Exmouth Wildlife Group
Members are to meet with the afore-mentioned Debs Rylands to survey open spaces in Exmouth. For more involvement, contact Jan on exmouthwildlife@gmail.com.
Extinction Rebellion and Climate Change Mobilisation
Our members are to the fore in local organisation with XR. You can get involved through Facebook or the XR Website. See 8th March event in Dates for your diary. Further ahead in April there is to be a march on London with participants making their way through Exeter during the days preceding.
It is so distressing the the organised climate-change denial Industry in league with the right-wing press were able to use big money over such a long period to manipulate public opinion and effectively obstruct any effective action to reduce the damage.
For a very comprehensive article on this: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Climate_change_denial
For a review of the top 10 climate deniers (note they are all while men!) read: https://www.beforetheflood.com/explore/the-deniers/top-10-climate-deniers/
Desperate effort by scientists and campaigners have by now turned that setback in that Climate-change denial is commonly viewed as being as discredited as Holocaust denial but the damage has been done. Having been shown-up, the right-wing press now tend to ignore the issue altogether!
The good news in Devon is that DCC, with urging from many members of the public including some Exmouth activists, agreed to declare a climate emergency and take steps to reach zero carbon by 2050 [sic]; sorry but that's not a misprint!.
Meanwhile the Church of England’s General Synod voted overwhelmingly on 25 February to approve a joint motion from the Dioceses of London and Truro to step up the Church’s environmental programme, in response to the escalating threat of Climate Change.
Amongst the measures adopted: to call on every diocese to put in place an environmental programme overseen by a designated member of the bishop’s staff team.
Sarah's 7Rs
To be blunt: we all talk about it but Sarah actually does it so take some leaves out of her book. Here is the link to Sarah Allen’s blog on the subject of reducing waste:
http://www.rhubarbandrunnerbeans.co.uk/how-i-reduced-our-landfill-to-almost-nothing-well-about-13th-full-every-3-weeks-but-that-s-not-so-catchy
Here is Sarah's 7Rs take on that mnemonic: Refuse, Reduce, Reuse, Repair, Rot, Recycle, Return. Sarah agreed to my publishing her notes so here is her advice (her last piece for the moment sadly) on RETURN:
-
Return to supermarket/company saying why.
-
Find an ethical superstore
-
Look at Return The Plastic FB page + Greenpeace’s recent campaign.
In conclusion she says: 'By doing all this, I end up with very little going in my bin; it might seem like a lot of effort and don’t get me wrong in some respects it is. However, I really think a lot of it is simply changing one habit to another'. Thanks Sarah.
Exmouth Community Association
I am very pleased to announce that Geoff Skinner, the chair of ECA has suggested that we reciprocate our memberships; Members will remember that we already have on board, as corporate members, Exmouth Civic Society and Gelorchy Eco-church. We are happy to agree to this and Geoff tells me that their Management Committee is expected to formally ratify the arrangement when they next meet.
Would any one of our members, be able to attend ECA meetings on a regular basis for us?
Energy Descent Plan
All Transition Towns are supposed to produce a local energy Descent Plan in conjunction with other organisations; sadly we have never done so due to lack of resources but I'm grateful to Andy Lock who suggests that this TED talk by Amory Lovins will serve to keep the aspiration alive:
https://www.ted.com/talks/amory_lovins_a_50_year_plan_for_energy?utm_source=tedcomshare&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=tedspread
Sadly capitalism being the force that it is, the public are assured that technology will enable us to continue enjoying our energy-wastefull lives whilst still saving the planet. Hear what Amory has to say about it
Visitor Centre anyone?
With the impetus for the project supplied by the anticipated Neighbourhood Plan, aspirations need to be turned into reality. There are a range of putative functions for a community resource building, which central Exmouth is so badly lacking
Past, Present and Future Centre, Past, Present and Future Zone, Exmouth Visitor Centre, Community Hall, Community Centre, Community Cafe, Environmental Interpretation Centre, From Triassic To Tomorrow, Temporary Exhibitions Venue, Tourist Information Point, Meteorological Interpretation Centre and so on
Seems to me that the best interest would be generated by structurally focussing these themes around an actual site and the obvious one is the Thomas Tucker building. It isn't a show-stopper if it is ultimately unavailable, the important point is that it provides a focus for aspirations.
Noel has produced an appeal document (messages of support rather than money!) and is promoting the idea; he is looking for publicity opportunities so anyone who can help with the social media side of this and wants to read his appeal, please get in touch: noelharrower@btinternet.com
Sustainable Exmouth
No news on Hemingway’s next presentation alas.
Social Media and Website
Website: http://www.transitionexmouth.uk.
You can contact me Adrian Toole, Chair, on transitionexmouth@gmail.com
@GreenManExmouth continues his tweeting, not always on TE items but always seeking to entertain so be prepared!
We have a Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/15416577788/
and a page: https://www.facebook.com/transition.exmouth
Not to forget the ever popular Green Drinks: http://www.greendrinks.org/Devon/Exmouth
Dates for your Diary
Save Exmouth Museum - Thursday, 7 March
Anyone who has kept an ear open in the town in recent times will know that we need to Save Exmouth Museum with a great deal of money!!!
Their next Fundraiser Coffee Morning will be on Thursday, 7 March 10:30 at the Axis Centre, (next to the Community Church) in Market Street, Exmouth. This is just behind the Savoy Cinema.
'All donations of baked or store bought goods and raffle prizes welcome, but most of all your presence will be the icing on the cake! 100% of proceeds to the Museum Building Fund. Contact Tricia 01395 267372 for help and details'.
Extinction Rebellion Exeter - Friday March 8th
Rise up, be involved. Your planet needs you. Everyone welcome!
General meeting 18.00, Friends Meeting House, Wynards Lane, Exeter, United Kingdom, EX2 4HU
Annual Town Meeting - Monday 11 March
The annual town meeting open to all residents will be held on Monday 11 March at the Telfer Centre, Exmouth Community College, Gypsy Lane, Exmouth EX8 3AF starting at 19.00. Come and meet your Town Councillors and have your views heard!
Hard Questions Cafe - two March dates
Monday March 11th Monday 11th March; Should we go on eating meat? How do Christian and other religious traditions inform our decision? 7:30—9:00pm, Axis Centre, 7-9 Market Street, EX8 1HP (behind the cinema). Speaker: David Clough, Professor of Theological Studies at the University of Chester and Visiting Professor at the Centre for Animal Welfare at the University of Winchester
Monday 18th March, Modern Day Slavery: What are the issues and what can the community & churches do about it in Exmouth? Same time, same place
Speaker: Chris Forster from the Clewer Initiative, which assists Church of England
Dioceses and wider Church networks to develop strategies to detect modern
slavery in their communities and help provide victim support and care.
Exmouth LETS Beetle Drive Wednesday, 13 March
Bay Leaf Cafe on the Strand 19.00. 'Light refreshments will be available, and you are invited to bring any items (home grown/made produce, unwanted Christmas gifts, etc.) for trading. Our past Beetle Drives have provided much hilarity, and are a great way to meet your fellow LETS members, so we hope to see a good crowd of you there on the night. Do feel free to bring a guest, but please let us know how many of you are coming to give us an idea of numbers for the catering'. exmouthlets@gmail.com
Exmouth Men's Group - Thursday 14th March
Meets 2nd Thursday's 11.00 upstairs at Ocean. [ed: not sure what the Gender Equality law has to say about this but please don't sue or at least not me!]
Exeter Vegan Market - Saturday 16th March
Exeter Vegan Market 10:00-14:30, Exeter Corn Exchange, EX1 1BW Exeter.
Next: Saturdays 25 May, 20 July, & 14 September
Neighbourhood Plan Referendum - Thursday 21st March
At a polling station near you
ECS talk Wednesday 17 April
Exmouth Civic Society's Ian Dowell who has produced five books on Exmouth in order to raise money for Exmouth and Lympstone Hospiscare will present an illustrated talk based on one of his books sold for charity. The title is not yet finalised but it may well be 'The Story of Exmouth Docks'. This will be another really good 'local' evening at the Salvation Army Hall, Sheppard's Row, Exmouth EX8 1PW (opposite the Exmouth Museum) starting at 19.30.
And Finally
In stunning photographs Edward Burtynsky follows the path of oil through modern society, from wellhead to pipeline to car engine -- and then beyond to the projected peak-oil endgame. The Landscape Of Oil in his Ted talk
https://www.ted.com/talks/edward_burtynsky_photographs_the_landscape_of_oil
ENDS
|
