Climate Change & Sustainability in Shoscombe
The big river clean up : 8th May 2022
10 of the climate change group came along to the Wellow Brook litter pick on Sunday the 8th of May 2022.
22 bags of rubbish were scooped out from the short stretch – plus tyres, a basketball hoop and a whole load of all kinds of kids’/dogs’/sports’ balls, etc. . . but mainly plastic bottles. There were so many plastic bottles!
And the trickiest thing to scoop out? Polystyrene foam. It disintegrates into tiny bubbles. It leaches toxic chemicals as it is a plastic that’s very bad for people and for all other creatures.
Thanks again to all for support and for the permission of the landowners and a huge well done!
22 bags of rubbish were scooped out from the short stretch – plus tyres, a basketball hoop and a whole load of all kinds of kids’/dogs’/sports’ balls, etc. . . but mainly plastic bottles. There were so many plastic bottles!
And the trickiest thing to scoop out? Polystyrene foam. It disintegrates into tiny bubbles. It leaches toxic chemicals as it is a plastic that’s very bad for people and for all other creatures.
Thanks again to all for support and for the permission of the landowners and a huge well done!
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Climate Change and Sustainability, Shoscombe
In March 2020, Shoscombe Parish Council declared a Climate Emergency as have many countries and tiers of government the world over. BaNES declared a Climate Emergency in March 2019 and an Ecological Emergency in July 2020.
Declaring a Climate Emergency is to formally acknowledge the seriousness of the situation. It’s also a statement of intent to take action. At the March 2020 Parish Council meeting, Councillors unanimously voted to adopt the following Declaration:
The Parish Council has moved its funds to an ethical bank; we’re now with Triodos, and a Climate and Nature Working Group has been set up.
To get in touch with the Climate and Nature Group:
Email: hello@shoscombeclimateandnaturegroup.co.uk
In March 2020, Shoscombe Parish Council declared a Climate Emergency as have many countries and tiers of government the world over. BaNES declared a Climate Emergency in March 2019 and an Ecological Emergency in July 2020.
Declaring a Climate Emergency is to formally acknowledge the seriousness of the situation. It’s also a statement of intent to take action. At the March 2020 Parish Council meeting, Councillors unanimously voted to adopt the following Declaration:
- The Council undertakes to consider the reduction of carbon emissions and issues of sustainability in all its decisions, actions and procedures.
- The Council has set up a Sustainability and Climate Crisis Working Group tasked with developing initiatives to reduce our community’s carbon footprint and to encourage and support more sustainable living.
- The Council will actively encourage and offer support to relevant projects set up by groups within the community.
The Parish Council has moved its funds to an ethical bank; we’re now with Triodos, and a Climate and Nature Working Group has been set up.
To get in touch with the Climate and Nature Group:
Email: hello@shoscombeclimateandnaturegroup.co.uk
Latest minutes of meeting held 29th May 2022:
| scan_may_29_meeting_notes.pdf |
Group meeting 12th March 2022
Thanks to all who came along to the first in person SCAN group meeting on the 12th March 2022. Please take a look at the notes and the action plan by following the link below.
Thanks to all who came along to the first in person SCAN group meeting on the 12th March 2022. Please take a look at the notes and the action plan by following the link below.
| scan_march_22_meeting.pdf |
| scan_action_plan.march_2022.pdf |
FROM THE ARCHIVES...
Climate and Nature Community Forum 19th May 2021
On 19th May an on-line Community Forum was held to talk about how we can reduce our carbon footprint and protect Shoscombe’s landscape and wildlife.
Before the Forum, a Survey was delivered with the Newsletter asking for residents’ specific climate and nature concerns, and also their ideas about what could be done. The Survey gave everyone the opportunity to have a say even if they couldn’t attend the Forum. The programme for the evening was as follows.
Sarah Warren, Deputy Leader of Bath & North East Somerset Council, gave the opening presentation.
BaNES is committed to achieving net zero by 2030 and it’s starting point was to have a better understanding of carbon emissions and where the Council’s, and Bath’s, highest emissions are. This has led to a huge number of in-house and local initiatives; the Clean Air Zone; Liveable Neighbourhoods, i.e closing roads to traffic to encourage walking and a healthier, more peaceful urban environment; cycle routes along main roads; attracting new Green industry to Bath; retrofitting all Council-owned buildings; internal procurement; the Affordable Warmth Grant; planting 100k trees, and many more.
BaNES Council supports communities like Shoscombe who are taking action. Change must come from the top - that’s central Government and regional/town Councils - but the situation is critical now and action is needed at an individual and community level too and people getting together to find ways of living more sustainably and working to care for their environment.
Sarah wishes us luck with our Climate and Nature Action Plan. She asked us to let her know how we’re getting on and encourages us to seek information, contacts or expertise from BaNES as we need it.
Next were the results of the Survey in order of importance with 1, the top priority, and 8 the lowest, although many respondents felt that all the issues were vitally important.
- Enhance/restore nature and wildlife habitats
- Reduce waste, reduce single use plastics, increase recycling
- Promoting local clean air and dark skies
- Switching to a renewable energy provider. Increase low carbon/zero carbon transport
- Reducing energy usage in homes and buildings
- Increase low/neutral carbon shopping
- Switching to ethical/zero carbon banking
- Low carbon food, organic food, less meat and dairy
Breakout Groups
We split up into groups to discuss a range of issues. The aim was to come up with a list of practical and do-able actions for Shoscombe.
There were some interesting discussions, for example; the impact on the landscape of future changes in farming; the idea that Government should use Stamp Duty to help fund home insulation; the need to work together and take a bigger view of sustainability; people should put on a jumper rather than turn up the heating! However, the Action Plan includes only those ideas for which a practical action was identified.
Follow the link below to see the Climate and Nature Action Plan in full.
As you’ll see, it’s an ambitious plan. There’s a fantastic range of creative and exciting ideas, but what’s needed now is people. Whatever your age, skills or interests, please get in touch if you see something you’d like to be involved in or would like to know more about. You’ll see find our contact details here on the website or on the Climate and Nature page of the Newsletter.
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…and while you’re here
| website.july_2021.action_plan.pdf |
Take the Giki Challenge!
GIKI ZERO
Complete the questionnaire and find out what your personal carbon footprint is, how you can reduce it, and how you compare with the UK and the world averages.
Follow the link: Carbon Footprint Calculator - Recommended by the Climate Champions | Giki Zerozero.giki.earth/
GIKI ZERO
Complete the questionnaire and find out what your personal carbon footprint is, how you can reduce it, and how you compare with the UK and the world averages.
Follow the link: Carbon Footprint Calculator - Recommended by the Climate Champions | Giki Zerozero.giki.earth/
