Woking Local Action 21 Summer newsletter 2011
1 ‘Food and Climate Change’ 22 June 2011, 7.30, HG Wells centre
Emily Lewis-Brown will be presenting the latest thinking about Food and Climate Change at the LA21 AGM on 22 June at 7.30. Emily is a respected commentator about the issue, and is well known for her work with theFood Climate Research Network. Her talk will set out the case for reducing the climate impacts of the food sector, recognising wider issues such as food security and animal welfare.
There is a stronger case than ever for everyone in Woking to be aware of critical environmental issues, such as Climate Change, and to take actions that will protect future generations. The food we choose to eat has a significant impact on the environment. The talk at the AGM will explain why environmental issues are just as important as health issues when making food choices
The event will be held at the HG Wells Conference and Events Centre in Woking and is free to attend; there is no need to register
2 Free Home Energy Audits
We continue to offer our highly successful free home energy audits. Two of our trained and CRB checked volunteers will visit you at a mutually agreed time, and assess how you can most effectively save money and reduce your impact on the environment, by looking at the energy use in your house.
Some quotes from satisfied auditees:
“Many thanks, nice to meet you both. Real areas for action here.”
“Thank you both so much! I really appreciate you giving up your weekend for me and I’ll have a good look at the audit and see what changes I can make.”
Often auditors are able to identify simple, quick and cheap actions which can have a significant effect on fuel bills.
If you would like to book an audit, please contact info@actionwoking.org or phone 0800 783 2503 , as Action Woking are now co-ordinating the audit bookings on our behalf: if you would like to join the group as a volunteer auditor, please contact the Woking project leader, Rod Brans, at rodbrans@greenbee.net
3 Home Energy Audit project now ‘adopted’ by Action Surrey
Our free home energy audit project has been such a successful model that it is now being promoted by Action Surrey throughout the whole of Surrey. Action Surrey is helping co-ordinate efforts and manage administration of the scheme. So, if you have friends who live in Surrey, who might be interested either in having an energy audit performed for them, or who would like to join the growing team of auditors, then please put them in contact with Action Surrey,at info@actionsurrey.org .
The county wide scheme is developing with Transition Reigate and Banstead getting a team of 4-6 auditors together ready to offer energy audits in east Surrey, Elmbridge carrying out their first audit next week and Transition Mole Valley forming an energy group with auditing as a main planned activity for the coming year. Waverley and Runnymede are also keen to get a scheme off the ground in the coming months.
4 Gardening for Life
Our Gardening for Life (GFL) project has been the longest standing of all Woking LA21’s projects. For the past 5 years we have conducted an annual survey of wildlife and environmentally friendly practices in Woking gardens. This project was praised by the national Gardening with Wildlife in Mind Forum last year and we have previously presented our results at a Forum meeting
Gill Stribley, who conceived this project in 1998 and has led it ever since, is now ‘retiring’ from the project, and would like to find a new team of volunteers to take on and develop the GFL activities to allow her to step down. If you are keen to work with others to develop new projects and activities in Woking to further eco-friendly gardening practices, then please contact Gill at gill@stribley.demon.co.uk
5 Other summer events
We will also be present at a number of summer events, so if you are interested in finding out more about what we do, want to meet some of the people involved, want to sign up for an energy audit, or want to find out how to get involved, why not come along and meet us there.
We will be at:
Sat June 11th WAVS volunteering day in Town centre,
Sat July 9th Pyrford and Wisley Flower show,
Sat16th July Knaphill and Byfleet fetes
Sat 23rd July Horsell fete.
6 Want to find out more?
If you want to find out more about LA21, what we do or how to get involved, then visit https://wokingla21.wordpress.com/about/ or email wokingla21@yahoo.co.uk
National news
7 National Carbon targets
“Energy Secretary Chris Huhne has confirmed that the government will adopt targets to halve carbon emissions by 2025 and put the UK on course for a 60 per cent decrease by 2030.
The carbon budget has proved controversial in the Cabinet, and Huhne was reliant on the personal intervention of the Prime Minister in the face of stiff opposition from Chancellor George Osborne and Business Secretary Vince Cable.
A leaked letter suggested that Cable is concerned that the strict targets would damage the UK economy, but Huhne argued that adopting the budget will provide greater confidence and certainty to companies investing in low-carbon technologies.
“By providing long-term clarity for investors, the Fourth Carbon Budget places the UK at the leading edge of the global low-carbon industrial transformation,” Huhne concluded. “It is a framework not just for action on climate but for growth and prosperity.” “
For details of what NGO’s and other organisations have to say see Business Green’s article on this.
8 Green Deal
from http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-13626406 , 2 June 2011
“The government has revealed more details of its Green Deal scheme to help people pay for home insulation and other energy saving measures.
The plan should be launched in the autumn of next year.
Under it, authorised companies will pay for the insulation work and homeowners will repay the money, plus interest, through additional charges on their energy bills.
The government hopes people will repay loans of up to £10,000, over 25 years
Climate change minister Greg Barker said: “The Green Deal is the government’s flagship energy saving plan to transform the country’s homes to make them warmer and cheaper to run.
From next year, people will be able to access up to £10,000 upfront to pay for energy efficiency work, repaying the costs through savings on energy bills.”
9 Green Investment Bank
Nick Clegg used his speech on 23 May to announce some finer details about the Green Investment Bank, GIB:
- The GIB is a world-first – no other country has a dedicated ‘green’ investment bank.
- The bank will be open for business from April 2012, when the first investments can be made.
- Government will provide £3 billion in initial capitalisation from asset sales. This is expected to catalyse an additional £15 billion of investment by 2015.
- Early priorities for investment will be on projects related to offshore wind, waste and promotion of non-domestic energy efficiency.
- The bank will have full operational independence and will be led by a new board
- The bank will be able to start borrowing funds in April 2015.
Welcome to Woking Environment Action! 