February 2004 Newsletter
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The following articles are reproduced from the February 2004 newsletter, and so any information within this page is correct only as of February 2004. For the latest up-to-date information, please visit the relevant campaign pages using the menu on the left, or by clicking on the image alongside the title of each article. |
Government Moves to Curb the Carbon Dinosaurs
After many months of work by Friends of the Earth and others, the Government has finally released its proposed targets to limit the amount of Carbon Dioxide emissions (and thus global warming) being caused by UK heavy industry. This move will set a standard for other countries across the European Union to follow.
The Government's announcement, which addresses our obligations under the EU Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS), requires affected UK industry sectors to cut carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions in two phases. In the first phase (2005-8) targets will be in line with an 8% cut in emissions compared to 2001 levels. The government is then expected to commit to tougher limits in the second phase (2008-12) in order to meet our national target of a 20% cut in carbon dioxide emission over 1990 levels by 2010.
Companies who fail to meet their emissions targets will have to pay for the extra CO2 they emit. Conversely companies who employ more efficient greener technology and beat their emissions targets, can sell their “spare” emissions capacity to companies who cannot meet the requirement through their own efforts. Thus there is a financial incentive for every company to be as efficient as possible and beat their target by as much as possible.
Roughly 2000 UK companies are included in the scheme, and the inefficient coal fired power stations, the “Carbon Dinosaurs” of our economy, will be the most affected sector overall.
Manchester Friends of the Earth has been lobbying both our local MPs and Patricia Hewitt (Secretary of State for the DTI) to set these ambitious targets and our campaigning work needs to continue. Manchester FoE has activities planned locally, nationally and at a European level and we are just about to announce our Climate Challenge 2004 Campaign. Want to do something to help? Have a look at our activities on the Action Page.
Dave Coleman
Stop Esso! Action in Manchester
Just before Christmas staff at Esso’s Salford Quays offices were given a “globally warm” welcome to work. As staff arrived on foot and by tram they were met by members of Manchester Friends of the Earth and Greenpeace who personally presented them with copies of “Hotline” a specially published newsletter for Esso staff. Published in Esso’s house style, Hotline set out the reasons why environmental groups are confronting Esso’s refusal to acknowledge global warming.
Many Esso employees and the general public remain unaware of the company’s appalling record of opposing work designed to address climate change, and Esso’s (and its American parent Exxon’s) active opposition of scientific research into climate change and their active campaigning against legislation designed to combat global warming.
Manchester Friends of the Earth actively supports the Stop Esso! coalition and will be taking part in further Stop Esso! initiatives over the coming months. If you would like to help Stop Esso! then join the national boycott of Esso petrol stations and buy your fuel elsewhere, and advise your friends to do the same.
Dave Coleman
A Century of Flight
The last months have been thrilling for our aviation campaign as an incredible number of things have happened! 100 years ago, on 17 December 1903 aviation pioneers, Wilbur and Orville Wright made the first flights in a powered aircraft, not knowing how much their invention would change the world. Exactly a century later the Government published its Aviation Strategy for the next 30 years – in full knowledge, but complete ignorance of aviation’s downsides.
In October and November we urged Greater Manchester MPs to sign an Early Day Motion calling for a genuinely sustainable aviation policy. In total 120 MPs signed the EDM and we were very pleased to find four Manchester MPs among them. To raise awareness and provide more information to the public we updated our webpage, wrote numerous press releases, arranged an exhibition at the Central Library, spoke to the public and lobbied our MPs.
Bluest skies
On the 8th December Manchester Airport and the City Council representatives celebrated the 100th anniversary of powered flying at Manchester Cathedral. On their way out they were confronted by Manchester FoE and poet Michael Gibson with reminders of the negative effects of aviation. Michael recited and sang his work, 'Silver planes in which bluest skies', which was Kerstin Moritz, Michael Gibson and Graeme Sherriff at the Cathedral written in response to the plans for Manchester Airport's second runway and Manchester FoE gave out an 'alternative history of flight', stressing the environmental and social impacts of the industry.
Between then and the publication of the aviation White Paper two weeks later we made use of the media’s interest in the topic, sent out press releases and went for radio interviews. Greater Manchester Radio also visited Michael Gibson’s house to see what it’s like living under the flight path.
White paper stained
The White Paper was a shock for green campaigners and even the aviation industry was surprised by the scale of growth the Government supports. At least four new runways will be built within the next 25 years: a second at Stansted in 2011 – 2012 and a third runway and a possible Terminal 6 at Heathrow in 2015 – 2020 subject to environmental conditions concerning noise and air pollution. If Heathrow cannot fulfil the conditions, the building will happen at Gatwick, so either way it will be built. Birmingham and Edinburgh will also get new runways.
Manchester Airport, by far the largest airport outside the South East, is subject to massive development too. It does not need a new runway until 2015 but aims to double passenger numbers within the next 10 years and is likely to reach runway and terminal capacity constraints by then. The Government made clear it supports the principle of developing terminal capacity at Manchester Airport, subject to noise pollution, and significant work to improve surface access.
Manchester FoE will watch these developments closely and continue to campaign for more sustainable air travel and alternatives. If you are interested in joining us, to do some research, help design exhibitions, to talk to the public or your MP, please come along!
Kerstin Moritz
Getting Down to Work in Longsight
The ALL (Ardwick, Longsight and Levenshulme) Community Network has shown its support for FoE's recent work in Longsight by employing a person to support the Longsight and Area Transport Working Group. This group was set up towards the end of last year to take forward the ideas that came out of FoE's community research in the first half of the year.
From English learning groups for Asian women to the Woodcraft Folk, community groups in the area were asked about what problems they had with transport in the area and whether they felt safe getting around. Our team also interviewed people on the street and in Longsight Library. In May a vote was held to prioritise the issues and in October our report, 'Better Buses and Safer Streets', was launched at a multi-lingual exhibition in the library to much acclaim. Roger Jones, chair of GMPTE, and Gerald Kaufman MP were both very enthusiastic about the accessible and fun ways we went about the consultation.
At the exhibition we launched our bus diary campaign (which revealed that the average waiting time for the 53 bus is three quarters of an hour) and the transport working group. The latter is a way of involving Longsight residents in campaigning for change. This appointment is an opportunity to build up and resource the working group and is exactly what we wanted to achieve through the campaign: leaving a force for change within the community.
What else has the transport campaign been up to?
As the campaign co-ordinator, I have been attending the Transport Thematic Partnership meetings of the Local Strategic Partnership. This is an opportunity to influence Council policy. We ensured that environmental sustainability and social inclusion were in this year's action plan.We’ve also been making sure that our views are known elsewhere, including the Council’s review meeting of last year’s In Town Without My Car Day, and commenting on regional media on topical issues.
Graeme Sherriff
Virtually Real Food
A new website about real food, developed by Manchester Friends of the Earth, is now online at www.realfoodguide.org.uk. The concept of an online real food guide was born last summer when Manchester FoE member Marion updated the printed guide that was produced in 2002. As well as describing what real food is, and the different ways of obtaining it, Marion also added a number of real-life case studies: people describe what it is like to shop using these alternatives and how it fits in with their lifestyles; and growers and independent distributors talk about the services that they offer and their personal approach.
However, instead of just producing another printed guide, we decided to convert Marion’s work into an eye-catching online resource to make it easier for our readers to contribute, and help us to ensure that the information in the guide is kept up-to-date.
The site is structured around four questions: what is real food? why eat it? how to get it? and where to find it? As well as Marion’s content, we publish articles by Colin Tudge, three times Glaxo/ABSW Science Writer of the Year, and Zac Goldsmith, editor of The Ecologist. And to help you get real, there’s a handy directory of suppliers and retailers of real food in the Manchester area.
The official launch of the Manchester Real Food Guide website is planned for early March – keep an eye on www.realfoodguide.org.uk for more details.
Ali Abbas
Comment: Budget Airlines - A Bill to Pay?
Budget airlines have clearly changed our travel habits. In the age of Ryanair, easyJet and bmibaby we are wooed by incredible offers such as “fly for the price of a taxi” or even better “fly for just £1”, making it possible for more and more people to fly abroad. But does it really?
The Government’s expansion plans for UK airports assume a three-fold increase in flights and most of this increase will be from holiday flights. Budget airlines already cater for a massive number of these flights and there is no reason to assume this will change. But studies show it is not the majority of Britons who take advantage of these bargain flights but rather the wealthiest few. Even today when flights could hardly be cheaper, not everyone can afford to holiday abroad but the fundamental question is: are cheap flights really cheap?
As a matter of fact, there is no such thing as a cheap flight. The costs of the flight haven't disappeared, they have simply been shifted elsewhere. Aviation fuel is not taxed like petrol and airline tickets attract no VAT unlike normal purchases. In addition all the external costs of flight are simply disguised; the NHS health costs and infrastructure costs to those communities living in and around airports, the unemployment and other state benefits paid out in the UK as it's "cheaper" for tourists to spend their holidays in Spain than Wales or Cornwall. And don't forget the price we are all paying for the effects of global warming, which is only being accelerated by the breakneck expansion in short-haul flights. The price continues to be paid by all of us, the Great British public, through the taxes we continue to pay to subsidise the airline industry.
Kerstin Moritz
Feature: Ade Collins - Contesting Congestion
What is your job title?
Greater Manchester Travel Co-ordinator
What does your job involve?
When I tell people my job title, they usually think I’m some sort of travel agent. So I’ve stopped mentioning that at parties. I help schools and employers to implement weird and wonderful things called ‘Travel Plans’.
So what is a travel plan?
A Travel Plan is a package of measures to encourage people to use alternatives to driving alone where they are able. This includes measures such as setting up a car sharing scheme, offering discounted bus tickets, or providing cycle parking and shower facilities. The idea of Travel Plan is to get people to make small changes to the way they travel, for example one journey a week. If everybody were to do that, the collective effect would be huge.
What motivates you in your work?
Looking out of the window and seeing all of the traffic. As you can imagine, chances are I will be motivated for some time to come!
How did you get into this sort of work?
By not managing to get a record contract. And visiting the Netherlands as a callow youth and seeing how much nicer it was to walk, travel and breathe over there.
What sort of environmental issues do you deal with?
The obvious ones are air and noise pollution, and the use of fossil fuels. But there are other issues too, such as the loss of habitat for wildlife as more and more roads are built. My work also tackles social exclusion; increasingly people without cars find themselves less able to access jobs, or get to shopping and leisure facilities.
Are 2 wheels good, 4 wheels bad?
Not at all. There are times when a car is a necessity. The car journeys that I am trying to reduce are the ones where people drive 200 yards to the paper shop, or drive to work when they have a high frequency bus service go past the end of their road. The other thing to bear in mind is that you can reduce the impact of your 4 wheels by car sharing, operating on 'cleaner fuels' or by taking simple measures; servicing your vehicle regularly, driving smoothly instead of accelerating and decelerating wildly, checking your tyre pressure, removing your roof rack when not in use, removing un-needed objects from your boot, and lastly planning your journey before you set off. It has been estimated that 20% of annual road mileage is spent getting lost!
How do you convince people to leave their cars at home and try more sustainable modes of transport?
By showing them that small changes can be made easily, and that this can often save them time and money, and improve their health.
What's wrong with the world?
Not enough empathy, not enough open-mindedness. If everybody respected the views of others, regardless of whether they agreed with them, there would be no conflict, and very little suffering. That, and Pop Idol.
Interviewed by Graeme Sherriff
Take Action!
If you have...
...5 minutes
Find out more about the Stop Esso! coalition, get a free car sticker, or order a Stop Esso! t-shirt at http://www.stopesso.com
...15 minutes
Change your electricity tariff to a renewable one, and possibly save
money into the bargain! By switching to an electricity supplier that
produces power from a renewable source such as wind power, wave power
or biomass, you can use electricity without contributing to global warming,
expand the demand for green electricity and take away profits from the
companies still investing in the old polluting technologies.
http://www.foe.co.uk/campaigns/climate/press_for_change/
choose_green_energy
...a while longer
Write to or email your MP your views on climate change: http://www.foe.co.uk/campaigns/climate/press_for_change/
carbon_dinosaurs/cockenzie_power_station.html#action