Planet Shaftesbury is encouraging everyone concerned about climate, biodiversity and environmental challenges, to attend the special Shaftesbury Town Council meeting on Tuesday 12th December at 7.00 pm. This is to support those people in our network who, with others, have been working so hard to produce a sustainability plan for the whole town. The plan includes both council-led activities and potential community initiatives and it is hoped that the council will adopt it at this meeting. You will be able to read the plan in advance (after 6th December) amongst the agenda papers accessible from the Shaftesbury Town Council web-page for this meeting. Two days later, on the 14th December, Planet Shaftesbury will be having our final meeting of the year in the Snug at the Grosvenor, at 7.30 pm. We will be reflecting on the years activities, and considering how to move forward slightly differently next year. All welcome. |
|
|
Other December News in Brief |
|
|
What's next after the Dorset COP? Join an online discussion on Thursday 7th December at 7.30pm. Zero Carbon Dorset, one of the COP organising groups, will host this discussion to consider how we can make the most of what has already happened and, most importantly, what we do next? The link is below. |
|
|
Stop Portland Waste Incinerator The Public Hearing inquiring into the proposed Waste Incinerator in Portland is taking place on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday for 3 weeks, December 5th-22nd at the Osprey Quay School Site, Portland, 9.30am-5pm. Co-ordinators of the campaign, Paula Klaentschi & Debbie Tulett, would appreciate support: they recommend you dress warmly and take your own chair – just in case the limited public seating is full. To add yourself to a rota of attendees email stoppwi@gmail.com. |
|
|
Invitation from XR Southwest ‘Heading for Extinction’, is an informative and compelling talk that covers the science of the climate and biodiversity crises, why we are still heading for disaster despite all we know about what’s happening and the crucial importance of taking action. There are multiple opportunities to hear the recently updated talk online: Wednesdays at 7pm, 13 Dec 23; 10 Jan 24; 24 Jan; 7 Feb; 21 Feb; 6 Mar; 20 Mar. All are welcome, friends, family, colleagues, neighbours, and sceptics! Booking link below. An early version of the 'Heading for Extinction' talk was a trigger for the emergence of Planet Shaftesbury 5 years ago. A lot has changed since then, see reflections in a recent Forum post on our website (use button below). |
|
|
Support Nature-Friendly Farming The ‘Get Fair about Farming’ petition (“Reform the Grocery Supply Code of Practice to better protect farmers”) has achieved more than 100K signatures, securing a debate in parliament on 22 January 2024. This is just one initiative promoted through the Nature-Friendly Farming Initiative - see link below. |
|
|
Reading the Land, March 2024 Preparations are well advanced for another Shaftesbury book festival celebrating the best of nature writing. Visiting authors will include Chris Smaje. In Saying No to a Farm-Free Future Chris argues against lab-grown meat and ecomodernism and champions a future where more people return to rural areas to rebuild local economies. Rachel Bodle is collecting contributions so that Planet Shaftesbury can sponsor this session, email IOU's to rachel.bodle@gmail.com or find her at meetings. |
|
|
Forest School Leadership: Training Opportunities, April 2024 Wiltshire Wildlife Trust is a recognised centre for the National Open College Network (NOCN) Forest School Qualifications. These courses provide the understanding, knowledge and practical skills needed to be a Forest School Leader with the expertise for working with children in an outdoor environment, building their social communication and risk management skills, and providing opportunities for them to thrive and learn about themselves. See details on the WWT website, link below. |
|
|
Alliance for Proportional Representation Last week Compass launched a new report bringing together Greenpeace, Friends of the Earth, Green New Deal Rising, and Rapid Transition Alliance to call for a change to our voting system as a cornerstone of a new approach to tackling climate change. Together they say we need proportional representation for a sustainable nation and "we must democratise to decarbonise". There is a link to their petition below. |
|
|
Web-links What next following Dorset COP? Register for online discussion here. In the meantime, if you couldn't make the COP, missed a session or want to catch up again, all the main session videos are now available on the website. Nature Friendly Farming Network: newsletters always worth a read. Membership is free and open to supportive members of the public. Join here. Wiltshire Wildlife Trust: See details of their Forest School Training opportunities and link to download a brochure here. Democratise to decarbonise: associated petition here. COP28: Continues at least to 12th December, sign up to daily news from the Energy & Climate Intelligence Unit here. Tuvalu: Losing Paradise is a powerful, short documentary about this island nation with 11,000 people who face being the first to see their country wiped off the map by climate change. Well worth watching! |
|
|
|
|
