Shepway Friends of the Earth Activity Bulletin - March 2003

First the sad news: Our local group seems to have suffered more than the usual buffeting of bereavements recently. First David Horsley died after a stoic and civilised acceptance of several months of physical decline in the Ashford Hospice; Then in the space of a week Ginnie Gledhill and Trevor Denniff lost their beloved partners. Trevor's Rosemary had complemented his driving enthusiasm and energy with calmness and commonsense for very many years; Ginnie and Terry had been married for a shockingly short time in comparison, but her loss was felt by all of us as a terrible and unnatural blow. Our sympathies are with the families of all three. But we must pick up the banners and the pen and carry on. There is plenty of activity on all our current campaigns and we need your help. Nuclear Power Well, 2.5 cheers for the Government's Energy White Paper! We received an e-mail from a very relieved and jubilant Bryony Worthington of FoE's Climate Team. She was happy to report that FoE welcomed the overall tone and intention of the Paper since there were no new measures included that would support new nuclear power stations - "The Government has, as we asked, dumped nukes." However, she warns that "the Paper stops short of committing to firm targets for renewables in 2020 and energy demand reduction through increased energy efficiency. The package contains few new measures and only £60m in extra resources". The hope is that with challenging targets already in place (10% renewables, 20% CO2 reduction by 2010) the Government is already committed to deliver policies on green energy that work or else faces political embarrassment at best, and lights going off at worst. Bryony tells us that Patricia Hewitt was strongly influenced by public opinion, which was so clearly not in favour of a new generation of nuclear power stations. So those who have voiced their protests in recent months can feel pleased that their activity has succeeded. Pete Roche of Greenpeace has also sent a message of congratulation to campaigners, but he sounds a warning against demobilisation - "these people will keep coming back until there is a stake through their hearts". His anxiety stems from hints that the Government may consider burning off the waste pile of plutonium in the form of MOX fuel in one or two of the old power stations. So we'll keep the watch going on our campaign. Meanwhile we still live in the lee of Dungeness power station, and as Greenpeace point out in the enclosed leaflet, the protection arrangements in the event of a mishap or terrorist attack at the power station are very limited. Several years ago we proved that the arrangements for the distribution of potassium iodate tablets are ludicrously inadequate. The only change since then has been an increasing danger of terrorism or the failure of ageing machinery at the power station. Please write to the Emergency Planning Officer at Shepway District Council, Civic Centre, Castle Hill Avenue, Folkestone CT20 2QY, then follow it up by sending a letter on the lines suggested by Greenpeace either to your own district councillor or to the Leader, Rory Love (all at the same address, SDC as above). Climate Change campaign The other thing that George W Bush is doing at the moment is to continue to ignore the threat of global warning. You will recall that he refused to ratify the Kyoto Protocol which seeks to reduce CO2 emissions world-wide. Phil Thornhill is still campaigning against Esso (Exxon in the States). Exxon are achieving a potentially devastating effect through lobbying the US government at the head of a number of corporations in the fossil fuel industry. As a result George Bush receives a relentless stream of messages that global warming does not exist, and that the US should be free to exploit the world's resources of oil. The next Climate Change stunt organised by Phil is a "March to the end of the World" on Saturday 29 March. Details are on the leaflet enclosed. If there are any would-be Horsemen of the Apocalypse or Whores of Babylon who would like to share transport arrangements to any of the checkpoints or to the Rally at the Imperial War Museum, just give us a ring. If you are otherwise engaged on the 29th or can't be doing with more marching, please consider donating to the campaign, using the coloured leaflet enclosed. GM Crops We have submitted petitions to both KCC and SDC requiring them to take legal action to prevent the planting of GM crops in our area. Despite the fact that many Councillors thought that this was a good idea, so far the Shepway District Secretary for the Environment, George Bunting, has resolved only to "take advice" from independent bodies. This pause for thought could last into the next planting season. Please make your feelings known to your local district councillor so that he or she can make sure the dust is blown off the GM file in Mr Bunting's office.

Secretary: Treasurer: Membership: Campaigns Coordinator Moira Stuart Penny Wright Rhona Hodges Barrie Botley Shepway FoE Steering Group

Mission Statement Shepway FoE Constitution Local Campaigns What you can do Welcome letter to new members

Friends of the Earth are working for lasting change on all these vital fronts Genetic Engineering We have long had concerns that genetic modification of food breaks nature’s safety barriers. Now not only has Prince Charles publicly agreed that genetically modified foods reduce consumer choice and damage the environment, but all the major supermarket chains have now banned their use in their own-brand products. Friends of the Earth are calling for a five-year moratorium on their use, and there is increasing public concern about the possible dangers. Nuclear Power After five years of campaigning, we have won our campaign against Nirex’s plans to site a nuclear waste dump at Sellafield. The expansion of civil nuclear power has been discredited and brought to a halt, but there will be more battles to fight to protect local communities and the environment from the possible dangers of nuclear waste Traffic Reduction Our Road Traffic Reduction Act is only a start. We now have to work with government, local councils and industry to develop sustainable transport patterns - including improved public transport, safe cycle routes, improved pedestrian facilities, and new ways of organising work to reduce unnecessary travel. Air Pollution Our recent report Prescription for Change exposed the appalling effects of air pollution, which kills some 10,000 people in England and Wales every year, and helped to alert the public. We now plan to lobby at European level for effective controls over nitrogen dioxide and ozone emissions, and for targets to be set for reducing them. Achieving this may take a great deal of time and effort, but it is essential for the nation’s health. Saving the Forests The recent Presidential decree banning new mahogany logging concessions in Brazil is a welcome step forward, but it is only one step on a long road. Climate change Climate change, caused by increasing levels of carbon dioxide and the release of other ‘greenhouse’ gases into the atmosphere, is a global disaster in the making. We played a big part in drafting the Home Energy Conservation Act, which is helping to reduce emissions. We intend to step up research into practical solutions based on the replacement of fossil fuels by alternatives such as wind, wave and solar power. Cutting down on waste In Britain, we bury 5 million tonnes of paper every year in landfill sites. Not only does this accelerate forest destruction and create growing pressure on land use; it also contributes to global climate change because rotting paper releases methane, a climate-changing gas.

Would you like to know more, or perhaps become a member of Shepway Friends of the Earth? Annual membership costs £6 (waged) or £2.50 (unwaged); you will receive a regular newsletter and have the opportunity to join in our campaigns. We can be contacted at: 3 Abbott Road, FOLKESTONE, Kent CT20 1NG Telephone (01303) 257046

 

                  

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