TinT and TTC; Local Transport; XR; Bee Friendly; 52 Climate Actions; Congratulations
Local Actions on Carbon Footprint Cutting and Biodiversity Enhancement
Local actions to cut carbon footprint and enhance biodiversity
This issue of TinT Newsletter covers:
Tint and Tring Town Council
Towards zero carbon local transport
Local bee friendly effort
TinT and XR
Dilemmas on Climate Emergency
TinT at Tring Carnival
52 Climate Actions new toolkit
Congratulations to Dacorum Environmental Hero 2019
Renewables Pioneer Update
TinT and Tring Town Council
As reported previously in this Newsletter, TinT input led to the Council establishing a Climate Change Working Party, with two representatives from TinT.
More recently, at its 22 July meeting, the full Council “acknowledged that there is a climate emergency and is considering the contribution that it can make to address the problem”
TinT’s input to Tring Town Council, to date, includes:
Advice on short list of companies for switching to 100% renewable electricity
Specific actions to protect and enhance Tring’s ecology/biodiversity
Specific proposals, within the Town Council’s remit, to reduce carbon footprint
Want to See Zero Carbon Local Transport?
If so, can you spare some time for one of two projects we’d like to get going? Please e-mail Brian at briankazer@hotmail.com
Community electric bus. (National Trust run small electric buses at some properties)
Car share scheme (to/from Tring station)
Rail franchise holder, London Northwestern Railways (LNR) shortly launching a scheme compatible with Herts County Council car share website – needs champion(s)
This arises from the recent “kick off” meeting to develop a Station Plan for Tring station. TinT proposals at that meeting included:
LNR carbon neutral by end of franchise
Solar PV panels for station buildings
EV charge points
Electric bike charge points
Recycling scheme at station and on trains
Local Shop Bee Friendly Wild Flower Effort
Magnolia flower shop (High St near the library) has Beebombs for sale. These are a biodegradable bag containing a mix of 18 species of perennial wildflowers native to Britain. Enough to flower 21 sq ft of ground.
More info at www.beebombs.com/our-seeds
TinT and Extinction Rebellion (XR)
There is excellent synergy between the aims of TinT and the demands of XR.
XR demands are:
Govt must tell the truth by declaring a climate and ecological emergency, working with other institutions to communicate the urgency for change.
Govt must act now to halt biodiversity loss and reduce greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2025.
Govt must create, and be led by, the decisions of a Citizens’ Assembly on climate and ecological justice.
TinT aim can be summarised as: “taking and encouraging local action to reduce carbon footprint and to protect/enhance local ecology/biodiversity”
In effect, XR takes a top-down approach, whilst TinT takes a bottom-up approach.
We look forward o collaborating with the Tring XR group who have had two well attended meetings, attracting much new interest.
Climate Emergency and Local Government Dilemmas
Local authorities that have declared a Climate Emergency are likely to encounter some dilemmas. For example, Oxford City Council, when making such a Declaration, also stated they would only switch to 100% renewable electricity if the cost was no greater than 2% above their current tariff.
TinT at Tring Carnival
We were busy... and hot!
Refillable water bottle option was popular on a really interesting stall thanks to Nigel, Jan and Vicki. We ran a “pledges” scheme.
Plastic issues were the most common pledge, not surprisingly given the news coverage.
Returning plastic packaging to supermarket featured, as did “stop buying plastic toys” from one of the many children who made a pledge.
Water usage got several pledges – reducing time in shower; installing water butts for watering.
A New Tool: Taking Effective Action to Reduce Carbon Footprint
52 of the most effective actions we can take, as individuals or as communities, to reduce carbon footprint are featured in a new Toolbox from the Permaculture movement.
This is very well worth an in depth look via https://www.52climateactions.com/
Clicking this link gives a page with 16 themes. Clicking a theme gives a number of ways carbon footprint can be reduced, and clicking each of these provides further info on the “how”.
Subsequent editions of this Newsletter aim to explore some of these themes in more depth.
...And in Tring Congratulations to ...
Tring Brewery on becoming Dacorum’s Environmental Business Hero 2019.
This recognises the Brewery’s efforts in sustainability, including reduction of plastics (through stainless steel growlers and reusable compostable event cups; zero food miles for spent grains (upcycled as cattle feed at the neighbouring Dunsley Farm); and continued support for local shop initiatives.
Tring Brewery’s Stainless Steel Growlers
As the July edition of the Brewery’s July Newsletter said “our new refillable containers will keep your beer cool and eco-conscious.
One and two litre sizes are available to purchase now at the brewery shop, with a 10 pence per litre discount offered on refills forever.
Few and many small steps can lead to massive changes, changes that will help us preserve the beautiful world around us – we can all raise a glass to that.”
