 February 2022
Welcome to this month's joint newsletter of
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Kingston Green Diary, February
A selection of upcoming local green activities
Spring is on its way, and though wintry weather and caution about spreading Covid continue to limit green activities, regular meetings, virtual and IRL, and regular outdoor activities continue – see the groups below that you are interested in.
Jan 30, 1.00 – 6.00pm, Vegan and Veggie BBQ back at The Circulatory
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Regular gardening opportunities
Regular conservation volunteering
What else is happening soon?
We recommend that you continue to look at websites or social media before setting out to confirm that events are happening and to check requirements intended to keep you and others safe. Check the current Covid news and rules for Kingston here.
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We hope you like the minor revamp of the newsletter, mainly undertaken to make it easier to move blocks around, and we have done a bit of reorganising to emphasise our local green priorities. As always, local news and activities come first in the newsletter and within sections - and most of the local groups below have their own websites, social media and newsletters, so if you are particularly interested in any of them follow their links to find out more and join in their activities. If you'd like more news from elsewhere, try some of the sources listed here.
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Notes to contributors
If you normally contribute items to this newsletter, or would like to, and haven’t heard from us recently, please (re-)subscribe to our contributors’ list via this sign-up form to get our requests and reminders - and make sure they are not disappearing into your spam folder! Make sure you receive the newsletter too by adding yourself to the subscribers list too - sign up here. You can update your own or your organisation's contact details in these lists or unsubscribe at any time.
We look forward to hearing about more environmental activities, on-line or in the real world of Kingston, as and when possible - we try to give local news and campaigns top billing, so do please keep them coming in. Do use this newsletter to promote new local green groups or enterprises – and also to check what's already happening locally to avoid clashes.
In any case, please send us your environmental news and updates in good time to feature in the next newsletter which will usually go out just before 1st of next month. According to Mailchimp, 58% of our 800+ readers frequently click the links in this newsletter and 23% do so sometimes, a good number of engaged readers worth reaching.
If you have problems viewing this newsletter, please click the link at the very top of this page to see it in your browser.
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News and Events
KEC AGM
The AGM was well attended and up-beat, despite Covid restricting KEC’s activities in the year reported, 2020-21: some outdoor events happened, and more recently regular user Little Star after-school club and rent holidays have helped to make KEC’s finances more secure, and the Hogsmill Community Garden was awarded funds for buildings from the Lottery Fund. More activities took place in 2021, and more are planned for 2022, including the ever-popular Seed Swap in March.
After the AGM reports, former Green Radio trainee Henry Riley, now of LBC Radio, gave an overview of how, when and why the media take up stories about the environment, much of it, unfortunately, beyond the control of activists.
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Regular events at KEC
Square 1 Café 
Saturdays, 12.00midday – 4.00pm. KEC
A free and friendly drop-in café for “social recovery from Covid-19 and life generally” started up at KEC in October - a safe, inclusive space, where everyone is welcome, and everything is free. If you have any questions, please contact Tony Williams.
 Creating a Climate Emergency Centre in Kingston!
Regular meetings at Kingston Environment Centre and on-line, 1st and 3rd Tuesdays of the month, 7.00pm. See more here.
Stitch & Chat
2nd and 4th Wednesday evenings every month
Volunteer gardening at KEC
Thursdays 10.00-2.00pm. Saturdays 10.00 - 3.00pm
Contact Pat on 0776 2846 906.
Listen or catch up with previous shows on Mixcloud..
See the KEC website calendar for info and updates on events and activities at Kingston Environment Centre, 1 Kingston Road, New Malden, KT3 3PE.
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News and Events
TTK looks to the future
Our chair, Alison, recently stood down for health reasons and we wish her a good recovery. One result of losing our chair was that the management team was reduced to a tiny number, unable to hold quorate meetings or to make group decisions or plans, so we invited current stakeholders (donors, founder-members, project leaders) to our January meeting to discuss TTK's future. It proved to be a very useful and well attended meeting, with those present agreeing to be co-opted into the core group and to work together on planning an active and secure future for TTK. Covid permitting, we hope to run a few more events, reach more audiences and recruit more helpers over the next year, after which we will consider our future once more. All are welcome to come to monthly meetings to help with planning and implementation.
TTK Energy Group continues to help and advise Tamesis sailing club with their plans to install solar panels, thereby saving the club a fair amount of money as well as cutting their carbon emissions. There are a lot of useful resources in the Energy group section of TTK's website - do have a look if you need advice.
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Regular TTK events
TTK's Stitch in Time
Postponed till further notice
 TTK management team meetings, followed by Green Drinks
Last Tuesday every month, next on 22 February, meeting at 6.00pm, Green Drinks at 7.00pm, Spring Grove pub, Bloomfield Road, KT1 2SF
All welcome, but meetings could go on-line again, depending on the Covid situation - updates will be posted on the TTK Facebook page.
TTK Energy Group meetings
1st Tuesday morning of every month
Contact Peter to find out more.
Canbury Community Garden
All welcome to come along to plan, plant, get their hands dirty... See Community Gardens section below.
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Transition News and Events
Transition London & SE Hub Online Meet- Ups
Find more Transition activities, discussions and events in London and the S E on Facebook
Catch up with Transition Network videos, including the December discussion, ”COP26 - What next for Community Activism?”
Transition Together web-links
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Campaigning together
"If working apart we are a force powerful to destabilise our planet, surely working together we are powerful enough to save it." Sir David Attenborough, COP26.
Please tell us about local and national green campaigns we should highlight in this section. See the Have Your Say and Kingston Council sections and look out for Megaphone Man for more opportunities. Please take action - if not us, who?
A Library of Things in Kingston?
Find out more about how a Library of Things works and where nearby ones to visit are, and express your interest and support for one in Kingston here. Though the installation cost has increased from £30k to £40k since we first started lobbying for a Library of Things in our borough, it still seems well worth doing.
Government consultation on Biodiversity Net Gain regulations
“Your responses will shape developing legislation, processes and guidance. This will help ensure the requirement for mandatory biodiversity net gain delivers positive outcomes for nature, improves the process for developers, and creates better places for local communities...,” says DEFRA. Consultation closes 5 April. 2022, respond here,
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Useful resources for campaigners
Find contact details for your councillors, MP, MEPs, and LA members at WriteToThem.com Rather than repeating our advice on writing every month, we have saved it here on the TTK website.
TheyWorkForYou shows what MPs have been speaking and voting on recently, with a page on the website devoted to recent votes and parliamentary business on the environment),
Info on Citizens’ Assemblies: Participo offers info on the research on and practice of innovative citizen participation – useful and interesting for anyone interested or involved in planning Citizens’ Assemblies.
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Feeding and empowering
our community
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News and Events
 Vegan and Veggie BBQ
Sunday 30 January, 1.00 – 6.00pm, The Circulatory
Vegan and Veggie BBQ's on the last Sunday of each month start again this in January. We encourage musicians to come and jam, food is free, with a donation box for those who'd like to give something for what they have. This is a great opportunity to meet people, network, find out more about us and have a look around the warehouse to see if there are any goods you'd like.
The Circulatory is open to donations once again, but we cannot take furniture at the moment as we are trying to clear what we already have.
STWC needs new premises
We are urgently looking for new premises as our lease at the Circulatory ends in September, if anyone has any ideas, please could they contact us via our form on the webpage.
Make sure you don’t miss any news from us - follow our Facebook page.
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 Regular events at The Circulatory
Vegan and Veggie BBQs
Last Sunday of each month
A little bit extra to STWC -
AmazonSmile customers can support Save The World Club. Simply turn on AmazonSmile whenever you shop with Amazon, select Save The World Club as your chosen charity, and a small percentage of each purchase is then donated automatically to STWC.
The Circulatory, Unit 5, Chiltern Works, Station Way, Surbiton, KT5 8LS. We are at the end of the driveway adjoining Berrylands train station - look for the big blue barn doors..
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News and Events
Regular meetings at Kingston Environment Centre and on-line, 1st and 3rd Tuesdays of the month, 7.00pm.
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Our core values are recycling and sustainability - we upcycle and recycle cycles.
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KBN exists to highlight and promote local conservation work in Kingston.
Click on an icon below for news of conservation activities around Kingston - get involved or set up a project of your own or see Green Volunteering below.
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Habitats & Heritage acts for the natural and historic environment in south and west London. In a time where the health of our environment and each other has never been more important, and never more interlinked, we invite readers to support our work by signing up to our Supporter Scheme today for just £10 a year.
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News and Events
Stag Beetle Loggery Building
Wednesday 23 February 10.00 – 10.45 am, Marble Hill Park
Find out more and book
Volunteers wanted
H&H are looking for volunteers from across south and west London to join our Board of Trustees, closing date, 7th February. Find out more.
Or join H&H Volunteer Energy Team - help make a difference in people's lives by providing energy advice to groups and individuals. Our energy volunteers are fully trained and can guide people through reducing their energy bills and cutting their carbon footprint. If you think this could be something you could do, or if you know someone who would be interested in this flexible role, please contact Susan, our Energy Services Coordinator.
For more opportunities and events sign up for H&H newsletters and keep an eye on H&H events for conservation news and activities in and around Kingston and neighbouring boroughs
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XR Kingston
Join the Rebellion and help to make the politically impossible inevitable. Everyone is invited to rebel for life. Want to get involved? Here’s how!
Read news from global Extinction Rebellion here and the latest from London XR
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Ham United Group (HUG) is a Community Interest Company (CIC) aiming to improve the environment and the quality of life for the people in Ham and Petersham, just next to North Kingston. HUG supports projects and groups that help make our community more sustainable.
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We believe in giving people ‘permission’ to be brilliant because everyone can be brilliant...
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News and Events
Take a walk
Explore local wildlife and history using the Community Brain's illustrated 3-mile walking route and short train journey between Tolworth and Chessington stations. You can also find a hard copy of the map at community events such as the First in Tolworth Market and at Baking Ideas (KT5 9NQ), The Farm of Futures at Tolworth Main Allotment, Court Farm Garden Centre (KT4 7QH) and SunrayRecycle (KT5 9QP).
A new illustrated map is coming soon with a walking route that will pass several green and community spaces around Tolworth, Malden Manor and Berrylands.
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Kingston Community Gardens
Sowing and growing in Kingston
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Hogsmill Community Garden
Join us in preparing for Spring, planning sowing, constructing, repairing and getting excited about a building project in March. All welcome. Bring wellies! Find out more about volunteer days and monthly work parties on our Facebook page.
On Swan Path, Vineyard Close
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Canbury Community Garden
Our end of year count-up revealed 2021's grand totals: kilos of produce harvested - 56.45 (helped by bumper crops of courgettes/marrows and potatoes) - and 170 volunteer hours worked. Harvests were slightly up from last year, with volunteer hours recorded down, so if those figures are accurate, our productivity is improving! Well done, community gardeners!
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Planning, planting, winter tidying and composting continue - helpers are always welcome at our weekend gardening sessions. We have just signed our annual agreement to continue gardening for another year, so now it’s time to get planting. Our hens are not quite as happy as usual as they are in "flockdown" as a precaution against bird flu.
Coming soon, Friday morning get-togethers in the community garden – watch this space
Between Canbury Gardens, Kingston Riverside [tennis] Club and Kings’ Passage - current access only via our Canbury Gardens gate near the bandstand.
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Kingston Edible Forest 2100
A food forest planted for the long term with perennial edible flowers, veg and fruit, details on our website. We are there most Sundays and a weekday evening when there's light. Please contact us to check as the gates to the allotment site are locked.
Knollmead Allotments, Tolworth
KT5 9QP
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Regular gardening sessions
Visit Facebook pages to confirm opening times and health and safety advice before turning up.
Useful resources for gardeners
Rather than letting this list become ever longer, we move older items to Growing Tips on Transition Town Kingston's website.
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Green volunteering
 Berrylands Nature Reserve Volunteer Sessions
On Wednesday and Saturday mornings
Help to improve Berrylands Nature Reserve and our other local green spaces, making them better for the local community and its wildlife! Find out more about upcoming volunteering sessions, and drop in on the day.
Nature conservation volunteering with Citizen Zoo
Citizen Zoo - volunteer with us!
 Friends of Ham Lands’ monthly volunteer conservation session
2nd Saturday every month, 10.00am – 12.00pm, meeting at the corner of Croft Way and Riverside Drive
Come along to help improve the habitat for butterflies. Find out more.
Volunteering Kingston seeks stories of people who volunteer to tackle the clima te crisis
Volunteering Kingston, the volunteer centre for the borough of Kingston, supports people who want to volunteer and organisations which involve volunteers. We want to tell stories of people who are volunteering to help tackle the climate crisis and help the environment to inspire others from all backgrounds to get involved. If you have a good story to tell and encourage others to volunteer, please email Molly.
Looking to recruit volunteers?
Volunteering Kingston is here to help! Volunteering Kingston is the volunteer centre for Kingston. If you are looking for more volunteers to support your activities or advice on any aspect of involving volunteers we can help: we have a website where you can advertise volunteering opportunities and a resource bank with advice on a range of different topics; we can provide one-to-one advice on Zoom to support you on various topics such as recruitment, retention, reward and recognition, managing difficult situations, and how to organise volunteers when you are an informal group. Please get in touch any time via enquiry@volunteeringkingston.org.uk or 0300 365 9980.
Get Connected
 Connected Kingston is a site dedicated to helping Kingston residents find local activities and navigate local services [and local groups to find helpers and participants]. It is run by the Royal Borough of Kingston Council and Kingston Voluntary Action in conjunction with local charities and statutory organisations. Special training is available to anyone who regularly comes into contact with people that may be struggling to navigate or find local activities or services. Our goal is to help residents of Kingston stay happy, healthy and connected to each other. Contact us here and/or register an activity or find something to do.
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Have your say -
See Campaigning Together and Council News, and look out for Megaphone Man in other sections.
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Climate crisis updates
News
The government has admitted that its efforts to insulate the UK from climate change impacts have been inadequate.
The costs of climate change to Britain are "high and increasing", the government says, and could reach many billions of pounds a year .Ministers say they'll have to go much further and faster to curb the worst impacts. It means climate change must be built into all long-term decisions, such as new housing or infrastructure. Read more in BBC News.
Events
The Climate Coalition Shows the Love
February
Get ready for green hearts everywhere. Climate change doesn’t care about our differences, and that’s why people here in the UK and across the world are putting them aside and doing what we can to tackle climate change and protect what we love. In February 2022, join TCC to show decision makers that we want to see real and rapid action to tackle the climate and nature crisis - for the love of our families, our homes, our livelihoods and our planet. Together we will share our hopes, our fears and our own inspirations for action and use the power of green hearts to show people in power that tackling the climate crisis is the fight that unites. Find out more and join in.
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Useful resources
What to do? Possible suggests five key areas where we can all take action to tackle the climate crisis.
Recommended by The Climate Coalition: The Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit, “a non-profit organisation that supports informed debate on energy and climate change issues in the UK.” and Carbon Brief “ UK-based website covering the latest developments in climate science, climate policy and energy policy. We specialise in clear, data-driven articles and graphics to help improve the understanding of climate change...”
CarbonCopy's brilliantly designed map showing us the level of climate ambition from councils across the country - from places that have not yet declared a climate emergency to places targeting net-zero carbon emissions by 2030.
Fossil Free News
There’s so much happening in the climate movement — it can be hard to keep up. Get highlights from campaigns everywhere working for a #FossilFree world, delivered twice a month.
Off-set your carbon footprint...
 It is estimated that an average UK household emits around four tonnes of CO₂ each year. Even if you’ve pared your carbon footprint down to the minimum, there will still be carbon dioxide emissions associated with your everyday life. The World Land Trust Carbon Balanced calculators enable you to calculate how much – and then offset it with a donation towards tree-planting and conservation projects around the world. If that’s not your thing, there are other ways to offset – tell us your favourites.
What is COP26, How does it work, Why is it important? A short explanatory video on YouTube
Climate Outreach’s How to have a climate change conversation – Talking climate.
Environment Now – the facts
The Earth is changing faster than at any point in human memory as a result of human-caused global heating and The Guardian is tracking the changes via the vital signs, from carbon dioxide levels to Arctic sea ice, taken from data sources including Nasa, the US National Snow and Ice Data Center and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
Want to take action on climate change, but don’t know where to start? Possible has divided their campaigns across five key areas where we can all take action to tackle the climate crisis. Click the buttons on Possible’s website to find out what you can do right now to help.
See also our Reviews section and Campaigning Together.
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The Council’s conversation on the draft climate action plan is still open, so please participate if you haven’t already.
See also the Council's Climate Emergency section for updates on what the Council is doing and some sensible advice on what individuals and business can do.
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See the Council's website for the latest news.
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 Money, money, money...
Don’t miss funding opportunities for your green group
Got a good idea for a new green project or for improvements to an existing one? Keep an eye on Kingston Voluntary Action’s Funding page and regular Funding bulletins and see below.
Grants for allotment sites
Grants of between £250 and £2,000 are available to registered Allotment Associations and committees across the UK for the improvement and development of facilities on registered and permitted sites. The funding is being made available by the National Allotment Gardens Trust which aims to advance and improve the Allotments/Gardens movement through education, training, workshops and support. Non-statutory sites may also be granted funding if a long-term lease is in place. More info here.
Apply for funding to set up a community fridge
Co-op is working in partnership with Hubbub to offer funding to local groups for 100 Community Fridges across the UK.
Find out more and apply here deadline midnight on 1 February.
Grants for Community and School Gardening Projects (London)
Community organisations and schools in London can apply for small gardening grants awarded by the Metropolitan Public Gardens Association (MPGA), a charity that preserves and improves gardens, neglected sites and green public open spaces in all 33 London Boroughs. The grants can be used for a variety of projects, including planting, equipment purchase, benches and churchyard refurbishments; etc. Organisations that have been awarded funding in the past include Charlton Manor School (Greenwich) funding for planting and hand tools; Christ Church Primary School (Wandsworth) plants and mulch for raised beds; and Queen’s Park Gardens (Westminster) grant towards planting. More info here.
Tesco Community Grants
Tesco Community Grants is always open for applications from charities and community organisations to bid for up to £1,500. Projects are voted on by Tesco customers in stores across the UK, with projects changing every three months – the scheme is currently looking for applications from charities and community groups who deliver projects that help to tackle food insecurity in their communities. This might include, for example, breakfast clubs, holiday clubs and food banks. Visit the Tesco Community Grants website for further details.
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Nature notes
News
Grow Wild with Mark Williams - Understanding and Identifying Fungi
If you missed this talk, you can catch up here.
Woodland walks save UK £185m a year in mental health costs, report finds
Researchers say conservative estimate shows importance of wooded areas to wellbeing with street trees also beneficial...
Read more in The Guardian.
Winter Watch 2022
BBC TV’s Winter Watch returned in January, with seasonal highlights and a new list of things to look out for on winter walks.
See also Government consultation on Biodiversity Net Gain regulations in Campaigning Together.
Events
RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch
28 - 30 January, in a garden near you
Count the birds you see in your garden, from your balcony or in your local park for one hour. Find out more and report your sightings.
Spring into Action with Plantlife
All February, on-line
"Whether you want to learn about identifying plants, explore our relationship with the environment through language or find out more about the places we work and what we are doing or take action yourself, we have something for you." See the list of Plantlife's February events.
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Interesting websites and apps for nature-lovers
 London Wildlife Trust protects wildlife across London. 
Surrey Wildlife Trust is a wildlife charity caring for over 6,500ha of land for wildlife in Surrey.
Nature on your doorstep - whatever your outdoor space the RSPB offers expert tips and tricks to make it a happier place for you – and the nature on your doorstep.
The RSPB’s advice on planting for nature
Friends of Ham Lands work with local naturalists to preserve and enhance the natural habitats of Ham Lands, a Local Nature Reserve right next to Kingston. You can read current and previous newsletters on their Newsletter page.
Citizen Zoo - a social enterprise dedicated to rewilding in the UK – sign up for their newsletter highlighting lots of lovely rewilding news and events.
The London Natural History Society Virtual Natural History Talk series brings together naturalists, experts and specialists via Zoom. Talks are recorded and you can catch up with them here.
The Seek app uses your smart phone to identify the plants and animals all around us, and can make the daily walk much more interesting.
BirdNET can identify 984 of the most common bird species of North America and Europe. from song recorded on your phone.
UK Bird Sounds
Backyard Nature.
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Food, glorious food...
How was Veganuary for you?
10 items you didn't know were vegan from the Surrey Comet - or maybe you did but could do with a reminder.
Plant-based health professionals UK
A web-based Community Interest Company dedicated to providing education and advocacy on whole food plant-based nutrition for prevention and treatment of chronic disease.
The Ethical Consumer Magazine guide to sustainable food shopping and other consumer actions that cut carbon. Open digital magazine as a flip book.
Find out how to apply for funding to set up a community fridge.
+ Some recommended vegan cook-books
10 Best Vegan Cookbooks of January 2022
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Waste matters
Refresh your memory –
about what Kingston Council will recycle and which bin to put it in. Read Kingston’s recycling guide here, see where your recycling goes here and what happens to the rest of your waste.
Recycle the plastics the Council doesn’t collect
SunrayRecycle aims to reduce landfill and earn pennies for Sunray Community by recycling plastics via TerraCycle and also encourages repurposing and reusing!
Plastic waste in the news again
Good news: French plastic packaging ban for fruit and veg begins - banning sale of carrots, bananas and other items in plastic as environment groups urge other countries to follow.
Bad news: Germany and UK are big exporters of plastic waste, much of which lies rotting in ports in Turkey, Vietnam and other countries.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-60026748
Pollution from plastics is a global emergency in need of a robust UN treaty, according to a report. The Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA) says there's a cascade of evidence of harm from plastics. It argues that the plastic pollution threat is almost equivalent to climate change. The air we breathe now contains plastic micro particles, there’s plastic in Arctic snow, plastic in soils and plastic in our food.
Waste in our rivers
Raw sewage, microplastics and slurry are coursing through all of England's rivers, putting health and nature at risk, a parliamentary report concluded in January. Read about it here.
Opt out of junk and other unwanted mail
So much post goes straight from our doormats into the recycling bin – but you can stop it via one or more of these websites:
Milk & More tell us that 1500 tonnes of plastic was saved by their customers switching to milk and juice in glass bottles - see their website.
Making good use of unused spaces
  Imaginative uses of old phone boxes, on the left a mini-library in Lewisham and on the right a takeaway cafe on Twickenham Green.
Don't forget that the Kingston Hive is still looking for a space in central Kingston (a bit bigger than a phone box!) for a climate emergency centre.
Event
Second Life Fashion Kilo Pop-Up
29 January, All Saints Church, Kingston Market Place
Buy second-hand and vintage fashion by the kilo
Find out more and register.
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Green small ads 
Do you have something green to sell or give away, or something you want to sell in aid of a local green cause? Are you looking for something that someone else might want to give away or sell? Tried local Freegle and Freecycle but with no success? Try here.
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Loo king for, or wanting to publicise, something bigger or more commercial? Try TTK's Kingston Green e-Directory
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Energy and transport news
Mayor of London plans to reduce carbon emissions
A report released in January aims to reduce air pollution, tackle the climate emergency and cut congestion in the capital by reducing car traffic by at least 27% by the end of the decade. More than a third of car trips made by Londoners could be walked in under 25 minutes and two thirds could be cycled in under 20 minutes. The Mayor also said that the cost of inaction – to our economy, livelihoods, the environment and the health of Londoners - would be far greater than the cost of taking the necessary action to transition to net-zero and reduce air pollution.
Chris Boardman to lead bid to get more people cycling and walking
A new body Active Travel England will seek to improve infrastructure for cyclists and pedestrians as well as funding projects to improve air quality. Read more.
What type of heat pump would work in my home?
It’s a greener alternative to a traditional boiler, but what are the pros and cons? Here’s what you need to know, says Houzz home décor website in a feature about heat pumps,along with other eco-tips for the style-conscious. Eco-consciousness is becoming mainstream, even stylish!
Events
Power for People: The Campaign's Next Phase
Tuesday 15 February, 7.00 – 8.00pm, online
Learn more about the campaign for the Local Electricity Bill and the most impactful actions you can take to help in this webinar to discuss the next phase of the Community Energy Revolution Campaign. Find out more and register.
Heat pump Q&A
Tuesday 22 February, 6.00pm, on-line
Want to decarbonise your home heating, but don't know where to start? Join Possible’s
one-hour Q&A session all about heat pumps (the popular, green, and super efficient alternative to gas boilers). Possible campaigner Neil Jones, heat pump installer Leah Robson, heat policy expert Richard Lowes and heat pump owner Margaret Biddle will be ready to answer any queries you might have about whether your home is heat-pump ready and how you can move forward. Book your place here.
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Reviews
We read the reviews so you don’t have to... (We haven’t read or listened tp everything in this section, but we think they all sound interesting.)
Watch
 Don't Look Up
Streaming on Netflix
A film which got mixed reviews but whose satirical message will strike a chord amongst climate activists. “Critics panned Don’t Look Up as ‘shrill’, but it was superb – and caught outlandish reality” - read positive accounts here and here and here..
Watch XR’s satirical trailer for the forthcoming UK remake of #DontLookUp.
The Green Planet
BBC TV
David Attenborough’s new five-part series looks at the lives of plants, their interdependence with other species and the fragility of their networks.
Killer Storms and Cruel Winters: The History of Extreme Weather
BBC i-player
Floods and storms are nothing new, but how we react to them, how much damage they do, and how vulnerable we are to them change over the centuries, while climate change means we are likely to experience extreme weather events more often. Some terrifying footage brings home what we must try to avoid.
Read or Listen
Islands of Abandonment: Life in the Post-Human Landscape by Cal Flyn
An exploration of the places where humans no longer live - or survive in tiny, precarious numbers - to give us a glimpse of what happens when mankind’s impact on nature is forced to stop. It was Book of the Week on BBC R4 in January 2022.
Waterstones’ non-fiction book of the month this January, with a blog from the author on the Role of Writers in the Fight Against Environmental Crisis.
Read
NEF’s new pamphlet, Five steps towards a Green New Deal, setting out how we can curb climate breakdown and reprogram the economy so it works for everyone.
Transition Network's Rob Hopkins' 2021 reading pile
 
Listen
A Pyrotechnic History of Humanity
BBC World Service
Solar and wind could meet all of humanity’s energy needs, but can we switch over before climate disaster strikes? Experts including Ramez Naam, Christiana Figueres, Julie Cohn and Vaclav Smil offer some realistic and positive ideas on renewable energy... Catch up with more episodes, on fossil fuels and agriculture
How to Save a Planet
Podcast
A show about climate change with positive, inspiring stories about the mess we're in and how we can get ourselves out of it.
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Regular updates on all things environmental
Most of them will send environmental news direct to your inbox:
EcoWatch - online environmental news, also on Facebook
The Independent environment news
The Guardian environment news and The Guardian’s weekly Green Light email.
The BBC environment news
The Ecologist, currently celebrating its 50th year; its impressive archive includes the landmark A Blueprint for Survival (1972) outlining the need for a serious economic and environmental overhaul
Fix the Planet - New Scientist’s monthly dose of climate optimism
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More things we like this month 
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- Green New Year resolutions from The Wildlife Trusts, the Woodland Trust, Flight-free UK and Hubbub (it's never too late!)
- City Farms: BBC R4’s On Your Farm marks the 50th anniversary year of the city farm movement by visiting three city farms, including Kentish Town City Farm, thought to be the first of its kind.
- https://onehome.org.uk/ - because we only have one home
- London Greenground map, a beautifully designed starting point for green walks in Greater London
- David Attenborough’s Unending Mission to Save Our Planet: "We tend to think we are the be all and end all—but we’re not. The sooner we can realize that the natural world goes its way, not our way, the better.”
- NEF’s Review of the Year which includes its work on the Green New Deal
- Is your lifestyle good or bad for the environment? This short test from Finland (soon to be adapted for the UK) will help you save time and money and reduce your carbon footprint.
- London Parks Friends Groups and their newsletter and Facebook page
- Ecosia - the search engine that plants trees with your searches - for free!
- Hubbub’s collection of easy tips and ideas that are good for you, your wallet, and the environment.
- Past issues of Kingston Environment News, in case you've missed other good things.
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Kingston Museum until Saturday 26 March
Members of KAOS, Kingston Artists Open Studios, draw attention to and reflect on the Climate Emergency through their artworks, considering the impact of people on the planet, both locally and globally. Find out more.
Greener living: your guide to climate change and leading a more sustainable life
Online course, as and when suits you
This New Scientist expert-led online course shows you easy changes you can make to your life that will have a big impact on the environment and help tackle climate change
Cost £199, find out more.
Living Streets’ National Walking Summit 2022: Walking for everyone
Tuesday 22 March, in person in London or online
This year's theme focuses on how we can create truly inclusive streets, ways we can break down barriers and make sure underrepresented voices are brought into transport planning and design Find out more and secure your place today at National Walking Summit 2022 | Living Streets
2022 RA summer exhibition theme: CLIMATE
“You don’t need a weatherman to know which way the wind blows” (Bob Dylan)
The theme of the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition 2022 is climate – “whether it presents as crisis or opportunity, nightmare or memories, or simply our everyday experience of weather, CLIMATE is a huge all-embracing and urgent subject.” You must pay your fee and submit your digital entry, including images of your artworks, by 23.59 on Wednesday 2 March.
Kingston Voluntary Action events and training
Ongoing
If your group would like advice or support, please complete this form, outlining your support needs and we will get back to you as soon as we can to set up a free 45 minute appointment with a relevant member of staff. Keep updated on KVA's training opps by getting onto their mailing list. KVA also offer free easy to use websites to community groups. Find out more here.
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