Local Environmental News and Projects

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Eco News

• Please support the campaign to save over six acres of ancient woodland in Thatcham.

• HS2 refutrees find new home in Lambourn

• Trees for Schools – free saplings and resources from The Tree Council

• Why Wild Bees Matter – Roselle Chapman from Wild Oxfordshire, Oct speaker for Wantage Cafe Scientifique

• Grants and discounts available on cavity wall and loft insulation for your home

• Hungerford’s Fuel Cell Systems – at the cutting edge of hydrogen train and plane testing

• West Berks Natural Environmental Meet-Up Group – sign up for monthly zoom talk

• Apple picking and tree planting volunteers needed to help Hungerford Environmental Action Team

• Sustainable Wantage’s October newsletter includes apple press rental, climate change questions and how to maintain after your bird boxes.

• Find out if you are eligible for the government’s new Green Homes Grant

• GreenFest YouTube Channel has a range of interesting talks and workshops to watch from their recent online event.

• Exciting progress of West Berkshire’s Lockdown Woods projects in Hungerford and Newbury initiated by Newbury Friends of the Earth

• Interesting discussion about the benefits of re-introducing beavers to help manage wetlands

• Hungerford Environmental Action Team suggests 10 ideas for taking action to protect the environment

• BBOWT (Berks, Bucks and Oxon Wildlife Trust) facebook page has lots of advice on supporting wildlife and making your garden wildlife friendly. They have a lovely guide to looking after wild bees in your garden.

• Do you know what is going on with HS2?

Local Climate Change Initiatives

• Conversation with Claire Willser from West Berkshire Climate Action Network and Green Councillor Steve Masters on 4LEGS Radio (listen from 29 minutes in – includes an explanation of how XR Citizen Assemblies work)

• Carbon Neutral Aldbourne group are worth following – lots of great ideas.

• Highlights of GreenFest 2019 in Hampstead Norreys: talk by Sir Brian Hoskins, Founding Member of the Climate Change Committee; Panel Discussion including Richard Benyon MP; Lawrence Woodward OBE on Food & Farming Choices for Health and Environment; Should we oppose the expansion of Heathrow?

Green Machine Computers

Your local green IT recycling centre, IT support company and IT training academy. Refurbish, Recycle, Reuse Most offices and many

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

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

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

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),

West Berkshire Council Declares Climate Emergency – What Happens Next?

As predicted, West Berkshire Council unanimously passed a motion on Tuesday 2 July 2019 which had been agreed beforehand by

West Berks Solar Streets, Your Local Solar Panel Incentive Scheme

Incentive for households to reduce their carbon emissions and electricity bills through clean energy West Berks Climate Action Network (WBCAN)

The First West Berkshire Climate Conference, 28 October 2019

This event was organised by West Berkshire Council on 28 October 2019 at Newbury College as a logical next step

The Pursuit of Carbon Neutrality – how to travel more efficiently in the age of climate change

It seems to be an inalienable right for people to be able to travel as much as they wish. This

Food

• Virtual Newbury Apple Day 2020 – arrange for collection of surplus apples and get your apples identified

• Price comparison between food shopping at Packaging Not Included zero waste shop in Marlborough versus the supermarkets

• It is commonly accepted now that meat (especially beef) production creates a lot of carbon. But you also have to take into consideration carbon emissions of fruit and vegetables that are flown around the world

• Local honey suppliers in your area

Reducing Food Waste

Jo from The Mix in Wantage explains how their new Community Fridge and Store Cupboard works to reduce food waste.

You can also use the Olio and Too Good to Go apps to rescue local food going to waste.

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 brainchild of Hayley Lambert (see interview below), is Marlborough’s first packaging free food and cleaning products

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?

Sourcing a Renewable Energy Supplier

THINK GLOBAL, ACT LOCAL. This slogan was splashed across the entrance of GreenFest organised by villagers of Hampstead Norreys and

Discounted Solar Panels for West Berkshire Residents

In response to the climate crisis, the local community group West Berks Climate Action Network has partnered with Iddea Renewable Energy

How to Check if Your Solar PV System’s Working Correctly

From May to August, we’ll see 15-16 hours of sunlight a day, compared with 8 hours in December and January.

Transport, Electric Cars & Tech

• According to this league table by Dr Ivanova, the biggest impact on emmissions can come from the amount and way we travel.

The Benefits of Electric Scooters by Wessex Scooters, Electric and Vintage Scooter Specialists

Wessex Scooters are a small local scooter specialist in Brimpton Common near Thatcham with a worldwide reputation for excellence, builder of

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

The Role of Trees in Carbon Capture

• Hampstead Norrey Community Shop is planting its own orchard of heritage fruit trees

• HS2 is bulldozing Jones Hill Wood where Newbury councillor Steve Masters has been living for 3 months 60 foot up a beech tree. See his live feed on facebook here. It’s a reminder that we have to fight for our remaining woodlands like Piggy Wood in Thatcham which is under threat from developers.

How Planting Trees in West Berkshire Can Offset Carbon Emissions by Dr Mike Morecroft, Natural England

Introduction There is wide recognition of the threat posed by climate change and the need to act urgently to reduce

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

Water & Cleaning Products

How to protect our waterways from pollution and to minimise water waste in our homes.

How to make clothes washing ‘soap’ from conkers

Yellow Fish in Newbury

If you live in the Gaywood Drive or Two Rivers Way area of Newbury you may have noticed an abundance

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.

• Packaging Not Included in Marlborough has proved a huge success in reducing single use plastic

• Newbury EcoBricking every Wednesday 3 – 7pm at Lock, Stock & Barrel Pub

Meet Sammy, the UK’s Longest Ecobrick Bench (we think!)

Among the many things that took place at Hampstead Norreys’ inaugural GreenFest, was the official unveiling of Sammy, Hampstead Norreys Primary Schools’

new plastic recyling bins for west berks

New bins help people to Recycle ‘on the go’ in Newbury

West Berkshire Council has teamed up with their waste contractor Veolia to install eight new recycling litter bins in Newbury

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

Recycle and Raise Money for Charity with TerraCycle

It’s surprising how much you can recycle thanks to local people who have set up TerraCycle collection points. See below for success

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

Clothes & Shopping

• How to take a more sustainable approach to your wardrobe…without buying a single thing by Victoria Lochhead from Frankie & Ruby Dress Agency

• It was inspiring to chat with Karen Kirton from Berkshire on a Budget about her progress and ongoing plans for a No Spend 2020 including testing free offers on food apps, free pampers and make-up samples, free music lessons and computer support. Listen here:

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).