Where there is a common resource - for example fish in the sea - there is the potential for the 'Tragedy of the Commons' to occur. In the short term, it is in each person's interests to maximise their use of the resource. However, if there are no controls and too many people do this, the resource will be degraded and the whole system (in this case fish populations) may collapse.

The short term benefits of over-exploiting a resource are rapid, while the long term damage builds up slowly. This delay makes it difficult for people to respond, in the face of more immediate gains.

The concept applies to many situations related to sustainability - from climate change (where the atmosphere is a global commons), overgrazing, deforestation and air pollution.

In Brief

 
Sign a letter to Michael Gove calling for sustainable fisheries.

Oxfordshire parents are being encouraged to try cloth nappies to reduce the amount of waste generated. The council is offering a trial kit to borrow and 'try before you buy'. Modern cloth nappies are easy to use and come in attractive colours and designs. 

In their first year, Witney's Windrush community bike workshop have refurbished 105 bikes, and trained 566 children to ride safely and confidently. They're now crowdfunding to set up a workshop.

Tory Grassroots Revolt on Fracking - The government wants the power to allow fracking companies to drill even where local planning authorities have voted against it. 80% of Tory councillors in areas where licenses have been granted said fracking companies should have to apply for planning permission before drilling. This petition asks the government to respect local democracy.

Goodbye to the Feed-in Tariff? The FIT has encouraged the installation of renewable energy technologies across the UK. The government is seeking views on the proposed closure of the scheme to new applicants from March 2019. It plans to axe not only the generation tariff, but also the export tariff, which guarantees households a fair price for solar electricity they export to the grid. The consultation closes on 13th Sept.

Rare butterfly returns to Oxfordshire. The black hairstreak is found only in thickets of Blackthorn in woodlands on heavy clay soils between Oxford and Peterborough. It has returned to North Leigh Common, near Witney, having last been seen there in 1988.

3,000 bus routes cut. According to the Campaign for Better Transport, council bus budgets have been cut by 45% since 2010, with 3,000 routes cut back or withdrawn in England and Wales. Oxfordshire reduced their spending on buses to zero in that period. Councils have been forced into making difficult choices to protect vital services.

Email Walkers Crisps to ask them to trial biodegradeable packaging in the UK.

New Zealand are the latest country to ban single-use plastic bags. The country plans to phase them out over the next six months. Bangladesh was the first country to ban plastic bags in 2002. China, Israel, South Africa, the Netherlands, Morocco, Kenya, Rwanda, Mauritania, Sri Lanka, Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu, Albania and Georgia have since implemented similar bans. In the UK, many of the major supermarkets have already stopped selling single-use carrier bags, in favour of stronger reusable bags. The minimum charge for a bag is set to rise to 10p and be extended to smaller shops.


Out and About in September

Sat 8th - 12 noon, Carfax Tower. Oxford Rise for Climate Justice - one of thousands of demonstrations around the world on this day, calling for a fast and just transition to renewable energy organised by Fossil-Free Oxfordshire.

Sat 8th Night Time Safari - try a bat detector, look at moths and find out what our barn owls ate. Windmill Farm, Clanfield. Please book in advance Contact conservation@adventureplus.org.uk or 01993 703308

Sat 8th - Sun 23rd, 10am-6pm each day. Sculpture in the Vineyard, raising funds for Wild Oxfordshire. Bothy Vineyard, Frilford Heath.

Sat 8th/Sun 9th Oxford Open Doors A chance to explore behind doors which are usually closed. Places open include Osney Lock Hydro, Harcourt Arboretum, Hogacre Common Eco Park, Oxford University Parks and Wytham Woods.

Thurs 13th Improve your Wildlife Photography - talk in Oxford, OX3.

Sat 15th, 10am-1pm. Build a log pile A practical morning in the woods to help us establish our outdoor classrooms. Bring a drink and snack. Windmill Farm, Clanfield. Please book in advance Contact conservation@adventureplus.org.uk or 01993 703308

Mon 17th Fossil Fuel and Climate Justice. What part do the banks play? Talk by Sarah Rowe, Christian Aid. Oxford, OX2.

Wed 26th. Smart energy technologies: what do they mean for climate and people? Talk by Dr Sarah Darby from the Environmental Change Institute, Oxford. Oxford OX2.