UK government axes its sustainability watchdog

BBC News - UK government axes its sustainability watchdog: "The UK government is to stop funding the Sustainable Development Commission (SDC), its independent environmental watchdog and advisory body."

Haringey Council's carbon emission targets

It's easy to find stuff about Haringey Council's aspirations to be the 'greenest borough', and even to find the specifics about its plans and targets to reduce its own emissions.

It's much harder to find out specific information about what the baseline is for these reduction targets. I searched for ages, to no avail. Now, a cynical person might think that baseline was being kept from us, so that the council can claim progress secure in the knowledge that no-one will be in a position to dispute this.

For once, the cynical person would be wrong. After some courteous correspondence with Councillor Joe Goldberg, I was provided with the specific data that I wanted. In fact, the baseline and the progress against it show the Council in rather a good light. In 2006-7, which is the baseline year, Haringey Council's NI 185 emissions - that is emissions from its own operations - were 44,790 tonnes. For real emissions anoraks, this is a 'weather corrected' figure. In 2007-8 they were 44,616 tonnes, a fall of 0.39%, but in 2008-9 they were 42,631 tonnes - a reduction of 4.82%. The comparable figure for 2009-10 is 41,894 - 6.47% below the baseline.

It would be nice to get some more detail about where the emissions are coming from, and where the gains were being made - but at least there are real reductions being delivered.

So why doesn't Haringey make more fuss about its genuine progress? In the 1980s the GLC had a big signboard outside County Hall, showing the number of people unemployed in London. Why doesn't Haringey have an emissions board outside the Civic Centre?

Living Under One Sun - the movie!

A documentary about how a derelict piece of land in an economically deprived part of North London has, with minimal funding, been transformed into a vibrant, productive community allotment using recycled and sustainable materials. At last, now available on YouTube - in two parts.

See here http://www.youtube.com/user/livingunderonesun

Sustainable Haringey Summer Gathering

Sustainable Haringey Summer Gathering
Sunday 25th July, 12 noon - 4.30pm
Special theme - promoting and celebrating sustainable food policies, practices and projects in Haringey
12 noon - Plum Day celebration feast! Those attending are welcome to bring along some food to share..
1pm - Reports, discussions, informal and formal networking.
@ Railway Fields Nature Reserve, Green Lanes, N4 (opposite Harringay Green Lanes overground station)
All welcome. (Minutes of the last Gathering are enclosed below).

SH co-ordination meeting on Tuesday 20th (6.30pm at the Big Green Bookshop

SH co-ordination meeting (Tues 20th July 2010)+ Mins of Spring Gathering (April 25th 2010) at Big Green Bookshop


View Larger Map

Read more »

New video from the Waste group

Posted on YouTube here, it explains what can and can't go in the green recycling box. Put together in a few hours by local activists.

Sustainable Food Group Meetings

Monday 12th July, planning committee at Civic Centre, 7pm, about the big Hornsey Town Hall regeneration. Transition will object to plans for Town Hall Square, and no doubt there will be other protests.

Read more »

Haringey Repair Map

View Haringey Repair Map in a larger map

Where to get things repaired in Haringey (or nearby - a few places are just across the border but they are still useful to Haringey residents)

CARRY ON DIGGING!

North London campaigners win battle to save allotments

Exactly a year after they were told their allotments would be sold as building land, a group of north London campaigners have clinched a deal which ensures the site will stay green forever.

The Save Fortis Green Allotments campaign gathered thousands of signatures for a petition, won backing from celebrities such as Kate Humble and Monty Don, and mobilised all-party political support in the effort to save the field in Muswell Hill where locals have grown their veg for nearly a century.

Read more »

PLEASE HELP RECORD CLIMATE SONG

PLEASE SOMEONE HELP ME RECORD the song whose lyrics are below. The melody is also strong. Perhaps it could not only spread our messge but also earn money for campaigns, to which I would donate any money it might earn. Please contact me if you would like to help, OR FORWARD THIS EMAIL to anyone you know who might be able to help. A simple recording would be enough to disseminate the song widely. You never know, maybe someone famous would record it and it could be politically influential. I need someone who can do the accompaniment, and a good singer.

Also any feedback on the lyrics would be welcome, as they could probably be improved. I'll probably come up with another verse or two soon; what is below is just the first version.

Thank you

Tim Root

email tim@timroot.net

"How can you say you love me?"
My daughter said to me.
"You're ignoring the climate crisis,
And living carelessly,
Polluting endlessly.

You know that our future's threatened,
The next eight years will tell
If we can live like you did,
Or suffer utter hell,
The earth left a barren shell.

Floods and droughts come more and more,
Don't trash the world; it isn't yours;
Please invest in wind and sun,
Don't screw my life - it's just begun!

Don't buy from the bad polluters
Like Exxon and BP.
Show them they cannot profit
By trashing land and sea,
We need clean energy.

We can afford survival,
Just think and you will see.
Just to drive and fly less often,
Please do these things for me
And all humanity.



_______________________________________________
Activists mailing list

Haringey Alliance for Public Services

Please distribute this statement widely

Lets speak out and defend our vital local community and public services!
Say NO to CUTS
- unnecessary, unfair and unacceptable

Good public and community services, and a universal welfare system, are central to what's good about Haringey and our lives.

We all need decent health care, schools and nurseries, community centres, well-run parks and libraries, social services, affordable housing, safe and attractive neighbourhoods, jobs with good pay and conditions, and an adequate and reliable income for unwaged people to live on. To achieve this, the resources needed must be ensured.

But the Government is threatening massive cuts to local Council services, to the NHS, to public sector jobs, to Haringey's voluntary and community sector, and to local people's benefits. We don't have to accept this!

Lets support each other and resist all cuts

If not countered, these cuts will be devasting:

- for all Haringey's local communities
- for those working in the local public sector and other jobs
- for many vital public, voluntary and community projects, services and facilities
- for the most vulnerable in our society including those reliant on housing and incapacity benefits.

What can we do together?

This is a wealthy country, but the Government has chosen to take away £billions of public funds from essential public services in order to prop up greedy and irresponsible banks. Our public services are entitled to adequate resources and improvements, not threats of cuts, closure or privatisation.

Recently the Government backed down after 5,000 people marched to save the Whittington Hospital and its casualty department. Many others have started to object and protest about proposed cuts affecting their services and jobs. Alliances and campaigns are springing into action all over the country. Doing nothing is not an option! Together we can reverse the cuts programme if we take action and if we say NO.

We call on all Haringey's residents, community groups, workers, and trades unions to link together and stand up for what's right.

Lets speak out, support each other and resist all cuts

The Haringey Alliance for Public Services (HAPS) has been set up in the last few weeks. Reps of the following borough-wide organisations attended the founding meetings - Haringey Friends of Parks Forum, Haringey Forum for Older People, Haringey Federation of Residents Associations, Haringey UNISON, Haringey Health UNISON, Haringey Trades Union Council, Haringey Solidarity Group, Haringey Socialist Workers Party, and the Sustainable Haringey network. HAPS is a network open to all those living, working or based in Haringey. We support opposition to the running down, closure or privatisation of any local public services, and support campaigning for improvements. We promote communication and co-ordination, mutual aid and solidarity among all those affected, and a wide range of tactics and initiatives towards achieving the aims.

If you agree, please attend our next meeting. All groups and individuals welcome.
Support Our Public Services!
Tuesday 27th July - 7pm
Big Green Bookshop, Brampton Park Rd, N8 (just off Wood Green High Rd)


View Larger Map



Please send us your details so we can keep you updated:
HAPS