Latest news about environmental initiatives in our local area
Upcoming Eco Events
Make your own green cleaning products Thurs 27 June, Marlborough
PAWS A.G.M. followed by a talk on ‘Charging for Electric Cars’ Thurs 27 June, Pangbourne
Sheepdrove Sustainable Venue Open Evening Fri 28 June, Lambourn
Climate Protest Tues 2 July, West Berks Council Offices
Eco Craft Workshops for families Sat 6 July, Hungerford
Monthly Repair Cafe Sat 6 July, Wantage
Hungerford Green Drinks Tues 9 July, Hungerford
Sustainable Living Market Sat 20 July, Thatcham
Local Environmental Groups
Please consider joining a local group to meet likeminded people in your community and learn more about actions you can take to reduce waste and fight climate breakdown. (Please leave a comment below if you would like to have your group featured here).
- West Berkshire Green Exchange
- West Berkshire Climate Action Network facebook group
- Thatcham Against Plastic
- Newbury Climate Strike
- Hungerford Environmental Action Team
- Pangbourne and Whitchurch Sustainability Group (PAWS)
- Sustainable Wantage
- Extinction Rebellion Devizes & Marlborough
Climate Change
• David Attenborough’s strongest message so far: Climate Change – The Facts
• The Vale of the White Horse and Wiltshire Councils have recently voted to become one of the 40 or so councils in the UK to declare a climate emergency. Dave Waltham, a geophysicist at Royal Hollow College, was involved in the campaign that led to this decision. In this article he reflects on the debate at the council meeting and identifies some powerful reasons why more councils need to follow suit.
• Earth Overshoot Day marks the date when our use of natural resources exceeds what the planet can renew in the year. We maintain this deficit by liquidating stocks of resources and accumulating waste, primarily carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.
Letter to my local councillor
I have copied below the text of an email that I wrote to my local councillor, Clive Hooker (Conservative, Downlands),
Climate Change Talk By Dr. Mike Morecroft
Climate change seems to always be in the news these days. The science shows that the world is warming as a
Use Ecosia Search Engine To Plant Trees While You Search The Web
Berlin-based Christian Kroll set out in 2009 with a mission to create a search engine with a positive environmental and
West Berkshire Green Exchange – Zero Carbon discussion document
West Berkshire Green Exchange are a voluntary sector organisation setup in 2013 whose aim is to bring together those people in
West Berkshire Climate Action Network Petition Appeal
Miri Lee and the West Berkshire Climate Action Network have launched a petition is to ask Richard Benyon, MP for
Local Student Climate Change Strikers
Like many parts of the UK, our area has seen recent Student Strikes for Climate inspired by Swedish student Greta Thunberg but it has
Food
• The Wheatsheaf in Chilton Foliat (Britain’s most sustainable pub) serves 80% organic food & drink, (much of it local), uses green energy, grows their own herbs and fruit, and invites diners to donate £1 to the Carbon Footprint charity on each bill.
• You can drop off your used cooking oil at The Red House pub in Marsh Benham who has it collected
Britain’s Most Sustainable Pub – The Wheatsheaf in Chilton Foliat
It’s official – The Wheatsheaf in Chilton Foliat is Britain’s most sustainable pub. This is not according the the owners,
So you want to grow your own veg?
Hannah Fraser from Bloom Garden shares her tips for growing your own veg Growing your own veg can be hugely
Zero Waste Packaging Not Included Shop in Marlborough
Packaging Not Included, the brain child of Hayley Lambert (see interview below), is Marlborough’s first packaging free food and cleaning
Low Energy Cooking
Did you know that it’s possible to save 40-50% of the fuel needed to cook, without buying any new equipment?
Plastic & Recycling
• According to Oxfordshire Recycles, the carbon impact of food going to waste is bigger than the impact of the plastic packaging. A wrapped cucumber lasts 3 times as long as an unwrapped one! However, 79% of all plastic items ever produced are still in the environment and having an impact on the planet.
• The first three month of trading at Packaging Not Included in Marlborough has proved a huge success in reducing single use plastic
An Explanation of Plastic Recycling by Dr Peter Cox
An Introduction to Plastics Recycling by Dr Peter Cox Dr Peter Cox is a chartered mechanical engineer who first started
Surfers Against Sewage Litter Picks
Surfers Against Sewage is a marine conservation charity that has expanded their ‘beach cleans’ to inland rivers, mountains and urban
Terracycle Recycling in aid of Canine Partners
It’s surprising how much you can recycle when you know how! Here is the list of items that Terracycle will
Make Eco-Bricks to Keep Plastic out of Landfill
An Eco-brick is a plastic bottle crammed full with so much plastic that it is heavy and strong enough to
What’s The Problem with Plastic
Plastic is a versatile material, and for some uses there is no alternative. However, it is so durable that when
Monthly Wantage Repair Cafe
First Saturday of the month. Volunteer fixers will be on hand to help with small electrical and household items, simple
Electric Cars & Tech
Scoop Electrical Services
Scoop Electrical Services has many years of electrical experience and deals directly with domestic clients, trades, businesses and landlords. They
A Beginner’s Guide to Electric Cars
As the owner of an EV, Richard has written this article based on his own knowledge and experience as a
Green Machine Computers achieves ISO 14001 accreditation for Environmental Management
Green Machine Computers Ltd has recently received accreditation under ISO 14001, a set of rules which defines the standard for
Water
how to protect our waterways from pollution and to minimise water waste in our homes
Yellow Fish in Newbury
If you live in the Gaywood Drive or Two Rivers Way area of Newbury you may have noticed an abundance
