measures they can put in around the school to reduce traffic speed, but note that "so far nothing obvious is springing to mind". As we know only too well this has been the problem all along - I have asked if their might be a chance of a 20mph through Whiteshill under some temporary arrangement. Other ideas welcomed!!

As Randwick Parish councillor Martin Rendell pointed out the closure of the road at Puckshole will also have a significant impact on increasing traffic when schools start as parents and others have a long route round either via Whiteshill/Ruscombe or Cainscross roundabout. Both the A46 and Puckshole will not be fixed "for several months" - hopefully a better idea will emerge when surveys are completed.

Whiteshill scores for a VAS (flashing speed sign)

In order for a site to qualify for VAS a road must meet three out of the four criteria: vehicle speeds, accident history, traffic flow and environmental factors. On the basis of this criteria Main Road in Whiteshill does not qualify for VAS. Below is an explanation as to how this decision was reached and how we failed on 3 out of 4 criteria but were allowed traffic volumes as it was close to the 2000 required:

• Accidents
Required: 3 injury accidents over the last 3 years within 500m of site.
Main Road: no injury accidents within last 3 years ✗

• Speeds
Required: 85%ile speeds must be above speed limit + 10% + 2mph, which for Main Road would be 35mph.
Main Road: 85%ile speeds for two locations (recording both northbound and southbound flows) were between 29mph and 34mph. ✗

• Traffic Volume
Required: over 2000 vehicles per day.
Main Road: northbound had recorded flows of 1875 between 07:00 and 19:00. ✓

• Environmental Factors
Required: site sensitive in terms of accessibility, community severance and is adjacent to a school.
Main Road: close to a school and splits the community. ✓

The very last Tappfest?

Bread Street residents will be mourning the news that David Tapp will be moving to South Africa in December. His amazing parties every two years are eagerly awaited and frequently talked about - Saturday night saw the last 'Tappfest'.

Photos: enterance, chill out zone and me on bouncy castle (I was not good at it)

Heavy showers didn't dampen the spirits of those enjoying the full range of entertainments from dancing, the biggest bouncy castle in the area (yes I did have a go), the incredibly impressive firework display, the giant bubble-makers, the 'chill-out UV room' temporarily decorated in the most amazing colours, flags and banners, candles through the garden, a marquee full of drink and loads of food including a pig roast - and more....

Good luck Dave on your adventure - we'll miss you - indeed there is now talk of a 'Bread Street Street party' next year with the tag line 'formerly known as Tappfest' - not sure if you'll sell us the rights to carry on using your name?

Heathrow camp: the most important protest of our time

Mark Lynas describes the climate protesters at Heathrow as "The most important protest of our time" - that is spot on. More of that in a moment plus questions that I've been asked in last few days about aviation - but first to the extraordinary hype by the media - allegations have been plaguing the camp all week - hoax bombs, assaults on airport fence, warnings of clashes with police and more.

Photo: Our local Staverton airport that is planning expansion

Journalist George Monbiot writing from the camp in The Guardian said: "Shameless exaggerations of the climate protesters' dastardly plans have left us baffled at the camp."

His comments are echoed by reports from various friends and colleagues who have been to the camp - it is once again outrageous misreporting of the facts - the campers will certainly be breaking the law by taking direct action - all protests can now be deemed unlawful - but they will be governed by strict non-violent principles. Monbiot writes more:

As for scaling the perimeter fence, it has been ruled out on the grounds that we would probably be shot. Invading Heathrow's massive runways would put the lives of thousands at risk. So where did the story come from? It was, or so the byline claimed, written by Robert Mendick, the Evening Standard's chief reporter. One of the campers phoned Mr Mendick and asked him what was going on. "I'm very constrained about what I can say for various reasons," Mr Mendick replied. "Suffice to say I understand what you're saying and I can't go into it. Er, and I would further say it's, er, not something I was actually massively involved with and, er, I'll leave it at that." "What do you mean?" "... I really can't go into it."

So what does he mean? Why is Mr Mendick unable to say where the claims in his story came from? How did he manage to write an article that he was not "massively involved with"? Is there a computer programme at the Evening Standard that composes reporters' articles on their behalf? I left messages for Mr Mendick yesterday but was unable to speak to him.

Protests like this have two peculiar vulnerabilities. One is that anyone can claim to speak on their behalf, either in person or online, whether or not they are involved. The other is that anyone can say anything about them without fear of being corrected, let alone sued: accusations can be leveled at the collective that could not be directed at any of its members. As long as the claims remain in the plural, they can be stretched as far as public credulity will allow.

During one roads protest in the 1990s we were accused of stabbing guards with hypodermic needles filled with blood, setting pit traps lined with metal spikes in the hope of catching and killing the police and arming ourselves with catapults and crossbows to take out the contractors: all nonsense, of course. Yet when some of us were hospitalised by guards (alongside several others, I had a bone broken during an unprovoked attack), most of the newspapers wouldn't touch the story for fear of being sued by the security firm.

Scare stories about anarchist baby eaters are as old as protest. We can't prevent their publication - all we can ask is that you read them with the scepticism their authors failed to employ.

There is more in The Guardian about the protest clashes here. Update 26th August 2007: See also the excellent review of Guardian coverage by Medialens here:
http://www.medialens.org/alerts/07/070823_giving_the_climate.php

Here is how local Nailsworth climate change campaigner described a day at the protest:

Today a rag tag bunch of people armed with placards and concern for the planet dared to walk to the empty BAA offices for what is in fact a token protest. No passengers were inconvenienced, no terrorist targets were being threated. The only thing being challenged was the appalling case for expanding Britans airports against the overwhelming scientific evidence. The reaction of the police has been a violent challenge which would be worthy of the worst police states as dozens of riot vans descended on the protesters, which ranged from mothers with young children to old age pensioners....The governments cynical position on claiming that global warming is a concern whilst simultaneously expanding airports and denying the public any say in the decision leaves direct action as the only action. The police's over reaction today is a serious warning for future liberties.

See more and his photos here. And more from Indymedia:
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/actions/2007/climatecamp/
And more re the camp here:
http://www.climatecamp.org.uk/

Update 21/08/07: See George Monbiot writing in The Guardian about why "the climate camp at Heathrow is materially different from protests that have taken place in Britain before." Also Cathy Green plans to put photos on her blog soon.

Protesters are inspiring example

Simply by occupying the proposed runway site, the protesters have provided an inspiring
example of how citizens can fight climate change. Climate change is happening, and the scientific evidence all points to it being man-made. See Mark Lynas' article in the New Statesman about why this protest is so important and read more below:

Now to your questions answered...

Aren't the Government taking action on climate change?

As I've noted on this blog many times our policy makers do worse than nothing. Gordon Brown is spending billions of pounds on new road construction, Heathrow is to have this new runway plus passenger numbers across the UK are planned to double and triple in coming years, new planning 'reforms' will make roads, incinerators and runways easier to build, UK is failing miserably in it's renewable energy obligations. There is even a paradoxical scramble amongst countries to grab oil reserves at the North Pole, accessible only because of predicted glacial melting caused by the very burning of the oil they're scrambling for!

Both Labour and Tories are getting good at sprouting green rhetoric but their continued support for Heathrow expansion and road widening suggests that we need deep-seated political change to get to an ecologically and socially just society. In Stroud Greens have had more success in getting arguments heard - the local District Council has officially questioned the expansion of Bristol airport and made strong statements in it's submission re the proposed climate change bill demanding that aviation be included in the calculations.

Why is a flight so bad?

Cathy Green from Cheltenham Green party who joined the Heathrow protest said to the local paper before she went: "The links between climate change and aviation are undisputed – aviation is the fastest growing source of emissions after deforestation. This is because aviation emissions are at high altitude and have to be multiplied by a factor up to 4 times the effect of the CO2 alone (see latest IPCC report). Other pollutants such as N02 and effects such as high altitude cloud formation cause this."

All scientists agree on just how important it is that we stabilise global temperature rises below the danger line of 2° - the aviation industry is key player in standing in the way. A return flight for example to, say, Thailand, means for each passenger about six tonnes of greenhouse gases entering the atmosphere - three times more than is likely to come from any other activity you do in the year, including driving and heating your house. The industry tried to play down the multiplier effect that Cathy mentions and claims the flight would "only" be 2.16 tonnes.

See my post on 7th July re clouds - I have now seen newer research showing that we have underestimated the effects of these - already night flights are said to account for only 22% of air travel over the UK but up to 80% of the greenhouse effect is attributed to contrails.

I still marvel at how these planes take off at all - a 400-tonne Boeing 747 going London to Dubai carries 57 tonnes of kerosene in its wings and tail - using 12 litres for every kilometre travelled - and if caught in a holding stack waiting for clearance it will burn 100kg of fuel for every minute!

But aviation is only a small part of UK emissions?

It is true that aviation is a smaller part but it is the growth that is the serious problem. BAA's chief executive argues that aviation accounts for only 6 per cent of UK carbon emissions and 3 per cent of those globally. These figures of course include no multiplier effect and are also reckoned to be an underestimate.

Aviation is also by far the fastest-growing source of greenhouse-gas emissions globally. If air travel goes on expanding, all carbon-reduction targets go out of the window. As the Tyndall Centre - the UK's best-known academic body specialising in climate research - reported in a 2006 study, aviation could account for 100 per cent of the UK's carbon allocation by 2050 in a climate stabilisation scenario. In other words, all other carbon-emitting sectors will need either to go zero-carbon or to shut up shop, merely to allow for the growth in air traffic. As Mark Lynas quotes in his article: "Tyndall Centre scientists are adamant that 'there is no chance for the climate without tackling aviation' - and that means stopping the expansion of airport infrastructure."

What about biofuels?

Richard Branson has pledged billions for biofuels research, but even if technical hurdles - such as biofuels' propensity to freeze at high altitude - could be overcome, there isn't enough land out there to support the volumes of fuel required without either displacing large areas of food production or further destroying tropical forests. See previous posts on biofuels. No one, not even airline PR people, claims that alternative fuels can be developed for at least another 30-50 years, much too late to help reduce climate change, which requires concerted action in the next decade.

New planes are already environmentally friendly?

The new Airbus: the A380 is dubbed as an ‘environmentally-friendly aircraft’ that consumes 12 percent less fuel that its competitors. One protester responded saying: "Waiting for an aeroplane that doesn’t cause climate change is like holding out for a cigarette that doesn’t cause cancer. It’s just not scientifically credible. These new airliners aren’t being manufactured to clean-up the aviation industry, they’re being built to significantly enlarge it."

We can offset our emissions?

Offsetting does not reduce emissions - it simply allows them in one place while trying to mop up the damage somewhere else. Clearly though it is better to offset than not - but be careful about how - there are many dodgy offsetting schemes - see previous posts on this topic.

Why are flights so cheap?

The Aviation Environment Federation has estimated that airlines pay just 18p per litre on fuel that would cost you and me 75p - helping net the industry billions in hidden subsidies. The World Development Movement calculates that this years subsidy to UK aviation is £10.4 billion! Hence the calls for a level playing field and aviation to pay its way.

Taxing aviation means poor travelers can't fly?

Infact most of the boom in low-cost air travel has been by rich people travelling more often. Surveys show that most people in the lowest social groups do not fly at all. The average salary of passengers using British airports is £48,000 and the proportion of lower income households who fly has shrunk since 2000 despite prices falling. 10% of people - mostly the better off have accounted for fully half of all flights.

We need action to make those who pollute pay for their damage and 'green' choices to be made easier if we are to avoid catastrophic climate change: travelling the same journey by train would have meant 17 to 19 times fewer CO2 emissions. Trains are also now capable of travelling at 300kph. 70% of EU flights are under 1000km and it is clear we should instead be expanding a fast rail network not yet more damaging air travel. A weekend in Prague should not be cheaper than a weekend in Bournemouth.

China plans 48 new airports by 2010?

There are all sorts of issues here about equity - and clearly we need to put this in perspective - even once these new airports are completed there will be fewer than 500 paved airports in China compared to 5,000 in the US. Plus this is less about travel and tourism and more about economic development. See my previous posts on Contraction and Convergence as a way forward.

Oil is running out?

Indeed it is - this makes it even more absurd to be developing our airports. Whatever the actual volume of oil left under the ground it is clear that, at today's level of consumption, with population growth and economic expansion, it will run out in the not too distant future. Furthermore, the imperative to reduce greenhouse gas emissions means that we cannot burn all those reserves without irreversible and catastrophic changes to our climate. Read more on this in my blog entries re peak oil.

What's at stake if we don't stop aviation expansion?

I need not go into this again in this blog entry - the evidence is overwhelming about what is already happening around the world - but I will mention that campaigners against Stansted expansion recently introduced a witness from Greenland at the public inquiry. Aqqaluk Lynge, an Inuit human rights leader - he gave a powerful speech saying: "You may say that the expansion of London Stansted Airport will play only a small part in increasing climate change, but everyone can say that about almost everything they do. It is an excuse for doing nothing. The serious consequences affecting my people today will affect your people tomorrow."

He continued saying the Inuit, "the people who live farther north than anyone else", were "the canary in the global coal mine." Some Inuit villages have already lost homes as the sea moves 300 metres inland in places, while thinning ice makes hunting increasingly difficult, even dangerous. "We don't hunt for sport or recreation. Hunters put food on the table. You go to the supermarket. We go on the sea ice."

Just after he made that speech on 9 August scientists reported that the Arctic sea ice had reached its lowest level in recorded history. With a further month of melt left to go, the experts expect that the previous record - set in 2005 - will be "annihilated".

More questions?

I am happy to answer more questions - but will also point folk in the direction of our Green party report re Bristol airports expansion - see here - and the Stop Bristol Airport expansion site with it's questions and answers - see here:
http://www.nobristolairportexpansion.co.uk/questions.php

You will also find more discussions in previous posts on this topic - see Labels below - and more re Staverton airport's proposed expansion - it cannot be allowed to happen if we are serious about tackling climate change.

A final word on the protests

The stepping up of direct-action protests on global warming has come not a moment too soon. Let us hope this camp reminds Gordon Brown, his Cabinet, BAA and others of their complicity in devastating environmental destruction. Non violent direct action to combat ecological destruction is the right thing and The Green Party explicitly supports it. It is shameful but hardly surprising that terrorist legislation is being used to try to silence protest voices at this camp.

We need to look at all ways we can get the message across - Greenpeace this last week decided to photograph hundreds of volunteers lying naked on Switzerland's Aletsch glacier - glaciers are key indicators of global warming and the signs are not good: glaciers are shrinking rapidly....Air travel is the fastest growing source of CO2. It is our children that will pick up the bill from this dangerous and ill-thought out expansion.....

Petition to charge 10p for plastic bags

Mayor Marjoram in Stroud is still pushing to make Stroud the second plastic bag free town - here is a national petition calling for a tax on plastic bags like in Ireland.

People in Britain use an average of 300 plastic bags every year. Each bag lasts up to 400 years, spending the vast majority of that time in a landfill site or strewn across the British countryside.

In Ireland, a tax of 15cents per bag resulted in a 90% drop in plastic bag usage, and raised 3.5 million Euros which was spent on environmental projects. Bangladesh has banned polythene bags altogether while Taiwan and Singapore are taking steps to discourage their use. See my letter to press on this earlier in the year here.

Please take a moment to sign the petition to introduce a similar tax (to be spent on environmental projects) of 10p per bag in Britain. Go to: http://www.green-england.co.uk/plasticbagpetition

Use for plastic bottles after the flood

Back in a blog on 5th August I was discussing a ban on bottled water - but if you have those bottles - and many of us do after the floods then heres a use - this prototype plastic bottle greenhouse used 550 2-litre plastic drink bottles.

Don't forget there are extra plastic bottle recycling sites around the District - and the green recycling box also takes them - but please squash them so more fit in the trucks! An amazing 22,000 tonnes of plastic bottles has been collected in Stroud and Cheltenham already with many more expected!!!

See more re the greenhouse here:
www.sci-scotland.org.uk/greenhouse.html

Sign petition against hate crime

Last week while I was away in Devon the Green party used the 40th anniversary of the Decriminalisation of Homosexuality to call again for tighter and tougher legislation against homophobic hate crime, and bring the current laws into line with racially and religiously motivated hate crime.

Photo: Rainbow flag flies on Sub Rooms last weekend for Gloucestershire Rainbow Day (see 'Label' below to see previous posts)

Green Parliamentary candidate for Oxford East and Human Rights campaigner Peter Tatchell commented on the campaign: "Inciting racism is a crime, but inciting homophobia and transphobia is not a crime. Why the double standards? All incitements of hatred should be treated with the same zero tolerance. The encouragement of prejudice is the gateway to discrimination, harassment and violence. It lays the psychological foundation for serious, harmful criminal acts. The current laws are clearly inadequate. The police and Crown Prosecution Service have repeatedly failed to prosecute homophobic singers and clerics, even when they advocate, encourage and glorify queer-bashing violence and murder. They would never take such a hands- off approach to hate-mongers who incite violence against black people. The police are seriously failing the LGBT community."

It was the horrific murders of Jody Dubrowski (who went to school in Stroud) in Clapham and David Morley on London’s South Bank in 2005 that woke many of us up to the need for more serious action to tackle - the Green Party established a campaign for specific homophobic hate crime legislation as one of the strongest legal routes to establish more fairness. Indeed in the trial of Dubrowski's murderers they had to be sentenced on the grounds of ‘hostility based on sexual orientation’ as an aggravating factor, as the judge was unable to throw the book at their homophobia as the /actual/ reason for the attack.

Sign petition now

The Home Secretary, Jacqui Smith, replied positively to a back bencher question on this subject in July - with more pressure we could have the positive legislation that we need and deserve. Sign the petition now:
http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/LGBT-Hate-Crime/

It was also back in 2005 that Greens and others sought the removal of music from stores and more that incites the murder of lesbians, gay, bisexual and transgender people (LGBT) and other groups including women. This so-called "murder music" singers, include Bounty Killer, Elephant Man, TOK, Capleton, Beenie Man, Sizzla Kalonji, Buju Banton and Vybz Kartel, who have been seen as glorifying the killing of lesbian and gay people. Download the homophobic "murder music" lyrics here.

Songs like Boom Bye Bye (In a Batty Boy's Head) are offensive not just to gay people but to anyone who values the basic human right to pursue a chosen lifestyle without fear. If these songs had advocated violence against black people they would quite rightly be illegal. It's important that we make it clear that the persecution of any minority is completely unacceptable. Gay, lesbian and bisexual people - and other groups who are targeted such as women - deserve the same rights to protection as racial groups do.

Freedom of speech doesn't extend to inciting murder

The campaign is continuing. Watch here. Peter Tatchell writes:

Eight leading Jamaican reggae /dancehall stars, including Buju Banton and Beenie Man, have sung songs openly advocating, encouraging and glorifying the murder of queers. Are these artists merely reflecting homophobia or helping create it? Many gay and straight Jamaicans argue that lyrics urging the killing of queers may not create homophobia but they certainly help legitimate and encourage it. When homophobic violence is extolled by big-name reggae super stars it fuels and reinforces anti-gay hatred. It encourages some young men to believe that it is cool and acceptable to bash lesbian and gay people. These murder music lyrics stir up homophobic hatred and violence, in the same way that the BNP's racist incitements stir up racial hatred and violence.

Can it ever be acceptable or legitimate to subject other people to violent threats and intimidation? Are homophobic incitements any less worthy of condemnation than racist ones? Critics of the Stop Murder Music campaign claim it is an attack on freedom of expression. They protest: what about free speech? But since when has free speech included the right to incite the murder of other human beings? Do the defenders of homophobic murder music also defend the right of white racists to incite the murder of black people? No, of course, they don't. They rightly condemn even the slightest prejudice against the black community.

So why the double standards when it comes to homophobic bigotry? The murder music singers are not the only culprits. The Jamaican government and police are notorious for their inaction against homophobic violence. According to Jamaican law, inciting violence and murder is a criminal offence. Why aren't these artists being prosecuted? Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch report that homophobic violence is a major problem in Jamaica. This is corroborated by Jamaican human rights groups such as Jamaicans for Justice, Families Against State Terrorism, Jamaica AIDS Support, and the Independent Jamaica Council for Human Rights. All these respected bodies accuse the Jamaican government and police of colluding with queer-bashing attacks, and of failing to protect the gay victims of mob violence.

Ending murder music will not, of itself, end anti-gay violence. But it can contribute to deescalating the culture of homophobia that is terrorising lesbian and gay Jamaicans and wrecking their lives.

Apparently followers of Jamaican reggae were said to have taken out a contract on Peter Tatchells' life after he called for the banning of 'murder music'. He had police protection for a while but recent renewed death threats have left Tatchell critical of police lack of action.

A46 closure: bad news for Whiteshill and Randwick

See my email of concern to Highways and Strategic teams below.

Photo: buses passing on a wider part of Whiteshills narrow roads

Background: The decision was taken last Friday to close the A46 at Salmon Springs just to the north of Stroud. Some of the surrounding land has slipped and the road has significant and ongoing movement - a further 25mm over that weekend. Major subsidence has occurred and large cracks are evident in the road surface, the road also has high pressure water mains, gas mains and fibre optic telecommunication cables running through it. The current deterioration of the road and the risk of significant utility damage meant that it was no longer safe for the public to use the road - risks being a possible road traffic accident, live traffic accelerating the slip and/or risk of rupture of gas or water mains.

Read story in Citizen here.

Special diversion signing had to be manufactured at short notice and has been put out which details the location of the problem (see below details). Meanwhile survey and geotechnical teams are on site at present investigating the cause with the aim of designing an appropriate solution. The cost of the solution is already expected to run into hundreds of thousands of pounds and require the road to be closed to all traffic for a number of months.

All this is bad news indeed for Whiteshill as traffic increases on our main road and narrow lanes: last time the A46 closed the road became a nightmare. Already I have an email from the Parish Chair John Rogers reporting a minor accident outside his home on that road. I fear the massive increase in traffic will be seriously detrimental to Whiteshill and indeed Randwick.

Here's my email to Highways and others:

I have been away this week but welcome the update sent around re A46 and the diversion signage. I note that a suggestion was made to route some traffic through Whiteshill. I hope this has been well and truly dismissed. Last time the A46 closed Whiteshill in the rush hour was likened to the M5 by residents: already I am told traffic has increased significantly as cars use the route as an unofficial diversion: one minor accident was also witnessed last week on the Main Road. In the light of the repair time looking set to run to months I am wondering if any additional measures can be taken to restrict traffic or at least the speed of traffic through Whiteshill? And indeed other areas which face this increase in traffic? Is there perhaps a case for working for reduced bus fares to encourage less cars on those routes?! I am particularly concerned that when the school in Whiteshill reopens we have a recipe for disaster. All the best - Philip

Diversion details: the signed diversion is via the A419, A38, and then via Horsepools Hill to Pitchcombe, or for motorists travelling further afield, around the Gloucester ring road to Cheltenham. Highways have been surveying the route this week, and are aiming to get some more specific signs put up, especially to help long distance travellers with their onward journey. It is apparently a very technical route in terms of signing, and they are looking at diverting the through 'non-local' traffic around the problem using the more strategic routes.

Save Gloucestershire's TriService Emergency Centre

If you're wondering why there's been a gap in blog entries well I've been away a few days in Devon with family - I will now try and catch up with my 350 emails, pile of post and phone messages - and there are a number of issues that I want to share in this blog.

Photo: Great to be back in Stroud!

Firstly it is great to see that following the success of Gloucestershire’s TriService Emergency Centre in coordinating emergency services during the floods that a new campaign has been launched to save it from being relocated in Taunton - this campaign to stop the relocation has been going for some years now - infact I have just come across Green party comments from 2005 - see here and here - anyway I strongly urge folk to sign the petition here:
http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/TriService

Gloucestershire Rainbow Day success

Yesterday saw hundreds of people join the County's second Rainbow Day - this time at the Guildhall in Gloucester.

See my press release here and an action people can take re 18 Nigerian men charged with sodomy who now face the death sentence.

It was good to see flags flying on both Sub Rooms and Ebley Mill yesterday in support of the day (see photos). See more about how I have supported the move to get the flags flying by clicking here. And see last years event here.

I am sure the official Rainbow Day website will also have photos soon here.

What is all this talk about reed beds?

The blog entry after this covers the Cashes Green Fun Day today where the Ruscombe Brook Action Group (RBAG) had a stall - here are some photos from Ismailas' excellent display board explaining more about reed beds. As discussed in previous posts the hope is to install some of these at Hamwell Leaze and possibly other locations.

Cashes Green Fun Day: brook consultation and more

The Ruscombe Brook Action Group, Stroud Valleys Project and Water 21 shared a stall at the Fun Day today.

Photos: Displays on stalls which included pictures of clearing up Hamwell Leaze and plans for the brook - plus some other photos of the Fun Day.

Apart from handing out leaflets we had the opportunity to talk to many people - some also spent the time answering questions as part of our consultation about reed bed plans for Hamwell Leaze.

It was good to hear many people were already aware of the brook group and work - and also good to hear people's enthusiasm for starting work.

Ismaila, the MSc student was on hand to answer questions and Julian Jones from Water 21 and Ivi from SVP plus RBAG volunteers Keith and myself - I thought there were too many of us but as the stall blew down several times in the winds we needed many hands plus at times there were larger groups of people under the tent asking questions - and of course we did need to escape a little to see the other stalls like the Sea Cadets, Credit Union, Crazy bikes, the fire service and much more - plus get tea and cake.

The music was also great - local sensation 'Smoothie' (see photo) blasted their great tunes across the playing fields - they were followed by Cuckoorow - who had played Randwick Wap and last night played a party in Mill Farm - great stuff as well.

Lastly a huge thank you to all organisers of the event - loads of work has gone into it - many thanks.

Baron Booth of Bread Streets plea for Lords Reform

Wouldn't it be outrageous if it took Parliament more than 100 years to fulfill its commitment to replace the House of Lords with something democratic?

Photo: Purshasing a virtual peerage - Baron Booth of Bread Street - last year to highlight this campaign: see more by clicking on 'lords reform' label below and scrolling down to 13th Aug 2006.

Sadly, that is precisely what may happen. Today marks the 96th anniversary of the Parliament Act 1911 in which Parliament committed itself to replacing the House of Lords with "a Second Chamber constituted on a popular instead of hereditary basis" adding that "such substitution cannot be immediately brought into operation."

At the time, you might have thought that would mean the House of Lords would be replaced by a democratic second chamber in 10, maybe 20 years. You would have been forgiven for not thinking that by the turn of the millennium, House of Lords reform would remain incomplete!

The fairly good news is that the House of Commons and the Government have now firmly committed themselves to an 80% to 100% elected second chamber. The Commons voted for this in March. The Government confirmed its support for this last month. The House of Lords, perhaps not surprisingly, disagrees. As a result, although it is planning to publish its full plans for reform later this year, the Government is resigned to the fact that reform won't be completed until after the next General Election.

We now have just four years before the centenary of the 1911 Parliament Act. Unlock Democracy and Elect the Lords believe that the Government ought to commit itself to a deadline of holding the first elections to the second chamber by no later than May 2011. That would mean holding them on the same day as the next Scottish Parliament and Welsh Assembly elections. Suggested action include:

• Writing to your MP (www.writetothem.org.uk), asking them to commit to the 2011 deadline and to pass your comments onto the Lord Chancellor Jack Straw. Please send us copies of any replies you get.
• Spreading the word, by telling your friends and family, writing to your local paper and, if you have a blog, writing about the campaign.
• Buying a virtual peerages. They won't get you a seat in Parliament, but they will look pretty on your wall!

Table-top sale on Saturday at Whiteshill

Many will have seen the TV news or local papers that showed that vandals have targeted Whiteshill church causing hundreds of pounds worth of damage. A number of panes of glass in a vestry window were smashed and part of a stained glass window was badly damaged when bricks were thrown at the ancient building at around 6pm on Monday.

Photo: St Pauls, Whiteshill viewed from local bus

The culprits had their efforts thwarted by local builder and Church neighbour Mike Begley, who spotted two youths at the scene. The offenders are described as being around 16 years of age: one is of medium build and 6ft tall and was seen leaving the scene in the direction of Salmon Springs, carrying a football. The youth had blonde, collar-length hair, and was wearing a blue T-shirt and blue jeans. There is no description of the second youth.

Meanwhile members of the church are holding a table-top sale on Saturday to raise money for the renovation work. It will take place in the church from 11am to 2pm. All are welcome.

Cashes Green Fun Day on Sunday

This Sunday from 1 to 5 on Cashes Green Playing fields it will be the Cashes Green Fun Day. I'll be there for part of the time as we are launching a new Ruscombe Brook leaflet and Water 21 are doing a consultation regarding possible ways forward for the brook. See you there?

Photo: Ruscombe Valley through which the brook winds

Next Ruscombe Brook Action Group meeting on Tues 21st Aug - ring me for details 755451.

Tranquility score for our area

The Campaign to Protect Rural England has come up with some scores for each area regarding noise and light pollution. In terms of tranquility Gloucestershire scores put it 21 out of 87 local authority areas. The research took account of many factors like new buildings, roads, runways and infrastructure plus light pollution.

Photo: Poor reproduction of light map available on the CPRE website

The problems: Government figures show a greenfield area nearly the size of Leicester vanishes under bricks, mortar, concrete and asphalt each year – in a country which is among the world’s most heavily built up. Meanwhile traffic levels are projected to increase by 30% by 2015. The Government has allocated billions of pounds to widen motorways, dual single carriageway roads and build new bypasses over the next decade. Plus of course the Government’s Air Transport White Paper signals a massive increase in air travel and the expansion of airports and associated development. Plus our careless, fast-growing use of outdoor light is blotting out our view of the skies. Between 1993 and 2000, light pollution in creased 24% nationally and the amount of truly dark night sky fell from 15% to 11%.

It is good to see light pollution getting highlighted again - regular blog readers will recall I have been trying to encourage trials in the county re switching off some street lighting at night - at a recent Whiteshill and Ruscombe Parish meeting they have agreed to explore that further - see more here re switching lights off and read what you can do here regarding specific incidents of light pollution.

To me this is great to start recording tranquility - the map was broken down into 500metre by 500 metre squares with each square getting it's own score - the Government have often recognised the value of tranquility but done little to protect it - indeed it shrinks daily - at least by recording these scores the issue can be highlighted. We urgently need planning policies that properly recognise these issues. Tranquillity shouldn't just be about protecting our last few large remaining areas of tranquillity in the most remote areas, like say Dartmoor. We need to recognise there are often important relatively tranquil places on our doorstep, such as in the Green Belts surrounding our big towns and cities.

We should also not forget the benefits - according to Cornell University if you want your children to grow up to actively care about the environment, give them plenty of time to play in the 'wild' before they're 11 years old (see more here) and of course there are lots of health benefits - see here.

Meanwhile listen to Gloucestershire bees or a Cumbrian waterfall here.

Badgers and Tb

Martin Hancox, a badger expert in Stroud asked me to post this letter below on my blog re Tb.

Photo: Graphic from Stop War on Badgers

Some might remember that I was involved in a local campaign to highlight the issue when the government first went to consultation - see here demo (yes it is me in the badger costume), here re consultation results and letter here from last year highlighting the plight for farmers over Tb and milk prices (use search engine to find others and report to consultation).

Martin is a member of the locally based group Stop War on Badgers - and as they point out the NFU is being a little naughty over its presentation of figures - but here first the letter:

Having been on the Government's badger TB panel and involved some 15 years, I am very saddened at farcical nature of the current debate with facts bandied about both for and against a mass badger cull which are simply wrong! Ministers may have to reach a decision soon since the final report on the Krebs culling trial is imminent and will doubtless repeat the nonsense that badgers perturbed by culls make cattle TB worse.

After some 35 years of pseudoscientific debate farmers, vets and everyone else are still claiming that cattle are not the infectious source of TB to other cattle and badgers. This surreal view overlooks the most pivotal misunderstanding in the whole saga. TB in both cattle and humans is a progressive respiratory lung disease such that initial microscopic or "non visible lesion" (NVL) give rise to many larger or visible lesions (VL) with an increase in infectiousness.

The whole point of testing in both species is to catch cases before they reach the more infectious VL state. Annual testing is so effective in cattle that it reduces cattle-to-cattle spread so that nearly half of herd breakdowns comprise only a single reactor. Putting herds under immediate movement restriction stops export of latent TB carriers which would otherwise go off and cause further herd breakdowns.

The third result of intensive cattle controls is that some two-thirds of cases are caught so early that it is not possible to confirm that they do in fact have TB (NVL and few M bovis present so hard to confirm .. PCR would help!). It is important to realise that untraced movement of such unconfirmed or undetected true TB cases is why TB persists both here and in Ireland and why both pre- and post-movement tests are important to avoid new TB hotspots. The Badger Trust is misguided in pushing so hard for IFN blood tests.

Yes, they do pick up the early NVL cases, but miss later skin test positive ones, which is why EU rules are only for IFN as a backup test. These points are raised in M Clark's new Badgers by Whittet, third edition just out.

On the Stop the War on Badgers site they write:

"The National Farmers’ Union (NFU) is pointing out that the latest yearly figures (2006) for bovine TB are nearly three times what they were in 1997. These figures, taken alone, imply a relentless upward slope, with dire consequences for cattle, farmers and taxpayers. What the NFU doesn’t mention is that the 2006 figures are steeply down on the post-Foot and Mouth disease (FMD) peak. In 2005 the number of cattle slaughtered following a positive TB test was 25,769. In 2006 it was 19,963. In other words, the figures selected by the NFU imply a picture that is not the true situation at all.

The NFU is also renewing calls on the government to allow the slaughter of badgers, against scientific advice. In the light of this, it’s worth recalling what happened the last time the government listened to the NFU, rather than the scientists:

* During the FMD epidemic of 2001, cattle TB testing was stopped. Scientists warned that to restock depleted areas with untested cattle would lead to an explosion of TB.
* The NFU persuaded the government to ignore this advice.
* The result was exactly as the scientists predicted – the huge surge in TB that the NFU now laments.

The recent reversal of the disease’s trajectory follows the resumption, long overdue, of cattle TB testing. But the testing regime still doesn’t identify all infected cattle. Cases continue to be discovered at abattoirs, from ‘clean’ herds. Tackling this hidden reservoir is where the real urgency lies. But their preoccupation with badgers has blinded the NFU, and some vets, to the full reality of TB in cows. Unless a cure is found for this, yet more public money will be wasted, ordinary farmers will continue to suffer, and even more badgers and cattle will die unnecessarily.

Whether or not we accept the arguments above (and I think they are very persuasive and warrant research urgently) the arguments in favour of a cull just do not stack up - even the government's scientists agree - it looks at least slightly better from reports that the Government will not be going down the route of a cull.

However instead of welcoming the reversal in bTB, farmers’ spokesmen are directing their energies to keeping the badger theory alive, by threatening an illegal DIY badger ‘cull’. In Dursley an offer has been made by a badger group to give £1000 to anyone who provides info on culling badgers that leads to a prosecution. It is clear this issue will not go away while problems remain and farmers are given such a poor deal.

Tap water is safe to drink

Severn Trent has announced that tap water is now safe to drink for all the homes that had their supplies interrupted when Mythe water treatment works was flooded.

Results from intensive quality sampling and testing confirm that restored tap water supplies meet all the strict quality standards set by the Drinking Water Inspectorate (DWI). This means that people no longer need to boil tap water before drinking it.

Tony Wray, Severn Trent Water's managing director, said: "We had to be 100 per cent certain that all supplies were back up to the normal high standards before we could remove the 'boil tap water' instruction." Supplies of bottled water will remain available until the incident closes but the majority of bowsers are now being withdrawn.

Community Orchard: Free fruit in Whiteshill

Our community orchard in Whiteshill is starting to see fruit - and residents are invited to pick them - well perhaps not this year - there is only a very little fruit ripening as the trees are so young but by next year the crops will be more serious...

Photos: Whiteshill and Ruscombe Community Orchard taken earlier today after a mug of tea in the Village Coffee Bar at the shop

It was back in December 2005 the whole of Whiteshill School turned out on the playing field with the Parish Council to help plant 25 trees for the village orchard. The trees chosen were mainly Gloucestershire apple varieties with one or two extras like the Beauty of Bath along with a couple of plums and pears.

Four children were allocated to plant, tend and monitor each tree - all the trees were planted and staked in the morning - the labels have sadly still not got to the trees but are planned for this summer so everyone can identify the fruit.

Community orchards are not new but are at last becoming more popular - strangely Milton Keynes is now leading the way - more community orchards than anywhere else in Europe - 130 of them and over 2,500 trees. Read more here in Guardian article.

Sue Clifford, joint founder of the wonderful Common Ground, a group that celebrates and promotes local distinctiveness, has a record of several hundred community orchards in England, but there is no complete register and no one has any idea how many there may be, or where they all are. She said in The Guardian article: "What we know is that they are real community assets and there's a growing movement to plant them. Some counties, like Devon, Kent and Somerset, are very strong because they want to preserve their old orchards. It's both a rural and an urban movement. They are a real example of how people and nature can work together.

This is good news but the sad news is that private and public orchards, once widespread throughout Britain, are now in steep decline in this country. Three decades of supermarkets stocking cheap apples from New Zealand and France (around 70% of the UK's apples are imported) almost killed off the seasonal British commercial orchard, and even though there is a new commitment by stores to stock local varieties, the bulk still come from abroad.

A few farmers are looking to recreate orchards. Locally Julia Currie in a field nearly opposite More Hall Convent by the corner of Ruscombe Road has tried to renovate and existing orchard that had fallen into serious neglect and also planted many new varieties.

It was not so many years ago that every farm, country house and suburban garden had its own collection of fruit trees. Now the loss of gardens for developments and cheap fruit from abroad has caused the loss of many of these small orchards.

It is clear that orchards can help make communities, but they are not enough in themselves. Some work better than others - to work they need to be "owned" in some way or they will just be left to fend for themselves.

Glos County Council had a great idea to use fruit trees on verges - some have worked but others less well - the Linear Orchard on the cycle track to Stonehouse still has some 59 trees - and at least 4 dead ones. Some of them are doing really well, but the majority are fighting for light and space with other trees. Most of them have a small plaque with the named variety and a sentence about their origin, but I understand from a local expert that quite a few of them are wrongly named. Sadly the problem I suspect lies in the loss of Richard Fawcett, the Tree Officer behind the initiative - he emigrated shortly after the planting and it appears the County has done little about them since.

To me the Stonehouse cycle track is a little too far from homes - the Nailsworth one would have perhaps been a better site - indeed I hear that several people are talking about whether they could establish one along that track. But hey, locally there must be a few more bits of community land where a few trees can be established? Anyone interested?

Meanwhile three cheers to the group in Leonard Stanley who are looking to take over a local farm - this will be the third community farm project in Stroud. Very good luck to them - see more here.

Latest correspondence with Defra on C&C

I've been having a fairly long correspondence with Defra regarding Contraction and Convergence and Simultaneous Policy. Each time I seem to be getting closer I get a reply from someone different.

Photo: Sunset across northern Europe

Anyhow if you search for 'Contraction' or go to 23rd July you'll see my most recent email to Defra trying to understand their views. It is frustrating that the Government has still not woken up to this approach - which is basically all that is on the table that is fair and will work to tackle climate change.

Here below is the reply I got followed by my answer today:

Simultaneous Policy Thank you for your e-mail of 23 July in response to Julius Hinks? previous reply about Simultaneous Policy.

I would like to reassure you that neither the UK nor the EU is using the need for a comprehensive framework as an excuse for not taking independent action on climate change as you appear to be suggesting. The EU, in its Spring Council Conclusions, not only laid out the level of its own independent commitment to take action by 2020 but also the elements that it considers to be important in terms of putting together a framework and a broad indication of what it expects from other parties.

These conclusions represent a high level statement of the importance that the EU gives to the issue of climate change but a lot of work still needs to be done on the exact detail of these elements, how they will fit together and on the question of how other parties might contribute. As the UK and EU are still in this developmental process, I am not in a position to give a more definitive answer as to whether contraction and convergence will prove to be the framework that we pursue than I have given before. Work is, however, continuing and you might be interested to know that, as part of the UK?s internal deliberations, we are considering in detail contraction and convergence, along with 3 or 4 other frameworks, in terms of the emissions reductions delivered, the economic costs and the financial flows they would generate from developed to developing countries to assist their transformation to low carbon societies.

Internationally, momentum is gathering in the debate and a range of parties are coming forward with ideas, but there is still much to be done if we are to ensure the participation of all parties. As you know, global acceptability is a key factor for the UK and the EU in determining what framework we should adopt. You have suggested that the Simultaneous Policy principle might help to overcome the problem of `who moves first? by trying to create a situation in which everyone moves together at a certain point and you have asked at what point the UK would be willing to sign up to this sort of agreement.

The simultaneous policy principle relies on parties being willing to espouse a specific concept or framework. As my colleagues have said previously, we are not in position to promote any specific complete framework (as opposed to elements of a framework). We are not at a stage of the discussions where such an approach would be appropriate. I hope that this letter addresses your concerns. Yours sincerely, Christopher Conder, Defra - Customer Contact Unit

Today I wrote back to Christopher Conder:

Many thanks for your email. However I was not suggesting that either the UK or the EU is using the need for a comprehensive framework as an 'excuse' for delay, merely that the absence of a model to focus minds upon, and the insistence on 100% perfection, does not stimulate confidence that serious action will come about in the physical timeframe available to us. Can you not see any merit in this criticism?

You will no doubt be aware that Ian Pearson before leaving office gave an encouraging assessment of Contraction and Convergence. I have attached a letter from him to one of my colleagues (reproduced below). I would be grateful to know what the other 3 or 4 frameworks may be. I am aware of the Brazil proposal, which takes into account our historic emissions. This would set very severe challenges for the UK, and I take it that HMG would therefore not favour the Brazil proposal over C&C. What are the other proposals?

As you say, the simultaneous policy principle relies on parties being willing to espouse a specific concept or framework. Clearly the C&C framework is the most robust policy available. To endorse this as an object of simultaneous policy would not prejudice any other negotiations that were on the table, but would serve to act as a focus.

I am concerned that as things stand, international negotiations lack focus, and a lack of focus is a recipe for drift and delay, which I am sure you will agree is simply not tolerable given the 8-10 year time span for action that we have in 2007. Yours sincerely, Philip Booth

And heres the letter from the Minister of State for Climate Change & Environment lan Pearson MP:

Certain aspects of Contraction and Convergence are appealing, including the identification of a fixed level for stabilisation of greenhouse gas concentrations, and comprehensive global participation. Any framework that incorporates long term targets can offer countries greater certainty about their national targets and provide a clear signal to allow business to plan ahead and help drive investment in new and better technologies. The principle of equity is extremely important to all countries but in particular developing countries and a number of countries have expressed an interest in using per capita emissions as a basis for assigning responsibility for future action. Some developing countries, in particular, India, have advocated the Contraction and Convergence model. Equally, other countries have shown interest in alternative frameworks; Brazil for example has championed historical responsibility as a basis for future action. However, one key element of any future regime must be its workability and one particular concern with contraction and convergence is the question of• how globally acceptable, and in consequence how workable, it would prove to be. Given that there is still some way to go in building the level of consensus within the international community that would be required to agree on a framework for the way forward, it would be premature for the UK government to commit itself to any particular framework at this stage. We are, however, giving full consideration both to the possible frameworks themselves and also to the elements within them that could be used to form part of a workable solution. We will continue to discuss these issues with our partners; for example, at present we are also discussing Brazilian Historical Responsibility Proposal and the use of Sustainable Development Policies and Measures in the framework of the climate change convention and we think that further discussions of the advantages and disadvantages of various frameworks under the auspices of the convention would make a useful contribution to the debate.

BAA 3, People 4,999,997

BAA are already spinning the story they'd won their injunction. Complete nonsense as Enough is enough said: "If the court case had been a football match, the final score would have been 3 goals to BAA and 4,999,997 to The People! 3 is the number of named people BAA managed to injunct out of the 5million people they originally sought to keep away from Heathrow Airport."

Photo: Last years peaceful protest against expansion of Staverton airport

More here. What's more is the Judge awarded costs against BAA for all the organisations involved, except for Plane Stupid. That's a funny kind of win.

BAA's case was for an injunction to ban environmental campaigners from the airport, parts of the rail network and sections of the M25 and M4 motorways. The ban aimed to shut down
a planned peaceful protest against the expansion of Heathrow airport from 14-21 August 2007. Were BAA really saying that local members of groups like the National Trust and RSPB shouldn't be allowed free movement in parts of West London for a week? And if that
is what BAA wanted, how did it expect the police to impose these limits?

To me there seems to be more concern with people protesting against climate change than actually tackling climate change. We are seeing this government preside over the biggest expansion of the aviation industry seen in a generation. Curbing the right to peaceful protest against this disastrous policy adds insult to injury - indeed protestors have gone out off their way to meet with police and discuss the protest.

Green Party London Assembly Member Jenny Jones, who hosted a meeting between the police and protestors at City Hall said: "This is a complete over-reaction on the part of BAA. How can the police possibly be expected to restrict the movement around Heathrow of such a massive group of people?"

So we are still at the moment at least free to roam. Why not try the Climate Camp sometime between the 14th and the 21st of August? I can't make it but I know several from Gloucestershire who will be joining the fun.
More here: http://www.climatecamp.org.uk

Foot and Mouth: we must not repeat the mistakes

After the 2001 outbreak Labour did all it could to stop the EU investigating what went wrong - see my latest news release here - as Greens called for at the time we need vaccination to replace slaughter. We mustn't repeat the same mistakes and go down that nightmare route again.

Ban bottled water?

Banning bottled water should only be the start of a complete overhaul of how we view and manage our water supplies.

Photo: Bottled water being given out in Whiteshill earlier in week

The mountains of plastic created here in Gloucestershire as a result of water supply failures have really brought home to many the environmental costs of bottled water. Indeed it is perhaps ironic to pick on this topic for a blog when we have been relying on bottled water here - but this has to only be a temporary measure - bottled water is seriously unsustainable.

New figures from the Drinking Water Inspectorate show that tap water has improved and now meets stringent quality standards in 99.98% of cases. Infact a campaign is urging Londoners to make a stand for the environment by rejecting the social pressure which leads to them ordering bottled water rather than asking for perfectly good tap water. City officials in New York have also launched a campaign to persuade people to abandon bottled water.

Londoners apparently drink bottled water equivalent of just over one Olympic-sized swimming pool per week, of which 25% is imported. Bottled water is now the world’s fastest-growing drinks sector worth £1.2bn a year and research shows that it is now outselling coca-cola in London. Jenny Jones, Green Party member of the London Assembly, commented: “Selling water in bottles and burning massive quantities of fossil fuels for its transportation does not make economic or environmental sense. Most containers for bottled water are made from non-degradable plastics, which take a 450 years to break down when disposed of in landfill sites. Even glass bottles of water still take a lot of energy to crush and recycle, whereas all we do with a restaurant glass of water is wash it up afterwards.”

Even recycling them as we do in this District has considerable environmental costs but just one bottle recycled can still save enough energy to power a 60W light bulb for 6 hours. Some bottled waters are exactly the same standard as tap water, without being as energy efficient - and many sell for up to 1000 times the price of tap water. We are banning the plastic bag in Stroud what about also banning the plastic water bottle?

But it isn't just bottled water we need to think about - a much deeper analysis is needed. It is clear that in urban settings, the “flush and forget” system of one-time water use to disperse human and industrial wastes will increasingly become an outmoded practice, made obsolete by new technologies and water shortages. Water comes into a town or city, becomes contaminated with human and industrial wastes, and leaves the city dangerously polluted. Toxic industrial wastes discharged into rivers and lakes or into wells also permeate aquifers, making water - both surface and underground - unsafe for drinking.

Water-based sewage systems take nutrients originating in the soil and typically dump them into rivers, lakes, or the sea. Not only are the nutrients lost from agriculture, but the nutrient overload has led to the death of many rivers and to the formation of some 200 dead zones in ocean coastal regions. Sewer systems that dump untreated sewage into rivers and streams are also a major source of disease and death.

Water is already becoming more scarce. The time has come to manage waste without discharging it into the local environment, allowing water to be recycled indefinitely and reducing both urban and industrial demand dramatically.

Compost toilet to the rescue

Where reed bed treatment systems are not viable a low-cost alternative is the composting toilet: a simple, waterless, odorless toilet linked to a small compost facility. Table waste can also be incorporated into the composter. The dry composting converts human fecal material into a soil-like humus, which is essentially odorless and is scarcely 10 percent of the original volume. These compost facilities need to be emptied every year or so, depending on design and size. Vendors periodically collect the humus and can market it as a soil supplement, thus ensuring that the nutrients and organic matter return to the soil, reducing the need for fertilizer. All this reduces water use, cuts water bills, lowers energy needed to pump water and sewage and even cuts garbage collection if it includes table waste.

Pioneered in Sweden, these toilets work well under the widely varying conditions where they are now used, including Swedish apartment buildings, U.S. private residences, and Chinese villages. Indeed I've used several in my time and none of them smelt which is the usual fear expressed. At the household level, water can be saved in many obvious ways by using showerheads, meters, more water-efficient appliances etc.

Some cities already faced with shrinking water supplies and rising water costs are beginning to recycle their water. Singapore, for example, which buys its water from Malaysia, is beginning to recycle water, reducing the amount it imports. For some cities, the continuous recycling of water may become a condition of their survival. Industries are also moving to save water in lots of new and innovative ways.

Clearly managing our water supplies using Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems as outlined in previous blogs is crucial - and much more like reforestation. The world’s demand for water has tripled over the last half-century as Lester Brown writes - water is running out in many places - water tables are continuing to fall, rivers are running dry, and more lakes and wetlands are disappearing. These should be wake up calls for action. Let us hope enough of us are listening.

Meanwhile the horrendous floods in Asia where over a thousand have already died and some 2 million effected must surely bring home the need for action?

Corporate manslaughter Act but prison service delayed 3 years

Councils and other public and private bodies whose negligence leads to the death of individuals will face prosecution under a new law due to come into force next April. The Corporate Manslaughter and Corporate Homicide Act was passed last week and something many of us have been pushing for a long while.

Photo: A friend who works in the prison service let me photograph her marmalade from one of her colleagues!

The Act now includes deaths in custody but only after a three-year delay. This is apparently to allow consultation with the Prison Service and the police - if the last years are anything to go by then they will need to pull their socks up fast. Lord David Ramsbotham, former chief inspector of prisons, who led the parliamentary campaign to include deaths in custody in the legislation, was “disappointed” by the delay, and challenged the rationale for it, saying: “The prison population is increasing day by day and I cannot see that in three years time we will be any better off than we are now. The problem will still be there.”

Indeed yesterdays Citizen had an article about violence on the rise in Gloucestershires' prisons again - see article here and Green party news release from June this year that also says more about what we should be doing. It is really quite shocking - how can we teach offenders respect if we show so little ourselves - of course prison has it's place but it is no wonder reoffending rates are so bad - highest prison pops in Europe - and who are we sending there:

- Naked rambler Richard Gough, 47, seven months after a court ruled that, during his efforts to promote naturism, he had committed a breach of the peace and exposed himself in public.
- The depressed mother Angela Schumann, 28, was jailed for 18 months in November after trying to kill her daughter by jumping from the Humber bridge with the two-year-old.
- Climate change demonstrator Irene Willis, 61, a Green party activist from Suffolk, was sentenced to 21 days' in prison two years ago after refusing to pay a fine for demonstrating against climate change and nuclear weapons at USAF Lakenheath.
- RAF man said war was illegal - Malcolm Kendall-Smith, 38, an RAF flight lieutenant, was jailed for eight months for failing to obey a lawful order in relation to service in Iraq. He had argued that the war in Iraq was illegal.
- Homeless hostel couple Ruth Wyner and John Brock were sentenced to four and five years' jail for allowing drugs to be sold at their hostel for the homeless in Cambridge. Their sentences were reduced by the Court of Appeal.
- Teenager who took her own life - Sarah Campbell, 18, from Cheshire, committed suicide in prison in 2003 after she became the first person to be convicted of manslaughter by harassment after stealing credit cards from a stranger.
- Stole a mobile phone - Joseph Scholes, 16, was sentenced to two years in 2002 a week after the Lord Chief Justice declared that mobile phone thieves should be jailed. He hanged himself in his cell.

The record prison population is largely due to the large number of offenders who do not pose a threat to the public but are being dragged back into overcrowded, overstretched jails at great expense to the taxpayer. Prisons exist to protect the public and detain serious, persistent criminals rather than warehouse people who have done their time and need support in the community to rebuild their lives.

We are failing by not having restorative justice (see excellent blog entry on this topic from another blogger here) and failing people to provide the help that is needed - many prisoners should be being treated for mental health problems - some 300 in Gloucester prison last year alone - and a staggering 52% of prisoners have been found to have limited literacy skills, which will seriously hamper their learning and work opportunities - and 20% of the total prison population were found to have a hidden disability. Infact I saw one quote a while back say early recognition of hidden disabilities could keep 15,000 individuals out of prison each year and save tax payers £410 million!!!

Anyhow this Act will hopefully sharpen up not just the penal service but much more - since the Health and Safety at Work Act came into force in 1974, 10,000 people have died at work - but only 11 directors have been convicted of manslaughter and only 5 of those were jailed.

Last year eleven people were killed at work every week. According to the Health and Safety Executive almost 75% of these "accidents" were caused by managers cutting corners to maximise profits - take for example the inquest into the death of steel fixer Kieron Deeney - a verdict of “unlawful killing” was passed after he fell 40 feet to his death through a hatch covered by a piece of plywood. Also nothing is as cheap as casual labour - with accidents much more likely to be suffered by agency workers - see Simon Jones campaign.

Anyhow there is lots more that could also be done to reduce workplace deaths and injuries. Unions in the past have called on the Government to introduce a system of roving health and safety reps in the UK to allow unions to bring safer working to workplaces where there is no union presence. The experience of other countries like Italy, Norway and Australia suggests that roving reps can have a significant impact on improving workplace safety records. Giving union safety reps more rights in more workplaces is the ultimate win-win. It provides skilled, trained on-the-ground union safety advisers at absolutely no cost to the Government, complementing the work of the Health and Safety Executive and saving lives in the process.

But enough on all this for now - am still suffering flu effects so will need to go for a sleep now.

Mobile Police Station visits

Hey and while we are on law and order the Mobile Police Station is due in Whiteshill the first Tuesday and third Friday in the month and in Randwick on the first Sunday and third Saturday in the month.

Tap water setback

'Tap water setback' was the Citizen's headline today - it looks like it will be Tuesday at the earliest before we can drink water again from the taps. However the news is that the water is now safe to drink if we boil it - read more here.

Severn Trent have also admitted that there had been no contingency plans in place to cope with a flooding crisis of this kind. I have to say I am disturbed by this as there is evidence to suggest serious flooding was likely to occur at some point - not to have protected at the very least electricity substations and Mythe water treatment plant is extreme negligence.

Meanwhile see here Greg Dance, Whiteshill and Ruscombe Parish councillor get a mention in The Times re the floods.

New build on flood plains: insurance wont cover it

Last week ministers unveiled plans to build three million new homes by 2020 - their time could not have been more perfect??!! Thousands of homes had just been flooded and insurance companies are questioning whether they will insure homes on flood plains yet the Government defied these widespread warnings by insisting that some will have to be built on flood plains.

Photo: Ebley flooding on site close to where homes were built recently n the flood plain

Housing Minister Yvette Cooper said: "What we are not saying is that there should be no housebuilding anywhere in the city of York, which is on a flood plain - the Romans built it on a flood plain - or around 10 Downing Street. That's also on a flood plain. The thing about 10 Downing Street is that it's protected by the Thames barrier. There are very good flood defences in place. That's what you've got to take account of. We have got to both provide people with proper protection and make sure new homes are built in safe areas and are properly protected."

Her stance was challenged by opposition politicians and the insurance industry, who warned that it would be foolhardy to allow more building in areas at risk of flooding. Nick Starling, the director of general insurance and health at the Association of British Insurers, argued that ministers should ban any new homes being built in areas at high risk of flooding, saying "The devastation caused by the recent floods shows the importance of planning for the future. We need a fresh approach to house building to take account of the increasing risk of flooding and to ensure sustainable communities. New homes should not be built in high-risk areas of the floodplain. They must be planned and designed with flooding in mind, with greater use of flood-resilient building materials."

Grant Shapps, the Tory Shadow housing minister, said: "We can expect more flash floods of the type we have experienced in recent days and weeks. Labour aren't planning the eco-towns of the 21st century, they are planning the sink estates of tomorrow."

Indeed - it is a pity though that the Tories aren't a little more active in terms of policies to tackle the problems. These three big parties are good with the rhetoric but where is the action?

Insurance wont cover it?

Anyhow all this talk of flood plain building comes on top of news from the previous week that the insurance industry is set to abandon two million British homeowners to the perils of climate change. In that report Jon Hughes and Rebecca Bole cover various issues - here is the bulk of their excellent article:

If the trend of losses since 1970s continues it means that by 2065, insurance losses from climate change will equal the total value of everything that humanity produced in the course of a year - and that is without taking account of accelerated climate change taking hold.

"Today the insurance industry faces the prospect of a $100 billion national disaster – twice the size of Katrina. We need to wake up to the truth about catastrophe trends and radically review our public policy."
Lloyds’ chairman Lord Levene

It’s not simply weather events hitting Britain that could force up the cost of insurance, it is the nature of the industry’s global structure. Eighty per cent of the losses accruing from Katrina fell on foreign reinsurers, such as Munich Re, Swiss Re and Lloyds. These powerhouses underpin a system of domestic and commercial insurance that, by and large, we take for granted: to protect our homes and allow us to drive, and enable business to grow. Without insurance, the very notion of global trade becomes untenable. Yet the prospect of climate change – with sea-level rises and stronger storms – suggests that premiums could first become prohibitive, before becoming unavailable to many. We can already begin to see this happening in the domestic insurance market, with mortgage lenders and insurers threatening to withdraw their financial support for homes standing on flood plains in the UK.
Opening the floodgates

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) estimates that today, 2.1 million properties – housing five million people in England and Wales – are at risk from coastal and river flooding. That equates to approximately £250 billion in assets. There are also 185,000 businesses situated on these flood plains.

In Britain, the value of weather-related claims reached £6 billion between 1998 and 2003 – twice the total in the previous five years. If carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere double by 2080 (which is in line with ‘business as usual’ projections), then annual flood costs in the UK could increase almost 15-fold to £22 billion, according to the ABI report Financial Risks of Climate Change (FRCC). Premiums would reach such a level that it could spell the end of the era of home ownership.

In order to secure a mortgage in the UK, lenders require buildings’ insurance to be in place. This covers the cost of rebuilding your home should it be destroyed or damaged due to dangers such as flooding, subsidence or fire – the risks of which all increase in a warming world. Currently, the insurance and mortgage lending industries are not obliged by law to offer insurance to homebuyers. Market forces rule, and the insurance industry is essentially saying that the risks are too great or too uncertain for it to want to be involved, almost at any cost.

Accordingly, the ABI, which represents 97 per cent of the UK insurance industry, has only committed to provide flood insurance until 2010. Jane Milne, head of property at the ABI, warned of developing housing on flood plains: ‘Some local authorities carry on as if flooding was not a threat. We cannot guarantee to insure some of the homes they build. This would mean no mortgages for these people.’

So, a considerable number of British homeowners can only feel safe in their beds for the next three years. Cold comfort, indeed.

Why build on flood plains?

The government, insurers and mortgage lenders are all in agreement on the actual and potential threat of flooding in the face of climate change. Why, then, are the authorities allowing developers to throw rows of houses up on known flood plains, when we can only expect the flood risk to increase as the climate changes?

One reason is our national obsession with home ownership. For numerous social and economic reasons, people are demanding more housing to be built on our crowded island. We are running out of space to put these new homes and are resorting to risky sites to meet demand.

The Town and Country Planning Association estimates that we need 200,000 new homes a year, just to meet current levels of demand. With Defra and the Environment Agency (EA) rightly under pressure to avoid developing on greenfield sites, the outcome is that we are developing brownfield sites, the majority of which are located on flood plains. The

ABI report says: ‘In the past 20 years, over 350,000 residential properties have been built on floodplains in the UK, with more than 20,000 being built between 2002 and 2005.’

The government has designated four main growth areas to address the housing shortage in the South East – the Thames Gateway, Ashford, the M11 corridor and the South Midlands – each of which faces differing levels of flood risk, managed by defences of varying standards and qualities. By 2016, 200,000 new homes will be built in the South East alone; and 89 per cent of the 120,000 new homes in the Thames Gateway development near London will be located in the tidal flood plain, below current low-tide levels. It is widely believed that flood defences in the area are inadequate.

A second ABI study, from 2005, Making Communities Sustainable, states: ‘The study shows clearly that the new developments in the Thames Gateway, Ashford, the South Midlands and the M11 corridor could increase the costs of flooding by more than £50 million each year if steps to manage potential losses are not taken – a figure that could increase tenfold once climate change effects are felt in full. But with some creative thinking and effective action, this additional flood risk in the growth areas could be reduced substantially.’

But creative thinking and effective action require a certain level of cooperation that is lacking in the field of flood defences.
Poor defences

Defra has the ability to set policy, which can be adopted or ignored by the EA, local authorities, internal drainage boards, planning offices and developers. Defra allocates grant aid to help finance flood defence projects, but the local authorities and developers have to plug the gap from their own budgets. In explaining its place in the scheme of things, a statement on the Defra website says: ‘Authorities have permissive powers to undertake works to manage risk – there is no statutory obligation on them to do so and thus no statutory right to levels of protection.’

Central and local government spent £600 million in 2005-2006 on flood defences, which in real terms is 40 per cent more than 1996–1997 spending. In advice to stakeholders, Defra states: ‘Despite these large increases, we still have to prioritise proposed projects. Unfortunately, it is not possible to justify defending all locations to the same standard or at all in some cases.’

The EA has committed to spend £200 million on flood warning systems in England over a 10-year period up to 2012–13. By way of comparison, during the flooding of 2000, a total of 10,000 properties were damaged, at a cost of £1 billion.

Natural catastrophes are inherently unpredictable, and the insurance industry is based on predictability. To date, insurers have been able to capture past storm and flood data and use it to fairly accurately predict future activity, and price risk accordingly. They are now struggling to predict the effects of climate change on weather patterns.

In the United States, hurricanes Andrew (which struck Florida in 1992) and Katrina (New Orleans, Louisiana and Mississippi in 2005) were the heaviest recorded storms to hit land and caused human and financial devastation across the coast. Correspondingly, the insurance value of properties in US coastal areas has doubled over the past decade – to more than $7 trillion, with Florida and New York both having a value of $2 trillion each. The combination of increased frequency and severity of natural catastrophes, rising asset values and increasing coastal population is a recipe for disaster.

If either location is hit by a hurricane of Katrina proportion, the impact on the global economy would be severe. As Lord Levene put it to his expert audience: ‘In New York’s case, almost $1.4 trillion relates to commercial property. Imagine the disruption to the economy if even 10 per cent of those businesses were forced to close down.’

Little wonder the insurers are heading for the hills and devising policies to force industry to adopt carbon neutral policies. If the market will not provide insurance cover for people living in disaster-prone areas, governments will be forced to step into the void. But the state’s reaction is not always efficient, as New Orleans can testify. According to The Economist in March this year, less than 3 per cent of the 115,000 families who have applied for help have received payments. If the government of mega-wealthy America cannot look after its own in the wake of a natural catastrophe, we have just cause to be concerned. With the anticipated increase in natural disasters, governments would soon run out of money to bail us out.

Before that, we face the spectre of millions of houses becoming unsaleable unless, that is, the government agrees to underwrite insurance policies. In his speech, Levene said that Lloyds is now actively planning for a stormy future – before adding, ‘But I seriously question whether all policymakers, businesses and homeowners are doing so.’

Upside-down houses

Insurers are not so much concerned with a warning of floods, but whether these houses at risk are inhabited or not. In its FRCC report, the ABI is calling for homes to be built upsidedown, with living accommodation and all electrics to be located on the first floor of the building. It also urges for legislation to force developers to take responsibility for flood defences. ‘Asking developers to pay could help to ensure that the market takes into account the full costs of development,’ it says.

If this were to happen, who would decide the level of flood defences? Would private developers be obliged to maintain flood defences? What recourse would homeowners have in the decades to come, if the developer were no longer in business? And would the housing be affordable to anyone but the most wealthy? If insurers are withdrawing their capital from an area, it is a clear indication that the risks are too high for them to profitably cover it.

Anyway a good article outlining the reality - one thing is for sure these floods will begin to transform the housing market. Let us hope that these floods raise awareness of flood plains.
We must perhaps at least welcome that the Government accepts that climate change is the likely cause of the floods - sadly though they still seem incapable of doing anything to curb it.
Many examples could be given but why are one billion pounds being removed from subsidies to the privatised train companies - this will only lead to increased fares increased the use of cars. Similarly, the private water companies were discouraged from building larger drains and sewage systems, because this would have increased water charges. And no one dare suggest decreased water or rail company profits. Sadly the same profit-driven logic will apply to the building of new houses.

Randwick Runner 45th birthday

Yes I know I'm a month late celebrating and I missed the party in Randwick due to family but I didn't want to miss doing a blog entry to celebrate what could be the longest running weekly Parish newsletter in the country - nay the world - 45 years ago it was set up by the late Rev. Nial Morrison - he was also responsible for reviving the Randwick Wap in 1972 - an ancient procession and festival that dates back to the Middle Ages but was halted due to rowdiness in 1892.

Anyway the Runner was one time rattled off from stencil and duplicator in the Vicarage, and delivered by Nial on his bicycle - these days the Runner is more high tech' and has a circulation of around 300 for the price of a few quid. It is relied upon by many villagers and local groups for reaching the parts that other methods can't.... bringing news, reports, future dates and local humour.

Contributions or queries to randwickrunner (at) hotmail.com

Solar panels must come off Listed House

The Stroud News and Journal reported this week the listed house owner in Bisley's efforts to go green. For a while I've had some correspondence on this specific case with various people and the case is clearly not straight forward - I'll try to set it out from notes and bits that will hopefully make sense despite my flu-adled brain.

Photo: Copy of view of the panels from SNJ

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Heres the background from the SNJ:

John Cowen installed solar panels at the 500-year-old Over Court in Bisley six years ago as part of his family's efforts to live in a more sustainable way. The equipment was placed inside a roof valley at the grade 2* listed building where it remained without any complaints until a few months ago when it was spotted by a planning officer at a neighbouring property. Mr Cowen's subsequent application for planning permission was supported by Bisley-with-Lypiatt Parish Council but turned down by Stroud District Council on the grounds that his panels were "highly visually obtrusive" and "immediately catch the eye".

He is now planning an appeal, but if this fails he will have to remove his panels or face the prospect of enforcement action and a possible criminal record. Mr Cowen, whose family has owned Over Court for 38 years, said he was disappointed that his solar panels had upset the planners, especially as their location had been carefully considered to avoid detracting from the overall appearance of the house.

"We feel that our solar panels are well hidden - they are only visible from very limited areas of Over Court and Jayne's Court," said Mr Cowen. "From a conservation point of view they are reversible - they can be taken down without damaging the building in any way."

He added that he had not received any other objections, even though the house had been visited by hundreds of people over the last six years including staff from English Heritage and members of the Council for the Protection of Rural England.

"We carried out a survey of public opinion in June when our garden was open to the public. Of the 140 people who responded over half did not notice the panels, although prompted to do so, and no-one thought they were visually intrusive. To our knowledge, nobody from Stroud District Council has actually visited Over Court to view and assess the panels."

Mr Cowen said he felt the local authority was being "hypocritical" in encouraging residents to be more responsible for the environment while penalising those who were doing something.

"As an engineer I assessed the heat losses from the property," he said. "Fifteen years ago we increased insulation levels, reduced draughts and installed an efficient condensing boiler. Solar panels heat our water in summer and make a contribution in winter, saving a significant amount of energy through the year. Over Court has adapted over the years to respond to the needs of its owners and to outside pressures. We feel it should be allowed to continue to adapt to meet new challenges of our time. The solar panels should be seen as a positive historical development."

Bisley-with-Lypiatt Parish Council member Lesley Greene disputed the planners' assertion that the solar panels were "visually obtrusive" as nobody else had noticed them in the six years they had been up. "We are concerned that many local authorities are embracing renewable energy installations on listed buildings - but not apparently Stroud," she said.

A spokesman for Stroud District Council said that in planning terms, the historical status of listed buildings outweighed all other considerations - including energy efficiency. "We have a legal obligation to give priority to the preservation of the building itself, its setting and features of special architectural or historic interest," he said. "This obligation invariably outweighs other factors, including energy efficiency. We recognise that Mr Cowen may have acted with the best of intentions, but solar panels by their nature and materials are an inappropriate addition to a natural Cotswold slate roof. Our decision was reached following consultation with English Heritage."

What are some of the issues?

Rather than look at this specific case initially I would like to make a few general points. Firstly the issue of energy efficiency in listed buildings remains one which requires stronger and unambiguous advice upon the Government. For example, the Building Regulations expressly exempt listed buildings from any requirement to introduce thermal efficiency when undertaking building works. There is therefore no requirement to provide double glazing, wall, floor or loft insulation or comply with carbon targets.

It is also noted that the proposed revisions to the General Permitted Development Order (works that do not require permission) excludes listed buildings and those in conservation areas, in effect requiring planning application for such works.

I've heard it argued that Greens should not waste too much time on Listed buildings as they make up such a tiny fraction of the building stock - all efforts should go into improving the general stock and new build. However clearly there are also principles at stake.

With regard to the use of solar panels, in the absence of specific guidance, our Local Planning Authority has noted that it would prefer that they be positioned at ground level, say within the garden. This lower position would also facilitate their operation without a pump, using natural circulation of the water- this method would also be the least invasive to the building.

Photo: St James's Church, Piccadilly

We should also note that solar panels have been used on a number of prominent listed buildings. Many examples like Brighton & Hove where solar panels have been allowed on Grade II listed homes in a key Conservation Area (Planning Ref: BH 2006/02391 and BH 2006/02403), St. James's Church, Piccadilly, London, a Grade I Listed Sir Christopher Wren Church, has installed solar panels on its roof. We are also aware that high profile preservation organisations such as the National Trust are considering Climate Change with renovations such as the cafe at Kynanace Cove and many others.

However it has to be said that I understand that these have been carried out in co-operation and under the watching brief of the DCMS and English Heritage. It is also worth noting the obvious that energy efficiencies can be incorporated before resorting to material alterations. Replacement of aging boilers with more efficient ones, the prudent increasing of loft insulation, the use of traditional heavy drapes and perhaps the renovation of the timber shutters could be considered first.

Parish support panels

There is now lots of info in the public domain regarding this specific case in Bisley. The Parish Council supported the solar panels and wrote a letter which made various points - perhaps one of the key points being that if these panels are “highly visually intrusive,” and “immediately attract the eye” why have there been no complaints (at all) and why has the installation of these panels not been raised before (even comments from the public) for the six years that they have been in place? The house regularly opens its gardens to the general public and no one has raised the matter. In fact because the panels are in a valley on the roof they are quite difficult to see. How, therefore, can the phrases “highly visually intrusive” and “immediately attracts the eye” be used to describe these installations?

Where to now?

This application has already been refused and therefore it is normal practice for the Council to now consider enforcement. As noted it is a II* listed property and as such deserves added protection. Whilst it is understood that the panels have been in place for sometime, an offence has been committed by the owner and as such the Council has a duty of care to pursue.

The key bone of contention seems to be that these panels are foreign to the design of this building and that damage has possibly occurred that should not. The Council have also expressed concern about a precedent being set, that once released would be difficult for the Planning Authority to close the Pandora’s Box?

To me it is clear work needs to be done to improve our planning guidance particularly as these types of applications are hopefully going to multiply. It is estimated that this installation alone will have saved over 4 tonnes of carbon emissions since its installation. It seems tragic that in this case the panels could not be given permission, particularly as I fail to see how they are that visually obtrusive and unless we start to tackle climate change at every corner there wont be old buildings to celebrate. Nevertheless the argument that these could be on the ground is also sound....

And in terms of precedent I would argue that a case could be made to get around that - indeed a case was made for retrospective permission for UPVC windows within the Bisley Conservation area: these were granted permission for the period of ownership by the current occupier only.

Broader picture?

This country has been far far too slow in developing solar - as Keith Barnham, professor of physics at Imperial College London, says "the UK has already been 'crazily' slow in its development of solar power - and that so far we have had a poor record on serious sustained investment."

Germany, with similar sunlight levels, already has 30 times more solar panels on its roofs. It was the Green Members of parliament who got that initiative up and running - and if the Germans continue to expand solar power at the same rate, in another six years they will be getting more electricity from solar power than the UK gets from its nuclear power stations. Increased investment in solar power would make the technology more efficient and cheaper - it should be just one part of the way forward to tackle climate change.

Time for me to go to bed with that flu - but just before I go I read that a Planning Inspector has just approved a micro-turbine on a listed building on appeal, after refusal by Mid Suffolk DC. The term he used to describe the micro-turbine made me smile - a "Benign Utilitarian Structure."

Update 2nd Aug: Bristol Evening Post carried story re solar on listed property here

Your District in Strong hands!

On 14th July More Hall Convent had their garden party - see more here. I hope local residents will be delighted to hear the news that I did win the milking the cow contest - or at least came second!! Here's part of the email I got yesterday:

"...you did win yourself a large bar of Dairy Milk by milking the cow at More Hall! In fact you were overtaken by Sister Cornelius but only after she had about 4 consecutive goes, determined to beat your score! She has amazing hand strength! So she got a bar of chocolate too! Will give you yours at next parish council meeting."