Better Climate for Camden

On 19th February, Camden FoE hosted a visit from Camden's Environmental Policy Officer to learn about how the Council is tackling businesses' impact on the environment.

It appears that there is no lack of takers for their 'better climate for camden' programme, which provides advice and hands-on assistance for all businesses in the borough. However, there is a worry that this is not reaching the more reticent businesses. Due to the level of interest from local companies the team does not have the resources (time or people) to proactively approach others - who potentially need more help.

Camden FoE is now considering how it can complement this work, but first of all wants to see affordable recycling schemes rolled out to all the Borough's businesses. This is only the first step to greener business and it's time to move on...

Camden FoE Response to Camden Tube Redevelopment Consultation

Camden FoE have submitted a formal response to Camden Council's public consultation on the redevelopment of Camden tube station and Camden market.

You can view the response document here.

Recycling Rubbish?

This group is attracting a lot of new members at the moment, and the reason why? Frustration with Camden's recycling service.

To be fair some households appear to get an excellent service, and residents welcomed the wider rollout of plastics recycling, but this does not extend to larger blocks and estates in the borough. And given that this type of housing is prevalent in the area, a lot of people are feeling frustrated about the service.

We want to know more about your experiences of Camden's recycling service (good or bad) so please post a comment on this blog so that we can take your case to the Borough's recycling officers in March. If you could name the street and area that you live in that would really help.

Thanks!!

February 2007 Meeting Minutes

A copy of the minutes from our February meeting can be found here.

Camden FoE launches Green Informer Newsletter

Read the inaugural issue of the Camden Friends of the Earth newsletter - Camden Green Informer here and let us know what you think.

Green Electricity Tariffs - Reality or Rhetoric?

Whilst we should all be choosing a "green" electricity tariff to do our bit to help avert climate change, it is always worth doing a bit of research to make sure the tariff you select is delivering what you believe it is. An excellent new report by the National Consumer Council exposes some of the tariffs as being a lighter shade of green. You can access the report here

For details of the fuel mix of your supplier's electricity, look here

Jan 2007 Monthly Meeting Minutes

Following the success of 2006, the group has agreed to focus on the following themes for 2007:

i. Aviation
ii. Camden Town Tube Re-development
iii. Domestic Recycling
iv. Business Environmental Management
v. Domestic Energy Efficiency

Full minutes from our January meeting can be found here.

Eco-Design Christmas Fair

On Saturday 2nd December the group were out in force campaigning at the Eco-Design Christmas Fair in Camden. The stall attracted lots of interest, and particularly popular was the Christmas Card to Tony Blair, thanking him for a climate change bill in the Queen's Speech. Members of the public signed the card and added their own personal messages; many demanding tougher action on Climate Change in the New Year.

We now hope to get an opportunity to hand the card over in person before Christmas. If we manage to do so you can be sure there will be photos posted back here, so watch this space....

The London Letters on Climate Change

An exciting new project in support of the FoE Big Ask Campaign incorporating all London local FoE Groups is being co-ordinated by Camden FoE Group members Graeme Maughan and Anisa Jadwat-Reinecke.

The aim of the project is to get as many London MPs as possible to sign up to an open letter, setting out their concern about climate change, and proving their commitment to show political leadership, by supporting the development of a Climate Change Bill.

You can find out more on the dedicated London Letters Blogspot here.

Beat the Drought

London, along with much of the UK is currently suffering drought conditions, with a hosepipe ban in force, and a drought order now applied for. Why is there a drought? Quite simply, there hasn't been enough rain. The south of England is experiencing its driest period since 1933, with low rainfall over the last two winters, when traditionally reservoirs and underground aquifiers are replenished.

Whilst it is easy, and perhaps justifiable to a certain extent to blame Thames Water for contributing to the problem with their poor record on repairing leaks, having missed their own targets for three consecutive years, whilst still managing to increase profits each year, consumers also have a part to play. Fifteen years ago we each used around 139 litres of water a day; now we use 150 litres.

We can all help alleviate the problems by taking some simple steps to conserve water. To find out more about the problem and what you can do to conserve water, visit www.beatthedrought.com.

And if you spot a leak in the street, call Thames Water's leakline free on 0800 714614, or report it online here.

West Hampstead Local Food Festival 2006

This year's event was even bigger and better than last year's inaugural event. Being held over a fortnight from 14th to 27th June, the Festival was launched with a Local Food Fair on West End Green on Wed 14th June, and there a second fair on Sat 24th. Both events were very well supported, with locals enjoying the fine fare from the local farmers market, live jazz, cookery demonstrations, fun and games for the kids and lots, lots more!

During the fortnight nine local restaurants featured specials on their menus using fresh produce from the local farmers market, which yet again turned out to be tremendously popular.

And on Thurs 22nd we held a sell-out screening of the film McLibel, which was followed by a Q&A with the film's director and Camden resident Franny Armstrong.

Here are some photos from the launch event.

The Camden FoE stall was a centre for discussion and debate

Event organiser Nikki prays that the farmers will deliver the goods ...
Steve goes quietly...for a change!
The tomatoes were very popular
Would you buy a raffle ticket from these two?
Local jazz, nice ...
The produce was far better quality than the photography; me and my shadow...

Camden FoE soak up the sun at Camden Green Fair

Summer arrived just in time for the Camden Green Fair and the Camden FoE team were there in force to promote the upcoming West Hampstead Local Food Festival, and sign people up to the Friends of the Earth Big Ask and Company Law Reform (CORE) campaigns. Final scores on the doors:-

• CORE - 268 postcards
• Big Ask - 285 postcards

We also collected plenty of sunburn ...

And here's a picture of our lovely local food hamper used to publicise the upcoming West Hampstead Local Food Festival ...

Camden FoE Response to the DTI "Our Energy Challenge" Consultation Paper

A subset of the Camden Friends of the Earth group formed a study group during early 2006 to review and respond to the DTI's consultation paper "Our Energy Challenge". The resulting response document can be found here.

Camden FoE Members Pay a Flying Visit to Gordon Brown

On Budget Day, the Campaign Against Climate Change staged a protest against the Chancellor's pro-aviation growth remarks in his Pre-Budget Report. The protest was organised by Camden FoE member (Captain) Jim Roland, and he was ably assisted on the day by Camden FoE coordinator (Cabin Services Director) Suzy Edwards.

Here are some more photos from the protest...

Suzy gets up close and personal with big GB

Suzy again? Who organised this...?

Jim and Suzy dance GB into the ground

Friends of the Earth BIG ASK campaign

Camden FOE took part in the launch of the National FOE BIG ASK campaign. This is FOE's big climate change campaign that is asking "Is the Government doing enough on climate change?". We had local group members positioned at 3 locations in Camden and were successful in obtaining over 500 signatures for the campaign - the resounding view was no, the Government certainly isnt!

West Hampstead Local Food Festival

Camden Friends of the Earth launched the West Hampstead “Local Food Festival” in West End Lane.

The festival was a unique collaboration between West Hampstead cafes and restaurants, London Farmers’ Markets and the Camden Friends of the Earth Voluntary Group.

The week of events started on Wednesday 8th June with an event at West End Green with residents and restaurant-goers sampling and buying a great variety of local food, watching cookery demonstrations by a local chef, and enjoying live jazz.

10 local restaurants produced a local produce dish for the entire week, creating considerable interest amongst the West Hampstead community.


The camden FOE 'BIG ASK' stall.


Learning about local food



Aiden provides a cookery demonstration - strawberries and pepper, quite a combination!


A local family enjoying the food available.


The local produce stalls were swamped - could you ask for more?


Tim and Judith doing the 'BIG ASK'


The West Hampstead Food festival was a real family day.

Camden Green Fair

Camden FOE were out in force at this event in Regents Park on a beautiful sunny day. We used the event to promote the upcoming West Hampstead Food Fair and to support national FOE in the BIG ASK campaign (more elsewhere in this blog).

Fair Trade Event at Queen's Crescent

Camden FOE members staffed a stall selling products as part of Fair Trade fortnight.



Conchi selling the tea.


Another networking opportunity for Suzy!


Joe doing only what only Joe can do - playing the geetar!


You've got to get them while they're young!


Anyone for a banana?




Joe by the FOE banner

Alliance Against 4x4 School Run Demo

Members of Camden FOE descended on mass to Belsize Park to demonstrate again Urban 4x4s on the first day back for many schools in London. We dressed up as Lollypop men and woman and school teachers and gave out school reports to 4x4 drivers - D minus for environmental record, E for road safety.

The action was in conjuction with other members of the Aliance Against Urban 4x4s see http://www.stopurban4x4s.org.uk/ The event received fantastic news coverage - featured on BBC London and in The Independent as well as other local papers.

Eco Design Christmas Stall

Camden FOE had a stall at the Eco Design Christmas Market in Camden.

We managed to get over 70 people to complete energy efficiency surveys of their homes and provided information on the groups activities including the Alliance Against Urban 4x4s.


A long time environmentalist visits the stall


Suzy and Steffi doing some erm market research


Suzy 'networking' with an American environmentalist


Chatting with friends of Camden FOE


Steffi tries on a new eco pom pom hat