Community Climate Action Network

All the latest community climate change news for Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire

Community Climate Action Email August 2017

Welcome to the Community Climate Action newsletter, with all the latest news, events and resources in Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire.

Get news throughout the month:
www.everybodys-talking.org
Twitter: @CCANNetwork

Got Any News?
Most of the items in this newsletter are contributed by readers. If you have anything you’d like us to include in the September e-newsletter please send it to ccan@mea.org.uk by Friday 25 August.

Local Events

Dr Bike Workshop
Saturday 5^th August, 9:30am-1pm
Queen's Park north car park, Chesterfield
Organised by Dr Bike and Chesterfield Cycle Campaign

Free bike checks, repairs and servicing. Any parts used charged at cost. http://bit.ly/2we8BnZ

Inspire Community Garden Workshops
Sundays, 2-3pm
Inspire Community Garden, off Ashgate Road, Chesterfieldhttp://bit.ly/2we8BnZ
Organised by Inspire Community Garden
FREE

All workshops take place 2pm-3pm.

Sunday 6^th August: Organic Pest Control -the principles of organic pest control and crop protection using safe, non-toxic and natural methods
Sunday 13^th August: Wildflower Walk - identify common hedgerow plants and plants for wildlife in the Summer
Sunday 20^th August: Maximising Harvest - how to maximise both the quantity and quality of the produce from a variety of fruit and vegetable crops
Sunday 27^th August: Building a Pizza Oven – find out how the pizza oven was built, participants will enjoy cooking a pizza using crops from the garden

To book your place email info@inspirecommunitygarden.org.uk

Building Outdoor Earth Ovens
Saturday 5^th – Sunday 6^th August
Derbyshire Eco Centre, Wirksworth
£120 (concessions available)

Find out how to build a domestic outdoor earth oven using sustainable building methods.

To book call 01629 533038 or visit: www.derbyshire.gov.uk/ecocentre

Common Insects – Beginners ID Course
Saturday 12^th August, 9:30am-4pm
Middleton
Organised by Derbyshire Wildlife Trust
£35

Insects are the most abundant group of creatures on the planet. Kieron Huston will tell you all about the most common ones and see how many can be spotted in the Trust’s garden and at Gang Mine Nature Reserve. No previous experience necessary. Booking essential.

More information and booking details: http://bit.ly/2v56XoQ

Working Outdoors – Horticulture and Gardening Taster
Friday 18^th August, 10am-1pm
Derbyshire Eco Centre

A taster session working in an RHS approved garden at the Derbyshire Eco Centre.

To book call 01629 533038 or visit www.derbyshire.gov.uk/ecocentre

Introduction to Forest Gardening
Sunday 3th September, 11am - 4pm
Whistlewood Common, Melbourne
Organised by Whistlewood Common
Cost: £35 (a small number of reduced price concession places available)
Booking essential

Forest Gardens are multi-layered edible gardens that take their inspiration from natural woodlands. They are designed to be low-maintenance and highly productive in fruit, nuts, perennial edibles, herbs and other resources such as craft materials, dyes and even string. The morning session will guide you through the theory of forest gardens. Lunch will include forest garden produce and a chance to taste some more unusual varieties. In the afternoon experience a tour of a six-year-old forest garden which has a wide range of fruit, vegetables and craft materials.

For more information and to book: http://bit.ly/2w402LE

Think Like a Tree
Wednesday 6^th September 2017 for six weeks. 6pm–8.30pm
Whistlewood Common, Melbourne
Organised by Whistlewood Common
Cost: £120 for the six week course (a small number of reduced price concession places available)
Booking essential by Wednesday 9 August: http://bit.ly/2v1XuAO

We associate woodlands, forests and other natural ecosystems with resilience, longevity and harmony, but often struggle to experience these in our own lives. By exploring principles derived from nature, this programme will guide you step-by-step through a design cycle that can be used for a wide range of personal circumstances – relationships, health, wellbeing, leisure and work.

For more information and to book: http://bit.ly/2v1XuAO

Creative Energy Homes
Friday 8^th September, tours at 2pm, 2:30m and 3pm
Green Close, University Park NG7 2QL
Organised by University of Nottingham
FREE, just turn up

Guided tours of the University of Nottingham Department of Architecture and Built Environment’s Creative Energy Homes - a research and educational showcase of seven eco-homes which demonstrate sustainable building design and zero/low carbon technologies.The homes explore sustainable building design, micro smart grids, energy storage, demand-side management and occupants’ acceptance of innovative technologies. For more information on the project visit http://bit.ly/2w13tD0

Greening Beeston at the Heritage Fair
Saturday 9^th September, 10am-4pm
Middle Street Resource Centre, Beeston NG9 2AR
Organised by Beeston and District Civic Society
FREE

Greening Beeston is a local community group helping people to reduce waste, save money and protect the environment. Their display, What Grandma Knew, will contain useful tips from the past about cleaning without using chemicals and other money saving ideas. http://bit.ly/2voBVdV

Sustainable Living Tours at Hockerton Housing Project
Saturday 9^th September, 2-5pm
Hockerton Housing Project, Nottinghamshire NG25 0QU
Organised by Hockerton Housing Project
Cost: Standard ticket £20 (concessions available)
Booking essential: http://bit.ly/1cPuhJ5

Intrigued by what an earth-sheltered home might look, or feel like, inside? Or wanting an overview of what it is to live sustainably? Join one of the small group tours of Hockerton Housing Project. They are led by a resident of the project to give you a personal view on what it’s like to live in this sustainable co-housing project. The tour includes a guided walk around the site to learn about the pioneering co-housing development's food, water and renewable energy systems, a tour of one of the homes, and a presentation on the challenges faced during the build, and subsequent development, of the project.

Enquiries: contact@hockertonhousingproject.org.uk
Booking essential: http://bit.ly/1cPuhJ5
Our next tour open to the public is on 9th September. Booking link: http://bit.ly/2vzdZoP

Allotment Open Days in Beeston
Saturday 9^th and Sunday 10^th September
FREE

Tours, demonstrations and produce stalls at allotments in Beeston.

Saturday 9^th September

Wollaton Road Allotments NG9 2PH, 9am-4pm
Inham Nook Allotments, Slade Road NG9 4GS, 11am-3pm

Sunday 10^th September

Leyton Crescent Allotments, Off Maple Avenue NG9 1PS, 11am-3pm
Grove Avenue Allotments NG9 4DX, 11am-3pm

For more information visit http://bit.ly/2tKyNsK (links to the HOD PDF)

Recycle Week 2017
Monday 25^th September to Sunday 1^st October 2017
Organised by WRAP, Support Available from Notts County Council

Recycle Week is a celebration of recycling, with this year's theme being ‘Recycling – It’s Worth It!’ The strapline for the campaign this year will be ‘What Goes Around Comes Around’. ‌ Are you in Nottinghamshire and planning an event or activity to celebrate and embrace Recycle Week? Nottinghamshire County Council would like to know what you've got planned and are offering to help with any local recycling information or resources. Contact: nottsenquiries@veolia.co.uk

SuperHomes Open Days

Four Superhomes in Nottinghamshire are opening their door during September and October to show off their eco features. All superhomes are older homes that have been renovated to emit at least 60% less carbon dioxide than they did previously.

Find homes to visit: www.superhomes.org.uk

National News in Brief

Do the next million first: What’s needed to get the home-owner low carbon retrofit market going? A short report from the Centre for Sustainable Energy on how to improve access to low carbon retrofit for homeowners: http://bit.ly/2tZUQrK
Government plans to tackle air pollution: http://bit.ly/2v7FkOr
Factcheck: Grenfell Tower and the Daily Mail’s “green targets” claim: Article from Carbon Brief exploring inaccurate claims made by the Daily Mail: www.bit.ly/2uCBdWq

NEWS: Earth Overshoot Day: We’ve Used Up 2017’s Resources Already

Humanity has already used a year’s worth of planetary resources such as water, soil and clean air. Research organisation Global Footprint Network (GFN) declared 2^nd August the earlier Earth Overshoot Day ever. This is the day when, since the start of the year, we’ve already used all the resources the earth can regenerate in a year. GFN have calculate that we’ve been overshooting every year since 1971 and it’s occurring earlier each year.

If we could delay Earth Overshoot Day by an exrta 4.5 days each year we could be back on track to using the earth’s resource sustainably by 2050. To help achieve this the organisation has launched a mobile friendly ecological footprint calculator: http://www.footprintcalculator.org

Local News

He Huffed and He Puffed… But the Eco Homes Stayed Warm!
Looking for a different sort of day out this summer? Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire residents who have followed in the footsteps of the three little piggies and live in homes built from straw, wood, brick…. and also stone, are inviting you to visit them. Fortunately none of the houses will fall down if you huff and puff, but they do all have fantastic eco features that have saved their owners money and kept them warm and cosy.

All of the homes are involved in the brand new Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire Eco Open Homes (NDEOH) ‘View By Appointment’ initiative. An Edwardian brick house with solid wall insulation, a straw bale extension on a Victorian terrace, a modern timber framed bungalow, and a 1760’s stone-built house with many eco features are all available to visit by appointment with the householder. From solar panels and wind turbines to simple draught proofing measures, the people who live in these houses have all found ways to save on their energy bills and reduce their environmental impact.

Caroline Harmon, of charity Marches Energy Agency, said: ‘There’s a pressing environmental need to reduce our energy use and get energy from renewable sources. This is an opportunity to see real solutions in real homes, done on a range of budgets, and have a chat with the people who live there about their experiences of having this work done.’

Find out more and book an appointment to visit any of the homes: http://bit.ly/2vwtCMI

If you have a home you think people would be suitable for project and would like to be involved, contact: caroline.harmon@mea.org.uk / 07748 508704.

Hayfield Sustainable Transport Plans Car Club

Following on from the success of its Minibus Club, Hayfield Sustainable Transport Ltd (HSTL) is hoping to start a Car Club. The community organisation currently owns two minibuses that can be booked out by groups and clubs. HSTL are now planning to get hold of some vehicles that could be used by different people at different times. For example, someone might drive to the train station in the morning, someone else could use the car during the day, and it could be returned in time for the first person to drive home from the train station in the evening. They hope is that this might reduce the need for private car ownership in the area.

Anyone who is interested in being involved with this initiative can contact Roland Strube: roland.strube@gmail.com or visit: http://www.hstl.org.uk

Whistlewood Common Share Offer Extended

Whistlewood Common’s Share Offer to build a green-build community roundhouse has been extended until the end of August. Match funding of £80,000 is available, but the group need to raise another £80,000 by the end of the month through people purchasing shares. The project has gained planning permission for the construction on the site of a community-owned woodland. The building will have a stage and provide a space for arts, theatre and music events alongside educational workshops and entrepreneurial activities.

More information and buy shares: visit: http://bit.ly/2ruGIs

Transition Belper: Pollution Survey

The Travel and Transport Group of Transition Belper has been involved over the past few months in helping with the Belper Neighbourhood Plan. They have provided ideas and content aimed at ensuring that the plan provides a pleasant and sustainable environment in their town.

The group are now exploring whether they can help to measure and understand levels of pollution around Belper, Duffield and other areas of DE56 that are near main roads. Of special concern are the levels of nitrogen dioxide which are emitted from vehicle exhausts and known to cause a range of serious health problems. If you live near such a road and would be interested in taking measurements please contact John Shoesmith at john.shoe22@gmail.com

Opportunity to Go ‘Balsam Bashing’ with Transition New Mills

Transition New Mills are looking for groups and organisations that would like to have a go at ‘Balsam Bashing’. This involves removing Himalayan Balsam, an imported plant that grows and spreads rapidly, overwhelming native plants and establishing a monoculture. Efforts by the group to remove the plant over the last four years have had a noticeable impact. Transition New Mills can arrange for groups to take part in this activity, which involves light/moderate exercise and gets people out in nature.

For more information, contact transition.newmills@gmail.com

Help Whaley Bridge Community Garden Win £4,000

Kinder Kids Pre-School and St Matthew’s Church are working together to create a new community garden in Whaley Bridge. The garden will be open to all, for play, quiet reflection and relaxation. The project is in the running to win £4,000 of funding from Tesco and your help is needed. If you shop at Tesco in Whaley Bridge you will be given a green token when paying at the till. The token can be put in the box for the Community Garden project, found near the exit.

Derbyshire Fracking Application Objections - Deadline 10th August

In May INEOS submitted a planning application for an exploratory well for shale gas at Bramleymoor Lane, near Marsh Lane, the first of its kind in Derbyshire. The official deadline for objections to this application has now been confirmed as 10 August 2017.
Anyone can object to a planning application, though more weight is given to people directly affected, such as local residents. Derbyshire County Council's Planning Committee will make the decision to approve or reject the application, although the Government can ultimately overrule a decision to reject fracking, as they have done in Lancashire.

If you want to object to INEOS’s planning application there is guidance on Transition Chesterfield’s Stop Fracking webpages: http://bit.ly/2v5we1Y

All information relating to the planning application can be found here: http://bit.ly/2tPSTyO

Local News In Brief:

Hill Holt Wood Seeks full time Woodland Health Ranger: http://bit.ly/2wdfru1

Nottingham is UK’s greenest city: http://bit.ly/2wdewJX
East Midlands Rail Consultation Opens: http://bit.ly/2htEo14

National News

RESOURCE: Common Concerns About Wind Power 2^nd Edn

A popular booklet exploring common concerns about wind power has been updated to reflect reflect legal, economic and political changes since 2011. The second edition is now available online: http://bit.ly/2viEezj

FUNDING: E.ON Energising Communities Fund

Local community centres that need to improve their energy efficiency and schools or charities looking to add a spark to the area through energy education are all invited to apply for funding from E.ON. Priority will be given to projects focused on reducing energy use and renewable energy. Successful projects will receive anything from £50 up to £2,000. Deadline: 14^th August.

Apply online: http://bit.ly/2vz9v1w

EVENT: Make It Happen!
Saturday 28 and Sunday 29 October
08.45am to 4.30pm
Central Sheffield (venue TBC)
Organised by Zero Carbon Yorkshire and the Centre for Alternative Technology
Cost: £15 - £30 - £45 depending on income
Booking essential: http://bit.ly/2uZd8uq

This event is being run in collaboration with the Zero Carbon Britain team from the Centre for Alternative Technology. Drawing on their extensive research, they will demonstrate how a zero carbon future is possible and how to approach the barriers to achieving it - helping to build a common framework for action in the Yorkshire region, and link together to achieve it.

The programme includes stimulating workshops, speakers and conversations, plus arts-based activities, food, networking and socialising.

Enquiries: zerocarbonyorkshire@gmail.com
Booking essential: http://bit.ly/2uZd8uq

Falling Cost of Wind Adds Pressure on Government to Re-Think

New onshore windfarms built in the UK could cost half that of nuclear power and reach cost parity with gas fired power, according to a new report. The engineering consultant Arup found that the technology has become significantly more affordable and that wind turbines could offer a guaranteed price of power so low it could effectively become subsidy-free. The Hinckley Nuclear power plant developers, EDF Energy have been awarded £92.50 per megawatt hour for 35 years. In contrast, Arup found that onshore wind could be delivered for a maximum of £50-55 over a 15 year period.

The report was commissioned by Scottish Power, who hope to use it to force a change in stance from the UK government. Onshore wind has faced planning obstructions and subsidy restrictions following a move in 2015 to limit onshore wind turbine development in England. http://bit.ly/2eG7gSE

NEWS: 90 Percent Chance Global Temperature Rise will Exceed Paris Target

A study by the University of Washington has shown that global temperatures are very likely to rise by more than 1.5 degrees, the target set by the 2016 Paris Agreement. ‘Our analysis shows that the goal of 2 degrees is very much a best-case scenario,’ said lead author Adrian Raftery. ‘It is achievable, but only with major, sustained effort on all fronts over the next 80 years. Our analysis is compatible with previous estimates, but it finds that the most optimistic projections are unlikely to happen. We’re closer to the margin than we think.’

The full article: http://bit.ly/2ujWFio