No to Ffos-y-fran - protest Sat 5th April - New Labour/Plaid greenwash

The politicans in the Welsh Assembly allowed this to happen. Then they make out they are 'green'
TIME TO SAY NO! Wrecking lives
speakers George Monbiot, Jill Evans, Gordon James, Terry Evans.

Sat 5th April
2pm March from Twyn y Rodyn nursery school, Parfitt Terrace.
3.15pm In front of the Civic Centre, speakers George Monbiot, Jill Evans, Gordon James, Terry Evans.
4-6pm Public meeting St David’s Church Hall.
8pm Music: Tracey Curtis and guests at The Great Escape.

Ffos-y-fran is the biggest open-cast mining scheme in the UK, and it looms over the town of Merthyr Tydfil. The edge of the pit will be just 36 metres from the nearest homes and close to a primary school nursery. Merthyr already has the worst health in Wales: the dust, smoke and noise will exacerbate it. The digging will last from 7am until 11pm, six days a week, for 17 years. Digging ourselves into a hole Coal produces more carbon dioxide when it burns than any other fuel, and the coal in Ffos-y-Fran will be responsible for almost 30 million tonnes of it. This is a disaster for the global climate and for our children’s future. We should be investing instead in offshore wind, tidal and wave energy schemes: the potential in Wales is tremendous. Let’s pull ourselves out of this hole. Let’s stop the digging at Ffos-y-Fran.“Reclamation scheme”Miller Argent, the consortium digging the pit, calls Ffos-y-fran a “land reclamation scheme”. This is a bad joke: you don’t need to dig a 1000-acre hole to clean up the site. The scheme will create some employment, but will also blight the area, keeping good jobs away.

No to Ffos-y-fran and open cast mining! A filthy business. Around 10,000 people in Merthyr signed petitions opposing it. But the council, the Labour assembly member and the Welsh Assembly have all failed the local people and backed big business before their constituents.http://www.stopffosyfran.co.uk/

Greenwash!!! from New Labour and Plaid
The 'New' Labour Party supported this crazy mining scheme and there they are fingerwagging dinosaurs hectoring children on how to behave!!!
Labour launches antisocial behaviour pledge about antisocial behaviour - seems to me it should be Rhodri Morgan getting an asbo for this anti social behaviour which is rather more serious!!
And Plaid jump on the green bandwagon.... Now Plaid tells voters to get on their bikes - icWales
...great but there is more to it than that............Call for a stop to this mining!!

Want to help email RAFF_Group@stopffosyfran.co.uk

AMSER DWEUD NA!
Na i fwyngloddio brig yn Ffos-y-Frân!
Dinistrio bywydau
Ffos-y-Frân yw’r cynllun mwyngloddio brig mwyaf ym Mhrydain, ac mae’n ffinio â Merthyr Tudful. Bydd y mwyn dim ond 36m o’r tai agosaf ac yn agos at ysgol feithrin. Mae gan Ferthyr eisoes yr ystadegau iechyd gwaethaf yng Nghymru: dim ond gwaethygu y gwnaiff y sefyllfa gyda’r holl sŵn a’r llwch. Bydd y cloddio yn digwydd o 7 y.b tan 11 y.h, 6 diwrnod yr wythnos, am 17 mlynedd.
Mewn twll
Mae glo yn cynhyrchu mwy o garbon deiocsid nag unrhyw danwydd arall, a bydd y glo yn Ffos-y-Frân yn gyfrifol am bron i 30 miliwn tunnell ohono. Mae hwn yn drychineb i’r hinsawdd ac i ddyfodol ein plant. Dylem fuddsoddi yn lle mewn cynlluniau egni adnewyddol: mae’r potensial yng Nghymru yn anferth.
"Cynllun adennill tir"
Mae Miller Argent, y cwmni mwngloddiol, yn galw Ffos-y-Frân yn ‘’gynllun adennill tir". Mae hwn yn chwerthinllyd: does dim angen cloddio twll 1000 o aceri er mwyn clirio’r safle. Bydd y cynllun yn creu rhai swyddi, ond bydd hefyd yn difetha’r ardal, gan fygwth swyddi lleol.
Chwarae budr
Mae tua 10,000 o bobl wedi arwyddo deisebau yn gwrthwynebu Ffos-y-Frân. Ond mae’r cyngor, aelod cynulliad o’r blaid Lafur a Llywodraeth y Cynulliad wedi bradychu’r boblogaeth leol ac wedi cefnogi byd masnach cyn eu hetholwyr.
2y.p Gorymdaith o feithrinfa Twyn y Rodyn, Parfitt Terrace (llai na 500m o safle mwynglawdd brig Ffos-y-Frân)
3.15y.p O flaen y Ganolfan Ddinesig: siaradwyr yn cynnwys George Monbiot, Jill Evans, Gordon James a Terry Evans
4-6y.p Cyfarfod cyhoeddus yn neuadd Eglwys St David’s. Dewch i drafod

New Labour emissions higher!!!

Britain's climate change emissions may be 12% higher than officially stated, according to a National Audit Office investigation which has strongly criticised the government for using two different carbon accounting systems. There is "insufficient consistency and coordination" in the government's approach, the NAO said.
Guardian 17th March 2008
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2008/mar/17/climatechange.carbonemissions

The truth about CO2 !Guardian, UK - It is nonsense to suggest the government is trying to mislead the public in the way we report greenhouse gas emissions (Government figures hide scale of CO2 ...
Government figures hide scale of CO2 emissions, says report Guardian

National Audit Office Report
Report: UK Has Two Carbon Accounting Systems AHN
Carry on polluting Guardian
Times Online
all 13 news articles »

Election time for Cllrs - Pedestrian Rights

What hope for pedestrians here!!! in Whitchurch Cardiff....do our councillors take the issues seriously enough??

1. Ask politicians if they are willing to adopt a hierarchy of road users. If such a hierarchy was policy then decision making should improve. ..more info below

2. Ask politicans to have a design contest for St Mary St..Annual street conversion design contest - see http://www.worldcarfree.net/contest/ car free areas http://www.worldcarfree.net/projects/ links

3. Will they commission a street audit at the very least? http://www.livingstreets.org.uk/what_living_streets_do/cs_community_street_audits.php

4. Policy Briefing: Manual for Streets The Manual for Streets was launched by the government on 29 March 2007. It gives guidance on the way streets should be designed. Living Streets has broadly welcomed the Manual and its emphasis on the needs of pedestrians. Click on the pdf logo to read the full briefing. Policy Briefing: Manual for Streets PDF (56Kb) It introduces a user hierarchy where pedestrians are considered first in the design process

5. Will you put pedestrian crossings where people cross not several hundred yards away from the end of the street. Will you organise consultation with street audits?

6. Will you plan out pedestrian tunnels or underpasses ... tunnels - longer - for disabled and elderly .. dangerous for women especially and lead to young people and others trying to cross above with out a crossing...remember our hierarchy...

7. Will you have training for transport planners as they continue to use same old designs time and time again for crossings which are designed to facilitate CAR traffic FLOW. At UHW a new crossing has been installed on a narrow stretch if road which has a 'pen' in the middle! to make crossing longer and more difficult.. but watch people walk round it! HIERARCHY!!!

8. How much has been spent on making pavements disabled friendly and including dropped kerbs? When will Cardiff pavements be disabled friendly by? (hierarchies) Per ward figures even better and excluding improvements to underpasses/tunnels which should be eliminated.

9. When will the promised decriminalisation of traffic offences happen?

10. When are the council going to enforce measues to stop PAVEMENT Parking?

Still too many accidents which involve pedestrians - old people and children in particular. Not good enough to say accidents are falling as less people are pedestrians than EVER before especially children because our streets are too dangerous!! People are trapped in there homes which affects their mental health, play for children, obesity ... see for accidents and stats http://inconsiderateparking.blogspot.com/

1. What is a Transport Hierarchy?

A hierarchy helps planners decide who has priority when the interests of users of the various different transport modes conflict.

Designing cities around people, not cars

http://www.york.gov.uk/content/45053/64877/64891/Local_transport_plan/Local_transport_plan_summary.pdf.

The City of York has won numerous awards for developing an integrated transport network that does not rely on private cars and meets local air quality objectives. An integral part of that strategy promotes sustainable active alternatives to the private car that are both convenient and reliable by using public transport, walking and cycling. York was one of the first local authorities to adopt a hierarchy of transport users when making decisions related to land use and transport and in implementing transport measures.

The order of priority is:

1. Pedestrians

2. People with mobility problems

3. Cyclists

4. Public transport users (includes bus,

coach, water, taxi and rail

5. Powered two-wheelers

6. Commercial or business users

(includes deliveries and heavy goods

vehicles)

7. Carborne shoppers and visitors)

8. Carborne commuters

Another example here http://cuttingyourcaruse.co.uk/index.htm

Pedestrians & wheelchair users
Mobility impaired cyclists
Pedal cyclists & human powered vehicles including electric bikes
Equestrians
Public transport users (bus, rail, coach, tram & taxis)
People with mobility problems using motorised modes
Zero emission motor vehicles
Mopeds and scooters
Commercial/business users
Private-hire coach borne visitors
Rail freight
High vehicle occupancy cars with 3+ people
Short-stay car borne shoppers
Car borne commuters, visitors, escort and leisure trips
HGVs over 7.5 tonnes
Powerful motorbikes
Air borne traffic

Accidents

Designing cities around people, not cars

network that does not rely on private cars and meets local air quality objectives. An

integral part of that strategy promotes sustainable active alternatives to the private

car that are both convenient and reliable by using public transport, walking and

cycling. York was one of the first local authorities to adopt a hierarchy of transport

users when making decisions related to land use and transport and in implementing

transport measures. The order of priority is:

1. Pedestrians

5. Powered two-wheelers

2. People with mobility problems

6.

Commercial or business users

(includes deliveries and heavy goods

vehicles)

3. Cyclists

7. Carborne shoppers and visitors

4. Public transport users (includes bus,

coach, water, taxi and rail)

8. Carborne commu

Designing cities around people, not cars

The City of York has won numerous awards for developing an integrated transport

network that does not rely on private cars and meets local air quality objectives. An

integral part of that strategy promotes sustainable active alternatives to the private

car that are both convenient and reliable by using public transport, walking and

cycling. York was one of the first local authorities to adopt a hierarchy of transport

users when making decisions related to land use and transport and in implementing

transport measures. The order of priority is:

1. Pedestrians

5. Powered two-wheelers

2. People with mobility problems

6.

Commercial or business users

(includes deliveries and heavy goods

vehicles)

3. Cyclists

7. Carborne shoppers and visitors

4. Public transport users (includes bus,

coach, water, taxi and rail)

8. Carborne commuters

I am a careful driver, says death crash accused

One of two motorists accused of causing the death of an 83-year-old man by dangerous driving today told a court he was a careful driver. Read

83 year old man killed by dangerous driving

I am a careful driver, says death crash accused

One of two motorists accused of causing the death of an 83-year-old man by dangerous driving today told a court he was a careful driver. Read

Re. Don’t attack the 1967 Abortion Act – defend a woman’s right to choose

Dear Julie Morgan

Although your office manager Peyer Howe told me that women have got more than enough rights already I would ask you to personally respond to this letter.

Re. Don’t attack the 1967 Abortion Act – defend a woman’s right to choose

I am concerned that some MPs opposed to abortion are seeking to amend the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill to restrict women’s access to abortion, particularly by lowering the legal limit for abortion from 24 weeks.

This would have a devastating impact on the small number of women who need later abortion. These are often vulnerable women facing unusual and difficult circumstances such as late diagnosis of pregnancy, rape or domestic abuse or NHS delays. No-one involved makes the decision lightly. Women must be entitled to the right to choose on the most fundamental decisions over their own bodies.

Forty years since the Abortion Act in Britain, an overwhelming majority of people, 83 per cent, support a woman’s right to choose. There is broad opposition to any lowering of the abortion time limit from MPs across the three main parties, from medical professional organisations – the British Medical Association and the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, from the Commons Science and Technology Committee and the Department of Health and from women’s, trade union and student groups.

I urge you to vote against any damaging amendments to the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill that would roll back women’s crucial abortion rights.

As a constituent, I would be grateful if you could let me know your views on these matters. Please do not hesitate to contact me should you require further information.

I look forward to hearing from you soon. Yours sincerely,

Hummer

Climate Change Bill shunned by Cardiff MPs.

Although these MPs have all had hundreds of letters from constituents NONE of the Cardiff MPs have signed this EDM, nor have John Smith MP for the Vale of Glamorgan, or Julie Morgan MP for Cardiff North, or Kim Howells MP for Pontypridd. Plaid Cymru Williams, Hywel has signed.

You can check if your MP has signed using the link below.
http://edmi.parliament.uk/EDMi/EDMDetails.aspx?EDMID=34898&SESSION=891

Please contact your MP today using the link below asking him/her to sign the EDM to give us a bigger safety margin.
http://www.foe.co.uk/campaigns/climate/press_for_change/email_mp/index.html

Early Day Motion

EDM 736

CLIMATE CHANGE BILL

21.01.2008

Griffiths, Nigel

That this House welcomes the introduction of the Climate Change Bill to Parliament and the United Nations Development Programme's (UNDP's) recent Human Development Report which described the Bill as a bold and innovative proposal to create a national carbon budget; notes however that the UNDP also warned that the Bill needed improving as its targets were not ambitious enough, and international aviation emissions were excluded, meaning that even if the Bill were applied to every developed country, global temperature would rise well beyond the two degrees Celsius limit and perhaps as high as four or five degrees; congratulates the Prime Minister on his speech on 19th November 2007, when he acknowledged the evidence now suggests that as part of an international agreement developed countries may have to reduce their emissions by up to 80 per cent.; and urges the Government to support amendments to the Bill during its passage through Parliament to address the UNDP concerns, making it an unequivocally world-leading response to climate change.

Save the St Mary Street road system

Call is made to shelve St Mary Street road system
A TORY councillor has called for the controversial traffic shake-up in Cardiff’s St Mary Street to be shelved until after the St David’s 2 development is complete.more

Lets control the petrol heads and give a voice to others like pedestrians, envoironmentalists, the elderly and disabled people.

Save our parks

This application involves a 2 lane access road into the arboretum area from North Road to allow articulated lorries to enter the park to service events in Coopers Field (the Council’s aim is to maximally commercially exploit this area of the park) and the nursery (which is to be expanded). Needless to say this will radically affect the character of this area of the park (see Max letter below). The modified proposal I doubt will differ much in substance, since the site for the access road had already been cleared.

Both the Bridge and the roadways are quite out-of-scale and will significantly damage the Park this quite and sensitive part of Bute Park. Vehicles/traffic through it will be intrusive. The loop by the Nursery will ruin that corner and will become used for parking.

The arboretum has many special trees, including memorial trees and plaques; some may be damaged directly, but their setting moreso.

The uses as access to Coopers Field and to the Nursery study centre can be provided in alternative ways that avoid impact on this sensitive area of the historic park.

Alternatives

Access to Coopers Field is only occasional and hardly a problem. 'Do minimum' and access via the south side of the Music College (by the tennis courts) should be considered. The latter would be direct onto Coopers Field, with a new bridge, still intrusive but at a less sensitive and less frequented point.

Access to the Nursery study centre should have been considered under that planning application. We are told the Ambulance station route cannot be used, but access for occasional vehicles could be achieved with benefits for access to the playing fields (for events like Race-for-Life) round the north of the changing room building. School buses/minibuses would park outside (in public car park or take over the haphazard uncontrolled parking area to the north of the carpark entrance); construct a separate new footbridge for children to walk through.

Bridge - the Bridge design should be minimal, taking vehicles one-way with a waiting area in the woodland for the very infrequent occasions when vehicles meet.

Roadway - 4 metre roadway is over-wide. It will encourage two-way traffic, and vehicles will go over the edge onto the grassland in practice. This is especially true of wider vehicles (HGVs etc.). As rising bollards controlled from the Nursery are proposed at the North Rd entrance, similar bollards could be placed at the exit from Coopers Field and controlled to ensure vehicles do not meet.

The black tarmac used two years ago to surface the old park track is unnecessarily intrusive; the brown surface of the other roadways was and is preferable.

In summary, I argue for rejecting the whole scheme for its severe impacts on the Park. The present application says too little of impact on trees and nothing on alternatives or balancing impacts against 'benefits'. A scaled down project, with minimal bridge and roadway, excluding the whole loop to the Nursery, would have much less impact but should be compared with alternative options as above, and these put out for public consideration.

Greenwash New Year

Happy new year!

Did you see the echo tonight talking about the battle for cardiff council and the parties manifestos.... how green are they ...plenty of greenwash there. Where are the Green party?

Battle to stop incinerator is stepped up but not in Cardiff - A PUBLIC meeting has been organised by residents fighting plans to build a massive £140 million waste incinerator. Viridor Waste Management is set to submit ...

www.climatechangewales.org.uk Wow!! No mention of open cast mining at Ffos y Fran, East Merthyr on the Go green online A CLIMATE change website for Welsh people launched by Environment Minister Jane Davidson. Read
http://icwales.icnetwork.co.uk/news/cardiff-news/2007/12/31/go-green-online-91466-20298932/

Ffos-y-Fran Wales Dirty Deal

MERTHYR’S MONSTER MINE OCCUPIED
In the early hours of 5th December over 30 activists from around Wales joined local residents to occupy the site of the open cast mine at Ffos-y-Frân, near Merthyr Climbing on & chaining themselves to bulldozers & heavy machinery they’ve stopped excavation work on what is an extremely environmentally damaging project. As one of those involved said: “Coal is the filthiestfuel known to man & projects like this mine could destroy all our chances of tacklingglobal warming. The battle over this hilltop in Wales is a fight for the stability of the global climate & it epitomises this government’s hypocrisy on climate change.” Campaigners have stated they intend to do everything they can to stop this project.
Read Monbiot and how the Welsh government and Rhodri Morgan sold out

World's greenest cities

Way to go Cardiff!!!

Do You Live in One of the World's 15 Greenest Cities? by Grist Magazine

Here's the top 15 cities and few runners up who have made the most impressive strides toward eco-friendliness and sustainability.

City Hall protest - Elgan we came to support you!

A few turned out (see above) but I fear they were drowned out by the schools protests and insole court protest. In the end Elgan resigned rather than sit through an hours character assassination so the motion was withdrawn. Labour did raise the issue of reopening Wood St/St Mary's to private vehicles immediately following the vote a few months ago however. Senior Officers advise against it on safety grounds so that looks set to be the 'battle' for the next few months."

Improve cycling for commuters in Cardiff, keep Bute Park open later
http://www.PetitionOnline.com/butepark/

Transport councillor quits

'I tried my best’ says transport chaos councillor

THE senior councillor who presided over a series of transport blunders today sensationally quit Cardiff council’s executive -– just 24 hours before he faced a motion of no confidence. Read

on: Sustrans Connect2 and Pont y Werin have won the Big Lottery Fund’s: The People’s £50 Million contest!

Name:	Connect2 Pont y Werin
Type:	Common Interest - Travel
Description:	Sustrans Connect2 and Pont y Werin have won the Big Lottery Fund’s: The People’s £50 Million contest! The proposed cycle and footbridge over the River Ely will improve sustainable access for commuters, residents and tourists travelling between Cardiff and Penarth. The link will also provide a sustainable transport route to and from the International Sports Village in Cardiff Bay which will become an increasingly popular destination as the Ice Rink, Swimming pool and other leisure facilities are due to open over the next few years. The 140 metre bridge will also link up to cycle routes throughout the Vale of Glamorgan and Cardiff. The Connect2 UK-wide project will now improve local travel for everyday journeys in 79 communities across the UK. Pont y Werin is now set to receive £1.15m towards it becoming a reality. Thank you for supporting and voting Connect2 and Pont y Werin!

Rhodri Morgan Greenwash

Monbiot.com

Rigged Posted: 11 Dec 2007 01:36 AM CST The climate talks are a stitch-up, as no one is talking about supply

Welsh Green Wash - Rhodri Morgan Shame as Welsh assembly give go ahead for the biggest blot on the landscape in modern times. How could they?

"The pit at Ffos-y-fran received planning permission after two ministers in the Westminster government jumped up and down on Rhodri Morgan, the First Minister in Wales. Stephen Timms at the department of trade and industry listed the benefits of the scheme and demanded that the application “hodriis resolved with the minimum of further delay” His successor, Mike O’Brien, warned of dire consequences if the pit was not granted permission. The coal extracted from Ffos-y-fran alone will produce 29.5 million tonnes of carbon dioxide: equivalent, according to the latest figures from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, to the sustainable emissions of 55m people for one year.

Last year British planning authorities considered twelve new applications for opencast coal mines. They approved all but two of them. Two weeks ago Hazel Blears, the secretary of state in charge of planning, overruled Northumberland County Council to grant permission for an opencast mine at Shotton, on the grounds that the scheme (which will produce 9.3m tonnes of CO2(6)) is “environmentally acceptable”

vote to support St Mary street Pedestranisation!!!

Well have you ever heard of a scheme to pedestranise not being successful? However the echo has a question- has st mary st pedestranisation been a sucess? YES

Give us a chance ....hardly finished yet!

ring to say YES 08716 930013
facebook http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=17842248648

Traffic trial’s cost is £580k – so far

Dec 10 2007 by Phillip Nifield, South Wales Echo

TAX-PAYERS have forked out almost £600,000 on the controversial trial traffic shake-up in Cardiff’s St Mary Street, it has been revealed.

Figures released by Cardiff council show that an initial £400,000 was initially spent on changes which led to the banning of private vehicles from the street in August.

Since October another £180,000 has been forked out to alter the two-way traffic system, which has included removing a concrete barrier in part of the street and giving more room to pedestrians.

If the part-pedestrian scheme is made permanent, the final £3.25m bill to transform the environment of the street will come from Welsh Assembly Government and council funds.

This will include putting trees, shrubs and seating in the street and extending pavements permanently, opening the way for street cafes.

The details of the bill were released just three days before Councillor Elgan Morgan, the Liberal Democrats’ executive member for transport, faces a no confidence motion from Labour over the handling of his portfolio, including the St Mary Street experiment.

Cardiff’s council executive is to be given a detailed report early in January on the St Mary Street scheme. This will include recommendations on whether to open the lower end of the street to restore the link between the city centre and Cardiff Bay.

John Adams, of Ashtons fishmonger’s in Cardiff Market, attacked the cost, declaring: “We all assumed that the experiment was going to be a simple low-cost one. The figure of £580,000 is nothing more than gross extravagance of ratepayers’ money.”

John Munton, deputy chairman of Cardiff East Neighbourhood Watch, said he was concerned about the amount of traffic congestion on the reduced lanes.

“My concern is that in the event of an emergency it could be difficult for an ambulance to get through St Mary Street.”

But support for the scheme came from Julie Eynon, of Canton, who said: “I love the changes in St Mary Street. There has been a big improvement in the street for pedestrians and it is easier to cross the road.”

Cardiff council said much of the money spent so far would not be abortive whether the scheme was made permanent or not. Much of the work, such as road signs, would be recycled.

A council spokeswoman added: “The St Mary Street and High Street improvement works are experimental and have required the council to seek the views of the public and key stakeholders on the various options for moving forward. Often these differ and as a result different areas of the scheme are altered as an experiment, to see if such changes could become features if the permanent scheme goes ahead.”

phillip.nifield@mediawales.co.uk

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http://icwales.icnetwork.co.uk/news/cardiff-news/2007/12/10/traffic-trial-s-cost-is-580k-so-far-91466-20229436/

more greenwash- UK CO2 emissions UP not down

Not in the least surprising as those of us campaigning for environmentally friendly policy are aware..So what has Julie morgan MP to say to this and is she still boasting about Browns actions on CO2?

Britain is responsible for hundreds of millions more tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions than official figures admit, according to a new report that undermines UK claims to lead the world on action against global warming. The analysis says pollution from aviation, shipping, overseas trade and tourism, which are not measured in the official figures, means that UK carbon consumption has risen significantly over the past decade, and that the government's claims to have tackled global warming are an "illusion".

Guardian 10th Dec 2007

http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2007/dec/10/carbonemissions.climatechange

Times 10th Dec 2007

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/environment/article3025988.ece

Climate news

Climate
An innovative new campaign is to be launched in Scotland this week to help communities take action to cut the pollution that causes global warming. Scottish Education for Action and Development (SEAD), a campaign group based in Edinburgh, will be unveiling ‘Switch on to Climate Change’, a grassroots programme encouraging people to combat global warming in their areas. Instead of urging a series of individual actions like fitting low-energy light bulbs, the campaign will back collective action, and warn against “false solutions” like carbon trading and offsetting.Sunday Herald 9th Dec 2007http://www.robedwards.com/2007/12/community-actio.html

Britain is running out of renewable energy as a surge in demand from businesses has outstripped electricity by wind farms, hydropower and waste gas burning. Interest in cutting carbon has far exceeded new supplies of zero-carbon power - creating a potential headache for companies which have pledged to become 'carbon neutral'. Observer 9th Dec 2007 http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2007/dec/09/renewableenergy.windpower

Britain is to embark on a wind power revolution that will produce enough electricity to power every home in the country, ministers will reveal tomorrow. The Independent on Sunday has learnt that, in an astonishing U-turn, the Secretary of State for Business, John Hutton, will announce that he is opening up the seas around Britain to wind farms in the biggest ever renewable energy initiative. Only weeks ago he was resisting a major expansion of renewable sources, on the grounds that it would interfere with plans to build new nuclear power stations.

Independent on Sunday 9th Dec 2007 http://environment.independent.co.uk/green_living/article3236132.ece

Nothing in this sorry story has been so shameful as Britain's failure to exploit renewable energy. Its winds, waves and tides make up the richest resource of non-polluting power in Europe, yet we are second to bottom of the continental league table in expoliting it. For decades a recalcitrant, blindly pro-nuclear treacle layer in the old Department of Tade and Industy frustrated all attempts to expand it properly. Just weeks ago they were at it again - reincarnated in John Hutton's department- lobbying to scrap European targets for renewables on the grounds that they would impede the advance of the atom. Gordon Brown did well to face them down and insist that Britain retained and met the targets.He has done even better in following through, first with plans to exploit all forms of tidal energy - announced in last month's green speech - and now with setting in motion this expansion of offshore wind. This is more like the Gordon Brown w! e thought we were getting this summer, before this autumn's wobbles and weaknesses.

Independent on Sunday 9th Dec 2007
http://comment.independent.co.uk/leading_articles/article3236068.ece

Cardiff Council shame as they move dormice to build a car park!

Can anyone explain to me how Cardiff Council can move these dormice?
Park-Ride Plan to Be Not So Dormouse Friendly - Science - RedOrbit

A 1,000-space park-and-ride site proposed alongside Cardiff's Eastern Avenue is set to be given the backing of planners - although protected dormice will not be disturbed. (really ...not until they wake up!!!) Work on the Llanrumney side of the A48 near the Pentwyn Interchange is not due to start until the second half of next year because the dormice on the land are hibernating.
A council spokeswoman said there were plans to make alternative space available for the rodents, a European-protected species, including the planting of so-called "dormice-friendly" vegetation
A council spokeswoman said there were plans to make alternative space available for the rodents, a European-protected species, including the planting of so-called "dormice-friendly" vegetation...

Previously this story Park-and-ride plans held up by dormice! looked good for the dormice...
Sep 11 2007 by Ben Glaze, South Wales Echo
A 1,500-SPACE park-and-ride scheme has been delayed after environmental experts discovered rare dormice. The Echo revealed plans for the £4.1m project off the A48 Eastern Avenue at the Pentwyn Interchange on the outskirts of Cardiff in January, but the proposals have suffered a setback thanks to the little rodents.
Cardiff council hoped the giant car park, on the Llanrumney side of Eastern Avenue, would be ready by April and slash the volume of cars pouring into the city centre.

http://www.welshwildlife.org/SouthWalesDormouseSurvey_en.link
South Wales Dormouse Survey

Bridgend Council faces a court hearing over clearance work on a protected site for dormice, police confirm.Url/Source: : http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/wales/south_east/7069714.stm
A friend tells me "I have been told seem to remember reading a story recently about a road development in N.Ireland that was going to disturb some protected bats. What they did was build a de-luxe new specially heated synthetic bat-home for the bats at a significant cost (tens of thousands of pounds)The problem was, no-one consulted the bats who decided to find new nesting sites in completely different places in derelict buildings so the bat home was a complete waste of money in every sense except that it meant the development could go ahead .....This idea of buliding what is perceived as a dormice friendly area may parralel the above i.e. the development is allowed to go ahead but the dormice just scatter to different areas entirely where they may or may not survive. Likely Outcome : money wasted and species diminished