YouTube: today's International Worker's Day march in Stroud

Rather thrown together - but here it is covering today's march through Stroud - also coming in the week some clips of the Whitsehill and Ruscombe Party yesterday and the Randwick Trashon show earlier in the week - am awaiting some pics before I can put together....

Forests: U turn on U turn

Yesterday I noted on this blog the U turn re PFI today I want to note the 40,000 hectares of forest still to be sold, with no guarantee on the rest.



Photo: Stroud Green with Hands off our Forest poster at the Stroud march against the cuts

Defra recently announced that the plan to sell off 15% of England's public forest - started under the last government, and which was never subject to consultation but merely postponed (see here) - is to go ahead within the span of the spending review. This means that 40,000 hectares will be sold within the next four years, with no genuine guarantee on the future of England's remaining 218,000 hectares (see here). Below is a bit from the national Green Party release last week:

The coalition's apparent u-turn on the forestry sale was heralded as a victory of people power, with Environment Secretary Caroline Spelman apologising in the House of Commons, saying "I am sorry, we got this one wrong - but we have listened to people's concerns" (see here). While campaigners were rightly proud that the government seemed to have listened to them, the fight is far from over.

This recent announcement, quietly slipped out, unmasks the 'u-turn' as a mere stunt. The future of our forest is far from secure. People value and enjoy English woodland, which is an important part of our heritage. They want forests to be sustainably managed in the interests of biodiversity and climate protection, and they do not want their right of access to be removed or obstructed.

Penny Kemp, Green Party Environment spokesperson said, "Yet again, we see the true colours of this Coalition Government. They seem incapable of being truthful with the public. This latest u-turn on a u-turn is being done by stealth. Far from listening to the concerns of the public, they are treating them with contempt. The public made it quite clear that they considered a 30p investment by all to keep Britains forests in public ownership is tremendous value for money."

The Green Party believes that our forests should remain in public ownership. We want to work with the Forestry Commission to improve environmental stewardship of natural spaces, striking the right balance between public education, enjoyment, and preserving forests as a haven for wildlife.


Click on Forests label below for previous blogs - and see the Hands off Our Forest campaign re the Forest of Dean: http://www.handsoffourforest.org/

PFI: another U-turn by the coalition Government

News that George Osborne is to press ahead with 61 PFI (private finance initiatives) when in opposition he denounced them as poor value for money is to say the least shocking. The 61 projects worth a staggering £6.9 billion have been taken forward since the general election by the coalition Government.


Photo: This was sent to me a while ago but not sure who I can credit for it?

This blog has condemned PFI on many occasions. The Labour Party embraced PFI, funding public services and infrastructure through private finance, and now the Coalition Government are continuing the practice, which effectively pushes the costs of these services and infrastructure into the future, so keeping them off the balance sheets. This builds up debt for future generations.

Darren Johnson, Trade and Industry spokesperson for the Green Party is quoted saying: “In opposition both Osborne and Vince Cable said that PFI was poor value for the taxpayer. The Chancellor described it as ‘a discredited model’ whilst the Business Secretary called it “a dishonest system of accounting, designed to hide taxpayers’ liabilities.” Now they are in Government, they intend to press ahead.”

The Green Party has likened PFI to a giant scheme of outdoor relief for private contractors, equivalent to buying your house on a credit card. Darren Johnson concluded, “We would end it.”

25th Anniversary today of Chernobyl: haven't we learnt?

Today is the 25th anniversary of the world’s worst nuclear accident at the Chernobyl power station in the Ukraine. It comes days after it is revealed in a leaked report that there have been three incidents at UK plants - two spillages of radioactive waste and a breakdown in an emergency cooling system.



Photo: in France pregnant women and children are being advised not to eat leafy veg

Some have claimed that the "official death toll" from Chernobyl is 43. Others like Helen Caldicott put the death toll at 985,000. One side is wrong: perhaps both. The debate hinges largely on the health effects of low-level ionising radiation and in particular the cancer risk. Not a topic to go into deeply for this blog post - it is clearly a complex area: uncertainties will always persist. However click on read more for more on this important debate, radiation levels from Japan plus a link to the report from the Oldbury campaign... on a completely different topic...one piece of good news from Japan is that Greenpeace look to have ended the whaling there - see here - economically can Japan really afford to subsidise such an unpopular industry?

Nailsworth Green faces 10 years in jail

Kevin Lister who stood as a Parliamentary candidate for the Green Party last year in the Cotswolds faces 10 years in jail for producing a spoof website - see my original blog here. He has been arrested but I understand not officially charged yet.  Indeed he was meant to be in court earlier this month but it was again cancelled - is that the fifth time? It seems astonishing that he faces 10 years for a spoof website that most would see as a bit of fun with a serious message?

You can see his statement to the police here about why he resorted to this non-violent direct action: http://kevsclimatecolumn.blogspot.com/2011/04/police-statement.html

Photo taken from Bristol Indymedia site: Defaced notice which Kevin in his statement denies was him

In the link on his blog he highlights his frustration with trying legal routes to try and get the aviation industry to cut their CO2 emissions. It is quite extraordinary the inaction by Governments and authorities when they know the threat. Kevin writes of his charges of fraud and criminal damage: "...contrary to the assertion that my action is intended to cause loss, in reality my action is intended to prevent the biggest loss to us all which is the loss of the environment and for which there is no legal protection against the perils of climate change."

Other spoof websites that made the headlines recently have included an attempt to save the Tree Octopus (see here), to sell dehydrated water (see here) and Traitor Joe's site for ocean destruction (see here). I understand Kevin's site never made that number of 'hits' or into the news big time, but the issue he raises is crucial - possibly the most crucial - and all the more so when new research says only 25% of Britons are concerned about climate change - that is half the number of folk in South Korea and India - read here. More news on this as it develops - meanwhile I understand from Kevin that the Police are still holding his lap top after their raid in the night when they arrested him.

Meanwhile you can join me in taking a CAAT action by emailing your MP from here re arms sales to the Middle East. The latest, highly critical, comment from the House of Commons' Committee on Arms Export Controls says that successive governments had "misjudged the risk" that arms sold to authoritarian regimes, such as Libya and Bahrain, would be used for internal repression. Furthermore, the Committee wants the government to review all arms sales to authoritarian regimes. In other words: arming repressive regimes is NOT OK. For the first time, that Committee questioned whether it was possible to reconcile promoting arms exports with staunchly upholding human rights.

Click on read more to see what Green Party Elinor Croxall, at that time Coordinator of Stroud District Green party, said in 2008 re the Tattoo:

Great news re Hilton Hotels

Hotels are the key location for where children and women are sold into slavery. A campaign targeted at Hilton Hotels to get them to sign up to a code of conduct did not seem to be going places....but slowly momentum has grown. Then an Avaaz campaign was launched - 317,000 Avaazers called on the Hilton CEO to sign a code of conduct on the rape trade or face hard-hitting ads in his hometown. They signed within 24 hours. Now 180,000 hotel employees will be trained to spot and prevent the horror of of sex slavery of women and girls. As someone who worked in their Sydney Hotel many many years ago indeed I am delighted that they have listened.

Threat to allotments?

The Government a while back announced a "Review of statutory duties", aimed at identifying and removing duties from local authorities which are a "burden". It closes tomorrow. One of the duties they are considering removing is the duty to provide sufficient number of allotments for people in the area who want one. This means ALL allotments, including existing ones, not just new ones are under threat.

Photos: friends allotments in Exmouth

We could lose many allotments just at a time they have become hugely popular in many sections of the community, and when were are increasingly concerned about the need for more exercise and a healthy diet for individuals, and about food security for the nation. Meanwhile the Whiteshill and Ruscombe Allotments have their official opening in just over a week.

See details of Government consultation and how you can comment here. The survey can be done here. Please also take 30 seconds to speak up for legal protection for wildlife and the environment by signing the 38 degrees campaign at:
http://www.38degrees.org.uk/dont-scrap-environment-laws

Paul Mobbs has a huge long list of other items he is concerned about...not just allotments. This review potentially could remove much that has been fought for....see Pauls' list by clicking on read more.

Plans for Edible Open Gardens continue: Stroud permaculture group

Plans for Edible Open Gardens continue apace - we have over 30 gardens opening the weekend of 9th/10th July - see more here. We have been meeting each month and it has been fun to also here about other projects which I thought I would share here....

....but first also take a look below at the poster re the new permaculture group being set up in Stroud - I already have my name on the list!

A couple of nice short films on Todmorden and their Incredible Edible project:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P3VLtr26e_E
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=az3m5ewU9Us&NR=1

I only recently came across the Summer Street Allotment Association website - it is excellent and I added it to my list of Local Key Links: http://www.summerstreet.btck.co.uk/ 

Minch allotments also have a website and they recently covered Vancouver and an edible roof - sadly at the moment we don't have one for our opening in July but if you know of one in Stroud area please let us know:
http://minchallotments.wordpress.com/2011/04/08/edible-crops-in-unusal-places/

We were also considering running a film and at the moment are seeing if it is possible to get either Queen of the Sun or The Garden Movie. Both look fantastic - click on their links to see trailers.

Glos Food Vision give us a plug for Edible Open Gardens in their latest newsletter - but they also carry news of many other food related projects in Gloucestershire: http://visioncic.com/FoodHealthNewsletters.aspx

New courses at Westley Farm including permaculture, charcoal making and building an earth oven: http://www.westleyfarm.co.uk/courses.htm

While Dominic Thomas is running walks about our edible landscape. He is a local artist, permaculture design student and part-time mycologist and is into the art of foraging for seasonal ‘wild’ foods and other useful plants. For more information or to book your place contact Dominic on 01453 887306
Or email dominic(at)mundusloci.org

A community garden takes shape in Worthing: http://transitionculture.org/2011/04/11/transition-in-action-a-community-garden-for-worthing/

Vision 21’s new Sustainable Food exhibition ‘GrowVision’ is now available to tour Gloucestershire! This wonderfully designed exhibition funded by the National Lottery through Big Lottery Fund highlights the importance of sustainable food.  To view the exhibition online, book for your event or to view touring dates click here.

Library campaign update

So earlier in the budget Osbourne cut Corporation Tax. Well 521 libraries are due to be closed or are under threat. The average cost of running a library is £300,000.  This means that only 1% of the corporation tax being lost by the Exchequer would keep all closed or threatened libraries open!

Pic Poet Marcus Moore at a mobile library as part of the Save Libraries Day 'Flying Authors' tour

The library campaign continues in Glos - for those wanting to get an update it is worth reading Demelza and the speech she delivered to the Gloucestershire branch of the WI. She spoke for the libraries resolution they are considering putting forward to central Government. Cllr Hawthorne was supposed to be there to speak against the resolution but unfortunately he dropped out. See here.

Four key library campaigners have also travelled to Westminster to meet with officials from the Department of Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS). DCMS is the central government department with responsibility for superintending local authority's provision of library services, and the purpose of the meeting was to explain county library users' grave concerns around GCC's plans for devastating and ill-thought out cuts to the service. I hope DCMS take this issue as seriously as residents in Gloucestershire - I am sure topics covered would have included the strength of opposition to the Council's plans amongst Gloucestershire library users (15,000 signature county-wide petition, plus numerous petitions from local communities); the considerable shortcomings in the Council's consultation and decision making process; the seeming disregard of deprivation indices in making cuts; concerns over the practicality of plans for 'community libraries', 'Library Links', and the proposed online 'replacement' for the mobile service; plus perhaps concerns that the Council is acting in breach of the 1964 Public Libraries Act.

Meanwhile we now learn in a ruling that mobile libraries are not libraries!! See here.

Lastly there’s still time to have your say on the opening hours of your local library. Do you go to the library in the morning or afternoon? Can you get to the library by bus? Would you like the library to open in the evening? These are just some of the things library users are being asked to consider as part of the consultation which runs until 30th April. I fear many might not bother to complete forms as no one seemed to listen last time....Surveys can be found in libraries around the county or online at www.gloucestershire.gov.uk/libraries

Earth Day today

See more at: www.earthday.org/earth-day-2011

What will your pledge be? Lots of great ideas and you can share your pledge or pledges on the website.

Green Party election broadcast

Iceland money update

It was a long while back now that Stroud District Council found it had £3m in the Iceland bank, Glitner - see here - well much has been said since then about the risks of investments and how Greens consider it would be better to use ethical banks/mutuals which were not hit in the same way by the crisis - or to invest some of that money in something that brings in a return like renewables....but I wont revisit those issues again at this moment...here is an update re the Iceland investments.

Cartoon: borrowed from Kipper Williams of The Guardian - see more here

At Scrutiny a couple of weeks ago we heard that Stroud was still hoping to get some of the Iceland money back and Councils would now be going to court - although it seems there are still lots of hoops to go through - see here. One question by a councillor at the Scrutiny meeting was what was that £3m for as we have not once heard, 'we can't afford that because of losing the Iceland money'. It is indeed strange as these reserves seem to just have been sitting there - not the view of our Finance Department I'm sure - now of course we just don't have such reserves...although they still could be put to use - see Green move at recent Full Council here.

Interestingly 58% of the Icelandic public voted against the latest plans to try and pay back UK savers for the £3.5bn lost by British and Dutch investors in Icesave. Click read more to here from Positive Money. Also worth a look is a great cartoon on the crisis of capitalism here.

Trashion Show comes to Randwick!

Randwick Village Hall on Tuesday 26th April 2011 from 2pm is where Transition Stroud's Textile group will be holding demonstrations of spinning, weaving, felting, bunting and banner making plus plenty of other textile fun. 

There will be stalls on local events, cycling, gardening, Stroud Community Agriculture, Stroud Pounds and wild food foraging.  The afternoon event is free - then at 7pm Transition Stroud will be holding a Trashion show, entrance £5 adults or 4 Stroud Pounds, under 16s free. They will be modeling home made items from recycled materials including wacky gardening items, dresses, handbags & gladrags. The tickets include a complimentary drink.  At the end of the show there will be an opportunity to buy or order items from the show!

National Hanging Out Day today!

Well it is in the US. Not sure it has taken off here but maybe that is something to think about...apparently every year, on April 19th, a group called the Project Laundry List joins together with hundreds of organizations to educate communities about energy consumption.

Photo: borrowed from Jenny Jones here

National Hanging Out Day was created to demonstrate how it is possible to save money and energy by using a clothesline. It seems to be all too easy to stick in the tumble dryer - and not doubt it is similar over here - made worse with the threat of showers.....but for many there is something therapeutic about hanging it out - and it smells better. Can I even confess that it is fun to colour code your washing on the line.....starting with one colour say blue and merging into the next say greens and then yellows.....??!

Amazingly an estimated 50m households in the US prohibit clotheslines, ostensibly, for aesthetic reasons. National Hanging Out Day is a time when folk can protest at this - in some states, "Right to Dry" legislation has been introduced to override these restrictive community regulations! In the US, an estimated six to ten percent of residential energy use goes toward running clothes dryers!! This means that the average American uses more energy running a clothes dryer than the average African uses in a year for all her energy needs.

The campaign in some parts of the States hands out clothespins along with info re energy saving advice plus in some places hangs washing out in public places to raise awareness. There is even a T-shirt: "Hang Your Pants, Stop the Nuke Plants".

Here are some figures for the UK:

   * We spend £1.1million a day on electricity for tumble drying. That's equivalent to the amount of electricity needed to run 2650 (dryer-free!) homes for a whole year.
   * Dryers use about 60% more electricity than washing machines.
   * The average tumble drying family could save themselves £70 a year if they switched to line drying.
   * The average dryer is responsible for emissions of 310kgs of CO2: avoiding this is roughly equivalent to draught-proofing the average UK house.

More quotes

Some more quotes that inspire and made me think, smile or cringe - for more click on the 'label' below. Photo: River Frome

“It may well be that more and more of what people bring before doctors and therapists for treatment—agonies of body and spirit—are symptoms of the biospheric emergency registering at the most intimate level of life. The Earth hurts, and we hurt with it.” Theodore Roszak, Voice of the Earth


"The most remarkable feature of this historical moment on Earth is not that we are on the way to destroying the world - we've actually been on the way for quite a while. It is that we are beginning to wake up, as from a millennia-long sleep, to a whole new relationship to our world, to ourselves and each other." Joanna Macy

“The West should have a war on global warming rather than a war on terror.”
Stephen Hawking on ITV News, 17-1-2007

“When the capital development of a country becomes a by-product of a casino, the job is likely to be
ill-done” John Maynard Keynes

“Never in the field of endeavour has so much money been owed by so few to so many” Mervyn King

"If one person is unkind to an animal it is considered to be cruelty, but when a lot of people are unkind to animals, especially in the name of commerce, the cruelty is condoned and, once large sums of money are at stake, will be defended to the last by otherwise intelligent people." Ruth Harrison - Author of Animal Machines

“Activism is my rent for living on the planet” Alice Walker

"As the world struggles to recover from the most serious global economic crisis since the Great Depression, we have an unprecedented opportunity to turn away from consumerism. In the end, the human instinct for survival must triumph over the urge to consume at any cost." Christopher Flavin, President, Worldwatch Institute

Stop consultation on nuclear insurance

The Government's current consultation on new proposals for nuclear insurance and areas of claim in the UK in the event of an accident needs halting. Photo: view of Oldbury from Randwick

• The consultation was launched before Fukushima.
• It is not reasonable to carry on with a 'business as usual' approach to nuclear power here given what has happened in Japan.
• It is not very often that nuclear insurance laws come up for review, events in Japan make it all the more important to stop now and reconsider nuclear insurance rather than pushing ahead with outdated proposals.

Here is one letter to The Guardian last Friday said: "An estimate of the cost of compensation to Fukushima victims of $133bn has been reported by Reuters. The UK has nuclear sites closer to major cities than Fukushima is to Tokyo, so costs could be even greater here. So it's scandalous that nuclear operators are being allowed to cap their liability at €0.7bn or at most €1.3bn – barely 1% of the possible Fukushima compensation. No other industry is allowed to do this: BP has a $20bn fund for compensation to victims of last year's oil spill. Why should nuclear be let off?"

Here are my comments sent to the consultation:

The consultation needs to be halted. It is not possible to continue with a 'business as usual' approach for the nuclear industry in the UK since the events at Fukushima. The Government is reviewing nuclear safety in the UK because of the situation in Japan, but there is no proper review of the financial implications - for the taxpayer, local authorities and emergency services. This is surely a mistake?

A revised consultation re insurance and areas of claim is needed once a detailed picture of the extent of the financial impact of Fukushima is known. Already there is talk in Japan of the government having to take over Tepco. We should stop now and reassess the proposals on insurance cover etc to see if they are fit for the coming decades. Haste now would be a mistake.

It also seems the consultation is going ahead without any stakeholder events or engagement with communities. In addition there is also a potential problem regarding the time given for organisations to respond. Have, for example, all emergency services and other relevant organisations with legal responsibility to respond to an accident been able to consider the current consultation?

In view of all this I strongly recommend that this consultation be halted.

Cllr Philip Booth

Main consultation document - Paris and Brussels Conventions on nuclear third party liability - A Public Consultation: http://www.decc.gov.uk/assets/decc/Consultations/paris-brussels-convention-changes/1182-cons-implement-changes-paris-brussels.pdf

AV: We need a yes vote

This last week I've been out canvassing - as an earlier blog noted I was  on the campaign trail  to elect Simon Pickering again. Well I've also been in Nailsworth to support two more excellent candidates for the Green party there - Catherine Farrell and Norman Kay....always enjoy going there as I used to live in the town and it all feels very wonderfully familiar - both have done lots for the town and their experience would be excellent to have on the District. See our Green election leaflets here.

Photo: Campaigning in Downend, Horsley

But this blog was going to be about AV - yes I've covered it before but came across this article by a Green colleague who wrote it for a national student magazine. It is worth a read as it exposes some of the myths that are being spread about AV. Click on read more to see it.

Lottery boost for Transition Stroud

Great news regarding Transition Stroud - as the SNJ reported we got a £9,000 boost from the lottery. The SNJ used a pic of our recent Potato Day (see blog and film here) to report it - the money will go towards a Development Worker to ensure we get lots more low carbon projects going in Stroud.

Guest Blog: Badgers irrelevant to cattle TB

Badgers are completely irrelevant to solving cattle TB - that is the conclusion of local badger expert Martin Hancox. His views have been covered in this blog previously and as regular blog readers will know I have been very involved in the campaigns to stop the badger culls. The evidence is just not there to warrant such culls. Anyhow below is Martin's latest piece - but also today is the day that the Glos Badger Group are helping with Badger Day at the British School (behind Star Anise) from 10am with former MP David Drew - and also Caroline's letter to the Guardian below. Click read more.

Pic: campaign in 2006 with me dressed as the badger

Stroud discusses 'Will there be a World Food Crisis?'

I noted on this blog the recent Coffee House Discussion looking at this topic - see my previous blog here. Well below are two videos that I have put together - the first is Martin Whiteside, Stroud Green Party Parliamentary spokesperson, introducing the discussion looking at food supply and demand issues. Part two then covers 'Food Speculation' with Christine Haigh from the World Development Movement. Sadly I did not film the discussion or many questions but the films hopefully give a flavour of the evening.





For more about the monthly Coffee House Discussions visit www.stroudgreenparty.org.uk/coffeehouse

Local wind-turbine group slammed by advertising watchdog

BusinessGreen report the decision by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) to ban the Save Berkeley Vale (SBV) campaign from using exaggerated photomontages of proposed turbines to campaign against the planned £9m project at Stinchcombe. The advertising watchdog concluded that the group had placed wind turbines in the wrong place and overstated the length of the blades and height of the towers in the mock-up. See article here with the mock up photos - below is the one showing a more accurate presentation.

The ASA result came just one day after councillors rejected the turbine plan because of visual impact concerns - this is despite officer advice to approve the application. Green councillor John Marjoram who was one of only two councillors who voted at the planning meeting in favour of the turbines was very disappointed by the decision. Seven councillors voted against. However it looks set to go to appeal.  

Speaking to BusinessGreen, Ecotricity founder Dale Vince said the company's planned appeal against the council's decision could cost up to £100,000. He argued that the councillors who rejected the proposal should pay the cost of appeal if the farm does eventually get the go-ahead.
"This is not a democratic decision; this is where the planning system falls flat on its face," he said, adding that a survey carried out last year by GfK NOP found 66 per cent of local people supported Ecotricity's proposals for a wind park at Berkeley Vale, with just 12 per cent against. 

As the only District councillor in Stroud who appears on the list of those who submitted comments in favour of these turbines I hope they will go up. As regular blog readers will know I've followed this on my blog - see for example some of the background here. But at least some good news re solar panels - see here.

Minister says 75% cuts coming

Minister of State for Energy and Climate Change Greg Barker (left) was speaking at an event at a School of Business at the University of South Carolina. He is reported telling the audience: "We are making cuts that Margaret Thatcher in the 1980s could only have dreamt of."

Conservative, Greg Barker is also believed to have told his audience that the government plan to cut spending by 75%. The event was reported in University of South Carolina's official newspaper, the Daily Gamecock, who also record: "Barker began his speech by outlining Britain's budget crisis and expressing the Conservative commitment to austere measures as a solution, saying his colleagues plan to cut spending by 75 percent." 

I understand no retraction has taken place at this point. Let me just remind folk that these cuts are not necessary - yes we need to tackle the deficit - but see here the alternatives. Indeed Clegg admitted last month that it was the government's political choice to cut further and faster than any other major country in the world. Already there is evidence that the deep cuts are hurting but not working.

Christian Aid campaign: campaign to tackle tax havens

This week the finance ministers of the G20 - the world’s biggest and most influential economies - are meeting to discuss the world's economic future. Christian Aid is part of a global coalition calling on G20 leaders to End Tax Haven Secrecy - these 20 men and women have a huge say in whether this becomes a reality. You can send an email to Cameron, Clegg and Sarkozy here.

Tax dodging by some unscrupulous multinationals costs the developing world an estimated $160billion each year - this is money that could be used to build schools, hospitals, and other vital infrastructure. Yet so far the G20 isn’t giving this issue the priority it deserves. You can also view my 6 films on the recent talk on tax havens here in Stroud:
http://ruscombegreen.blogspot.com/2011/03/tax-haven-videos.html

Money needed to fight nuclear case

Judicial review proceedings have now started by a man who is opposed to the plans for up to 20 next-generation reactors at eight sites around the country. They include as many as three on land next to the existing Oldbury atomic station, near Thornbury (16 miles from Stroud). Rory Walker, 24, who lives near the Heysham station in Lancashire, is taking his fight against Energy Secretary Chris Huhne to the High Court. The local Shepperdine Against Nuclear Energy have launched an appeal to support the case - see here.

Meanwhile the Economist has just done a chart of how dangerous nuclear accidents have been - see left and here - it now puts Japan on a par with Chernobyl at the highest danger rating - although deaths and effects on the environment are so far not as bad.

Greenpeace have criticised Japan for the delay in rating Fukushima - it is hard to get good info about the crisis as there has also been much rubbish printed - but the operators of the damaged power plant have now admitted that they have still not come up with a blueprint to end the nuclear crisis more than a month after it began. What are the risks that remain? It is also said radiation levels in the sea surrounding the nuclear power plant in northeast Japan have doubled to 23 times above the legal limit in the latest tests off nearby Minamisoma city.

It is now certain that many people in the immediate vicinity of Fukushima face radiation sickness or even death, especially those brave workers staying behind to stop the leaks.

Lastly pro-nuclear Mark Lynas has been sending round some rather startling figures: "phasing out Japan’s current nuclear generation capacity and replacing it with wind would require a 1.3-billion-acre wind farm, covering more than half the country’s total land mass." It transpires this is complete nonsense - see the real info here - which shows you would need one fiftieth of one percent of Japan's land!

Local elections: on the campaign trail

This blog covers local campaign, SW Greens, the huge success in Germany and AV...

Slade campaign in Stroud

This week I've joined the campaign to elect Simon Pickering again - he is standing in Gwen's seat - see more here. It was good to have a chance to talk Green politics and explain why we need them more than ever - it is also easy to campaign for such an excellent candidate - Simon will bring a breathe of fresh air and passion to the Council chamber - it seems the Tories are not standing in the seat - rumour has it they didn't get their papers accepted in the time....see our Green party election leaflets here....

Photos: on the campaign in Mason Road, Slade

South West Green Party

In the South West we are fielding 237 candidates in around one-fifth of the available seats.You can see more here: http://southwest.greenparty.org.uk/region/southwest

Having polled only 1% last year, the Greens now stand at 6% in the region, largely at the expense of the LibDems who have seen their support collapse by 17%. At a General Election, the LibDems would lose 12 of their 15 seats here in the South West! In Stroud we have traditionally seen Greens get 20% of the vote and we are working hard to ensure we get that again and more!

Here's a quote I gave to local press: "Certainly with 6-in-10 feeling pessimistic about the region's economy next year, the Green Party is offering a positive vision of the future that voters see as a genuine alternative to the cuts forced upon us by uncaring local councils."

Germany

Green politics across Europe received a boost as a new poll indicated that the German Greens have overtaken the Social Democrats as Germany's largest opposition party. The figures from the independent poll put the party at 28%, and mean that if a national election were held today Germany would likely have its first Green Chancellor. In Germany at least it seems that people en masse are looking to the Greens as a real alternative. Our electoral system is nothing like as fair but there is evidence that polls here show that people are desperately concerned with the public spending cuts and the threatened job losses.

Penny Kemp, Environment spokesperson for the Green Party of England and Wales commented: "Greens have put forward plans to ensure that the annual £42 billion of tax avoidance is collected, a bankers windfall tax is put in place, and that jobs are created in the renewable energy sector and energy conservation. These jobs would ensure future energy security for Britain. We can do this without nuclear power, which cannot be relied upon, as recent events have shown."


AV campaign

And talking of electoral systems....On the doorstep I have also been talking about the need to vote 'Yes to AV' - see more on a previous blog here. What has concerned me is the lack of knowledge that this vote is even taking place - let alone what it means. It is vital we move towards a fairer system.

Put food into mouths not cars

Today is the launch of a biofuels campaign by Actionaid -  it is timely as with oil prices rising there is even more interest in biofuels - Actionaid estimate that biofuel production could push a further 600 million people into hunger by 2020. As their campaign says 'put food into mouths not cars'. Greens have long opposed this biofuel production - but have often been lone voices - however the evidence is now clear and action must be taken.

Photo: local artist Russ

There is a Department of Transport consultation out at the moment - see here. See more about this issue plus a short video and action to email the Government: http://www.actionaid.org.uk/biofuels

Banks escape any real reform

The government's Independent Commission on Banking have released their half time report, where they laid out their favoured approach to banking reform. The headlines have banks sighing with relief - see Guardian here: "More than £1bn was added to the stock market value of three major banks after the independent commission on banking stepped back from endorsing some of the more radical options designed to ensure taxpayers will never again have to bail out the financial system."

As Positive Money say: "It was a step in the right direction - if you run a bank. However, if you were looking for any fundamental changes to the way banks operate, or any limits to the damage they can wreak on the economy and society as a whole, you're likely to be disappointed."

It is worth looking at the video by Positive Money below - it reveals the shocking subsidies to the banks and the worrying misunderstanding by the Commission. This is deeply deeply deeply worrying - it will not stop the campaign for reform:

Scrutiny meeting

Well I have already blogged on the inquiry I chaired to tackle fuel poverty in our housing - see here. The rest of the meeting had a few other items of interest - in my haste here I can't really do justice...

Photos: Randwick woods look stunning at the moment with all those bluebells

We had two papers re budgets - it was interesting going through them as it is a chance to find out stuff - for example one of the Sustainability Officers posts is still vacant. I have since written to the Chief Exec and Council Leader as this seems crazy short-sightedness when that is the area we need to be developing - indeed the Council has a handful of proposals that need progressing.

The report re the renewables contract that the committee rejected at the last meeting - see here - was finally accepted. It was not regarding the project but the process. It does seem the scrutiny committee was not given clear information - in particular it seems we were told that 'soft marketing' had been undertaken when in fact it was quotations being sought from companies - this is not good for the companies who invest lots of time in a quotation. The issue was complex and I wont try to do it justice here, suffice to say I hope that lessons have been learnt - certainly a number of recommendations have been made...

We also had reports re parking enforcement, asbos and the corporate strategy but I've run out of time to write more now - several phone calls interrupting the writing of this! The meeting should be on webcast for those keen to see it!

Canal to provide water for SE is a big mistake

The local papers report that the Cotswold Canals Trust Chief Ken Burgin is delighted by news that Thames Water will look at taking water from the Severn area via the canal to supply the South East. While Stroud District Deputy Leader, Cllr Keith Pearson rather worryingly welcomed 'any initiative which helped with the regeneration of canals'.

Photo: canal near Saul

Where are the arguments about Thames Water managing the resources they already have, rather than transporting more water around the country?

This water transfer plan sounds like our crazy roads policy which increases supply to meet demand whereas what we need is to question the growing demand. Thames Water needs to properly look after their own water resources by tackling the vast amount of water lost in leaks and supporting land management schemes that protect their residents with flood control measures, but also conserve water.

It is quite extraordinary that homes are still being built without proper rainwater harvesting in areas like the SE where water resources are already stretched.  We are creating huge problems for the future. The situation is already dire.

Meanwhile a recent report published by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation says that low-income households are at particular risk because of new methods being introduced to increase the efficient use and distribution of water. It defines "water poverty" as when households spend 3% or more of their income on water bills.  The report, Vulnerability to Heat Waves and Drought: Adaptation to Climate Change, by the environmental consultancy AEA and a team from the University of Surrey, warns that water is becoming scarce as a result of climate change and increased consumer demand.  An estimated four million households in the UK are already "water poor", according to the report, and the situation is likely to worsen, with bills predicted to rise by 5% a year for some customers.

It sounds like the canal can't be the answer in any case. As The Citizen noted retired land drainage firm boss, Martin Neville said: "The biggest obstacle to transferring the water via the canal is lack of suitable water supply. Money is still being raised from the public on the basis that full restoration is feasible. Calculations based on discussions with the Environment Agency lead me to the conclusion that providing a workable water supply would be impracticable."

Nuclear: a gamble we don't need to take

Sadly Fukushima is still not under control with emissions of radiation to the environment from the damaged reactors expected to continue for month - 11,000 tons of radioactive waste water discharged into the sea. Below is my submission to the NII.  

Photo: Oldbury viewed from Randwick woods

Chris Huhne has urged us not to panic. Britain doesn't have huge earthquakes, he said - although we know that is not entirely true (see my blog here). There will be an inquiry. We are told lessons will be learned - but even he admits that the investment required for Britain's nuclear programme may be hit by the crisis in Japan - and so it should! the economics did not stack up before - they stack up even less now. The Liberal Democrat MP for Cheltenham, Martin Horwood, has tabled an Early Day Motion (1615) calling for a suspension of the Government's plans for new reactors - good on him! Caroline Lucas has also signed.

Petition: Sign Friends of the Earth petition at:
http://www.foe.co.uk/what_we_do/nuclear_27386.html

Debate and vote: This house believes that the world would be better off without nuclear power. Do you agree with the motion? Vote Now: http://www.economist.com/debate/debates/overview/201


Submission - click on read more

More wood for the burner helps blue butterflies

Yesterday we had the last session of the Randwick Woodfuel project for this year - we've had three pilot sessions that have gone so well we will establish the project this September again - basically it is doing conservation work in return for a boot load of wood.

I have made a film of the project which apparently the National Trust have enjoyed - even went to the Director.  It was rather hurriedly thrown together but I would love to see similar projects in other places - it is a great way to reconnect people with their local woods.

See film here:www.youtube.com/watch?v=G7xjHnME3z4


This week there was v little conservation work due to the dry weather - we could not burn brash and the warm weather has led to birds nesting earlier. However most of us got a small load of wood which I have already cut up.

At this session we were also joined by a moth and butterfly expert - here's comments she sent to me earlier: "I really enjoyed the video as we have spent a lot of time up there butterfly monitoring and generally mooching around in the clearing....I was going to put in a word for the remaining silver birch trees as I have seen a rare moth flying.....The rare moth (Orange Underwing) was doing its thing, flying around the mature silver birch....I have recorded Common Blue, Holly Blue, Brown Argus and Small Blue butterflies and Chalkhill Blue used to be there so it provides quite a diverse range of habitats"

Well the plan is to still leave some silver birch and already the conservation work seems to be showing results - orchids are coming back in numbers not seen for a long time. Hopefully we will also see more of the blues and other butterflies - we will be keeping an eye on the site - and then be returning in September for more work. There is also a possibility the group will get involved in some conservation work during the summer - clearing ragwort, paths etc....we'll see. Meanwhile see here Feb meeting last year with details of other similar project proposals.

Success re step to tackle fuel poverty in Stroud

As regular blog readers will know I am keen to see lots more done regarding the deeply shameful figures of fuel poverty in the District (see recent post here) - while they are not really worse than other Councils in the South West, at 15.6% of households that is far too many people being affected - and worse still it is usually the more vulnerable members of our communities. We can sort it. Well Thursday night was Scrutiny and as the lead member of the Task and Finish group I presented the paper below (which I largely wrote) to Scrutiny - it was accepted unanimously and will now go to Cabinet.

Photo: insulation on my front door - I recently removed those sticky strips that don't seem to work and replaced with these strips - what a difference in heat for such a small cost.

This is the first step. Once we get these measures in place it will be possible to establish a strategy to eradicate fuel poverty - can we be the first council to do that? Of course it will require political will and resources but this is such an important issue - how can others not support this? OK don't answer that - but I am nevertheless determined to see this through. If you click on read more you can see first a draft of some of what I said on Thursday and below that the report.

Anger at incinerator decision

Angry, disappointed and disillusioned are the sum of my feelings regarding the decision by the County to go for an incinerator - this blog has covered all the twists and turns since 2006 and even argued against those who said the County want an incinerator. I didn't want to believe them - but the evidence has grown despite the fact that the arguments are so strong against an incinerator.

Photo: Green councillors with FoE in 2009 at Javelin Park helping to launch a petition

Why be technology neutral - other Councils have not chosen that route? Overwhelmingly people do not want an incinerator - how could our democratic process fail us so badly? Anyhow I wont repeat all the aruments here but this is my letter this week to the local press:

In 2006 at a meeting attended by Cllr Sarah Lunnon, Stan Waddington proclaimed there would be no incineration in Gloucestershire.  So impressed with this was the Green Party councillor, she made a note of it. I imagine that Cllr Lunnon and others who heard this pronouncement are more than a little surprised with the decision by the Tory-led County Council to build an incinerator. Cllr Waddington, as the cabinet member with responsibility for waste, has overseen the tendering process which every interested party and industry expert has predicted will end with an incinerator. Now in 2011 we have the proposed incinerator with Cllr Waddington holding up his hands and saying I was technology neutral, its not my fault.

What we needed between 2006 and now was innovation and leadership to provide Gloucestershire with the best value whole life waste disposal option. However what we got was neutered leadership and a belief that the market will provide. Well it may provide the best option for profit now, but not for us or our environment and indeed maybe not even for our pockets in the future. The County accepts we cannot predict future waste tonnage which is why it is extraordinary to not go for more flexible sustainable solutions.

What is worse is that the criteria for judging the proposed bids has not truely taken account the wishes of the residents of Gloucestershire and certainly not the wishes of the residents of Stroud District; so much for localism. The incinerator at Javelin Park will waste up to 70% of its energy input as un-useable heat, unlike other technologies which would have less environmental impact. The Liberal Democrats are right to call in this decision and here at least, it is a decision made for the benefit of the residents of Gloucestershire and not made with an eye on the elections calendar.

Cllr Philip Booth (Green Party),

Launch of election campaign

Stroud District Greens have launched our campaign - here is the press release we sent out at the beginning of the week - see my last blog re those Greens standing down - oh but first let me publicise this event in Gloucester - Green Parties in the county have jointly arranged a meeting on Thursday 14th April, at which Jean Lambert, Green MEP, and our own Sarah Lunnon, Green County Councillor, will be speaking on 'Cuts: there is an alternative'. Molly Scott-Cato will be chairing. The meeting will be at the Oxstalls campus of the University, which is on the 94 bus route and about 20 minutes walk from the railway station, starting at 7.30pm - now to that launch news release:

Stroud District Green Party launched its election campaign at the weekend with a pledge to fight the injustice of government cuts to council budgets. “The coalition has imposed swingeing cuts of 28% on Stroud District Council,” said Councillor Philip Booth.

“We believe these cuts are unjust and unnecessary and we will fight them all the way.

“Already we know about cuts to our library, youth and bus services, to our firefighters, police force and post offices, while the General Hospital slides into private hands. The people of Stroud managed to save the Maternity Hospital five years ago, and we can fight to save our services now.”

While the Conservatives, Labour and the Liberal Democrats all say we need to have cuts, the Green Party stands alone in saying we should invest our way out of this recession. Click read more to see more.

Three Stroud Greens step down

Big changes ahead of the local elections. We have three Green party District councillors stepping down - more of that in a mo but the good news is we are having some quite excellent candidates to stand in their seats....They include... 

Photo: John, Fi, me, Gwen, Sarah and Martin launching 10:10 which Fi got the district Council signed up to


Simon Pickering, ecologist working for a national renewable energy company, who was a Green councillor between 1991 and 2001 and highly respected as one of the most effective councillors is standing in Slade. Catherine Farrell, who has worked for Gloucestershire First and given advice on economic strategies is standing in Nailsworth with Norman Kay who has been Mayor of the Town - both are hugely active in local activities. Meanwhile in Valley ward Molly Scott Cato, a Green economist is standing - again someone who has been involved in lots of community activities.

Anyway to those leaving....Green Group leader on Stroud District Council Fi Macmillan has stood down in Nailsworth to spend more time with her children - it is a big commitment and if you do this job properly can mean three or four nights of the week ion meetings plus daytime meetings...anyhow it was not an easy decision for Fi - she is quoted in the press saying: "The great privilege has been to see parts of community life that would otherwise have remained hidden to me. Thank you to everyone who has supported my work."

Green Party Councillor Sarah Lunnon has also announced they she will be stepping down from Stroud District Council at the May’s local elections to concentrate on her work on Gloucestershire County Council. She said: “It is with a strange reluctance that I have decided not to stand again for Stroud District Council. Being a district councillor has been in turns frustrating, informative and occasionally humbling. I have been inspired by the commitment of the people I have come across: to bring bees to Stroud, to get children cycling to school, to revitalise their open green spaces. The bureaucracy and helpful advice received has now and again reduced me tears, and the generosity of people has been welcomed. I remain as Gloucestershire's Green county councillor and intend to concentrate on county issues. Thank you Valley ward; Stroud District Council I shall miss you.”

In the press release it says: "Cllr Lunnon's Green Party colleagues praised her for her work on road safety and on flood defences for Slad Road. Cllr Lunnon was heavily involved in water management issues and remains a member of the Slad Brook Action Group and the Stroud Valleys Water Forum. She also worked closely with the Summer Crescent Residents Association." I'm quoted saying: "Sarah has been a fantastic district councillor with a clear view of what is needed to make life better for the people she represents. We will miss her on the district council, but it is great to know she is there representing us all on the county council." Sarah's intelligence, humour and passion will be sorely missed at the District.


Lastly Cllr Gwen Belcher, 74, a lifelong Quaker, has four children and is a devoted grandmother, retires after 15 years of service as a district and town councillor. John Marjoram who has known Gwen for 44 years is quoted in the press release saying: “She's very warm; she's been a great support through my life in Stroud. You could always rely on Gwen to help. People say we're like an old married couple as we're always arguing on the street!

Meanwhile Gloucestershire Green Party Coordinator Carol Kambites said: “She's incredible. Two things strike me about her: one is her spirit and her enthusiasm, and the other is her determination to represent the people who elect her. She has such diligence. Gwen has a record of service stretching back decades: she set up a mother-and-baby home in the 1970s that accommodated six single mothers. It stayed open until the mid-1990s."

Politically, she joined the Green Party in 1985. She served as a district councillor for 15 years and as a town councillor for Slade ward for 10 years. She's also worked for Oxfam and campaigned for Amnesty. Gwen was particularly proud last year of seeing the fruition of a campaign to provide short-term housing for homeless young people, which culminated in the opening of the” Season House”, which she described as "a dream that came true".

Cllr Marjoram added: “Gwen’s strengths are that she's a very people person. She’s been very strong on social and council housing issues on the council. She does a lot of case work and follows up disputes between neighbours and tries to sort things out. Gwen's philosophy is not to be confrontational as a councillor and to work constructively with others to improve the well-being of local people.”

Cllr Belcher, is quoted giving advice for her successor: "By walking everywhere locally, I regularly meet the people I represent. I also travel on local buses, which are a perfect venue for impromptu surgeries – I recommend them! I am delighted that Simon Pickering is standing in my place. When he was on the council with me, he was an excellent councillor, particularly on council housing matters."

Journey to Planet Earth: Not Bourne Supremacy

This film below has Matt Damon doing some of the talk overs - but this is not part four of that Bourne Trilogy - although we can at times perhaps wish for a 'hero' to sort out the mess.... this 90 min film is just released and based on Lester Brown’s Plan B book series - it does have some of the answers. Do we have the political will yet? Still the answer is clearly 'no' but it is astonishing how public opinion and governments can act - it is still possible.

This film by award-winning film producers Marilyn and Hal Weiner, follows Lester as he speaks in various cities and visits world leaders to discuss ways to respond to the challenges of climate change. The film starts with some shocking stuff than can surely leave those not wanting to 'believe' in climate change little doubt about what is going on...this is not so much an Inconviennient Truth as a Totally Dire Truth....worth a watch even for those who are familiar with this stuff - although I get a little fed up with all the repeated scenes of Lester addressing various halls...but then again reassuring to see the message reaching so many....

Go to: http://video.pbs.org/video/1864227276/

NHS: keep the pressure on Coalition

The papers are full of news about Andrew Lansley's NHS plans and it is great to see that the government is having second thoughts - there plans are quite ridiculous. 'Dangerous' and 'risky' was how leading doctors described the government's health bill, and the BMA has voted for the plan to be stopped. However do email your MP from the link below as we need to make sure these plans are properly shelved - see also my letter to press a couple of months ago here.

Lib Dem members have called on their leadership to change the health bill, led by Baroness Shirley Williams, who called the plans 'lousy'. Even John Pugh MP, Lib Dem lead on health, has spoken out against the plans. In polls two thirds of the public oppose the plan for GPs to take over the health budget - even right-wingers like Tebbit have criticised the plans - although he has suggested going further and privatising all health trusts. Click read more to see more and take action.

Sacred Light: don't miss!

"SACRED LIGHT. CHRIST & A GATHERING OF SAINTS." Exhibition by Greg Tricker at Gloucester Cathedral from 5 March – 5 May 2011.  

Over the weekend I was fortunate to be in Gloucester Cathedral to see the great number of works by Nailsworth-based Greg Tricker - love his stuff. Here is what the exhibition leaflet writes: 

"Greg Tricker’s profound and simple style of painting is rooted in a mystical innocence of spirit, akin to the folk art tradition. His exhibition focuses on the theme of Christ’s journeys: Nativity, Ministry, Passion, Death and Resurrection and on the journeys of a gathering of saints: Mary the Mother of God, St Francis, St Clare and St Bernadette. The show will pull together some of the themes the artist has been working on for the past few years."

His works which included wood carvings and stained-glass seem to tell so much more about a story - suffering, joy and more are all there - I will need to revisit this exhibition as there is too much for one visit. I particularly loved the Joseph of Arimathea carved from oak. I was also very lucky just to catch Greg as we were leaving and here a little more about his work. See details of exhibition here. 

I did come across this collection of photos on Flickr here - not sure if they have been 'approved' by the artist but they give a flavour. Apols but text and font does not seem to be obeying me in this blog entry - apols for presentation!

WWF resign from Zero Carbon Homes taskforce

I have long feared that zero carbon home targets would be watered down - see previous post here where I also point out the dangers of absolute targets. Well WWF-UK resigned on Friday from the taskforce tasked with greening British homes - they resigned as a protest over the government's decision to water down its Zero Carbon Homes standard (see more here). WWF accused the government of rendering the taskforce "effectively useless" by making the decision without consultation with stakeholders.

“Since 2007, WWF has been dedicated to working with the Zero Carbon Taskforce on a pioneering piece of housing policy. So it is a shattering blow to find out, without consultation, that the Government has taken a decision to undermine both climate and housing legislation. WWF is left with no choice but to resign from the taskforce as the ‘zero-carbon’ homes policy comes tumbling down.” Colin Butfield, head of campaigns at WWF-UK

"We are absolutely disgusted and outraged by this. It is misleading to call this a zero home definition – it's now no more than low carbon. This is the result of lobbying by housebuilders." Simon McWhirter, from the Great British Refurb campaign, who also sits on the government's 2016 zero carbon taskforce

This is indeed very disappointing news - as the founder and an organiser of Stroud's Eco-Renovation Open Homes I have been fortunate to see many of the possibilities that greening our homes can bring - like benefits to our local economy, tackling climate change and energy security and more. There was much hope with the new legislation that we could final get new homes at a standard they need to be - it is outrageous that we are still building homes that are not fit for the next five years - it really makes one wonder what those decision makers are thinking........have they not seen forecasts re peak oil and climate change?

On a more positive point we are just putting together this years event - no details of houses yet but some new ones and some we've seen before - see more at: www.stroudopenhomes.org.uk/