Photovoltaics, Bikeabiltiy, School vegetable gardens, Fairtrade Diocese, community orchards and more……

Read about them and how we plan to build on these in 2011.

                                              1. Local people take up new Clean Energy cash- back scheme & feed-in tariffs for PV solar panels.

Anyone planning to take this up needs to act sooner rather than later to get the full benefit, the rate will fall year on year from April 2012.  If sufficient numbers install PV in one area a discount can be earned.

 Watch this space for full details of one couple’s experience of going solar – coming shortly. 

 2011 – aim to get 100 local clean energy generators and earn a discount.

 2. Wiltshire Council.  Wiltshire signed up to 10:10, a commitment to reduce carbon emissions by 10% in 2010.   What they say: “Over the course of the next two years, we will develop and implement a climate change action plan.  The action plan will address energy reduction across all areas of the wider community and our own estate.”

2011 – ensure a greater level of commitment through the developing Parish Plans.

 3. Say No to Plastic Bags WE DID!  SCRAP’s shop survey in the city  found that most retailers are interested in reducing their plastic bag use by asking customers if they need a bag rather than automatically giving them one, using biodegradable bags or charging for bags.

2011 -The environmental concern is evident; can we translate this into a strong commitment to make Salisbury PBF?

4. Fairtrade Diocese.  In April 2010 the Diocese of Salisbury was recognised as a Fairtrade Diocese, marking the commitment of over half of parishes in the Diocese to using and promoting Fairtrade products.

 2011- can we persuade Wiltshire to become a Fairtrade County?

5. River Bourne Community Farm goes from strength to strength with sustainable, traditional farming on our doorstep and extensive community involvement.

2011- add to Salisbury’s network of natural green spaces and wildlife corridors.  Set up a Salisbury Greenspace Alliance to co-ordinate management for the benefit of wildlife and people.

6. Local Food.  Growing interest in allotments, community gardens and orchards.  River Bourne Community Farm sells eggs and meat from the farm, Martin Future Farms opens a shop in the village, Tisbury Community Allotment makes a profit, and Downton holds an Apple Day.

 2011- Community Orchards to be planted in Salisbury’s Parks, firstly in Fisherton and Bishopdown.  If successful these will be followed by other areas throughout the city.

7. Cycling.  100s of children in Salisbury and the surrounding area receive level 3 Bikeability training.

 2011 -  achieve first steps towards Connect 2 cycle link between Wilton and Alderbury. 

8. Schools.  More schools develop outdoor classrooms with ponds, native hedges, wildflower meadows and vegetable gardens.  Children grow their own vegetables, learn about composting and harvest their produce for school dinners.

2011- increase the number of Eco-schools in South Wiltshire, acheive more  safe routes to school for walking and cycling and encourage energy saving through the WC Climate Change Schools officer.

9. Launch of Green Café and Green Drinks. This initiative, started in October, has brought more of those interested in ‘green’ issues together for informal discussion.  Go to ‘Events and Meetings’ for future dates.

10.  Membership.  SWA21 membership reached 100 individuals and organisations.

2011 –aim to attract more young people.

If you know of other good things that have, or are happening why not send them in via our contact address.  They can then be posted on the website and more people can hear about them.

Talk inspires … and sets some homework!

River Bourne Community Farm - the vision

Ben Parker, from River Bourne Community Farm in Salisbury and Nick Snelgar, from Future Farms Co-operative at Martin both spoke at our recent ‘Local Food and Farming’ meeting.   Ben spoke of his vision for a community based project to re-create a working farm, such as those of the 1950s/1960s.   The farm is readily accessible to local schools and provides a ‘hands on’ educational experience for local children.  

Nick talked about the ‘Future Farm’ project in Martin, where local households are involved in growing their own food.  This project started some 7 years ago, with the aim of producing as much food as possible locally and raising people’s awareness of the source of their food.  For those whose appetite had been whetted by his talk …

… Nick has suggested the following homework:

Colin Tudge – ‘Feeding people is Easy’

Graham Harvey – ‘The Carbon Fields : How our Countryside can save Britain’

Bee Wilson – ‘Swindled: from poison sweets to counterfeit coffee – the dark history of the food cheats’

Felicity Lawrence – ‘Not on the Label’.

Wiltshire Council are currently consulting on proposed changes to their waste collection service which will see alternate weekly rubbish collections introduced across the county.

Evidence from other councils has shown that, where alternate weekly collections are introduced – recycleable material one week, residual waste the next – recycling rates have improved.  For this reason, South Wiltshire Agenda 21 are supporting the proposed changes. 

To find out more and take part in this consultation visit http://www.wiltshire.gov.uk/council/consultations.htm

Climate Change – should we be worried?

SCCAP meeting 21.6.2010

The next full meeting of the Salisbury City Community Area Partnership – which will also be the AGM for the Partnership – takes Climate Change as its theme.

The meeting will be held at the newly refurbished Quaker Meeting House on Wilton Road on Monday 21st June, 7 – 9 pm.

There will be speakers from Wiltshire Council and South Wiltshire Agenda 21 as well as displays and information.

Admission free – all welcome

View the Wiltshire Council Climate Change presentation.

Read more on Action on Climate Change in Wiltshire

“I defy anyone coming out not to feel like they’ve got to make a difference ” 

Caroline Lucas MEP

The Age of Stupid is back by popular demand. Following a sell-out performance in September there will be a further showing of this blockbuster film about climate change at 7:30pm on Thursday 22nd October at the Studio Theatre Ashley Road Salisbury – cost £5.

To avoid disappointment you can reserve a seat in advance by emailing us (see ‘Contact’ page). Reserved tickets need to be picked up at the theatre by 7:15pm on the night.

From the makers of McLibel, a Spanner Films production, this film tackles the elephant in the room, and confronts the relationship between oil and climate change. Starring Pete Postlethwaite as a man living alone in the devastated world of 2055, it uses ‘archive’ footage from 2007 and asks, why didn’t we stop climate change when we had the chance?

Age of Stupid website with making of and reviews

However there was cause for celebration when the motion was resoundingly defeated – the final recorded vote showed 6 in favour of the motion and 84 voting against (i.e. in support of the Declaration).  Not all of those who had signed up to the motion in fact supported it after the debate!

Leader of the Council Jane Scott was one of those who spoke against the motion and in support of the Nottingham Declaration and she said that she had never received so many emails on a single topic.  There was further good news when Tony Sturgis, member with responsibility for the Environment, announced that the Council would be signing up to the 10:10 campaign, see press release.

Find out more about the 10:10 campaign and what you can do.10:10 documents for download and circulation

10:10 Briefing (.pdf, 48KB)

10:10 Executive Summary (.pdf, 52KB)

10:10 Messaging (.pdf, 52KB)

10:10 Full Details for Councils (.pdf, 88KB)

Consult information on the process and the documentation.

Information is also available at the Public Library, Salisbury or the Planning Office at Wyndham Road. 

South Wiltshire Agenda 21 will be submitting a response, any comments for inclusion in the group’s response would be most welcome, bearing in mind that at this stage (leading up to the Examination in Public) comments will only be accepted on the prescribed form and can only be made on the ‘soundness’ of the Core Strategy (i.e. whether it meets legal requirements in terms of process and compliance with policy etc – notes accompanying the representation form give full details).

Avaaz says:

The G8, meeting in Rome this week, is weighing a pledge to limit global warming below 2 degrees centigrade, the level at which scientists say a deadly climate chain reaction becomes dangerously likely. Canada, Japan, and Russia are trying to veto the 2-degree limit — and an immediate global outcry is needed to rescue it.

Sign the Avaaz petition

Find out more about Avaaz and what it stands for

Cycling in Wiltshire / Photo: Chris Neal

Saturday 4 July 2009

Procession followed by events in Castle Meadows for all the family.

Cycle ride from Alderbury to Wilton along the proposed Sustrans Connect 2 route.

More details on the COGS website http://www.cogsbike.org.uk/