Read here first: research showing only qualified support for new nukes

Here is an news item embargoed until one minute past twelve today - Cardiff University led a study that reveals communities close to existing nuclear power stations show only qualified support for nuclear new build. A colleague, Jim Duffy from Stop Hinkley, will be going to the Royal Society to hear the results tomorrow but Ruscombe Green is ahead of the game and can bring you a synopses below - and it is to be welcomed. See my news release and comment tonight here.

Cartoon: One of the more wacky cartoons coming from local scribbler Russ!

The five-year study focused on people living near nuclear stations at Bradwell (Essex), Oldbury
(16 miles from Stroud)) and Hinkley Point (Somerset), exploring their attitudes towards and concerns about nuclear power.

A key factor in siting new nuclear stations will be public acceptance amongst local communities at the existing sites. Professor Nick Pidgeon of the School of Psychology at Cardiff University, who led the research team, explained: "It is clear that the proponents of nuclear power have made the assumption that it will be far easier to develop new stations at the existing sites, because, among other factors, they believe that local communities will be very supportive. However, we know very little about what members of such communities in Britain really think and feel about nuclear power today. This new research, which combined extensive interviewing with a major survey, helps us to understand more about this critical aspect of the current nuclear energy debate."

The study was carried out by researchers from the School of Psychology and the School of Social Sciences at Cardiff University, and from the School of Environmental Sciences at the University of East Anglia. Key findings include:

On Experiences of Living with Nuclear Power Interviews with residents living close to Bradwell and Oldbury revealed that:
On a day-to-day basis residents view their local nuclear station as familiar and unremarkable.
This sense of ordinariness, combined with a belief that local operators can be trusted to keep the plants safe, underpins local confidence in nuclear power. However, the reassuring narrative of familiarity is disrupted at specific moments when residents are reminded by external events such as terrorist activity that there might be risks associated with their local plant. In such moments people can, and do, experience anxiety about living with nuclear power.

On Support for Local New Build
The survey showed that 50% at Oldbury and 61% at Hinkley Point supported new nuclear build at their local site. Opposition to local new build was significantly greater at Oldbury (31%) than at Hinkley Point (23%).

The Need for Local Consultation
Regardless of their opinion on nuclear power, the vast majority of people surveyed (84%) wanted the industry and Government to fully involve local people in plans for siting new nuclear power stations locally.

On Differences within Communities
Although attitudes towards nuclear power were generally positive, the researchers found important differences in attitudes which showed that local residents are not simply pro- or anti- nuclear power. At all three locations they identified four distinctive points of view, which were confirmed by the survey conducted around Hinkley Point and Oldbury. These points of view were as follows:
1. Beneficial and Safe. This group (34% of the survey respondents) believe that nuclear power brings local benefits and invest high trust in local operators to keep the plants safe.
2. Threat and Distrust. This group (16%) believe the risks of nuclear power far outweigh any benefits, want to see renewable energy developed in response to climate change, and are highly distrustful of both the nuclear industry and government.
3. Reluctant Acceptance. This group (38%) are ambivalent about nuclear power. They view it as risky but are prepared to accept it locally because it may be needed for addressing climate change and energy security. The ambivalence voiced by this significant segment of the local populations surveyed suggests that, for many, their support is highly provisional and potentially subject to change.
4. There is No Point Worrying. This group (12%) although barely noticing the power station, and expressing few concerns about it, are highly critical of those in authority and unsympathetic to critics of nuclear power who they see as exaggerating the issue.

Professor Pidgeon added: "The findings suggest that failing to consult in a proper manner, or in a way that does not fully recognise and respond to local people'€™s concerns, would almost certainly undermine the local confidence and trust in local plant operators which has been painstakingly built up in all of the locations that we studied over a considerable period of time. Despite the apparent level of support for nuclear power that exists in these communities, our research also demonstrates that many remain ambivalent towards nuclear power, and strong mistrust of both the industry and Government is voiced by a further significant minority of residents. Accordingly, any such erosion of local confidence could have adverse consequences for relations between the nuclear industry and local communities, and for the nuclear new build programme as a whole. This clearly argues against complacency about the future."€�

Just as I finish writing this here comes a comment from Jim Duffy who seems to also be working late! He says: "I think the industry might have hoped for better results than this. There seems to be a big chunk of nominally supportive local people who have mixed feelings and, when reminded of the risks, tend to shy from nuclear. Professor Pidgeon reveals that over the five year study, local people have demanded 'consultation in a proper manner' but the Government has already failed on this point with its rigged 2006 Energy Review which buried the low figures for nuclear's usefulness towards climate change at the back of its bogus consultation. We're still waiting for the results of Greenpeace's complaint to the ombudsman."

"The definition of local might also be important here. Burnham-on-Sea is a long distance by road but only five miles downwind from Hinkley. Our own, less scientific, poll in the town showed 72% against Hinkley C in 2002. This could be due to fewer nuclear jobs held by Burnham residents than in West Somerset while health effects seem to be remarkably common there according to our commissioned studies. The county town of Taunton gave a 99% verdict against Hinkley C in the same year. Thornbury residents also gave the thumbs down for new build at Oldbury in 2002, together with Bristolians, people in Stroud and Cheltenham with a combined 73% against new nuclear."

CSNY tour and Iraq

It is a long story but last month I saw Neil Young in concert - now of course I'm nearly too young to remember him - OK I do really but look he was never my music, but I did enjoy the outdoor concert....anyhow this is a roundabout way to draw attention to his film that came out in July...the documentary film ‘Déjà Vu’, which follows Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young on their reunion tour and the reaction across America to their anti-war message. See trailer here and here and see their website here.

Meanwhile you may have missed in the news that a US-Iraq agreement was leaked. It is claimed that the US are seeking a “contractual and long-term occupation” that will bypass the full democratic functioning of the Iraqi parliament and the US Congress. This would give the US authorities in Iraq unprecedented rights and immunities, whilst legalising the long-term troop bases in Iraq. This goes way beyond the normal arrangements in such circumstances, as for example it specifically permits US troops the right to keep fighting and that all US personnel will have immunity from Iraqi law “except for intentional crimes and major mistakes”.

The Iraqi Prime Minister, Nouri al-Maliki, has said that all US troops will be out of the country by the end of 2011, but this draft agreement would appear to leave that decision out of the hands of any present or future elected officials in either the US or Iraq. Here is what 'Our World Our Say' say: "The agreement will also almost inevitably cause rifts between the rival Iraqi parliamentary factions, splitting apart the raft arrangements and agreements that have been holding the fragile political functioning of Iraq together – and the attempts to forge a peace which is so desperately needed after the years of war that have torn the country apart. The sectarianism in Iraq has been exacerbated by the US invasion, and it is feared that it will only lead to the fragmentation of its internal structure or to total collapse – further destabilising the region, and causing even more torment to the long-suffering Iraqi people. Political expediency and the greed of others have put the Iraqi people at risk again, denying them the right – the basic democratic right – of deciding their own future."

Meanwhile there is mounting scientific evidence that the depleted uranium weapons used in Iraq cause cancer - see New Scientist here.

It is perhaps worth remembering that the Nuremberg tribunal characterised a war of aggression as "the supreme international crime". Our government has not only launched and continued an unprovoked war, but it also sabotaged a peaceful resolution. In April 2002 it helped the Bush administration to remove José Bustani, the head of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, in order to prevent him settling the dispute over Iraq's alleged weapons of mass destruction. Two offers were made before the invasion by Saddam Hussein who agreed to meet the terms that the US and Britain were demanding. But these offers were slapped him down and concealed from the electorate until much later.

It is great that the CSNY tour bravely crossed the US calling for impeachment of the US President - and for that matter Blair and Brown have never faced the music for their illegal, dangerous decision - and the on-going nightmare that is Iraq today.

Should we save our telephone kiosks?

Back in June we heard 51 telephone kiosks were under threat of closure in Stroud District (see my blog here). In our area two boxes face the axe - see more here - Stroud District have formally objected to all closures - now we see BT have come up with a scheme that proposes that Council's can adopt or sponsor boxes - but at what cost?

Cartoon: from local scribbler Russ specially for this blogsite and photo below of Ludlow Green box - sometimes hard to see when all the trees nearby grow around it!

The celebrated K6 red telephone boxes were designed by Sir Giles Gilbert Scott (who designed Battersea and Bankside power stations in London) to mark George V's silver jubilee. A later version was designed to celebrate the Queen's coronation in 1953. The difference between the two is the crown above the door- George V's is the flat-ish Tudor crown, the Coronation version has the more upright crown that the Queen wears. The red boxes first appeared in 1936 and within a few years there were some 70,000 boxes.

Privatisation, the establishment of BT in 1984 and the invention of mobile phones has seen that figure cut to 12,747 and now 4,619 of those are under threat.

We have not heard yet what the Secretary of State thinks about Stroud's objections - and indeed don't know when the SoS will be making a decision on this matter which is likely not to be imminent and possibly after the deadline for applications for adoption/sponsorship.

Stroud's reasons for objection in principal to the removal of the public phones is mainly because:

· In the district BT introduced ‘card only’ phones in many areas thereby restricting their use
· Cards cannot generally be purchased in these areas
· Mobile phone ownership is lower in rural areas
· Mobile phone coverage is not absolute

For each of the sites identified evidence has been provided to substantiate an objection. As noted before the details of objections for our two phones are:
1. 01453 764946 Ludlow Green, Ruscombe, Stroud GL6 6DG Object: Historic significance
2. 01453 763370 At Westrip Farm, Westrip, Stroud GL6 6HA Object: Close proximity to social housing – highly unlikely to afford phones, 200m from Cotswold Way – assists walkers, Historic significance.

It now seems there are two options:

1. The adoption scheme where the local authority (it can be any LA in the area) pays £1 and takes ownership of the box and is responsible for future upkeep and maintenance. The telephone equipment is removed so the box is essentially a heritage feature in the local community.
2. A sponsorship scheme where the LA pays £500 annually BT as a contribution to the running costs to retain the service. It also appears that the LA will need to pick up the electricity cost of about £17 pa.

BT has now posted details of the scheme on their web site and there is a section on Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ’s). Apparently the two programmes that have been introduced by BT are not intended to undermine the current consultation process but to give local authorities the option to consider alternative options if, for instance, they are aware that a particular red call box is not used but they would like to keep it for heritage reasons (adopt a kiosk) or where another call box may be used little, but the local authority are keen to keep it and would like to contribute to the up keep of it (sponsor a kiosk).

Whiteshill and Ruscombe Parish are already discussing the adopt a telephone box scheme in the event of a closure threat. The current usage of the Ludlow Green box is well under a hundred calls a year, so there will need to be serious discussions about how much money could be used to support such a resource. I have still only had one representation calling for boxes to be saved but it is often after we loose a community resource we miss it - we are all the poorer.

Staverton Airport: latest revelation is that they are 'plain bonkers'

Some will remember that over a year ago Staverton released a secret report to local MPs and some councillors entitled 'Common Misconceptions' (they preferred to call it a 'controlled document'). In this extraordinary document that was leaked to campaigners, the airport denied the science of climate change. See my news release at the time here.

Photos: The Airport report and below The Ecologist magazine who also covered our story.

Now in an extraordinary twist the Cheltenham Friends of the Earth Coordinator Richard Conibere has uncovered that the authors of this 'controlled report' appear to have used a George Monbiot article and then twisted it completely to mean the opposite. Judge for yourself below noticing the sections Richard has highlighted in bold. As one commentator said: "This is just plain bonkers!"

George Monbiot – Channel 4’s Problem with Science. Guardian, 13th March 2007. Passage from article debunking the ‘Great Global Warming Swindle’ (see article here):

The film’s main contention is that the current increase in global temperatures is caused not by rising greenhouse gases, but by changes in the activity of the Sun. It is built around the discovery in 1991 by the Danish atmospheric physicist Dr Eigil Friis-Christensen that recent temperature variations on earth are in “strikingly good agreement” with the length of the cycle of sunspots - the shorter they are, the higher the temperature(2).

Unfortunately, he found nothing of the kind. A paper published in the journal Eos in 2004 reveals that the “agreement” was the result of “incorrect handling of the physical data”. The real data for recent years show the opposite: that temperatures have continued to rise as the length of the sunspot cycle has increased. When this error was exposed, Friis-Christensen and his co-author published a new paper, purporting to produce similar results. But this too turned out to be an artefact of mistakes they had made - in this case in their arithmetic.

GloucestershireAirport– ‘Common Misconceptions’ document. June 2007 (passage asserting that man-made climate change is not real):

It is a well documented fact that the climate or weather has never been stable during the entire history of the earth and it is foolhardy to presume it will become or can be made stable in the future. Claims that it is down to human interaction have already been proven wrong due to the incorrect handling of physical data. When this error was exposed the scientists produced a new paper, purporting to produce similar results. But this too turned out to be an artefact of mistakes they had made in this case, in their arithmetic!

Airport: expansion not safety: how many times do we have to correct the media?

Here is my letter to the Echo after their article last week when they kindly covered my press release re the Sustainable Development Commission's call to halt decisions on major airport expansion until there has been a full independent review of the Government's 2003 Air Transport White Paper. In response the airport again said they were not expanding and their project was about safety.....

Dear Madam/Sir, It seems that Gloucestershire Airport's PR policy is to repeat the line that the 'project is about safety, not expansion' (Echo 18th Sept) (i). Sadly some people have been taken in by this.

Even the pro-airport Joint Airport Scrutiny Working Group, along with the Airport's previous Business Plans, clearly showed that there is planned growth in flights and particularly more of the largest aircrafts currently using Staverton. Indeed in a job advert for the airport last month they write: "Significant operational developments are also planned, including removing obstacles from the runway ends and installing ILS, further enhancing commercial capabilities (ii)."

Are they kidding us or their planned new staff member?

The Airport want more commercial traffic so let's stop this nonsense about their plans being only about safety. Then perhaps we can get onto the debate about their flawed economic case based on out-of-date oil prices or failures to accept that we must reduce CO2 emissions by 80% at least if we are to tackle climate change. Indeed we have no alternative. Even, as the Echo has reported, the Government’s own environmental watchdog, the Sustainable Development Commission's report have said that airport growth is not compatible with tackling climate change.

Gloucestershire has a proud aviation heritage, let us now take a lead in common sense.

Cllr Philip Booth, Stroud District councillor (Green), Gloucestershire Airport Action Group.

Notes:
(i) Thursday 18th September The Echo reported: "Darren Lewington, head of operations at Gloucestershire Airport, said: "We are not aware of any change in the government policy and our runway safety project isn't affected and isn't about airport expansion. The runway safety project will remove some obstacles from either end of the runway, allowing the airport to operate more business aircraft but less flying training." Mr Lewington said although some people have interpreted the project as being an expansion plan, it's not. "There are no expansion plans as such," he added." (ii) See advert: http://www.gloucestershireairport.co.uk/Job_ATCO.pdf

Last hours to make your vote count

Last night I got an email saying that today, Friday 26th, is the final day for getting in our responses to the Government's weekend voting consultation. Given the lack of anything new announced on the Governance of Britain agenda - excluding bringing the Act of Succession into the modern era - during the Labour Party Conference, it is even more important that we make the most of the opportunities available to us.

The campaign Make Your Vote Count set a target last week of doubling the 200 responses they had already received. This has been done telling the Ministry of Justice (that name sounds so Orwellian??) that the First-Past-the-Post system is a barrier to voting. But they want to go further. It only takes a couple of minutes to fill out the special online form - I did it this morning: www.makevotescount.org.uk/email.php

There are even some helpful suggestions as to what barriers exist to voting - see here.

Digesting the Open eco-homes success

Last night we had a Transition Energy group meeting at one of the homes that was opened in the recent Open Homes event - see here about how hugely successful the event was - the home was the solar thermal and PV in Stonehouse.

Photo: Love this cartoon from Russ - below clipping from Citizen with a photo of mine of the wood pellet bioler in the Bowbridge home

Ten of us met, including some who helped organise the event - it was a great chance to debrief - the press release I wrote after the event was covered by The Citizen but sadly missed so far by the SNJ - I've written to them again as we need the support of local papers to get the messages out there about energy efficiency and renewables. Plus with hundreds of people visiting - and over 1,150 visits it should get a mention!

This week I've also been talking to the other Open Homes projects around the country - there are basically only 3 others that we know about - and all those have paid coordinators and big budgets - we managed on £750 for leaflets and the website - Brighton for example had a 3mth full time worker and £20,000 - they got 2,500 visits to 14 properties. It was also great to hear about how they ran their events - and get ideas for next time - I especially liked Brighton's idea of an eco pledge....

Photos: Below I've included (as a result of a request from a local resident) the info sheets from the home in Townsend that opened to show off it's garden watering system - hope you can read them!

Anyhow I am now collating this info to put a report together to look at what might be poss next year.....more info on that soon - certainly the Open Homes event is not sustainable in the current format - coordinating this project was hard work and many days - we hope next time we can get funding for a post to organise it...anyone interested in helping plan next years???

The meeting also fed back lots of positive info - including that we were invited to submit an application to the SW Green Energy Awards - I rather threw that application together as it would be great to see other towns in the SW adopt their own projects like this one. Another positive move has been by the Civic Society who want to have an evening with some of the eco-homes householders to talk green stuff - plus I've had various emails from folk who either thanked us or wanted another event.

We also talked about next steps for the website:
www.stroudopenhomes.org.uk/

We will be looking for help with updating and adding further info - plus there is talk of some small events between now and the next Open Homes - a sort of peak at a few homes - an eco-peak evening perhaps? Anyway too tired to write more now but a big big thank you again to the homes taking part.

Facebook alternative for Greens

Well I started a Facebook ages ago to be able to look at someones photos and connect with a green campaign - it has grown huge since then but I have to confess that I never seem to get around to doing anything very much with my account - now comes a new network - I perhaps wont do very much with this one either but it is only just beginning - the Green Change Network - and it has a different feel - and comes from a green and Green party perspective - I am literally one of only a handful of UK members - so why not join up and see what we can make it?
See: http://network.greenchange.org

One reason to think about Christmas now

Yuck Christmas is already in the shops - I love the celebrations around that time of year but why can't we keep it to December?

Photo: Not sure if this Dali inspired Simpsons is about melting ice-caps or too much pizza but I love it - another from local artist Petalspice

Mind, if you have family or friends abroad, as pointed out by a Transition Stroud member, and want your cards / gifts to travel on a boat rather than burning up precious air miles, you need to plan ahead. Some examples of last posting dates by surface are:
for Jamaica 1/10/08
for USA & Canada 20/10/08
for most of Europe 24/11/08
to find other destinations, go to: www.royalmail.com/portal/rm/content1?catId=400126&mediaId=17800253

Dichloromethane vote: UK still 'The Dirty Man of Europe'

I have just read that the UK Government was lobbying in favour of the illegal use of dangerous substances in the European Parliament - thankfully sanity prevailed but it does make you wonder what planet they are on?? Both Tory and Labour seem intent on giving corporations a free rein...

Photo: What a great year for apples - no connection with subject of this post!

Brown's Government has claimed that it is too expensive to use alternatives to dichloromethane, a hazardous solvent used in paint-strippers, yet the calculations made in its impact assessment appear to be based on the illegal use of the substance. Here is what Caroline Lucas MEP said after the vote: “The Government's shockingly complacent approach is putting people's lives at risk, and undermining strong protection legislation from the EU. Exposure to DCM released from paint strippers is of concern for human health. According to the Commission, between 1989 and 2007, 18 fatalities and 56 non-fatal injuries have been registered in the EU. I'm therefore delighted that the majority of the Environment Committee has ignored the position of both Conservative and Labour MEPs, and voted to support the Green Party's recommendation for a complete ban on DCM for consumer and professional use."

A briefing sheet from the Health and Safety Executive makes clear that personal protective equipment should always be provided for anyone working with DCM, including "impermeable overalls, apron, footwear, long gloves and gauntlets and chemically resistant goggles or visor", as well as "respiratory protective equipment" if a maximum exposure limit is exceeded - which studies have shown is regularly the case. Such equipment is likely to cost in the region of £2000-2400, yet this cost factor is completely absent from the UK's impact assessment. In other words, DCM is only competitive because it is being systematically used in violation of worker safety legislation. A comprehensive impact assessment from 2007 from the leading impact assessors in the EU, RPA, based in the UK and commissioned by DG Enterprise, recommends a complete ban on DCM for both consumer and professional use.

Dr Lucas continued: "Any proper cost comparison of DCM versus alternatives would have to include the cost of personal protective equipment when using DCM. Such a comparison, as done in the impact assessment by the European Commission, clearly shows that DCM is not competitive against the much safer alternatives, which are widely available. The Government should be putting consumer safety ahead of corporate profit, and I call on Ministers to revisit their position, and to free the way for a European-wide ban"

Is it any wonder Britains' reputation as the "dirty man of Europe" has not shifted one bit under Labour?

Emotional responses to Peak Oil

I have found the psychology of tackling climate change and peak oil of much interest - it is surely a part of the key to getting folk motivated in a positive way?

Photo: Old tall sweet jar converted into home for caterpillars that were eating my broccoli - it allowed 7 year old granddaughter to watch them turn into chrysalis - isn't that just amazing - and then a butterfly! No coincidence I chose it for this blog item about change.

In an article, "The 8 Emotional responses to Peak Oil", adapted for the web here from 'The Transition Handbook', Rob Hopkins outlines the emotional stages people may go through when they begin to really understand the full ramifications and implications of declining resources.

He writes: "Having been around the subject of peak oil for a while, I have observed many people go through the process of becoming aware of peak oil, having what I sometimes call their 'End of Suburbia moment', and have seen how that awareness affects them. For some it is a traumatic shock, for others an affirmation of what they have always suspected. For many though, it is not so clear-cut either way. I have noticed, over the years, certain symptoms of what I have come to call 'post-petroleum stress disorder.'"

Some of the symptoms Hopkins has observed include bewilderment, anxiety, a sense of unreality, an irrational grasping at unfeasible solutions, nihilism, survivalism, denial, exuberant optimism and even the 'I told you so' syndrome!

Getting sidetracked into these symptoms, Hopkins believes, could prevent us from really analyzing "the strengths and weaknesses of our proposed solutions in the context of diminishing net energy. We need to really think through the implications – in a low-energy context – of our proposals, and not remain too attached to our long-cherished beliefs and ideas. We may find instead that by letting go of them we actually come up with something better and more appropriate to a culture in transition."

Identifying, naming and understanding responses is very important - but I do agree we need to move rapidly to solutions - but often just the process of understanding can allow release. There is indeed too much focus on the negative everywhere - the papers are full of it, the blogs and web is full of it, TV and radio is full of it - indeed I just had an email from a blog called Ecological Problems - there is loads of great info on the site - but how much more I would have liked to look at it if it had been called Ecological Solutions!

Positive approaches motivate and empower while the negative can disempower...I am sure the positivity of the Transition movement is part of it's success. Yes of course images of starving children make money - but I remember reading that to develop longterm relationships with donors, positive images were more successful - of course I don't always manage that myself!! Yes we have a Safe Water Campaign rather than an Anti-Fluoridation campaign but how to tackle nuclear power - by the time you give all the reasons for going down that crazy route it is hard to show all the evidence from so many that the alternatives which incl renewables are so much better - indeed Greens in the past were seen as campaigning against everything from GM to nukes. See previous discussion re some of this on my blog here.

Anyhow some will be aware there is a whole movement looking at how we cope with dealing with such enormities as climate change - see for example the International Association for Ecotherapy at: http://thoughtoffering.blogs.com/ecotherapy

Moving in that direction towards ecotherapy there are also Social Workers and many other mental health workers - see for example the Global Alliance for a Deep Ecological Social Work: www.ecosocialwork.org And check out this useful website, which offers a wealth of resources re teaching psychology: www.teachgreenpsych.com

Join push for Supermarket watchdog with teeth

As West Glos Greens continue their fight this month against a town-destroying Tesco in Cinderford - see their letter here - we are still waiting to hear news of the Competition Commission's recommendations for a new supermarket watchdog and new supermarket code of practice. Where is it? Apols but this is another appeal to folk to take action....

Photo: Till receipt from local artist Petalspice

At the end of April 2008 the Competition Commission (CC) completed its 2 year investigation into the grocery market - the local Green party made several submissions to the Commission. The Commission found the supermarkets guilty of transferring excessive cost and risks onto their suppliers and recommended the establishment of an independent supermarket watchdog and new Grocery Supply Code of Practice.

The Green party, the Tescopoly alliance, along with other trade associations and farming unions, had been pushing for the establishment of a watchdog and a stronger Code for a number of years. While many were delighted by the recommendations I personally feel they go nowhere near far enough but they are a start - of course it is now vital that the Commission imposes a strong code of practice - and that it is tough enough to stop the unfair treatment of suppliers for good.

Some will remember that supermarkets were found guilty of unfair practices in 2000 - then they used their influence to create a weak code - they must not be allowed to do the same again.
Government must make the new watchdog independent - and give it real teeth. It needs the power to carry out its own investigations and take firm action if and when the supermarkets breach the code.

However despite the CC's recommendations, the indications from Government have not been very encouraging so it is vital we continue to put pressure on MPs and Government to take action.

Tescopoly have produced new campaign postcards to target MPs to put pressure on Government to establish a supermarket watchdog. Postcards are free but contributions towards postage costs are always welcome. Please email info@tescopoly.org

I know many folk have already done this - indeed I am getting sick of repeating what is plainly obvious to all - but please one more time tell the Government it must support town centres and local shops - and implement the Competition Commission's recommendations.

In July 2008 the Government revealed new plans for town centre planning policy. Unchallenged they could remove one of the key measures protecting local shops. It has launched a consultation that runs until the 3rd October. You can submit comments here.

Alternatively Tescopoly have a new on-line petition to the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, Hazel Blears MP - ask her to introduce a stronger policy for town centres that retains the need test and includes a presumption against out of town development and a tougher test for diversity to ensure that policy delivers a real choice of where to shop. Follow this link to send the email petition now:
www.tescopoly.org/index.php?option=com_wrapper&Itemid=128

Sign petition to stop water fluoridation

The public consultation in Hampshire on whether to fluoridate our water supplies is a complete sham - as noted a couple of weeks ago here on this blog, we have seen an extraordinary bias in the way the health authority are carrying the consultation out and the BBC are sadly reporting in a very one-sided manner - now there are more adverts like this one plus cards and more giving only one view of water fluoridation.

This is all worrying - if fluoridation happens there it will make it easier to happen here. I would strongly recommend folk taking part in the consultation with the link below and sign the petition just launched but not publicised yet. Sign here: www.thepetitionsite.com/1/no-fluoridation-for-southampton

Please also make your views known at the South Central SHA's Fluoridation Consultation homepage: www.southcentral.nhs.uk/fluoridation/

See article by David Cameron's advisor Zac Goldsmith here. He writes in The Independent: "Is fluoride safe? It's been linked to cot death, eczema and cancer - but now the Government
wants to put it in our tap water. This mass medication can't be right...Fluoride is thought to work best by applying it directly. Drinking it to stop cavities is like eating bandages to cure a broken arm."

Recession needs New Green Deal

OK so it seems pretty clear that a recession is on it's way soon. The collapse of the fourth biggest investment bank Lehman Brothers in the US and the forced sale of Merrill Lynch - plus of course Northern Rock, Bear Stearns, HBOS and Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac) threatens a wider recession (see here and a piece on the end of American capitalism here).

Last time things were rough in the 1980s, high unemployment, poverty and increased crime made life tough in many parts of Gloucestershire. So what can be done to lessen this?

Well in fact lots. Back in the depression of the early 1930s, it was President Roosevelt's New Deal that got people back to work with a massive investment in infrastructure. Today we face a triple crisis – credit-fuelled financial meltdown, accelerating climate change, and soaring energy prices.

Greens have called for a Green New Deal in response.

Recently released is the "Green New Deal" report, co-authored with a panel including Green party Leader and MEP Dr Caroline Lucas, SolarCentury boss Jeremy Leggett, Guardian Economic Editor Larry Elliot, and former Friends of the Earth chief Tony Juniper. They call for public investment in green-collar jobs in areas including renewable energy - a 21st century project to make the nation's buildings truly energy efficient, with local authority bonds being issued to raise the necessary funds for a major investment in insulation, efficiency and renewables, creating hundreds of thousands of jobs in the process. Plus a windfall tax on energy profits that would kick start the New Green Deal.

Let us not forget that just three companies – BP, Centrica, and Shell – together made £1000 profit every second over the first 6 months of this year. As our Glos Green party news release today says (here), 'these corporations are robbing from the poor to give to the rich and they know it.' This has got to change. You can see more about this report on the New Economics Foundation website: www.neweconomics.org/gen/greennewdealneededforuk210708.aspx

This is all inspiring stuff - and is well thought out - many of the national papers have covered it but will the grey politicians listen?

Sign petition

Avaaz has set up a petition that has already reached 91,000 calling for the fundamental causes of this crisis to be addressed - like tough rules to stop the financiers’ folly, and a new framework that better serves the public interest. See more and sign here:
www.avaaz.org/en/global_finance_action

Great letter

It is also worth copying below a letter from Stroud resident Martin Large that appeared in The Guardian - spot on!

Capitalism is imploding with the credit crunch, just as Communism fell with the Berlin Wall in 1989, with both systems morally bankrupt. Successive British governments have sold off public assets and utilities at knock down prices, leaving us defenceless against massive energy price increases. Politicians have engineered a disastrous housing boom and bust, with Parliament allowing Blair/Brown and Bush their murderous $5 trillion Iraq war. And now corporate socialism is being extended by P.M. Brown at vast taxpayer expense to the predatory city bankers whose only value is that 'greed is good' , even whilst the same bankers are destroying HBOS through speculative short selling. This is a defining historic moment with the collapse of light touch, laissez faire turbo capitalism.

So how can we the people reassert democratic power over our elitist Parliamentary shamocracy? Reclaim a people's banking sector that serves society? And will your newspaper give space to inspiring and practical solutions that will help revision our democracy, economy and way of life?

Martin Large
Chair, Stroud Common Wealth

Turn a parking space into a park

In 2005, artists in San Francisco reclaimed an ordinary car parking space and turned it into a miniture park for the day. Since then a growing movement has adopted a Park(ing) Day where cities around the world appropriate parking spaces for public use.

This year it was on 19th September and apparently Leeds was going to join - it is certainly most appropriate for cities but Stroud centre has long needed more green and more trees - what about next year? See the website for inspiration: www.parkingday.org/

Solar panels to be installed on Grade II Listed Building

Many will remember the house in Bisley where the District Council planners said they must remove the solar panels - see full story here on my blog with comments. I have been meaning to update for ages as the Inspector's Decision on the Appeal has allowed the panels to go-ahead on this very fine Grade II Listed Building located centrally in our Conservation Area. This could be useful to others.

Photo: Copy of view of the panels from SNJ from last year

The whole village rallied around the appellant, signed petitions etc, and the Parish Council even convened meetings with the District Council to try and get them to change their initial refusal notice. To no avail.

The Inspector dry - but highly unusual - comment about 'local public opinion' notes that it is not usually taking that into consideration. Indeed the campaigners were told the whole way along the line by the District council that the Community was irrelevant in a heritage decision. This was not helped by problems like the District withholding key documents from public files due to computer changes in the Planning Department and what has been described by some as 'bungling badly their relationship with English Heritage'. I have to say I was surprised to learn that the EH based their opinion on photographs sent to them by the District rather than taking an independent view from a site visit.

Throughout the whole process the District Council apparently claimed that they base their decision entirely on EH's opinion. The Parish Council based theres on what I understand to be the correct view that EH provides an 'expert opinion' and guidelines - EH is not the planning authority.

The Inspector's comment that solar panels are part of a heritage building's 'organic history' seems to be quite important and will hopefully be useful to others seeking similar organic changes. See also here stuff re double-glazing and listed buildings.

Vitamin intensive jam from the hedgerow

This comes from Dorte, a Whiteshill resident, who kindly also gave me a pot to taste - and you can just feel the vitamins! Dorte was planning to have this recipe in the WaRbler magazine but the next issue is not out in time so hope I am fortunate to be able to have it here as an exclusive!!

500gms Elderberries
300gms Rowan berries
100gms Rosehips
100gms Banana
Half a lemon (juice of)
1teaspoon ground cinnamon
Half teaspoon ground cloves
125ml water (approx)
500gms preserving sugar
A little vanilla sugar

Wash the wild fruit and remove stalks. Pips need not be removed!! Place fruit in saucepan with water and all ingredients except banana and sugar. Simmer for 15 to 20 minutes. Put the mixture through a sieve to remove stones, add bananas and sugars, then let bubble gently for approx 5 minutes. Stir so as not to burn. Put in glass jars previously heated in a low oven and seal with jam pot lids or jam pot covers.

All wild fruit has a large amount of Vit C - the Rowanberry more than any other, but it is more bitter. The banana is added to avoid the mixture getting too tart but berry proportions can be varied. Another recipe coming from Dorte soon - huge thanks to her.

World Peace Flag ceremony today

Today is the International Day of Peace as designated by the United Nations and campaigned for by Peace One Day - and wow was it a moving ceremony in Stroud see short video clip below.


I joined many others - including our local Elfin Woodcraft group in their newly tied-dyed T-shirts - for a World Peace Flag Ceremony in front of the Sub Rooms at 3pm - every flag of every country - 197 flags - all handmade by Japanese women praying as they make them - it takes the group a year to make a set - the flags were presented individually by us all and those watching all joined in wishing peace in that country.

David Cooper (pictured with John Marjoram) who was one of the key organisers of the event made a moving speech and John Marjoram also spoke powerfully about his role in Mayors for Peace - a copy of his words are here on the Glos Green party website.

In addition to the flags from all the countries it was lovely to have a special moment to fly the West Papua flag (pictured left) - if you fly that there you are liable for 10 to 15 years in jail. There was also at the end the Earth flag (pictured below) to represent all those without countries and more - another Earth flag flew over the Sub Rooms - possibly the first time ever on a Council building in this country.







The photos here are from the day with a short video I took at the end when all the flags were waved. The intention of the UN resolution is to have the entire world observe a day of peace and nonviolence - with all peoples and organizations commemorating the day in the ways they see fit.

Full Council meeting round-up of issues discussed

Thursday was a Full Council meeting that started off with party meetings at 6pm...but I'll apologise in advance these notes will be a bit shabby as it is a little late now!!

Photos: Council Chamber and below the RSS document with Stroud Greens listed as one of those participating in the consultation

We moved to the Council Chamber at 7pm and started by singing the praises of an extraordinary man - Clive Hammond, the District Council's Treasurer - he was retiring after 34 years with the Council and amongst staff and all political parties he has reputation for being fair and as described by various councillors on Thursday as a 'gentleman'. He will be sorely missed - not least because he could make a training session for councillors on budgets and finances sound interesting and make us laugh!

Councils caves in on Fromehall Park - Anyhow the evening kicked off with public question time - there were several questions re Fromehall Park - Householders living near the Stroud Rugby Club base at Fromehall Park were left to fight the scheme on their own at the public inquiry when Stroud District Council agreed at the 11th hour that applicants' Sportoptima could overcome the council's objections. Protesters are rightly angry at the way the situation was handled - local councillors were not even aware of the pull-out - see Green comments here.

Climate Change Panel Report - After that came feedback from the Climate Change Panel Report - this was only noted as the Council has to consider what elements it would like to accept - one councillor suggested Tories would be reluctant to put turbines up across the AONB while others claimed the panel was biased towards renewables with no one pro-nuclear on it!! I get exasperated with all that - the evidence against nuclear is so overwheming - even the GOvernments own advisors the Sustainable Development Commission advised against nuclear - Brown would rather listen to his brother in the nuclear industry than his own advisors?

Infact a report released in August from independent energy experts, Poyry, commissioned by Greenpeace UK and WWF UK, shows how that if the UK meets its existing renewable energy and efficiency targets, there would be no “energy gap.” See report here. This blows a massive hole in E.ON’s arguments for new coal-fired stations here as their main claim is that it Kingsnorth is a necessity to keep the lights on - and no new nukes. See also report in the Financial Times here.

Response to the outrageous Regional Spatial Strategy (RSS) - The Government of the South West have so far ignored key evidence from bodies like Stroud District Council and Friends of the Earth who assert that airport growth is not compatible with tackling climate change. The latest draft of the RSS infact weakens stuff on climate change that had been accepted so far - already it was weak now it is criminal - many will remember from this blog that we have poured through huge thick documents to make submissions - well I am disgusted by the latest report - at Council several other councillors incl Green Cllr Fi MacMillan expressed deep disappointment even anger at the report - anyhow all credit to the comments being made by Stroud District Council so far..

...apart from going for airport growth here are two other examples of the nonsense:
- remember Hunts Grove and all the consultation and re-consultation and public inquiry to agree that was a suitable site - well this report says build at Whaddon - no consultation, no evidence and a far less well served site - is it any wonder people loose faith in politics???
- the RSS fails to address climate change and now weakens policies like those on Sustainable Construction which the SW had originally been praised as exemplary

Waste disaster narrowly avoided - this was a surprise to many of us - Veolia who collect our recycling informed the Council they will vacate their Eastington depot though they have an extended tenancy saying the Council must find an appropriate site!!! Is this the misuse of power by a large corporation? Or has the Council made mistakes? To cut a long story short the Council have now gone to Smiths who will sort the stuff at Moreton Valence with effect immediately! There is much to still discover about all this - why did it happen like this? Why were contracts not tighter? Some of the papers were available only to councillors and not for public consumption but the webcast remained on as councillors did not refer to the details in those papers specifically when asking questions.

Other Council stuff - there was also procurement planning for housing repairs, a statement of accounts, a civil contingencies update, an asset management plan, Thrupp Parish changing its name to Brimscombe and Thrupp plus lots of other bits that saw us there until after 10.00pm.

Understanding Climate Change "tipping points'

Someone said to me earlier today that they wanted a 'brief something' on tipping points of climate change - coincidently I was able to point them to this short film - a little grim but very real and positive stuff too:
wakeupfreakout.org/film/tipping.html
I also found recently Dr Lawson's 500 words on the evidence that Global warming is actually happening now:
www.greenhealth.org.uk/AGWEvidence.htm
Also see the recent article re climate change in The Guardian:
www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2008/aug/01/climatechange.carbonemissions

Join Greens in call for action to help RNLI

New charging proposals from the communications regulator Ofcom could cost the lifeboat service thousands or even millions of pounds in fees, the Green Party has found. Principal Speaker Caroline Lucas MEP has called on the regulator to grant a 100% discount on any new radar or VHF radio fees to the RNLI, and to other life-saving charities. You can join her and others like me in making a submission to Ofcom before 30th October.

Photo: view across to Wheelers Walk and Rodborough Fort

The charging plans are included in a new Ofcom consultation, "Applying spectrum pricing to the Maritime and Aeronautical sectors". The fees could be in place as early as next year for station-based VHF radio licenses, and larger radar fees are expected to follow from 2010.

Dr Lucas, whose South-East Euro constituency includes 23 RNLI stations, said: "It's almost unbelievable that a vital emergency service like the RNLI receives no government funding at all. We should be doing all we can to support the lifeboat crews, and taking this new expense off their shoulders is a small gesture that could be a great help. I've asked Green supporters around the country to back their local lifeboat station by responding to the regulator and asking for a 100% discount from new radio and radar fees for the RNLI, and for all the other charities we rely on to save lives."

Individuals can respond to the Ofcom consultation online (question 6 only if you don't have time for the rest: www.ofcom.org.uk/consult/condocs/aip/howtorespond/form

Greens add weight to call for alternatives to barrage

There is a new campaign group launched this week - 'Stop the Barrage NOW' - over the last weeks I have talked with them about endorsing their project - not always easy when you don't know a new group - however after much discussion and asking many questions, at a recent Green party meeting, we decided to send the statement below - and today I issued a press release - see here.

Photo: River Severn

Some following this issue will have seen that the National Trust, RSPB and WWF, in a 10 strong coalition with other groups, have recently come out strongly against the Severn Barrage, which they claim would be ‘economically dubious and ecologically disastrous’. A report they commissioned from consultants Frontier Economics, says that ‘the cycle of the tides in the Severn means that a barrage would not necessarily provide electricity at peak times’. The group says that 5m tonnes of CO2 will be emitted during construction and 5m tonnes from transport of the materials, and the barrage would destroy nearly 86,486 acres of highly protected wetlands across the estuary. And the real cost could be much higher than the widely quoted £15bn. ‘This does not take into account costs of land acquisition in Cardiff and Weston or the creation of new wildlife habitats to compensate for the lost land.’

Report author Matthew Bell says: '...even using the most conservative estimates of costs, the barrage is one of the most expensive options for clean energy generation there is’. They see tidal current turbines as a longer term option. The Frontier Economics report is various places on the web - go to RSPB link here. I hope it gets the coverage and attention it deserves.

Minister rattled by RSPB

Energy Minister Malcolm Wicks has been letting off steam about opposition to the Severn Barrage by groups like the RSPB - he said: ‘It is the duty of a sensible NGO supported by the public that occasionally they say yes to projects and (are) not always seeking the comfort zone of saying no to a barrage, no to a windfarm, no to this, no to that’. He said the RSPB was ‘clearly not understanding that unless we are prepared to take some courageous action on climate change the devastation of species will be truly enormous’.

The RSPB responded ‘Mr Wicks is ignoring the difficult issue facing the government over the cost of the Severn Barrage- the energy it produces can be produced at half the cost by other renewable technologies. Why should we spend £15bn, at least, on a barrage when the same amount of renewable energy could be produced at half the cost? Does Mr Wicks think that wasting £7.5bn is good government policy?’

Green party statement

The Green party recognised long before other political parties the very serious threat posed by climate change. Alongside that Greens have pointed to the increasingly urgent need to ensure energy security. We have been pushing in Europe and here in Britain for a massive programme of energy conservation, alongside a whole range of renewable energy options.

In March 2007 the Green party voted, at their Spring Conference in Swansea, in favour of developing renewable energies in the Severn Estuary, but rejected a barrage. It was strongly argued that there already exists cheaper, more practical, flexible and environmentally less damaging options. It is heartening to see this policy is also endorsed by many other groups like the National Trust, RSPB, Friends of the Earth, WWF-UK and the Salmon & Trout Association.

There are also now reports from the Government's Sustainable Development Commission and Frontier Economics, which have shown that this massively expensive and hugely damaging proposal cannot be justified on economic grounds - there are simply too many cheaper options for clean energy generation.

We need urgent action now to tackle climate change; the barrage is a dangerous red herring. Let us instead see immediate and massive investment in energy conservation measures and a whole range of other renewable energies. We support the 'Stop the Barrage NOW' campaign in ensuring that alternatives to the barrage are properly considered and more economic and environmentally sustainable options are developed as a matter or great urgency.

Beauty exhibition is not to be missed

Last chance to see Beauty - in the Eye of the Beholder at Stratford Park Museum - this wonderful exhibition finishes on 28th September - lots of beautiful objects - should be a touring exhibition - mind some objects are not so pleasant....

Photos: Stratford Park today after my visit to the exhibition and one of the statements in the exhibition.

Next Sunday 2pm to 5pm the suggestion is to close the exhibition with all visitors wearing something beautiful - old, new, tiny or an entire outfit - whatever you feel like....huge thanks to the museum for this exhibition.