Transition
Kidderminster
Newsletter
July 2020
Kidderminster
Newsletter
July 2020
Welcome to yet another issue dominated by the CoronaVirus. The changes brought about by this pandemic go far further than the 60,000 UK deaths. Our whole future is being brought into focus. Hopefully you will find this issue provides some stimulating and radical thinking.
We don’t want life to go back to ‘normal’.
Normal was what got us into this mess.
We don’t want life to go back to ‘normal’.
Normal was what got us into this mess.
+++ Upcoming Events +++
.We have more Zoom presentations planned - we will announce these by email as they come up and you can then request the Zoom link to join us.
At the time of writing we have no plans for real life meetings or for reopening our repair café.
We are however planning a new feature for when we return - a Country Market. This will be at the repair café venue and will offer a selection of stalls offering local products and produce. Look out for more on this in a few months time when hopefully we will know what the future looks like!
At the time of writing we have no plans for real life meetings or for reopening our repair café.
We are however planning a new feature for when we return - a Country Market. This will be at the repair café venue and will offer a selection of stalls offering local products and produce. Look out for more on this in a few months time when hopefully we will know what the future looks like!
+++ Recent Local Events +++
On 17th July we held our first Zoom presentation. This was led by Transition member and transport expert Keith Budden, the topic being The Impact of Covid 19 on Transport, Climate Change and Air Quality. It was very well attended and the 20 minute presentation was followed by 20 minutes of questions & answers. An informative and enjoyable session.
With CoronaVirus threat waning,
Climate Change returns to haunt us
Climate Change returns to haunt us
The government must act fast if the UK is to avoid a massive rebound in carbon emissions after the coronavirus crisis eases, states Lord Deben, chair of the committee on climate change (CCC). He called for new schemes to insulate homes, raise carbon taxes, switch to electric vehicles and improve broadband, and urged the government to spur a green recovery to create jobs and cut emissions permanently.
The CCC also called on Boris Johnson to reconvene the cabinet committee on climate change as a matter of urgency. The PM has chaired only one meeting since taking personal charge last October. Read more...
Why Siberia's Freak Weather Matters
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Siberia reports 38C temperatures in areas that would normally be at zero degrees. The region is warming at more than twice the rate of the rest of the planet. Fears are that the permafrost might melt with two dire consequences - sinking cities, and even methane release on a gigantic scale. Methane traps up to 100 times more heat in the atmosphere than carbon dioxide. Read more here
Future of the Airline Industry
Coronavirus raises hopes of reining in the airline industry.
There are mounting demands that any bailout should have green strings attached.
Eight steps towards a cleaner aviation sector are outlined here ....
There are mounting demands that any bailout should have green strings attached.
Eight steps towards a cleaner aviation sector are outlined here ....
And as the world's aircraft industry struggles to survive, this electric plane awaits first trials.
Read more here ...
Read more here ...
Animal Welfare Standards in Danger
Alarm bells are ringing over the ongoing talks withe the US on a trade deal. There are real concerns that US factory-farm production techniques will undermine our hard-won advances in animal welfare. We could easily end up swapping EU standards for US standards. This will mean imports of chlorine-washed chicken, beef treated with growth hormones, pork from animals injected with ractopamine.
Read the worrying predictions here ...
And sign the National Farmers' Union petition on food standards here ...
Extinction Looms for yet another species
By poisoning them, we have driven vultures to the edge of extinction - and it matters, we really need them. They are an important part of the self-balancing ecological system, and humans are paying a heavy price for disturbing the balance.
Read more here ...
Read more here ...
CoronaVirus forces Rethink on Travel
The internet has shown that many jobs can be carried out from home. The savings for both employer and employee will mean that for many, working from home will become the new norm. And meetings are now taking place on line too. All this brings:
- reduced car miles & CO2 emissions
- reduced load on transport infrastructure
- less time wasted in travel
- lower travel-related accidents and lower stress levels
And is it time to re-assess HS2 now that working from home has proved itself as a viable option in the business world? Was spending £100bn to reduce the Manchester-London train journey by 30 minutes ever justifiable anyway? Given the horrific size of our ever-mounting national debt is this an opportunity to re-assess this project? Read more here ...
Members of Wyre Forest Extinction Rebellion were in no doubt about HS2 on 20th June when members joined a gruelling week-long national protest march from Birmingham to London.
- reduced car miles & CO2 emissions
- reduced load on transport infrastructure
- less time wasted in travel
- lower travel-related accidents and lower stress levels
And is it time to re-assess HS2 now that working from home has proved itself as a viable option in the business world? Was spending £100bn to reduce the Manchester-London train journey by 30 minutes ever justifiable anyway? Given the horrific size of our ever-mounting national debt is this an opportunity to re-assess this project? Read more here ...
Members of Wyre Forest Extinction Rebellion were in no doubt about HS2 on 20th June when members joined a gruelling week-long national protest march from Birmingham to London.
While it has taken almost half a million lives globally, and brought untold misery and wrecked economies, Covid-19 has actually delivered unusual environmental benefits: cleaner air, lower carbon emissions, and a respite for wildlife.
It would be foolish not to try to benefit from these glimmers of light in a dark world.
Read more here ...
It would be foolish not to try to benefit from these glimmers of light in a dark world.
Read more here ...
And bikes are now being given higher priority in cities in the post-CV world. Is an e-bike your transport answer? With great shopping capacity in a couple of panniers, free parking, an incredible 5,000 MPG (calculated by comparing electricty/petrol costs) this could be your future! Local suppliers are Halfords in Kidderminster and onBike in Worcester.
Read more about e-Bikes here ...
Read more about e-Bikes here ...
CoronaVirus hits Coal Industry
Who'd have thought it, the global coal industry is an unexpected victim of the coronaVirus.
Read the full story here ...
And in the UK, coal mining operator Hargreaves is closing its last pit. The writing is on the wall for coal - government figures show that coal-fired power accounted for just 2% of the UK’s electricity generation in 2019, the lowest share since 1882! More here ...
Read the full story here ...
And in the UK, coal mining operator Hargreaves is closing its last pit. The writing is on the wall for coal - government figures show that coal-fired power accounted for just 2% of the UK’s electricity generation in 2019, the lowest share since 1882! More here ...
The amazing Spring sunshine gave the UK its first coal-free electricity month ever.
Which all sounds good - and it is - to an extent. However some of our our power stations are burning trees in place of coal! For example, to keep it competitive with wind/solar, our Drax power station gets £800 million a year in subsidies - taxpayers' money - to encourage it to pollute our atmosphere and destroy enormous tracts of forest across the world.
More on this greenwash disaster here ...
Which all sounds good - and it is - to an extent. However some of our our power stations are burning trees in place of coal! For example, to keep it competitive with wind/solar, our Drax power station gets £800 million a year in subsidies - taxpayers' money - to encourage it to pollute our atmosphere and destroy enormous tracts of forest across the world.
More on this greenwash disaster here ...
Meanwhile solar power gets cheaper and cheaper and Britain's largest solar farm ever awaits final go-ahead. Covering 900 acres at Graveny Marshes, it would have a peak power output of 350MW, with battery storage to even out supply-demand. More ...
Exciting New Energy Storage System
Construction is beginning here in the UK on the world’s largest liquid air battery, which will use surplus renewable electricity to compress air to a liquid state and then use the liquid to drive turbines at a later time when demand is high. The storage system, being built near Manchester, will store 250MWh of energy, almost double the amount stored by the biggest chemical battery, built by Tesla in Australia. It is due to come on line in 2022. This technology could be the game-changer that wind and solar need to make them our prime power source. More here ...
Hot Links - Waste and Self Sufficiency
+++ Some great ideas on affordable low cost living - here...
+++ Lockdown jump starts food-growing self sufficiency - the first steps to sustainability - more...
+++ Are degradeable plastic bottles about to hit the shelves? more...
+++ Zero waste is possible - read how...
+++ Ten tips on rewilding your garden - here...
+++ Lockdown jump starts food-growing self sufficiency - the first steps to sustainability - more...
+++ Are degradeable plastic bottles about to hit the shelves? more...
+++ Zero waste is possible - read how...
+++ Ten tips on rewilding your garden - here...
2050 Carbon Net Neutral is Not Enough
We actually need to restore our planet to good health.
We know how to do it.
We can afford it, and we can't afford not to.
Learn more about this revolutionary project here...
And if you have an hour to spare (!) read the detailed scientific study on how to remove atmospheric carbon here ...
0916b_f4cr4_white-paper.pdf
One vision of how 2050 will look is presented in the full length feature film called Endgame2050.
Watch for free at
https://www.endgame2050.com/
Watch for free at
https://www.endgame2050.com/
Anyone Got Space for a Mini-forest?
Thousands of super-dense, multi-species mini-forests are being planted across Europe to act as rapid growing carbon sinks and wild-life oases. You'd be surprised how little space you need!
Read more about this exciting trend here ...
Thousands of super-dense, multi-species mini-forests are being planted across Europe to act as rapid growing carbon sinks and wild-life oases. You'd be surprised how little space you need!
Read more about this exciting trend here ...
Follow the Science!
Get the informed scientific background to today's pressing ecological issues.
For articles and videos, endorsed by the scientific community, visit the web site here...
Get the informed scientific background to today's pressing ecological issues.
For articles and videos, endorsed by the scientific community, visit the web site here...
For high security and maximum privacy try the free ProtonMail.
Stop the activity trackers!
Easy to set up and use, get yourself a new email account here...
For phones, laptops, tablets.
Stop the activity trackers!
Easy to set up and use, get yourself a new email account here...
For phones, laptops, tablets.
Find out how to move to a more sustainable life style. This site is a treasure trove of practical information.
visit www.lowimpact.org
We now have our own YouTube Channel !
New videos being added all the time.
Join us on our Facebook page
Check it out here....
New videos being added all the time.
Join us on our Facebook page
Check it out here....
Avoid plastic bags & packaging
get refills at these local outlets.
Kidderminster - Eat.Love.Yoga - Comberton Hill - café and refills
Stourport - The Vegan Hub, High Street - café and refills
Bromsgrove - Nature’s Intention - High Street - see web site
Worcester - Pack It In - The Shambles - see web site
get refills at these local outlets.
Kidderminster - Eat.Love.Yoga - Comberton Hill - café and refills
Stourport - The Vegan Hub, High Street - café and refills
Bromsgrove - Nature’s Intention - High Street - see web site
Worcester - Pack It In - The Shambles - see web site
email Transition Kidderminster at
[email protected]
talk to us on 07867 502575
Newsletter feedback/news items to
[email protected]
Visit our informative website at
transitionkidderminster.org.uk
2019 newsletter back issues at
tknews19.weebly.com
2020 newsletter back issues at
tknews20.weebly.com
Join us on Facebook
Get involved - it's your future too !
[email protected]
talk to us on 07867 502575
Newsletter feedback/news items to
[email protected]
Visit our informative website at
transitionkidderminster.org.uk
2019 newsletter back issues at
tknews19.weebly.com
2020 newsletter back issues at
tknews20.weebly.com
Join us on Facebook
Get involved - it's your future too !
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