Opportunities for Action

Fresh Climate Plan by May 2025 - Government Instructed to Action (Posted 20 November 2024)

Friends of the Earth have won legal challenges against the previous government's weak climate plans in court twice. The judge has ordered a new, credible climate plan by May 2025. That means the new government has six months to get it done.

They say 'As a nation, we promised to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 68% – or two-thirds – by 2030 compared to 1990 levels. That’s not that far into the future. So the UK must ramp up climate action before it’s too late. Especially for communities most at risk from the impacts of climate breakdown, who've contributed the least towards this crisis.'

The solutions are there: home insulation, renewable energy, better public transport and more.

Friends of the Earth invite people to write/email Ed Miliband, Energy Secretary - to show clear and strong leadership at home and at COP29.

 

Global Ocean Treaty - Greenpeace asking people to write to their MP (Posted 24 October 2024)

Greenpeace say that to restore our oceans and create space for marine life to thrive, we need to protect at least 30% of the world’s oceans by 2030.

Thanks to people pressure, the UK government has already committed to this goal as part of the Global Ocean Treaty.

To stay on track, Greenpeace say we urgently need the Treaty to be locked into law by at least 60 countries.

Help them put pressure on the UK government to ratify the Treaty by asking your MP to join Greenpeace for the launch of a new report in parliament.

Greenpeace will be presenting the new report to MPs in parliament, calling on the UK government to lead the way on ocean protection by passing the Treaty into law and making the Sargasso Sea - a uniquely biodiverse part of the Atlantic Ocean - one of the first ocean sanctuaries.  Ask your MP to attend Greenpeace Email Your MP page

 

 

Global Plastics Treaty Negotiations, November - Update from Big Plastic Count (Posted 18 October 2024)

The fifth and most critical round of negotiations for the Global Plastics Treaty are just under 6 weeks away.

UK Labour government has agreed to sign up to the Global Plastics Treaty. USA President Biden is also set to sign USA up to the treaty.

However, the plastic industry will be showing up in force to try and derail the negotiations.

If you haven’t already signed the Greenpeace petition for a strong Global Plastics Treaty, please click on the link here:

https://action.greenpeace.org.uk/global-plastic-treaty

 

Smart Shopping - (posted August 2024) clothing and shoes production can have a serious impact on the planetary environment. There are 3 key ways we can make more informed purchases: 

1 Check labels - re. country of origin, a good rule to follow is 'the closer to place of purchase the better'.

2 Check fabrics - make a point of purchasing items made from organic cotton, lyocell, hemp, bamboo, or recycled materials (such as recycled plastic) which have less of an environmental impact.

3 Research brands - retailers and brands that invest in sustainability are transparent about the origins of the products they sell. Research or ask brands about the origins of their products.

(wording paraphrased from page 134, 'Circular Fashion' by Peggy Blum ISBN 978-1-78627-887-6)

Greener Workplaces (posted 16 May 2024) - National Trust Magazine (Summer 2024) says 'if you'd like to make your workplace greener but aren't sure where to start, we have a tool that can help. Together with WWF and RSPB we've created a step-by-step guide to help you put nature on the agenda in your workplace.' www.saveourwildisles.org.uk/business

Climate Choir Movement (Posted 11 March 2024)

Jo Flanagan, a co-founder of the Climate Choir Movement, spoke at an online Quaker Arts Network event on Sunday evening, 10 March about the impact of the Climate Choir Movement in helping to change hearts and minds, and uplifting the spirits of the singer/protesters themselves. There are some clips of the choir on Youtube, one is included here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=srfFnwIacYY and if you would like to be part of a Climate Choir visit their website https://www.climatechoirmovement.org

WhatsApp Group Invite (Posted 4 March 2024)

A group of around 200 Friends who are engaged in activism to prevent climate and environmental breakdown, communicate regularly and support each other via a WhatsApp group. To join up go to https://chat.whatsapp.com/JAMLlE6AcL1GC8jDRycy1u

 

Call to Help Expand UK's Ancient Rainforests (Posted 9 February 2024)

In the Spring edition of the National Trust magazine, there is an article about the Trust's work with local partnerships to restore the fortunes of the UK rainforests.  The article includes an invitation to help with this work by making a donation on their webpage and finding out more about the work nationaltrust.org.uk/plant-a-tree

Eco Hub in the Community Initiative (Posted 9 February 2024)

In the Friend, 2 February 2024, Sue from Berkhamsted Meeting shared news of the Eco Hub started in her Meeting House. It is free of charge and takes place once a month. A small planning group made up of representatives from 4 groups in the community got together and planned a year's worth of themes (energy, nature, climate change etc) and approached local speakers. A strong partnership with the local council ensured good publicity about the Hub in the council newsletter. They organised to have a children's activity each month. They created a logo, a website and Facebook group. A banner was made to hang over the Meeting House wall from old unwanted material and display stands were made out of free or cheap wood. The group met regularly and communicated daily. The Eco Hub is about to have its third event on the theme of 'Natural Wellbeing' with a wild/awe walk and making a 'Love Is' mural.  They have been delighted with the turnout at each event so far, with lots of families taking part. The aims of the Hub are to share information and ways to source it, with the hope people will act on it, and secondly to build a more connected and resilient and connected community. Some people who come are already eco-conscious but others are coming out of curiosity. There are clothes and toy swaps and free food for those struggling financially. The Hub is a place where people can talk, listen and share. Sue wants to share their initiative with Friends as other Meetings might be able to host a similar initiative. She concludes her article by saying 'It feels like a way to grow.'

Opportunity to become part of the Four Seas Community

(Posted 25 January 2024)

Would you like to join us? We are seeking applicants who wish to live in a peaceful community where we choose to focus on togetherness, spirituality, living in harmony with nature, and being fully aware of collapse risk, readiness, and response. Four Seas is near Helston in Cornwall. I am a Quaker and one of the founders of Four Seas.

Jackie Carpenter - email: jackie@fourseas.org.uk

 

Caring for the World we Love  

(Posted 25 January 2024)

The Quaker Arts Network needs Friends’ help to distribute of their latest Loving Earth book, Caring for the World we Love  designed for " kids of all ages”.

The Loving Earth process, focuses on just one thing we love, and on versions of the question ‘what do love and truth require of us’. It can help people to engage creatively with the environmental crisis find out more and take positive action.  It can be empowering, informative and can help cut through and transform generalised climate anxiety.

The book works as an introduction to the project and is a resource thet can be used with groups of all ages. It can be used either as a conversation-starter or as part of a longer project,  It’s also a good resource to dip into, with questions and practical examples to ponder, and illustrations of some the Loving Earth textile art works made as part of the project.

We hope many Meetings will add this book to their own libraries, and distribute it in other ways, perhaps give copies to children associated with the Meeting, to local libraries and schools, and sell on or give at climate related events, or to passers-by when they hold a climate vigil… etc.  

The book normally retails at £5 (plus postage where relevant) for its 36 beautifully produced pages, and like the other Loving Earth books it’s available from the Quaker Bookshop.

However QAN currently has a SPECIAL OFFER on wholesale orders received by the end of February via the Loving Earth Project website  http://lovingearth-project.uk/shop/  

 *  £2.50 per copy for 10 copies or more

 *  £1.50 per copy for 30 or more. 

(These prices include postage. )

We hope this will enable the book to be shared widely as outreach both for Quakers and for Earthcare, but to achieve this we need your help!  

Linda Murgatroyd

 

Eco Retrofits - Judith Leary-Joyce, a London Quaker Friend, has produced a guide book to help anyone embarking on a project to retrofit their home. Judith is a long-time supporter of Friends of the Earth, and has campaigned for many years in support of the Quaker concern for sustainability of the Earth. 

The book is now stocked and available in the Friends House bookshop. It is also available via Awesome Books and World of Books. Monies raised from sales are going to Friends of the Earth.

In working to get the message about the importance and the benefits of retrofitting homes 'out there', Judith has also taken part in a Ted talk How you and your builder can save the planet 

Climate Fresk Workshops - were created in 2015 with the aim of raising public awareness about climate change. The workshop works in a game format and lasts about three hours, divided into three distinct phases. The first phase consists in discovering and linking the cards by cause-consequence relationships to create the 'Fresk', as explained in IPCC reports. The second phase is creative: the participants decorate the Fresk and choose a title. The last phase is a debrief enabling a discussion about players' feelings, positions, questions and both individual and collective solutions. (info source - Wikipedia) 

Harriet Martin requested a workshop for her U3A climate group in Birmingham, which Linda Murgatroyd was happy to facilitate. The event was open to the U3A group and anyone in the area who wished to participate. 

Harriet says 'the aim of the 'game' is for each team to place cards in order on the table, finding all the cause and effect relationships and drawing arrows between the cards to illustrate what climate change is all about... It takes at least one and a half hours to play the game and ideally another hour to discuss the groups' solutions. The ideal group size is probably 4-5, giving everyone a chance to explain their choices of where to place cards. It's important that you play the game before attempting to facilitate one... (it's) a very good way to help people grasp the intricacies of the causes and effects of climate change.

To request a Workshop, participate in a Workshop, train to facilitate a Workshop, go to https://climatefresk.org/