http://www.theecosocialist.com/1/post/2011/09/post-title-click-and-type-to-edit1.html

Hi everyone,

Just writing to let you all know that Sustainable Wales has entered a scheme run by the South Wales Echo called ‘the Wish Campaign’. The Echo will print tokens every day; our supporters need to collect as many of these tokens as possible and bring/send them to Sustainable Wales/SUSSED.

The scheme starts today, and ends on November 17th. At the end of the scheme we (Sustainable Wales) will send our share of the tokens to the Echo to receive a share of the £25,000 fund for local charities.

We’ve entered the scheme in order to fund the environmentally-friendly heating and lighting, which we are in desperate need of at our new premises. We currently have no heating at all, and portable heaters would not be in-keeping with our sustainability principles, so we really do need this funding.

We’d really appreciate it if you could help us collect these tokens and/or tell anyone you know that buys the Echo to lookout for ‘Wish Tokens’. There will be four in every edition of the Echo between now and November 17th.

Link to the echo:

http://sustainablewales.us4.list-manage.com/track/click?u=55a23bf9884b87a1ddabe6264&id=f9dc05fe9d&e=8c8c13f3d5

Thank you

Michael Gore

Communications Officer

Sustainable Wales & SUSSED

Activists for 20 mph speed limits for residential roads have launched a Bettws campaign. Limits have 20 mph signs not road humps. Slower speeds bring 22% fewer casualties and major quality of life improvements for all.

Gareth Harris contacted 20s Plenty for Us in August with concerns about inappropriately high speeds in Bettws. He had heard of a family friend who had sent an 11 year just around the corner to the local shop and did not return. She had been knocked down and seriously injured by a driver claiming they were not doing over 30mph. He has witnessed too many near misses too. He became aware of the strength of feeling about the issue when campaigning around Bettws as a Green Party candidate in the May and August elections.

20mph limits for all residential roads, in a community, (Total 20) is a single change that makes a huge difference. 2 years after 94% of Portsmouths roads went 20 mph there were 22% fewer casualties, including 23% fewer injured drivers and 50% fewer injured elderly drivers. 20 mph is seven times safer than 30 mph as thinking times increase and stopping distances reduce. This means that collisions are either avoided or or the crash impact is less.

20 mph limits are good for the environment and save drivers and society money. 20 mph pilot schemes in Warrington were estimated to give an 800% rate of return from casualties avoided. A smoother driving style with less braking and acceleration means that 12% less fuel is used. 20 mph reduces pollution and climate change gas emissions. Plus, some car trips transfer to walking, cycling or public transport; further cutting congestion. People moving under their own power create massive savings to society from more active lifestyles. Parents are freed from some time consuming escort trips and children gain independent skills.

Imposing the limits cost around £2 per person or £1,400 per km when done area-wide as a Total 20 scheme. Some roads can be exempted where merited. Over 8 million people live in places like Oxford, Bristol, Islington, Newcastle, Warrington and Lancashire who are committed to 20 mph residential limits. Local politicians decide local road speeds. 20s Plenty for Bettws aims to convince our decision makers that 20 mph limits make sense and are popular in Bettws. We have started a petition and collected 120 signatures in the first few days.

Anna Semlyen, Campaign Manager for 20s Plenty for Us said :-
I am delighted to help 20s Plenty for Bettws launch. They join over 160 grass roots campaigns around the country all saying 20s Plenty where people live. Please get in touch to find out more, join for free or to help.

Contact 20s Plenty for Bettws via bettws or speak to the Bettws Campaign manager, Andy Chyba, on 078 1066 3241.

See the campaign website: www.bettws.20splentyforus.org.UK .

Welsh Govt. Petition:

We call upon the National Assembly for Wales to urge the Welsh government to convert streetlights on the trunk road system in Wales to an alternative energy source and to issue guidelines to the local authorities requesting they convert local streetlights to alternative energy.

Supporting Information : The Welsh Assembly Government claim that they are working along the lines of Agenda 21, which is to reduce pollution by reducing our energy consumption. During the night, street lighting sends our energy consumption levels to a high peak. So I feel that the Government should convert the street lights in the country to an alternative energy source. For example, Solar and wind energy is already used for some street signage and to convert all street lighting so this would provide extensive and sustainable employment for thousands and the electricity providers would then be able to reduce their prices to the consumer and the Local Authorities

Sign this petition

(Letter to the South Wales Evening Post)

The Lougher Estuary proposal (Coal firms bid to produce energy from under estuary, page 4, Tuesday 28 September) is part of a wider plan to exploit the coal seams under Swansea Bay.

The spokesman for Cluff Coal states that Underground Coal Gasification (UCG), had been demonstrated on a commercial basis in the US. I have serious doubts about this statement.

What has been demonstrated is that it is possible to extract gas from ignited underground coal seams in commercial quantities; but they are a long way from demonstrating that it is safe to do so.

The companies involved will, of course, tell you that it is perfectly safe and controllable, glossing over the fact that currently there are thousands of underground coal seam fires burning uncontrolled across the world.

In Germany there are records showing one coal seam that burned continuously for over 400 years, and another that was first ignited in 1668 continues to burn today.

In Centralia, Pennsylvania an underground coal seam has been burning since May 1962. This has resulted in the whole borough being cleared of residents and all properties being seized by the state and condemned.

To deliberately set light to any underground coal seam is utter folly; to propose to do this beneath the sea is sheer madness. In areas as environmentally sensitive as the Lougher Estuary and Swansea Bay it is totally unacceptable.

Yours,

Keith M Ross

PS – Regular readers to this blog will know of our opposition to fracking. UCG is extreme energy of an even more reckless kind.

See: Http://frack-off.org.uk/underground-coal-gasification-hellfire-and-damnation/

Sat, 22 September 2012 | DeHavilland Report – Event
Summary
The Governments Energy Bill needs to back up renewables and should only leave a limited and clearly defined role for gas, Friends of the Earths Tony Bosworth said today.

At the event Fracking and the Second Dash for Gas, hosted by Friends of the Earth, Mr Bosworth was joined on the panel by local campaigners Tina Rothery from RAFF and Andy Chyba from The Vale says no, as well as by Howard Johns from Southern Solar and Councillor Sue McGuire of Sefton Metropolitan Borough Council.

Government Energy Policy

Opening the event, Mr Bosworth said the Government was facing two key decisions; whether to resume fracking in Lancashire, and what direction the Governments Energy Bill should take.

A dash for gas was not the solution, Mr Bosworth said, adding that there was still a limited role for gas in the energy landscape, which main purpose would be to back up renewables. This role needed to be clearly defined and limited, he added.

Mr Bosworth went on to outline the key reasons why shale gas was not the right solution for the UKs future energy strategy.

Firstly, it did not tackle the problem of climate change as gas was another fossil fuel. Secondly, there were considerable local and environmental risks attached to shale gas extraction, particularly with regards to ground water contamination, water resource depletion, air pollution and earthquake triggers.

Regulation was making industry safer, but not safe, he said.

Thirdly, the introduction of shale gas in the UK was unlikely to have an effect on energy bills, Mr Bosworth said, as rising gas prices lead to a rise in bills.

Later responding to a question from the Royal Society about independent research on fracking, Mr Bosworth said it was important to be aware of the vested interests in some scientific research. He added that there was clear evidence that fracking caused problems.

Residents response

The local residents of Lancashire felt unsafe after having sought information from representatives of the fracking industry, Tina Rothery from RAFF (Residents Action on Filed Fracking) told attendees.

The campaign had tried to engage with the energy company Cuadrilla to get more information about their work but was dissatisfied as they had been met by PR personnel rather than engineers.

She spoke about the shale gas industries interest in her local area in Lancashire and said what happened in her area would set precedence for the rest of the country.

Energy companies were able to avoid environmental impact assessments due to current lack of regulation, Ms Rothery warned.

The local campaigners in Wales had managed to force local authorities to set up a scrutiny committee into test drilling applications, said Green party activist and geographer/geologist Andy Chyba of The Vale says no campaign.

Campaigning against test drilling in parts of Wales had resulted in local interest and cross-party support, Mr Chyba said, adding that local authorities had unanimously opposed testing drilling for shale gas.

Despite that the local campaign in Wales was eventually lost and test drilling applications had been permitted, however, they had generated more attention and awareness about the issue, he said.

Community Energy Companies

Britain needed a community energy revolution, said Howard Johns of Southern Solar.

The expansion of renewable energy could be made through community-owned energy companies, he said.

The shift to renewables was particularly important as Britain had become increasingly dependent on gas imports, Mr Johns said, adding that there were both economic and geopolitical issues attached to the import of gas from countries like Qatar and Russia.

Using examples from Germany, Mr Johns said that solar energy output was increasing and was a technology that could be quickly deployed.

Renewables remained in their infancy in Britain and the Big Six would not contribute to improving the matter. This was where community-owned energy companies could make a difference, Mr Johns said.

Responding to a question from the floor, Mr Johns said that access to the grid was an issue for renewable energy companies due to the associated costs.

Fracking Regulation

It was important to have the right legislation in place in case a dash for gas went ahead, said Cllr Sue McGuire from Sefton Metropolitan Borough Council, near the Ribble Estuary.

Legislation needed to be in place to control the industry, said Ms McGuire, with specific focus on the chemical mix used in the water for fracking.

There was a lack of funding and knowledge within the Environment Agency, she said, adding that the agency had only become aware of problems with fracking after drilling had taken place.

Clearer regulation was necessary to ensure that environmental impact assessments became a requirement, regardless of the size of the drilling operation.

As part of legislation, it was important to ensure that all commercial interests involved in shale gas were held liable for any adverse consequences, Ms McGuire told attendees.

Mari Tunby, News Researcher

It is posted here, with Alan’s Permission, to raise your awareness of the issue.

Dear ….. AM,

As you return to Senedd for the 2012/13 session you cannot fail to be
Aware of the increasing financial stress being experienced by the Wales NHS.

Health Boards are in deficit. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-19512500
Concern continues to be expressed about the funding of neonatal care.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-19567699

We are asking a very simple question. How can public funding of
Religious care in hospitals be justified when far more critical
Services are funded by charitable trusts?

The Health Ministers of both the Third Assembly and the current
Assembly have failed to provide such a justification. At the end of
The 2011/12 session we sent to you, by email, financial data and a
Closely argued case for charitable funding of hospital chaplaincy.
During four years of campaigning this case has never been challenged.

If the Wales NHS is to solve the difficult financial problems it now
Confronts, a careful examination of its priorities must be made.

Please discuss this matter with colleagues and challenge the Welsh
Assembly Government to justify public funding of religious care in
These circumstances. If you are member of a faith community please
Discuss with its leaders the possibility of creating a Wales-wide
Charitable trust to pay hospital chaplains. Such an initiative would
Surely represent a public relations success for the faith communities.

Alan Rogers
CCC

Can you guess what I am thinking?