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January 2017 Newsletter
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Our AGM in November was a positive and enjoyable meeting. As reported below, we swiftly completed our official business, then heard about electric cars from local owners and discussed a tree-planting project for the new year.

More good news followed at Christmas, when a new daily record of 32% of the UK's electricity was generated by wind power on Christmas Day and renewable energy sources supplied 42% of electricity used. 

In the new year, a lot more action will be needed to stop the growing climate crisis. Wivey Action on Climate will aim to do our bit and we will welcome your support.

Happy new year.

Wivey cars go electric

Local owners shared their experience of electric cars at our November meeting. All found them to be great fun, very economical and suited to local use while still allowing longer trips.
We learned that electric cars are clever, quiet and clean. They have no gears and braking helps power the battery. The motors are very efficient and the batteries can be charged at home or rapidly in 30 minutes at an increasing number of public points, including motorway service stations.
Their range is 100 miles or more, which is increasing as the technology improves. Wivey drivers regularly used their electric cars all over Somerset. Longer trips can be made with charging stops or by using a hire car or the train instead.
Electric cars are cheap to run and maintain. One Nissan Leaf owner only spent £130 on electricity for his first 4,000 miles – just 3p per mile. Grants are available for buying electric cars and for home or street charging points. More on our website.

Before the Flood film show - 30 January

A Leo Di Caprio film about the climate crisis - 7:30pm, Monday, 30 January 2017 at Taunton Quaker Meeting House, 13 Bath Place, TA1 4EP.
Recommended viewing for all who are concerned about the climate crisis and the perennial issue of how to widen public engagement. There will be time after the screening to discuss what we all think and feel about this film and about climate communication in a world of anti-science, post truth politics.
Free, but small donations to costs requested.
Meeting arranged by Transition Athelney, Taunton Transition Town, Transition Town Wellington, and Wivey Action on Climate. Email for lift from Wivey.

AGM report

Our chair, Patricia Robertson, reviewed our activities over 2016, which included: talks by Sarah Pugh of Shift Bristol and Professor Tim Lenton from Exeter University, free LED light bulb giveaways, our first Give or Take event and a well-supported photo call for 100% clean energy to our MP.
Our secretary, Dave Mansell, reported that we now have 121 people on our mailing list (up from 54 last year), a good level of interest in our newsletter and a steady stream of visitors to our website. Supporters sharing our posts on Facebook helped to extend our reach.
Our Treasurer, Brian Collingridge, said we had been successful at raising funds and covering our costs, ending the year with £426 in the bank (up from £166 last year).
The committee, which includes Richard Brunning, Kim Cavanagh and Sarah Dove, were all elected to serve for another year.

Tree-planting

At November's meeting we had a wide-ranging discussion on ideas for a tree planting project in 2017. A number of people are keen to help and it would be good to involve local schools. Free saplings can be supplied by the Woodland Trust and there were several possibilities for where they could be planted, which require further work to confirm. Many benefits were identified including carbon absorption, wildlife habitats and rainwater retention. There was some interest in planting food trees, such as apple, cherry and hazelnut. It was agreed to arrange another meeting to further discuss and agree plans - details to follow in next newsletter.

Any green questions evening at Uffculme - 20 January

Sustainable Villages meeting with:
  • Rebecca Pow, Conservative MP for Taunton Deane.
  • Robert Hawkins, Waste Manager, Viridor.
  • Oliver Dowding, Green Party Agriculture Spokesperson, and organic farmer.
  • Caroline Pomeroy, Climate Stewards and worked for Tear Fund in Ghana.
Friday, 20 January 2017 at Magelake Hall, Culmstock Road, Uffculme, EX15 3DP - doors open 7pm for refreshments, debate starts 7.30pm.
The evening will be facilitated by Jack Wakefield, who works for Tear Fund, a Christian development and relief charity passionate about climate change.
Free entry with tickets on the door or book online to save your place.

Brendon Energy hydro event - 21 January

Brendon Energy is proposing a hydropower scheme on the River Exe at Bolham weir, projected to generate 450,000 kWh and save 240 tonnes of carbon emissions each year. The turbine will have a fish-friendly Archimedes screw, there will be a fish pass and profits will be paid to a community fund.
An engagement event is being held from 2-5pm at Tiverton Town Hall, St Andrew Street, EX16 6PG on Saturday 21 January. Plans and photos can be viewed, questions answered and there will be tea, coffee and cake. If permissions are granted, a community share offer will be launched for funding.

Committee meeting - 23 January

The next committee meeting for Wivey Action on Climate will be held at 7:30pm on Monday 23 January in the meeting room at Wiveliscombe House in The Square. We will be planning future meetings and events. All interested are welcome to attend.

Free roll of loft insulation

A new roll of 170mm thick loft roll insulation is available for free in Wivey for someone who would like to put it to good use - please email Tony.

Wivey leads the way on recycling

Somerset Waste Partnership has adopted a new collection system that was successfully trialled in Wivey in 2014, when 86% of people preferred it. More plastics, small appliances and batteries will be recycled and refuse collected every three weeks. A roll-out across Somerset is due to start in autumn 2017 but may not reach Wivey until autumn 2018.

Donating Winter Fuel payments

Surviving Winter allows people to donate their Winter Fuel Payment to help others in Somerset less fortunate than themselves. Last winter, with the support of over 300 donors, Somerset Community Foundation provided vital grants to 390 pensioner households to help them through the winter months. See their website for how to donate.

CLICK HERE ...

Petitions and Campaigns:

10:10 - Government reply to onshore wind power petition
Avaaz - US climate heroes: bypass Trump!
Stephen Hawking - This is the most dangerous time for our planet
Greenpeace - Petition: Stop the attack on the UK solar industry
BBC - David Hempleman-Adams urges climate change action after Arctic voyage
Church of England - Initiative to embed climate concerns in investment decisions


Trump presidency:

Climate Home - UK to engage with Trump on climate, says minister
BBC -
Trump team moving away from supporters on climate science
Climate Home - Trump threatens UK climate science, PM May told
edie - We need a low-carbon USA, say 600 firms
Guardian - Obama transfers $500m to Green Climate Fund to protect Paris deal


Climate change news:

EcoWatch - Stunning photos show huge crack in Antarctic ice shelf
Carbon Brief - Zika outbreak ‘fuelled by’ El Niño and climate change
Guardian - Arctic ice melt 'affecting weather patterns where you live right now'
BBC - Great Barrier Reef suffered worst bleaching on record in 2016
Daily Mail - Is global warming going to cancel the ski season?
Reuters - World heat shatters records in 2016 in new sign of global warming


Solutions news:

BBC - Tidal lagoon: £1.3bn Swansea Bay project backed by review
Climate Home - 
China to invest $361bn in clean power by 2020
Carbon Brief - UK wind generated more electricity than coal in 2016
Guardian - Green Energy UK offers first electricity tariff based on time of day
Crown Estate - Offshore wind electricity: UK generates more than any other country

Wivey Action on Climate

Committee meeting - 7:30pm, 23 January in meeting room at Wiveliscombe House
Before the Flood film show - 7:30pm, 30 January at Taunton Quaker Meeting House, 13 Bath Place, Taunton TA1 4EP
 
Newsletters - archive of past issues
Websitewiveyaction.org.uk
Emailadmin@wiveyaction.org.uk
Copyright © 2017 Wivey Action on Climate & Environment, All rights reserved.


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